“I used to count other people’s money; now, I count my own. I may not be rich, but I’ve reclaimed my life,” said the former accountant turn fried chicken seller.
Many of us dream of leaving our corporate jobs and the mind-numbing traffic in the city for the chance to run our own businesses. One Malaysian man actually did it — and now he’s happily selling fried chicken in his hometown.
In a anonymous TTN 谈谈网 Facebook post, the 32-year-old shared that he graduated with a degree in accounting and at one point believed that success came in the form of “big companies, suits, ties and air-conditioned offices.”
Having excelled academically, he landed a well-paying job earning RM4,500 right after graduation at an MNC firm.
However it sounded better on paper.
“But daily traffic jams, being berated over minor mistakes, dealing with clients’ moods, and dragging work home every weekend left me exhausted.”
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Even his mother questioned why he had lost so much weight.
The turning point came when a colleague mocked him: “You studied so much, yet all you do is help others with their accounts.” That reminded him of his happiest childhood memories helping his father fry chicken at night markets.
Months later, he quit and took the less travelled path by renting a stall in his hometown and began selling fried chicken.
He admitted feeling fearful, having doubts that his business would fail and he would ashame his parents.
“The beginning was rough. Unsold chicken, inspections from the council over unclear signboards, rainy days with no customers, and countless burns.”
But he soldiered on.
Slowly, people began visiting his stall. “Students stop by after school, Grab drivers pick up orders, uncles and aunties come by, some even say, ‘This chicken has heart,’” he shared.
Today, he earns a modest income but feels richer in life. But he still has some former classmates who tease him, “You studied at university just to sell chicken? What a waste.”
“But I don’t see it that way. I used to count other people’s money; now, I count my own. I may not be rich, but I’ve reclaimed my life. My time, my happiness, my choices — no longer dictated by a monthly salary.”
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