For penny pinchers like myself, the best part about tech isn’t quite the tech itself (though that’s important too). It’s that sweet moment when the starting prices for new products drop over time as advancements are made.
And 3D printing is a prime example of this.
These days, a decent printer will set you back about RM1,000 to RM2,000, noted Bangi-born local MJ. This makes it the perfect opportunity to turn a hobby for making things into a full-fledged startup.
Enter his and his wife’s made-to-order lamp business, Lampu Lampu.
From hobby to side hustle
MJ had moved from Selangor to the UK to study civil engineering. However, he didn’t transition into making lamps straight from there. Rather, he ventured into banking and finance first.
His wife, Anis, also had an unrelated career. She was a law student, born and raised in Johor Bahru where the couple were living for a time.
“Lampu Lampu is actually a side business that we mainly work on during our weeknights and weekends,” he explained.
“I still work my full time job at a tech company in Singapore during the week while my wife still works as a lawyer in JB.”
How the business came about, then, was when Anis became pregnant with their first child.
“We found ourselves spending a lot more time at home in JB, which led me to start looking for hobbies to keep myself occupied,” said MJ. “As chance would have it, Instagram’s algorithm started feeding me reels about 3D printing which got me really interested.”
Though hesitant at first, a push from his wife would eventually convince him to pull the trigger on getting their first 3D printer.
The rest, as they say, was history.
Easier said than done
Starting out, the first couple of things that MJ made were trinkets, toys, and generally just items for their house. It wasn’t until they moved into a condo unit in Singapore when the idea of making lamps would first come about.
“During this time, I got really into interior design, architecture, and home decorating,” he explained.
“I wanted to buy some really cool unique lamps for the home but found some of these lamps to be really expensive!”
In particular, he was referring to things like the Akari, Panthella, and Nelson Bubble lamps, all of which fall under the RM2,000 to RM7,000 price range.
And so his solution was just to make them himself.
The company’s first lamp, the Tang Lung, was inspired by Asian paper lanterns, but with a modern spin.
Compliments from family and friends were what motivated them to start selling it, but, naturally, it wasn’t that easy.
Sure, they had a design. But then came reality to spoil the mood. The lamp needed to be sturdy enough to survive being shipped whilst still retaining a relatively accessible price point.
As this was MJ and Anisa’s first venture into entrepreneurship, there were also plenty of other things that they didn’t consider. Packaging, setting up a website, branding, social media, all whilst still working full-time and taking care of a newborn.
“It’s been really challenging, but also really fun and fulfilling,” shared the co-founder.
That’s why he’s stuck with it, even if it means having to edit Instagram and Facebook posts on the commute to work.
Lighting the way
Since their launch in September last year, Lampu Lampu has sold over 100 lamps at the time of writing.
Their current lineup consists of the aforementioned Tang Lung as well as the Ombak, Kueh, and Kami, with all profits made so far reinvested back into the business.
This has allowed them to acquire their second and third printers, as well as new post-processing equipment.
“For lamps ordered from our website, we print them only when we receive the order.,” MJ explained.
“This allows us to be sustainable and environmentally friendly as we can generally avoid having large amounts of inventory and having a smaller carbon footprint.”
Next up for Lampu Lampu is an expansion of their lineup with pendant and sconce lamps. Looking further ahead, the dream is to one day open a physical studio to showcase products and maybe host workshops.
Are there things that he would’ve done differently when starting out? “Of course,” MJ told Vulcan Post.
More aggressive marketing is one example, and not compromising on packaging and delivery for the sake of cost is another.
But all that comes part and parcel with the learning process.
He is, after all, an engineer. Problem solving is the name of the game.
Featured Image Credit: Lampu Lampu
