NADIA MULYA “I PREFER THE SILENCE”
With two girls and about that many jobs, Nadia Mulya shares how she stays energized through a nutso day. What matters most? Please enjoy my conversation with her.
1) How are you Nadia Mulya? Your career journey till date has been quite eventful as I’m following your update on Twitter @nadiamulyabbb. Please give me an overview and how do you relax?
Hi Aldo. Basically I’m doing TV presenting and MC. Every project requires a Technical Meeting session, my own R&D, sometimes costume fitting, etc, so it keeps me pretty busy. Also juggling with taking my 2 daughters (Nadine, 5; Nuala, almost 2) to and from classes and playdates.
I relax at home. Am not much of a salon and spa person. I would rather be cuddled up on the sofa watching a Disney DVD with my girls.
2) You often appear on television, tell me a little bit about your latest role.
At the moment I am the host for Managing The Nation on Metro TV. I must say, be careful what you wish for. Bored with gossip shows, I have always dreamed of being a news anchor. But at 31, I am way too old and could not commit to the time anyway. So I left it as a dream. Lo and behold, I was offered the chance to do a ‘serious’ talk show and interview national figures!
I have shared the camera with Jusuf Kalla, Megawati, Taufik Kiemas, numerous ministers and officials. I was most impressed by Bapak Siswono Yudohusodo. Meeting these capable individuals (most of them anyway) gives me a positive hope for Indonesia.
3) Do you feel any different now with all the long career investment you have crafted?
I feel I have finally landed a role I am comfortable in. After first entering the entertainment industry in 2001 (through Pemilihan Wajah Femina), I have tried it all (well apart from music, because I know I can’t sing!): movie, sinetron, sit-com, presenting gossip shows, travelling to all parts of Indonesia for a TV program, etc etc.
Now I am offered more serious roles, like MC-ing in English, being a moderator, or speaker for discussions. My career has evolved to suit the stages I have achieved in life.
4) You often go out of town and how the portrait of Indonesian women in your opinion? What’s something every woman should do for herself?
For work, it depends. At the moment I am flying out of town and out of the country every week! For leisure probably every 4 months. Bali is the best escape, as I love to swim in the ocean and my girls get their dose of fresh sea air.
Indonesian women I think have the best of both worlds. We are increasingly educated and independent, whilst staying true to our roots and strong family values.
What every woman should do for herself is have her own life – make your own money, have your own friends, have your own routines. Then will you be strong and have a bargaining position. I have seen countless times when a woman is taken for granted by her man. Having your own life gives you a sense of achievement and confidence. I think there’s nothing more sexy than confidence.
5) Women are the decision makers of today. Do you agree and do you also consider yourself as a decision maker? Tell me more about your opinion.
I think ‘behind every great decision, there’s a great woman’. Men have more respect for a woman’s opinion nowadays. Because the sharp calculation of a man combined with the softer intuition of a woman produces a harmonious decision. So I think there’s a balance there.
I consider myself a decision maker as much as I do my husband. A decision is not right until I have discussed it with him.
6) How long have you been on Twitter? How do you see that medium and what kind of communication that comes from you?
(According to my bio) I have been on twitter since August 18, 2010! So 1 year already! I personally think it is the best social media network. It is so instant and tears down all boundaries. I get to chat to a lot of people from all parts of the world. For example, I just came back from Singapore for ‘Fiesta Muzik : Konser Persahabatan Indonesia Singapura’. Since the Singaporeans don’t use BBM like we do, I chat to Fauzie Laily (my co host), Hady Mirza, or other people through twitter.
Twitter is very powerful, so I make sure I post tweets I can be responsible for. I keep it light, because a lot of people are busy preaching on it already!
I have seen many times how twitter manages to do good (like RT-ing @MyNameIsFla’s Charity for Nurfadila) and do bad. So ‘jempol-mu adalah harimau-mu. Twit wisely’
7) You often write articles and what is your near plan for all of it? Planning to release a book?
