SRKK Stories: Meet Shahfirol Haziq Bin Abdullah

Are you willing to do whatever it takes just to fulfill your dreams? How far are you willing to go to make your goals a reality?

Many say that they’ll do EVERYTHING to achieve their dreams, but often it’s easier said than done, especially when things get hard.

The same is true for Shahfirol Haziq Bin Abdullah. Fondly called “Shah”, he started pursuing his dreams while  he was still in school.

As a student, Shah gained experience by working several part-time jobs. From working in restaurants to selling different things, he did it to gain experience and to support his needs.  

Humble Beginnings

Shah got his first full-time job as a salesperson in a home appliance store. He worked hard even though he didn’t get paid in his first couple months. 

He persisted, and learned from his seniors, and chased his dream, “I have to do whatever it takes to achieve my dream” Shah added. Soon his efforts paid off and he received the Best Salesperson award in his team after a first few years at work. 

It was his dedication and commitment that soon landed him a promotion in 2017 as a manager and he was recognized as The Youngest Manager in Malaysia when he was 22 years old. 

Shah faced some challenges along the way,  he noticed that people on his team “easy come & easy go” as he describes it. Despite the good performance in sales, he found managing people particularly challenging, “…it was that skill that I didn’t have at the time” he said. But his superiors supported him, pushed him to do better, and not waste his investment. That’s when he found an opportunity for a career change and growth.  

Crossroads

Through some of his friends in SRKK Johor Bahru that Shah came to know about the company.

He was hesitant at first, having no IT background (he has a Diploma in Mass Communication & Communication Studies), yet his friend encouraged him, and with his strong fighting spirit, he took up the challenge and joined the SRKK Team.

He was interviewed in December 2018 and started in January 2019. Despite being clueless about the IT industry, he listened to his supervisors and persevered until he got his first customer referral from Microsoft.

That paved the way for more sales opportunities for Shah.

Crown of Thorns

As Shah ventured into the unknown IT field, he faced a few hurdles that made him wiser and more knowledgeable.

One challenge he faced is handling several sets of accounts, handling a lot of contacts, as well handling different issues and inquiries.

His skill in managing people also got better as he learned from his experiences as an sales manager. He learned to solve one problem after the other and continued to grow professionally by learning from his mistakes. 

Shah, in an interview, said that he had never thought that one day he would become part of a company like SRKK in the IT Industry.

However, the pressure he received from people around him helped him get the most out of everything. The different responsibilities he encountered in the company have truly changed his life positively.

As Shah was entering the IT industry, he felt another part of him come to life. From having a negative point of view in life he learned to change it into a positive point of view. He became more experienced and became a better version of himself.

When asked how he would describe his journey he shared that “Life is full of surprises. Life is full of surprise[s] until you know what happens tomorrow…you have to learn from mistakes and not give up”. Shah’s advice to young entrepreneurs who have big dreams like him is this: “Just start…You don’t learn until you start. You have to go through the path—your own way and you will know what to actually overcome. Start small, everything starts from [something] small.”

Shah is a living testimony that starting is the first step to turn one’s dreams into reality. With a dash of determination, a cup of commitment, and a strong fighting spirit, anyone can achieve their hopes and dreams. Just like Shah, growing personally and professionally happens when we take the first step and start.