Relating to organising an occasion like a marriage, one of many greater priorities on most individuals’s minds can be the venue.
After deciding on a venue, they then must set the scene, and that’s the place props are available in. They’ll vary from extravagant floral preparations to classic desk centrepieces to swimsuit the theme, and even full-blown furnishings like sofas and picket arches that make for aesthetic photographs.
However for a lot of, there’s at all times a compromise between wants, needs, and prices.
Nawal Yasmin remembers her wedding ceremony day when she struggled to seek out decor that might match her finances. She remembered an attractive tray (dulang) which might’ve value round RM200 every. For her Malay wedding ceremony, she wanted 12-16 items.
Wishing there was a enterprise renting out such gadgets, she then launched One thing Borrowed By Nawal (SBBN) in June 2011.
“Now SBBN prospects can hire the identical dulang for under RM30-RM40 every!” Nawal advised Vulcan Submit, mentioning the worth of her enterprise.
Establishing store
In its early days, SBBN was run from her household dwelling.
One small room was allotted as her makeshift warehouse to hire out wedding ceremony gadgets at first. Demand grew as time glided by, so Nawal and her companion moved to a different home to usher in extra props from China.
By 2016, the enterprise expanded as its inventory elevated. Nawal was capable of function from a store in Cyberjaya situated on the bottom flooring.
The sorts of props you possibly can hire at SBBN vary from gadgets together with wedding ceremony trays, Chiavari chairs, cylinder vases, carpets, hanging lanterns, centrepieces, in addition to wedding ceremony crowns and veils.
“Then we determined that we needed to grow to be the largest rental supplier in Malaysia so we seemed for traders from household and mates,” mentioned Nawal. With the funding, they expanded their stock once more and moved to a three-storey warehouse in Cyberjaya.
The sorts of props additionally advanced to accommodate not solely weddings, but additionally workplace features, child showers, numerous photoshoots, and birthday celebrations.

Nawal shared that a few of her extra out-of-the-ordinary purchasers have come from one buyer who transported SBBN props to Paris for a pre-wedding photoshoot.
Regardless of SBBN’s regular progress over time, Nawal was pressured to downscale when the pandemic hit, however not too drastically. In 2020, they moved SBBN to a two-storey store in Kajang to cut back the excessive dedication of enterprise prices.
“And this yr (2022), we managed to convey again our store to Cyberjaya however on a smaller scale,” added Nawal, who was merely grateful to have survived the pandemic.
Should you can’t purchase it, hire it
At current, Nawal claimed that SBBN carries a tough 300 merchandise with greater than 2,000 portions of every merchandise.
For a enterprise conducting rental features, one would think about that the largest operational problem would come from managing the stock.
To maintain observe of the warehouse’s merchandise, Nawal shared that she makes use of a system known as Booqble. The group additionally conducts month-to-month stocktakes to test on the stock.

Nawal reportedly costs SBBN’s rental gadgets about three to 5 instances decrease than their common costs too, and her claims appear to carry water.
Wanting on Shopee for a dulang with a reflective floor, buying one your self may set you again RM115-RM145, whereas renting a single unit from SBBN would value RM35.
Should you’re in search of Chiavari chairs, shopping for a set of 4 on Shopee would value RM380- RM388, whereas renting from SBBN would value RM9 every (RM36 for 4).

After all, these renting from SBBN ought to put together to fork out a RM200 safety deposit. The price covers any damages or lacking gadgets upon returning them after the rental interval, which is every week.
If gadgets are returned on time in good situation, the complete quantity will probably be refunded. However, if damages or misplaced gadgets exceed RM200, prospects must high up the quantity. There may be additionally a 50% deposit to e book gadgets prematurely. Those that require supply companies can even make a request for a price.
Combine and match to suit your creativity
SBBN isn’t the one Malaysian enterprise renting out props for occasions and photoshoots. Names like Artwork of Love and Simply Hire It Malaysia provide complete rental packages for numerous themes.
Nawal’s firm, nonetheless, seems to carry a singular promoting level in permitting prospects to combine and match the gadgets they’re renting.
The perk that comes with this degree of customisation is that prospects are ready to decide on the precise gadgets they need in a means that matches their particular person budgets.
With that mentioned, SBBN additionally affords packages for individuals who need one thing extra easy and easy.
By way of Nawal’s future plans for SBBN, she hopes to remain on observe for the enterprise’s progress and be essentially the most most popular rental supplier for occasions in years to return.
SBBN’s growth trajectory up to now and the truth that occasions at the moment are permitted once more, there’s potential for it to achieve that objective.
- Be taught extra about One thing Borrowed By Nawal right here.
- Examine different Malaysian startups right here.
Featured Picture Credit score: Nawal Yasmin, founding father of One thing Borrowed By Nawal