Fahima is the founder of Virus Communications and CEO of Virtual Consulting. She also happens to be one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Indonesia.
The British Counsel recognized her as one of 10 International Young Creative Entrepreneurs in 2007, Business Week named her one of 25 Asia Best Young Entrepreneurs, and she even won the Femina L’oreal Best Mum award. The awards don’t stop there. She has been noted as a Young Woman Future Business Leader by Swa Magazine, and Fortune Magazine considers her one of the Top 40 Below 40 in Indonesia.
Penn Olson asked her about her journey in business.
Entrepreneurship is in my blood, it runs in the family. In 2006 I started my entrepreneur journey, I was 27 at the time. Together with my husband, we decided to leave the advertising industry to form Virus Communications. People said it was a crazy decision because we quit at the same time. But I think there will be no crazy result without a crazy (daring) start. And it proved to be the right decision, Virus Communication grew fast, and we went in at the right timing too. We also had the right partnership.
Virus was originally a traditional marketing communication company, but two years down the road we did a SWOT analysis for the company, and decided to focus on both online and digital. It was the right decision, again, because the industry was hoping for a consultancy that was able to connect digital marketing and communication in one language.
Once we decided to go online, Virus grew even faster and bigger. We won important pitches from big clients, and even won a regional pitch for a big international brand. Because of this sudden growth, I needed full support on infrastructure, financial and human resources. Not long after that we decided to merge with Virtual Consulting in which I am now the CEO and owner along with my husband.
Screenshot from Virtual Consulting