“Love life, love home, love rugs.”
Running a business takes determination and perseverance, two qualities that Sabrina Huang of Rug Sanctum is well equipped with. So with a longtime dream of entrepreneurship, and as a mother of two, it’s become her mission to demonstrate that people can make their dreams come true.
Sabrina founded Rug Sanctum after her love for home décor styling led to her the niche of floor rugs. Now as an online retailer offering a wide range of premium quality rugs, Sabrina holds true to her slogan, “Love life, love home, love rugs”. Her goal for her clients is to find the perfect rug to create a beautiful home.
In order to scale Rug Sanctum into a profitable and sustainable business, Sabrina has joined the HerBusiness Network. She enjoys engaging with the many resources and supportive community of like-minded women. As she continues on this journey, Sabrina looks forward to being her own boss and making a difference in her clients’ lives.
But perhaps most of all, Sabrina loves how running her own business allows for work-life flexibility. So when she’s not working, Sabrina can be found spending time with her precious family, styling home décor, and enjoying an overall passion for life.
Who’s your favourite entrepreneur and why?
Steve Jobs! His entrepreneurship journey is tough but inspiring. He dropped out of college because his family could not afford his education, but he unofficially continued to audit classes, living off free meals from the local Hare Krishna temple and returning coke bottles for change just to get by. But with his intelligence, hard work and perseverance, he created Apple, and he became the soul of Apple!
Why did you start your business and what gave you the idea?
My very first reason to start my own business is to change my life of living on 9 to 5 jobs so I can truly enjoy the work-life flexibility and have full control of my life and my time. I hope I can work on what I love and set a role model for my kids that with hard work and perseverance, we can make our dream true, just like Steve Jobs! I have a partnership with a local eCommerce consultant and picked a niche of floor rugs, which can embody my passion for life and love for home décor styling.
What do you enjoy most about running your own business?
Be my own boss! A strong sense of achievement to see my business grow, it feels like raising a kid, hard work but also enjoyable. I must say it’s not an easy journey, but whenever I overcome an obstacle, I feel all the hard work is worthwhile.
What three pieces of advice do you wish you’d been given when you started?
- Do not expect you will start making a profit right away, a successful business does take time and patience.
- Invest in learning marketing, one of the most important components of running an eCommerce.
- Understand your audience well before rushing into advertising
What advice would YOU give someone thinking about starting a business?
- Pick a niche that you are interested in.
- Understand your finance, do your calculation of how much capital you need to start the business and grow the business before you start making a profit.
- If you are doing a 9 to 5 job and this is your main income to support your daily living, DO NOT quit your job right away to start the business if you can run it as a side business to start with. After all, a successful business takes time to grow, you need to have sufficient financial support for your business and family for the time being.
What skills and knowledge areas would you recommend those starting out in business get acquainted with quickly?
Understand how to manage your finance
Invest in learning marketing strategy
Learn how to connect and socialise with people, Don’t be shy!
What does your IDEAL business look like? Even if you’re not there yet, what would it look like if your business was ideal?
A profitable and sustainable business that can help me replace my 9 to 5 job and support my family to achieve financial freedom. A business where I can create a difference in other people’s lives.
What problem does being a Member of the HerBusiness Network solve for you and your business? And, how?
The HerBusiness Network provides me with different resources to equip me with the right knowledge and skills on how to run a successful business.
I love networking with like-minded business females, helping each other, sharing experience and knowledge, and growing our businesses together.
