What started 14 years ago as a temporary home baking project has grown into Xiao by Crustz, a 7-figure patisserie. For founder Xiao-Ly Koh, the journey has been a constant balancing act between her identity as a chef and the demands of being an entrepreneur.

Chef and Founder Xiao-Ly Koh joins us to share her story. She discusses her mission to introduce modern French pastry to Malaysians, the strategic pivots she made along the way (from customised cakes to a rotating menu), and her journey from a home kitchen to a bustling 60-seater cafe with ambitions to hit RM10 million in revenue.

We discuss:

• The 14-year journey from a home baker to a seven-figure business.

• The balancing act: navigating the tension between being a chef and an entrepreneur.

• The rotating menu strategy and the story behind her hero product, the "Kaya Toast."

• The evolution from a home business to a full-scale retail store.

• Her ambitious goal to reach RM10 million in revenue by expanding into new products.

For F&B founders and aspiring chefs, this is a deep dive into the realities of building a sustainable artisanal brand in a competitive market.

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