After a career in both healthcare and business, Madeleine decided it was time to do something that truly made her happy. Her love for sending cards and thanking people, combined with her Indonesian roots, led to Terima Kasih, Indonesian for 'thank you', literally translated as 'receiving love'. With beautiful stationery and gifts full of batik prints and Indonesian words, she turns gratitude into an art. With this special mission, Madeleine approached SYSO for complete branding and a Shopify webshop. A project we thoroughly enjoyed working on!
What is Terima Kasih?
Terima Kasih, Indonesian for 'thank you', but literally translated as 'receiving love', is a webshop full of meaning. Founder Madeleine Erkelens sells beautiful stationery and gifts with an Indonesian touch. With batik prints and recognizable Indonesian words, she pays a contemporary tribute to her roots. But Terima Kasih is more than paper: it is an invitation to reflect on each other, to appreciate others, and to connect. With this beautiful vision, Madeleine approached SYSO, and we gladly got to work for her. Want to read along?
The result
Building something from scratch is always special, especially when it has such a personal and meaningful story behind it. Madeleine knew exactly what she wanted to convey: the warmth of her Indonesian roots, combined with a contemporary, stylish look. The challenge? To establish a brand that honors both the deeper meaning of 'Terima Kasih' and the aesthetic of batik, without resorting to clichés.
For a branding project, we always carefully analyze the market. The stationery field is broad, but the niche of Indonesian-inspired products with meaning is unique. That's where the strength lay. Through intake, mood boards, and conversations, we managed to capture the essence of Terima Kasih: connection, appreciation, and showcasing Indonesian heritage in a contemporary way. The result is a brand with which Madeleine can grow for years to come, and a love brand that resonates.
The Shopify webshop
The webshop is built with Shopify, the software we have been using for 10 years to build professional webshops. It's the best SaaS e-commerce solution that grows with the company and comes standard with many automatic marketing options. Madeleine chose a modern theme with many features, which allowed us to be very flexible. The result is a clear, modern webshop that grows with the business.
We asked Madeleine from Terima Kasih a few questions
When and why did you start your business?
I started Terima Kasih in the spring of 2025. After working for years in healthcare and business, both for equally long, I realized it was time to do something truly for myself. Something that makes me happy and that I believe in. I still have about 20 years left to work, so it's better to do something that really suits me. I love cards and gifts to say thank you, I enjoy giving people attention when they've done something for you, for example, or thanking the host for a dinner or party. And that's how Terima Kasih was born, and I made 'thanking' my mission. All items with which you can put someone in the spotlight and thank them are infused with my Indonesian roots, and I would gladly put them in my own home.
What is your absolute favorite product (category) in the assortment?
I find both the serving boards with batik motif and the Alas alasan notebook super beautiful! And I'm not the only one; almost every order includes one of them. I thought it would be nice to create a matching set of a notebook and planner at the start, and each year. The planner with the Alas alasan motif is also almost in the assortment now. I am truly super happy with it!
What made you decide to enlist SYSO?
I had been looking for support in setting up a webshop for a while. Should I do it myself with help or leave it to an expert? I went 100% for the latter; it had to be a professional webshop. Through a referral, I found SYSO and scheduled an introduction with Mariko with my husband. I immediately had a good feeling; it was practical and we clicked well. After diving deeper into Shopify and SYSO's website, it was a clear and easy choice to have SYSO build my webshop and handle my branding.
What are you most happy with regarding the new branding and webshop?
It looks super beautiful and professional, navigation in the menu is easy and clear. Everything is just super beautiful and cool!
May we know your future plans?
I have ambitious future plans, which are not solely related to the webshop. The webshop is one of the things I really enjoy doing, but it's part of my broader future plans. I want to set up an event location for enjoyable (in)formal gatherings, but primarily for lonely seniors in the area. And preferably outside the Randstad, in a green environment. In the short term, I want to firmly establish the webshop, become a household name for beautiful stationery and accessories with an Indonesian touch, and lay a solid foundation for further plans. Within the webshop, I can express my creativity in terms of styling and pattern editing; for now, I have too many ideas!
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Would you recommend SYSO?
Absolutely! With your own input based on questionnaires, SYSO truly creates a fantastic brand and webshop. You don't have to worry about anything at all. All ideas are discussed and incorporated as desired, and all your issues are considered. The feeling of not being alone in this was, and is, truly valuable to me. Terima Kasih!
Thank you, Madeleine!
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Happlify, the nicest lifestyle platform in the Netherlands
Such a beautiful shop naturally fits perfectly with Happlify, the lifestyle platform for small pleasures! And so Terima Kasih found a nice spot among the other special makers and entrepreneurs.
Happlify is a growing platform for women (35+) looking for a fresh, trusted place full of inspiration. From discovering unique webshops and independent makers to articles on lifestyle, positivity, fun outings, and recipes, everything revolves around the small things that make life beautiful. Do you also want to gain visibility with a larger audience? More information can be found here: Happlify collaborate and advertise.
