A.L. Amizade Marketing, Inc. was born our of an old friendship between Leanne Florendo and Aimil Gonzalez-Sarmiento, who have been friends from way back.
In 2001, Leanne moved to Manila to work in the publishing industry under the banner of Summit Publishing, for the magazines, Preview, Cosmopolitan Philippines and Bride and Home. A few years later, she transferred into the corporate world, under the wing of telecommunications giant, Globe Telecom. After trying the corporate world for some time, Leanne decided that it was time to go home.
Upon her return, Leanne started working for the Burger Joint, the popular Cebu based hamburger chain that she and Aimil had co-founded with several other business partners, some years back.
In 1995, Aimil left for Canada to pursue a fashion merchandising degree from College LaSalle Montreal. After which she returned home and was able to apply her gained knowledge while working in a national retail brand for some time. She got married in 2001 and shifted fields, assisting in their family business which is in the food industry as well. Last year Aimil lived in Germany for a year and upon her return to Cebu, she and her husband were blessed with a really cute baby boy, Lucas.
When Terry S.A. (the authorized distributor of Havaianas in the Philippines) mentioned to the pair that they were looking for a partner to handle specific areas in the Visayas, Leanne and Aimil eagerly submitted their business plan. Upon hearing the good news that they would be taken in as partners, A.L. Amizade Marketing, Inc. was formed to distribute Havaianas exclusively in Cebu, Bohol, Tacloban, Ormoc and Dumaguete.
Leanne and Aimil may be contacted through email at amileecebu@yahoo.com.ph