Design Your Way to a Home Business
Wouldn’t it be nice to fill your homes with lovely things and decorations of your own making? To just show off to your friends how you’ve bestowed that special personal touch to your abode. I’m sure most of us, creative and non-creative persons, have l aid our hands on those laces and trimmings with the aid of our inflated imaginations to create something useful and magically succeeded. Or maybe not.
But Ms. Julie did just that, and later turned that inclination into good business.
Julie Tolentino started Julie’s Gifts in 1998. What began as a diversion to busy herself with while taking care of her family, led to a very rewarding business venture.
“It was just a hobby, to keep myself busy. Then my friends saw my creations and they liked them. That’s when I started getting orders for wedding giveaways. Later on I started developing other products. That’s when I decided to turn my hobby into business.”
Ms Julie was an architect by profession, but she decided to devote her time to her family the moment she got married. At age 43, she now has three lovely girls ages 16, 11, and 2.
“I took no training whatsoever. As you know, I’m a plain housewife so there are times when I Get bored with my daily routine. Until one day, I got hooked on this TV show Negosyete. Since I have an inclination for the arts, I got interested in making my own creations.”
Her products include giveaways for all occasions—weddings, debuts, special events, office giveaways—gift items, baskets, household accessories and of course, Christmas decors and trimmings.
One of her bestsellers are the Austrian swarovski crystal necklaces and bracelets. “I import the crystals straight from Austria where they are high quality. It’s in Austria where you can really find quality semi-precious stones, unlike the ones in Chekoslovakia and other countries. I get orders for these items from other countries, so you can say this is one item I’m starting to export.
Now one might say there’s really nothing extraordinary with making these items anymore. But Julie’s Gifts prides itself with the uniqueness of its designs and creations.
The main bulk of her products are brought to Traditions, a gift and novelty shop found in Megamall and other SM malls in Metro Manila, originally on consignment basis. Meaning she will be paid based only on the quantity of the items sold. “But they like my products because of their uniqueness and original designs. And since my items are usually bestsellers, I get paid in advance often.
“I also supply some wedding giveaways for Malou Veloso (a premier bridal shop). My other clients include friends, acquaintances, and people who are referred to me. In fact, I was contracted to make the wedding giveaways for Ogie Alcasid and Michelle van Eimeren some years back. I have also been invited to be a resource speaker in several TV shows and for TLRC’s special courses.”
[Tags]Philippines Home Business, Make Money from Home, Philippines, Design, Beauty, Manila[/Tags]
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One Response to “Design Your Way to a Home Business”
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I just want to know where can I buy retail swarovski beads in the philippines. I want to design my bracelets and necklaces for own use.