With all the amazing fruits that are available in Asia it is surprising there are not more people in the Juicing space. Great to see that Anabelle is driving the health food message from Kuala Lumpur.
What’s your story?
I am an expatriate who considers Kuala Lumpur my home. I moved from Singapore to KL in 2008 with my husband and have never looked back since. I worked for Microsoft Malaysia for a few years and ventured into media as a producer for BFM 89.9 The Business Station. After interviewing many entrepreneurs, I knew it was my turn to do something here in KL, however I was unsure what exactly I should do. Then I discovered cold-pressed juicing.
Just like the average person out there, I was eating all sorts of unhealthy, processed and artificial foods. But something amazing happened when I tried a plant-based diet that incorporated a daily juice: I had more energy, lost weight easily, and just generally feel fantastic. After that, there was no going back.
My experience drove me to start experimenting with my own juice recipes. At first it was just sharing juices & its benefits to family & friends. And then, it’s to reach out to as many people as possible –- launching La Juiceria as a way of providing more people with healthy options.
What excites you most about your industry?
The ability to help people have a better life makes it all worthwhile. It’s exciting because we are pioneers in cold-pressed juicing in Malaysia and we have made a difference in the lives of many people since we opened our online store — and now we have 4 retail outlets and counting! Hearing the transformation and the positive effects motivates me to open more La Juiceria Detox Bars to reach out to more customers.
What’s your connection to Asia?
I was born in Manila, Philippines. Lived in Singapore for a while and 8 years ago, we moved to Kuala Lumpur. This is my new home.
Favourite city in Asia for business and why?
Kuala Lumpur no doubt. A fantastic city that has certain qualities of Manila and Singapore combined. People are friendly, easy to do business, and a huge pool of talented people.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Keep moving forward.
Who inspires you?
Donald Trump. He survived bumpy rides in his business life and even reinvented himself in the process. He is the epitome of what success looks like — and he had to work very hard to get there. It inspires me to learn from people who have gone through a journey.
What have you just learnt recently that blew you away?
Dare to dream big. Things can happen. Stay positive and attract positive energy. All that worked out for me and look where we are today. It all started with positive thinking.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
Nothing. Life is a journey and I cherish every step I have taken.
How do you unwind?
Dinner dates with my husband. Beach getaways. And ultimately cuddling with my two kids after a hard day’s work.
Favourite Asian destination for relaxation? Why?
Boracay and Bali. Not too far to reach. There is a sense of back-to-basics and you can totally forget all your stress and bask in the simplicity of island life.
Everyone in business should read this book:
Why We Want You To Be Rich by Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki
Shameless plug for your business:
We all need our dose of vegetables and fruits per day. With our busy lifestyle and many fast food choices around, how can we stay healthy? With La Juiceria Cold-Pressed juices, it makes it easy to consume more veggies & fruits, and get nutrients that our bodies crave for. At La Juiceria Detox Bars, we have grab and go juices which are cold-pressed daily. Try out a juice cleanse or just simply taste the cold-pressed difference! Supplement your daily diet with cold-pressed juices and see the positive changes it will make for your body.
How can people connect with you?
[email protected] or www.lajuiceria.com.my or drop by any of our Detox Bars. For free nutritional advice, you can reach us at [email protected]
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This interview was part of the Callum Connect’s column found on The Asian Entrepreneur:
Callum Laing has started, built, bought and sold half a dozen businesses in a range of industries across two continents. He is the owner of Fitness-Buffet a company delivering employee wellness solutions in 11 countries and he is also the CEO of Entrevo Asia, a company that runs 40 week Growth Accelerator programs.
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