KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 — When we are feeling down and out, sometimes all we need is a small word of encouragement in the form of a quote. It can come emblazoned on your personal journal, a mug you drink from or even a random poster.

For Vicky Lai, it was a mural she spotted in Penang back in January 2013 that said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” That quote started a conversation with her friend that got her pondering about how meaningful quotes are.

A daily reminder in the office when you drink your coffee.
A daily reminder in the office when you drink your coffee.

“I realised it’s very powerful as it changes your mind and world as it’s about love, life and happiness.” Even though she’s a Christian, she didn’t realise that particular quote was plucked from the Bible. That got her thinking that the sayings and quotes from the Bible can be applicable to our daily life.

Inspired by the impact of the quote, Vicky decided to start Power of Word Collection (POW) in March 2014 where selected quotes and verses from the Bible are turned into artful creative designs. Since she does not have any background in graphic design, initially she had to rely on freelance graphic artists.

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A bookmark to motivate you when you’re reading.
A bookmark to motivate you when you’re reading.

It took her almost six months before the company was officially launched in September 2014. Midway through the preparations, Vicky roped in her friend, J Liew. Even though he studied architecture at LimKokWing University, his interest was graphic designing. The partnership was a perfect fit for POW and J is now the full-time creative designer behind their products.

In the beginning, they started out with prints that would be used for the home or office, as decoration and encouragement. Usually, they would search online for the quotes or even pluck some from the Bible. As J enlightens us, they prefer not to emphasise on Christianity. Aside from prints, they have expanded their collection to include postcards, bookmarks, mugs, cushions and notebooks.

The earlier notebooks feature various quotes on the covers (left). Their latest notebooks come in pastel shades (right).
The earlier notebooks feature various quotes on the covers (left). Their latest notebooks come in pastel shades (right).

Previously, their notebooks would just be emblazoned with quotes. After much research, the current version of their notebooks features pastel shades and a glossy PVC cover to protect them. “When we want to launch a product, we find out what is popular and what is available for other brands,” explained J.

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A lot of thought and care go into their products, like the Inspirational Notebook Pack that retails at RM23.90 for a set of A5-sized notebook, pocket-sized positivity activity notebook, assorted stickers and gift tag.

It took POW about three months to search for the right suppliers as they wanted the product to have a reasonable price. As J explains, “We put ourselves in our customer’s shoes, as we know they want to buy a few hence we make it affordable.”

You can customise the notebooks with your name or a favourite quote (left). Motivate yourself with inspirational quotes from Power of Word Collection (right).
You can customise the notebooks with your name or a favourite quote (left). Motivate yourself with inspirational quotes from Power of Word Collection (right).

There is also a bespoke element. You can personalise the notebooks with your name or even a favourite quote . This can be placed on the front cover or the spine of the notebook. Think of it as a daily inspiration note for you.

It’s not limited to quotes only, as it can be a personal message or even a song lyric. Some customers have even asked for Korean words. Customisation of the notebooks can also include changing the cover to a picture you like. This year, POW also released a limited edition notebook, “Big No. 59” to mark the country’s 59th year of independence.

Another of POW’s products is intricate paper cuts. Popular as wedding gifts or even to mark a special occasion like the opening of an office, the lace-like paper cuts can be commissioned to fit your needs. Initially it was painstakingly hand cut.

Delicate paper cuts with quotes can be framed and hung as decorations (left). Even though the paper cuts are made with a small machine, they still require some manual work (right).
Delicate paper cuts with quotes can be framed and hung as decorations (left). Even though the paper cuts are made with a small machine, they still require some manual work (right).

As orders increased, they purchased a machine to make the paper cuts on a small scale. Even though it’s machine cut, there is still quite a bit of trimming and cutting to be done by hand. Once the paper cut is ready, it is mounted on a white board and framed to preserve the delicate artwork.

POW also take on larger corporate orders and weddings. Depending on the budget, POW can even design stickers, gifts or even a guest book for the occasion. Recently, POW came up with a special guest book where guests can leave their fingerprints as a mark of the momentous occasion for the bridal pair.

Unlike other companies who require large orders before allowing you to customise the product, here you can ask for it to be done for even one item you purchase. This they believe is their company’s strength. The reason why they can tackle such small batch orders is a lot of the items are printed by themselves or handmade.

You can also pick up cushions from Power of Word Collection .
You can also pick up cushions from Power of Word Collection .

The home-based business also has their products in stores like MPH bookshop on a consignment basis. They also regularly attend bazaars to get the word out on POW’s products where they get to interact with their customers who also help to improve their products.

“The little things make the difference,” explained J about the customer’s feedback. For instance, the functionality of their postcards was improved with a small request from one of their customers who wanted to hang up a postcard without spoiling it. They came up with a simple solution — a sticker with a punched hole that can be easily placed on a hook. As they are always looking to inspire others, their own experience with dealing with customers is also shared on their website. “No matter how small these stories are, we want to share them as we are grateful to meet them,” said J.

Going forward, POW is contemplating their own retail outlet. As this requires quite some thought and costs, they hope to still maintain their strengths of customisation for small batches and their reasonable prices.

Sensitive to their customer’s request, Power of Word Collection added a sticker with a punched hole for the postcard to be easily hung.
Sensitive to their customer’s request, Power of Word Collection added a sticker with a punched hole for the postcard to be easily hung.

So what is J’s favourite quote? It’s one from American author Napoleon Hill who is famous for his personal success books, “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” Both of them have also gone through ups and downs with starting and growing POW’s business but they believe it’s all possible with perseverance and determination.

As J emphasises, “We both are very positive minded people and do not want to be negative, hence to run this business for three years, it has not been easy but we put our heads to it and it can be achieved.”

Shop for Power of Word Collection at:
Website: www.powofword.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/powofword/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/powerofwordcollection/