That’s what friends are for

It was a business that was started by friendship.

"In 1981, we moved to Cogeo Village in Antipolo, which was mostly made up of government employees. It was here that the pioneer of resin handicrafts became my husband’s friend," said CD Handicrafts owner Estelita Nuique. "We became one of 10 friends-subcontractors of Christmas ornaments, with my husband’s friend lending us a few skilled workers to guide us and to train our workers."

When the exporter disbanded the business, CD Handicrafts decided to go into direct export. Its first shipment was discouraging–most of the products failed to pass the standards set by the quality controller.

Unfazed, the company went back to sub-contracting.

"Sometimes, the exporters didn’t pay us. Sometimes, their checks bounced," said Niuque. "It’s different when you are a subcontractor. We accepted the price exporters gave us. We didn’t do any research. We didn’t know we could get cheaper materials elsewhere."

For the first five years, CD Handicrafts spent whatever it earned. When her husband took a job in the Middle East, Niuque quit her teaching job to handle the business.

"My husband expected me to do well so the business would be established when he returned. He advised me to take care of our workers. He told me to see to it that they were paid on time. I pawned my jewels to meet our payroll. I cooked for them when they worked overtime or when they labored through the night. I was like a mother to them. And because we treated them well, they have been loyal to us. Some of them have been working for us for the past 17 years," said Nuique.

Support

CD Handicrafts learned from its mistakes.

"I ran out of cash to meet the payroll and I was desperate. So, I approached the Rizal governor who had visited our factory and had seen our products. Instead of lending me the money, he directed me to his wife, who gave me a simple advice–go to the Rizal Exporters and Manufacturers Association, Inc.," said Niuque.

The company also learned about the advantages of registering with the Department of Trade and Industry.

"Our neighbors complained about the bad smell of resins being mixed in our backyard factory. It was not toxic but they all thought it was," said Niuque. "DTI inspectors visited our factory but , instead of padlocking our operations, they told me to get a license so we could participate in government-subsidized trade fairs."

CD Handicraft’s first DTI-sponsored trade fair involved Rizal-based enterprises.

"It was scary. We had nothing to display except old rejects, which fellow exhibitors suggested we rework. We displayed our products on the tenth day of the 30-day fair. Despite being the last to exhibit , we managed to be the second biggest seller. For three years, we sold resin handicraft in DTI-organized fairs in malls and we always ended up as the best seller," said Niuque.

Reentry

CD Handicrafts reentered the export market only after the Niuque children graduated. "My children were gung-ho about export, joining international trade shows like Frankfurt, and hauling in foreign buyers. Now, we ship to the United States, Europe, and the Middle East," said Niuque.

Today, the company’s management has changed, this time to the Niuque children who have converted the business from a single proprietorship to a corporation.

"We have been in business this long because we began with basics. We were jolted when we started out because we exported right away. My advice to starting entrepreneurs is to go for quality products, deliver on time, and abide by the rules. Stick to your workers and buyers. Be good to your people. You can never succeed without them," said Niuque.