Exclusive Story by WeirdKaya - Proper accreditation to WeirdKaya and consent from the interviewee are required.
Meet Daniel, the 35-year-old one man operation behind Daniel Beeskut, a homegrown cookie business he built from scratch during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, all while managing life with cerebral palsy.
Daniel, who was born with the condition, has only one fully functional hand. But don’t let that fool you as that single hand does everything from bathing to washing dishes and even baking every single cookie he sells.
Raised to be independent
Upon being born, Daniel was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that affects movement and motor control.
As a result, he has full control over a single hand, which he depends on to carry out his daily routine.
“I only use one hand to do everything, such as taking a shower, washing plates, hanging clothes, doing house chores and more.”
That hand is the same one you’d see gripping the microphone if you’ve ever met him at a booth or event. It’s also the hand that packs every order.
Growing up, Daniel studied at a primary school in KL before moving to a secondary school in Penang. He’s been largely on his own since he was very young as most of his family aren’t around anymore.
“My family was no longer around since I was a baby, so I have been living alone and learnt to be independent since,” he said.
How Daniel Beeskut was founded
For most of us, it was Netflix, instant noodles, and group chats complaining about being stuck at home during the Covid-19 pandemic.
But for Daniel, it was a turning point. With nowhere to go and nothing to do at home, he found himself staring at the four walls of his room day after day. Instead of waiting it out, he decided to do something.
“During that time, nobody could go out from the house to buy food. I had nothing to do, so I thought of starting a cookie business. That’s where Daniel Beeskut was born.”
Daniel’s income is entirely dependent on sales, meaning to say that if no one bought any of his products, he had no income.
He revealed that he roughly earns RM200 to RM300 monthly, an incredibly thin margin to live on during a time where the cost of living is soaring through the roof.
Yet, Daniel shows up every day despite battling exhaustion caused from running a business all on his own.
“Sometimes I feel tired and I feel like I want to step back from this business. But when I think back, I cannot do that as this business is my main source of income.
“Thus, my only option is to keep pushing forward. That’s the reality of being your own boss, employee, and own support system all at once,” he explained.
Getting judged
Daniel also opened up about the emotional challenges he faces whenever he sets up booths to sell his products.
“I have been judged by people. Whenever I set up my booth, people will look at me up, down left and right.”
He admitted that the stares and uncomfortable looks sometimes make him feel sad, but he refuses to let them stop him.
“Life is very short, so I need to use it in a proper way,” he added.
Daniel also encouraged Malaysians to support small businesses like his and show more understanding towards people with disabilities instead of judging them based on their condition.
Being his own support system
Perhaps the most heartbreaking yet inspiring part of Daniel’s story was when he revealed that his biggest support system is none other than himself.
“I live alone and I manage everything by myself. My biggest support system is only myself.”
Still, Daniel remains grateful and motivated, sharing that content creator Pinn Yang has been one of his biggest inspirations.
Even while struggling to make ends meet himself, Daniel still finds ways to help others.
He shared that customers can also donate cookies and carrot cake to orphanages through him, and he would personally send them over on their behalf.
Even with just one strong hand, Daniel continues to work, live independently, help others, and push forward every single day.
Exclusive Story by WeirdKaya – If you wish to reproduce this story, please ensure that you obtain consent from the interviewee to maintain factual accuracy and avoid the potential spread of misleading information.
If referencing or using any information from our story, we kindly ask that proper credit is given, along with a backlink to WeirdKaya, as acknowledgment of the efforts made by our editors in sourcing and conducting interviews.
