Nurul is just one of those people who you look to and wonder how she manages to do all that she does within 24 hours. She is in not one, not two, but three school-based ad hoc! On top of that, she maintains a great GPA, and while taking a walk with her, she seemed to be dabbing every other person we passed by. Spending 2 hours with Nurul was enough to show what a driven, friendly, and most of all… BUSY, person that she is. However, she still manages to find time to run NJ Matcha from her hall.

Covered and Written By: See Yan Thong Gabrielle

1: Hey there! Could you tell us a little about yourself? What are you studying, and what is NJ Matcha all about? What makes it special?

Hi, I'm Nurul, a Year 1 History student, and I run NJ Matcha at Hall 2. I sell strawberry matcha, mango matcha, and normal matcha. I feel that my business stands out because Hall 2 is centralised – a lot of students come here for Prime and 7-Eleven, so they can get their matcha fix while hanging out!

2: What inspired you to start a business from your hall room, and why matcha?

I've always been an entrepreneur, and after my visit to Japan last year, I started making matcha for family and friends. Most of them don't really enjoy matcha, but they really liked mine. I wanted to challenge myself to prove to all the matcha "haters" that mine is palatable. I also let customers watch me make their order, giving them a hall café vibe.

3: What did it actually take to get NJ Matcha up and running — and what challenges did you face along the way?

I started with some R&D, letting friends try my matcha and give feedback before I began operating. The early challenges were figuring out storage so nothing got spoiled and sourcing ice. My pricing was also off at first – I wasn't earning much profit. But over time, I learned to calculate my costs and turn a profit while keeping customers happy.

4: Had you tried running a business before NJ Matcha, or is this your first venture?

I ran NJ Beadz for five years before NJ Matcha, where I was making bracelets and other beaded accessories. I even did bulk orders for Deliveroo and Burger King. My mum has a catering service, so I've been working with her since I was young. I've always been inspired to do something in F&B, and I felt that making drinks was my strength.

5: But how does living in a hall shape the way you run your business?

My room has become like a communal space. Customers and my friends interact with each other. It’s kind of like a lepak spot, and a homey one too. Also, Hall 2 single rooms are big, so the limited space doesn’t restrict operations. I open slots whenever I don’t have classes, so it doesn’t clash with my academics. Many of my customers meet my other customers while getting their matcha fix here! So they all kinda hang around and make friends with each other. I’ve had customers come into my hall and make friends. Not at the start, though. But when some of my friends and other customers come in, they can interact with each other.

6: Has running NJ Matcha changed how people see you around your hall or how you view hall life itself?

Some people now know me as ‘NJ Matcha’ instead of Nurul. One time at NIE, a girl came up to me and asked if I was NJ Matcha! I didn't even know her, so I was shocked but happy. Hall life has also become more fun, and staying in hall means having a built-in customer base – it gives me opportunities I wouldn’t have at home, since people won’t go out of their way to buy from me elsewhere, like if we are in, say, Pasir Ris and they have so many other cafes around and they wouldn’t go to a random HDB.

7: Hall businesses have been rising in recent years, so how do you think they’re changing hall culture?

I think there will be way more businesses coming in. I think it’d be nice during hall orientation for committees to promote more of their hall’s businesses. But I don’t think Hall businesses will change Hall culture too much in the future. But it does give students variety for food and refreshments out of convenience or for supper.

You'd actually be surprised – there are matcha businesses in almost every hall, which is great because residents don't have to travel far. Every hall has their own USP. I've tried Hall 16's nimamatcha, for example, and they serve banana pudding matcha, which is something I don't offer… yet!

8: Do you think the rise in hall businesses has encouraged students to become more entrepreneurial?

Definitely! Seeing the increase in hall-based businesses over the last few months has been really encouraging. Hall makes it easy to get started – you're already paying rent, so you might as well maximise the space. But it's also about seeing other people do it and realising you can too. It gives people the inspiration and the push to try something of their own.

9: As a full-time student with CCAs and academics, how do you juggle running NJ Matcha on top of everything else?

I'm currently in three ad hoc CCAs: the orientation programme for Malay Culture Club, Malay Theatre, and Dikir Barat. In terms of balancing everything, I prioritise school first. My business isn't an everyday thing, so it's manageable. Ultimately, this is just a side hustle, and I know where my priorities lie.

10: What advice would you give other students thinking of starting a hall business? How can they make the most of their space and hall community?

I would say that if it makes you feel happy, then go for it! There really is no harm in trying something new. If it fails, then you learn an important lesson, but if all goes well, then it is so satisfying! Knowing that I have this set of skills and abilities to run a business as a full-time student is so empowering! And you’ll make a lot of friends throughout the journey, too. People are way more supportive than you’d think.

11: Finally, are there any exciting new drinks or flavours coming up that we can look forward to with NJ Matcha?

The mango, bro. One new thing I did was to add an extra layer of whipped mango or strawberry for additional sweetness and flavour.

So what started as an interest in matcha and entrepreneurship has turned Nurul into a familiar name around Hall 2 as NJ Matcha. Her business isn’t just a simple matcha hall-cafe, but a communal lepak spot where customers might come for the matcha and leave with a new friend! Her story is just one of many examples of students turning their interests and passion into a side hustle, a passion project, or a step into entrepreneurship with real-world experience. In the next part of our series, we’ll be speaking to another hall business owner (or insert business name here) to see how they’re making their mark as a hall entrepreneur!

Disclaimer: The hall business in this interview is not affiliated with NTU’s Office of Commercial and Auxiliary Services (OCAS).

INTERVIEW WITH NJ Matcha - hall businesses part 3

INTERVIEW WITH 12cupscafe - hall businesses part 2