SMALL BUSINESS
A personal lifestyle builds a business
By Chupsie Medina
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 10:31:00 07/02/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- They started their partnership on a dare. In the late 90s, they had seen some specialty candles being sold for what they felt could be of better quality and lower cost. Together, Geng Padilla and Tonichi Balaguer learned to cook and mold wax into great looking candles that they started selling in bazaars.
Soon, they were getting orders that were just too much for both of them to handle. Since they didn’t want to delegate the work to just anybody, they decided – and with their modest earnings – to cop out of the business. Just as well, says Geng, since candles were just about to become the gift-of-the-year fad and competition would have become cutthroat.
What Geng and Tonichi earned, they plowed into some new items. They had earlier designed simple shoe bags, and had a few dozens sewn and sold in their stall. It sold so much faster than their candles that a new idea was born.
Their first brand of bags was marketed under the trade name Nomad Adventure Gear, a true fit to their kindred spirits. “We always had a bag of (clothing) change and travel stuff in the car,” Geng says. This way, whenever one of them or both felt the need to travel, they were always prepared.
Having been best of friends since they met at a rowing club in the 90s, their lust for travel and adventure was a bond that would cement their relationship through the years even as business partners. In 2003, the duo decided to formalize matters and formed Proprius Corp.
They came out with travel clothing and accessories organizers of all shapes and sizes. “The items are patterned after our lifestyle and needs,” which fortunately was also a growing trend among the young and even middle-aged executives who could afford quality products with price tags on the higher end.
Then they came out with Neat Kits, another brand devoted to handbag organizers. The instant appeal of this bag-within-a-bag concept gained patronage from busy women executives who would needed a quick change of bags from day to night or from day to day.
The business partners were having so much fun creating and selling. “We’ve always believed that if it’s enjoyable, you do it. And if it’s no longer enjoyable, you stop it,” says Geng. So on they went.
In 2006, Geng and Tonichi decided it was time to “graduate” from bazaars and find a more permanent home where their customers could easily find them. Nomad’s first store space was in Rockwell, a “small, small” space where they learned their first lessons in mall merchandizing.
When the lease expired and the space they were occupying had to make way for a planned mall renovation, Nomad moved to Glorietta. “It was another tiny space,” says Geng, the area given to them having been the storage room of a sports wear outlet. They spruced up the place and in no time were attracting new as well as old customers.
“We’ve come to realize that we have a lot of loyal buyers,” notes Geng. They continue to patronize Nomad in spite the growing proliferation of copycats. “We’re flattered that we’re being copied, and even if they’re being sold at half the price,” she says, “but we don’t intend to cut our prices.”
Loyal customers don’t seem to mind the price difference, and instead place value on the quality of craftsmanship and choice of materials that go into the merchandise. Both Geng and Tonichi, on the other hand, wouldn’t dream of substituting on quality.
“We exert a lot of effort in looking for quality materials that we use in making the bags,” Geng says. This is difficult for a small company like Propius that needs to sometimes physically elbow other buyers to stake a roll of fabric, for example, when new shipments arrive. “It’s a good thing we’re both sturdy in build,” she describes herself and Tonichi, with humor.
At this point, the yearning to grow the business continues to be foremost in the partners’ mind. “We’re looking for another outlet, perhaps in the south. We plan to branch out with more brands.” Are they still enjoying what their doing? You bet.
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