As homes across Malaysia prepare to light up for Deepavali, three friends are having their busiest weeks of the year. 

Parveena Selvarajah of Saray, Vinodhini Gangadara Vadivel of Muse by Vino, and Nithya Pushpanathan of Tablescapes by Nithya, each grew their own brand independently, from sarees to handbags to dining-wear, while cheering each other on. Along the way they also joined forces on cultural showcases like the Chitra Edit.

In this Deepavali special, all three join us in the studio to talk about building their brands, sourcing and curating for Malaysian customers, what the festive rush really looks like behind the scenes, and why friendship might be the best business strategy they have.

As homes across Malaysia prepare to light up for Deepavali, three friends are having their busiest weeks of the year. Parveena Selvarajah of Saray, Vinodhini Gangadara Vadivel of Muse by Vino, and Nithya Pushpanathan of Tablescapes by Nithya, each grew their own brand independently, from sarees to handbags to dining-wear, while cheering each other on. Along the way they also joined forces on cultural showcases like the Chitra Edit.In this Deepavali special, all three join us in the studio to talk about building their brands, sourcing and curating for Malaysian customers, what the festive rush really looks like behind the scenes, and why friendship might be the best business strategy they have.

The flagship entrepreneurship show on BFM, featuring personal business stories from early stage start-ups, all the way to billionaire octogenarians in Malaysia and abroad. Notable guests include Martin Cooper (father of the mobile phone), Julian Assange (founder of WikiLeaks), Ralph Henry Baer (father of video games), Tony Buzan (Mindmap Guru), Isaac Tigrett (Hard Rock Cafe founder), Robert Kiyosaki (Financial Guru), Nick Vujicic (motivational speaker) and more. Tap into this valuable resource of shared experiences for the SME industry, which also touches on news, issues and trends affecting the business community and beyond.

Open For Business

Discover fresh concepts, tackle obstacles, and unleash growth - Open For Business is the dynamic show where BFM engages with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and industry trailblazers, igniting inspiration, sparking success, and exploring new business models.

Behind the Glow: The Real Business of Deepavali Retail

In 2022, former news presenter Amanda Andrea Koh asked a dog hotel what would happen if her dog boarded for 30 days without paying extra for walks. The answer: she would stay in her playpen for 30 days straight.

That conversation became Doggy School Bus, a dog daycare, boarding and enrichment business in Petaling Jaya and Hartamas. A bright orange “school bus” takes dogs to off-leash parks for regular adventure sessions, and the business also offers swimming, grooming and doggy events. It turned profitable within six months, has grown into a seven-figure business, and is still fully bootstrapped.

Amanda joins us to talk about why pet care is a serious business, the operations behind looking after living beings, rising costs and a near-threefold jump in rent, and how to scale without losing the heart.

In 2022, former news presenter Amanda Andrea Koh asked a dog hotel what would happen if her dog boarded for 30 days without paying extra for walks. The answer: she would stay in her playpen for 30 days straight.That conversation became Doggy School Bus, a dog daycare, boarding and enrichment business in Petaling Jaya and Hartamas. A bright orange “school bus” takes dogs to off-leash parks for regular adventure sessions, and the business also offers swimming, grooming and doggy events. It turned profitable within six months, has grown into a seven-figure business, and is still fully bootstrapped.Amanda joins us to talk about why pet care is a serious business, the operations behind looking after living beings, rising costs and a near-threefold jump in rent, and how to scale without losing the heart.

All Aboard the Doggy School Bus!

In 2012, a banker took over a struggling songket workshop in Kuching that was about to close. Fourteen years later, Tanoti works with more than 800 artisans across 25 rural and remote communities in Sarawak, weaving songket, pua kumbu ikat and rattan into fashion, accessories and homeware.

This year, the Sarawakian social enterprise made its biggest move yet: a pop-up at Isetan KLCC, its first solo runway show at KL Fashion Week, and now its first Kuala Lumpur flagship at 118 Mall, in the shadow of Merdeka 118.

Dato’ Jacqueline Fong returns to Open For Business to talk about shifting from hotels and corporate clients to individual shoppers, putting weavers on stage in a musical, bringing the world’s textile makers to a longhouse, and what it takes to make heritage craft a business that lasts.

In 2012, a banker took over a struggling songket workshop in Kuching that was about to close. Fourteen years later, Tanoti works with more than 800 artisans across 25 rural and remote communities in Sarawak, weaving songket, pua kumbu ikat and rattan into fashion, accessories and homeware.This year, the Sarawakian social enterprise made its biggest move yet: a pop-up at Isetan KLCC, its first solo runway show at KL Fashion Week, and now its first Kuala Lumpur flagship at 118 Mall, in the shadow of Merdeka 118.Dato’ Jacqueline Fong returns to Open For Business to talk about shifting from hotels and corporate clients to individual shoppers, putting weavers on stage in a musical, bringing the world’s textile makers to a longhouse, and what it takes to make heritage craft a business that lasts.

From Longhouse to Landmark: Tanoti Weaves Its Way to Kuala Lumpur

A neurodivergent child might see a therapist once a week, spend five days in a classroom and every evening at home. But the therapist, the teacher and the parent are rarely on the same page.

Sejolly, a Malaysian social enterprise founded in 2022, builds tools to close that gap. Its app, Rootin, lets therapists, educators and parents share session plans, progress data, individual education plans and more than 160 short video models that parents can follow at home. The company also runs training, assessments and home-based therapy, and in 2025 it completed a programme with Yayasan PETRONAS and JPN Selangor across 30 public schools.

It made about RM295,000 in revenue last year, up 88 per cent, and has been profitable for two years running, while giving one free Rootin account to an underserved family for every ten that are paid for.

Co-founders Khadijah Yunos and Aishah Md Nor join us to talk about building a business around a problem they lived with for years, and balancing impact with commercial sustainability.

A neurodivergent child might see a therapist once a week, spend five days in a classroom and every evening at home. But the therapist, the teacher and the parent are rarely on the same page.Sejolly, a Malaysian social enterprise founded in 2022, builds tools to close that gap. Its app, Rootin, lets therapists, educators and parents share session plans, progress data, individual education plans and more than 160 short video models that parents can follow at home. The company also runs training, assessments and home-based therapy, and in 2025 it completed a programme with Yayasan PETRONAS and JPN Selangor across 30 public schools.It made about RM295,000 in revenue last year, up 88 per cent, and has been profitable for two years running, while giving one free Rootin account to an underserved family for every ten that are paid for.Co-founders Khadijah Yunos and Aishah Md Nor join us to talk about building a business around a problem they lived with for years, and balancing impact with commercial sustainability.

Behind the Glow: The Real Business of Deepavali Retail

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