Choose one successful entrepreneur (other than Malaysian) and explain what you think are
their characteristics and competencies that made them a successful entrepreneur.
Robyn Rihanna Fenty
Robyn Rihanna Fenty, also known as Rihanna, is a global pop star and now, a driven idol.
Since releasing her all-embracing line of foundations in her cosmetic brand, Fenty Beauty, she
has become a leading light in the cosmetics and skincare industry. Rihanna’s career has
motivated many young women to move forward in life. She is a great role model for young
women because of her strength and incorporation of others.
Rihanna is born as a daughter of an accountant mother and a warehouse supervisor father, and
she grew up in a dysfunctional family. Rihanna has two brothers, two half-sisters, and a half-
brother from her father’s side.
Back then, Rihanna experienced domestic violence at a very young age, as she often saw her
dad hitting her mother and multiple times, and she was forced to step in to protect her mother.
Growing up, Rihanna often experienced terrible headaches and doctors began to fear that the
never-ending headaches were because of a tumour in her head. The headaches were later to be
linked with the domestic abuse she was witnessing at home, as when her mother separated from
her father when she was 14, her health improved greatly.
Rihanna started her journey into music when she formed a group with her classmate in high
school. They went for an audition, but Rihanna stood out and American record producer Evan
Rodgers who was at the audition that day was amazed by her covers of songs by Destiny’s
Child and Mariah Carey. He forthwith asked her to come back later for another audition with
her mother.
