Dear Mazlan,
As you sit in your grand office atop the towering Favoriot Building, overlooking a city that once seemed like a distant dream, I hope you take a moment to pause.
Yes, you’ve made it.
The name “Favoriot” shines not just on that magnificent skyscraper but across 25 countries, each with its own bustling branch, and the crown jewel—IoT Campus—where the next generation of innovators walks the halls, inspired by a journey that started long before the world knew your name.
But Mazlan, I’m writing this to remind you: don’t forget where it all began.
Remember that tiny office in IOI Business Park—not exactly glamorous, was it? Small desks crammed into a space barely big enough to contain our ambitions, let alone our team. The whiteboard stained with faded markers, the flickering fluorescent lights, and the cheap coffee that fueled countless late nights. It wasn’t luxury, but it was ours.
Remember the struggles during COVID-19—those dark days when uncertainty knocked louder than opportunity. The world paused, but you couldn’t. The team—our team—sacrificed so much. They showed up, not just physically but with heart, even when fear lingered in every breath. There were days when morale dipped, cash flow threatened to suffocate us, and hope felt like a fragile thread. But we clung to it.
Do you recall the pain of landing our first customer? How many times did we pitch—a hundred? A thousand? Rejections stacked higher than the proposals we printed. Investors smiled politely, nodding through presentations, only to pass us by. They didn’t believe in Favoriot. But we did.
Remember the feeling after every rejection? That hollow ache in your chest, the self-doubt whispering, “Maybe they’re right.” But you didn’t let it win. You went back to the drawing board, reworked the slides, tweaked the demos, and pitched again. Not because you were fearless—you were terrified. But because giving up was never an option.
Now, as you sit surrounded by accolades, global partnerships, and a team that’s grown beyond your wildest dreams, stay humble.
Never forget the people who stood by you when Favoriot was nothing more than an idea scribbled on paper. The team who accepted cut salaries during Covid, who believed in the vision even when the bank account said otherwise. The friends who listened to your endless rants about IoT, investors, and cash flow. The mentors who gave advice for free because they believed in you more than you believed in yourself.
Success has a way of making the past feel distant, almost like it happened to someone else. Don’t let it.
Walk the halls of IoT Campus and remember that it’s built on the sweat, tears, and sacrifices of people who dared to dream with you. Visit the small office at IOI Business Park whenever you can. Stand there. Let the memories wash over you—not to romanticize the struggle but to honor it.
And when you speak to young entrepreneurs, don’t just tell them about the success. Tell them about the sleepless nights, the empty bank accounts, the rejections, the fear. That’s where the real story lives.
Be proud, Mazlan. But more importantly, be grateful.
With all my heart,
Your Past Self
(Back when Favoriot was just a name, not an empire)
Dr. Mazlan Abbas 