Agency founder started out working for others for free

MUHD FAHIM,23
Amplified Marketing founder

While most young adults are busy figuring out their next career move or planning their weekend adventures, Mr Fahim is running his own marketing agency and developing AI chatbots to solve a problem most businesses face – turning leads into appointments.

Driven by a deep desire to provide for his family, Mr Fahim's entrepreneurial story began at the age of 19 with a bold move: offering to work for free at a marketing agency.

It was a gamble that paid off, leading him to discover a passion for digital marketing and setting him on the path to revolutionise the way businesses connect with their clients.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do. What drew you to this path?

I come from a very humble background, my mum was a single parent. Seeing her struggle to provide for us really motivated me to find ways to help.

That's where my interest in business started, wanting to make things easier for her. Even at a young age, I was already telling her: “Don’t need to buy food for me, I’ll just prepare my own meal.”

When I studied Chemical Engineering in polytechnic, I asked myself if that was the life I wanted. So I started exploring other things and that’s when I came across digital marketing

When I was 19, I approached a marketing agency and offered to work for free. It rejected me initially, but I kept at it for seven months, doing small freelance projects for the company until it finally took me in. I learnt a lot and started Amplified Marketing last year.

At first, I focused on getting leads for clients, generating interest through social media ads. But I realised a lot of businesses weren't converting those leads into actual appointments. They were getting the names and numbers but not closing the deals.

That's when I had this light bulb moment. I started working on an AI chatbot that could automate the appointment setting process through WhatsApp. It took a few months of trial and error, but finally I got it working. Ever since then, I’ve been improving my system and offering the service to my clients. It’s basically lead generation paired up with AI appointment-setting to help them get more appointments.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your day-to-day work?

There isn’t really a blueprint out there for me to follow, I have to come up with it on my own, and there’s a lot of trial and error on the best way to do things so that the quality of service is always there.

What's the most rewarding aspect of your work?

Seeing my system work for my clients. When I set up the AI chatbot and marketing strategy, and then on the very first day, they start getting appointments without having to do anything, it's a very rewarding feeling.

It makes all the hard work and effort I put in worth it.

What's a favourite Singapore memory you cherish?

I think it’s more of a realisation than a specific memory. It's just the feeling of gratitude for being born in Singapore.

Seeing the news and how things are going in other countries, I realise how fortunate we are to have a stable and safe environment. 

What’s your favourite Singapore dish?

Definitely chicken rice. Nothing beats chicken rice for me. I liked to eat it at SGH Kopitiam, though it’s not as good as it used to be after the stall changed owners.

What makes you the proudest about being Singaporean?

It’s how well taken care of we are in Singapore. Even someone without much education can survive here. There are a lot of opportunities, it's up to us to take them. In other countries, you might not have the same chances.

To have been born in Singapore is a great blessing that I think about almost every day.

What is your hope for Singapore?

I hope we continue to thrive and maintain our safety and stability. But I also hope we can stay humble and grateful for what we have. Sometimes I feel like people become entitled and forget how good they have it in Singapore. We need to remember to appreciate our blessings.