I have just discovered the world of writing… and I love it! I have published a book ‘The Pregnancy Handbook – a Guide of Food, Fashion and Fitness’, a topic close to my heart. As soon as I found myself pregnant with my second child, I started writing. The mission was to teach women that it is not just OK to exercise while pregnant, it is necessary! And that pregnancy is one of the most beautiful moments in your life, so celebrate it by enjoying fashion and a healthy diet (that later on will be passed on to your child).
I am planning 3 more books, but have been very lazy in completing it. Perhaps I need to be pregnant again to find the focus?
At the moment am enjoying being a contributor for Mother and Baby magazine’s ‘Mothers and The City’.
When it comes to family and profession, which one should be the priority? Do you believe that being a business owner has to undermine some family over profession?
For me, family is everything. I am lucky I have a profession that is very flexible and understands my priority. Business owners (especially at the start up stage) or career women might have to put profession first because they have no other choice. Although I believe in quality, not quantity; how ever busy you are, you can still make time for a meaningful family moment.
9) How has being a mom contributed to your life? What were some of the not-so-great things about being a young mom?
It is the best thing that ever happened to me (after meeting my husband). I feel complete and truly understand the important things in life. It has made me more laid back in regards to ‘rejeki’. Before I was pretty much a workaholic and a perfectionist. I would busy myself with work every single day. Now I restrict my schedule to once or twice a week so I can spend quality time with my girls. They grow up so fast and I want to be a part of every single milestone.
The not-so-great? I can name a lot LOL! Like disciplining them when the easiest thing is to give in to their demands. Or when they are sick. Or when my friends are clubbing and I have no one to babysit (I do not have a nanny, so have to arrange my parents or in-law to watch the kids). But all of this just makes my life even more interesting.
10) What have your kids taught you?
That cheese tastes good with anything! They taught me about putting everything in perspective, not holding a grudge, that however bad things are just smile and it will pass. Oh, they are currently teaching me patience, a lesson I have not fully grasped yet.
11) Can you please tell us about your BBB – Baby Store? Why did you open a store? How’s the response coming from friends? What is your biggest plan with this business?
As soon as I started a family, I realized this is the world I enjoy most. So I made a small shop to accommodate my passion for all things baby. The response from my friends has been great. I am their go-to, last-minute place to buy present for newborns or birthdays.
No big business plan. I would like to keep it small and intimate.
12) You’re running this business through online shopping method. How is it? Have you created strong sales up to date? How did you tease the baby market? This is interesting that you’re going into online market while you’re aggressively promoting offline. How did you manage the workflow? Do you outsources a team or you’re handling it all? Tell me more about the smart way of your business?
Actually I am doing all by myself with the help of my shop keeper. My business is small and slow – just the way I like it. It suits perfectly into my schedule.
I have an online store and would send email blasts to my data base every so often. I am lucky that being a public figure is promotion itself, so online selling is pretty OK.
The objective of my babyshop is not profit-driven, it is more of a hobby and a outlet for my maternity wear and T shirt design.
13) Do you created your own brand for BBB or you bought from random suppliers? Please kindly share your current success stories.
I produce a maternity line called ‘Ma Mere maternite-pret-a-porter’ and a T-shirt line ‘Tease Me Tees’. The rest I would buy from my suppliers, but most are consignment goods.
14) What would be your advice for people looking to start a business that are afraid to start or wait for a “better moment?”
Follow your gut, because if you screw up, you have no one to blame but yourself. Some times its better to dive straight in and make most of being the first, other times its better to just observe and do your research thoroughly before starting a business.
15) Do you like music and do you still buy albums for your own pleasure?
I am not much of a music person. In the car (when my kids are not with me) I prefer the silence. Although I love dancing to RnB, Hip Hop, Breakbeat and Drum and Bass.
I have some fav CDs: St. Germain ‘Tourist’, East 17 (all of their albums – they are my first music crush), Sean Paul, All Saints, Sugababes, Fat Boy Slim, Prodigy, ‘Now That’s What I Call Music’ collections (reminds me of my high-school years in London) and a few others.
16) Finally, when you start to doubt yourself, how do you jump-start your self-confidence?
I look at my kids and think ‘hey, I have 2 beautiful, well-behaved daughters. I must be doing something right!’
@2011AldoSianturi/Photo: Nadia’s Personal Archives
