School dropout, three failed businesses: This entrepreneur shares her tough startup journey from S$20 to Porsche

Singapore entrepreneur Miza Nazili has shared a personal account of the challenges she faced before building successful businesses, drawing attention on social media. Nazili urged people to avoid comparing their journeys with others, highlighting that public success often hides years of setbacks, failures and sacrifices.

Entrepreneur shares struggles behind business success

Nazili highlighted her current achievements, including owning a new Porsche, leading five businesses projected to generate more than S$15 million in revenue this year, and establishing a six-storey headquarters spread across two buildings.

However, she said these milestones came after facing several setbacks throughout her entrepreneurial journey.


Nazili revealed that she was once dismissed from a full-time job, saw three businesses fail and reached a point where she had less than $20 in her bank account.

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From financial difficulties to business growth

Nazili recalled facing major financial pressure after one of her businesses failed, leaving her with around $80,000 in debt.

She also shared that during the early stages of her business, she travelled almost daily to Johor Bahru to transport stock because she could not afford better logistics support.

She further spoke about the challenges of entering retail markets, saying her products were initially rejected when she approached a major retailer. She added that her products are now available at more than 100 Watsons stores.

Message on resilience and personal growth

Reflecting on her journey, Nazili said people often see her today as a chief executive leading multiple brands but may not know about the struggles she faced earlier in life.

She recalled being a school dropout whose parents were once disappointed with her choices and said every success story has a difficult beginning.

Nazili encouraged people to focus on their own progress instead of comparing their achievements with others.