He walked away from a 16-year IT career… to cut wood in his backyard.
No investors.
No fancy showroom.
Just a table saw, a camera, and a crazy amount of belief.
Today? That “hobby” is Studio Kayu Sdn Bhd, a fast-growing Malaysian custom cabinetry and woodworking brand turning digital precision into handcrafted perfection.
When Code Turned into Craft
Before the sawdust, there was source code.
Mr. Khairil spent over a decade as an IT specialist and Solution Architect. Structured life. Stable income. Corporate rhythm.
Then 2016 hit. A company downsizing. A VSS package. Suddenly, the blueprint for his life disappeared.
Most people panic. He built a workshop.
What started as a simple woodworking hobby at home partly to stay close to family and manage a small daycare slowly became therapy, then passion, then purpose.
He didn’t know it yet, but he was quietly laying the foundation for one of Malaysia’s rising woodworking brands.
The Pandemic That Sparked a Business
Fast forward to 2020. The world stopped. But Mr. Khairil started.
During lockdown, he launched tools review and woodworking YouTube channel. No big strategy. Just sharing builds, tips, and honest craftsmanship.
Sharing unbiased reviews comparing tool capabilities with their pricing.
Then something unexpected happened. Brands noticed.
Sponsors reached out.
Viewers started asking, “Can you build this for me?”
That’s when Studio Kayu stopped being content… and became a company.
From home furniture to custom vehicle interiors for mobile businesses, demand exploded all from a backyard setup.
From Backyard Builds to Industrial Scale By 2021, the orders were too big for a home workshop. So he leveled up.
First shop lot. Bigger tools. Bigger vision.
Studio Kayu gained traction building food wagons and mobile kiosks for Malaysia’s booming street food scene. Smart niche. Perfect timing.
Then came the real growth wave: custom home cabinetry.
Customers loved the solid wood quality but not always the price. So instead of staying stubborn, he adapted. He invested in industrial machines to work with blockboard and melamine, offering stylish, affordable solutions without compromising craftsmanship.
Today, Studio Kayu operates from an industrial facility in Nilai, complete with factory space, office operations, and serious machinery.
Not bad for a “side hobby.”
The IT Brain Behind the Woodwork
Here’s the secret sauce: he never stopped being an IT guy.
While others eyeball measurements, Mr. Khairil builds digital floor plans and 3D cabinet models before a single cut is made.
Every panel, every joint, every screw is pre-planned on a computer.
That tech-driven precision became a competitive edge and landed Studio Kayu a major milestone project with Karyaneka at the National Craft Complex.
That job didn’t just grow revenue. It built credibility.
Built on Trust (and a Bit of “Firefighting”)
In the custom furniture world, things change fast. Clients change their minds. Designs evolve. Deadlines get tight.
Mr. Khairil calls it “firefighting.”
The difference? He doesn’t run from the fire. He manages it calmly, professionally, and fast.
That mindset built serious trust. Today, nearly 90% of Studio Kayu’s customers come through word of mouth from friends, former colleagues, and happy clients who keep recommending his work.
He even runs his own logistics, sending his lorry to collect materials directly so projects can be completed in about a week.
Speed + quality = loyal customers.
The Big Vision: Malaysia’s Autonomous Wood Factory
Most carpenters think about the next project. Mr. Khairil is thinking about the next era.
His five-year vision? A fully automated woodworking factory in Malaysia.
Machines feeding planks. Automated cutting.
Seamless edging. Minimal manual handling.
A high-tech production line powered by the same mindset that once built IT systems. From coding software… to programming machines.
The Real Lesson Here
Studio Kayu isn’t just a woodworking story. It’s proof that:
Skills never go to waste
Side hobbies can become main income Technology and craftsmanship can coexist
Malaysians can build world class brands from homegrown beginnings Mr. Khairil didn’t abandon his old life.
He upgraded it sawdust and all. And honestly?
That might be the most inspiring blueprint of all.
