Leading printing to a digital future

MANILA, Philippines - A new company sets its eyes on a digital future. And, ironically, it is one that has room for print.

Recently established, DigiPress Asia Inc, braves the age of online photo sharing by tapping into a Filipino trait that may not be taken out of the picture—the cultural penchant for cherishing memories. Offering high quality digital printing, the company manufactures traditional print products with modern styles and trends. It also comes with a unique business strategy developed by modern women to fit modern times.

The company was started by Liezel Tuason Magpoc and Arrieta Royola, two women who have made names for themselves in their respective fields. Magpoc is the Vice President for Sales and Marketing of Orchard Property Management Corp. (OPMC,) a marketing arm of leading property developer Sta Lucia Land Incorporated. During her nearly two-decade stint in the real estate industry, she turned OPMC into a powerhouse racking up P18.5 billion in sales.

Royola is herself a successful entrepreneur who started and built up a successful digital printing business while she was at college. After receiving training in digital printing in the United States, Royola was convinced of the business’s potential and started her own company in 1996 when digital printing was new in the country. Since then, her company has grown to encompass out of home advertising solutions catering to the needs of the billboard and digital display industry.

Being mothers and career women themselves, the two are aware of the challenges facing parents or students who have to juggle tight finances with a limited schedule. Thus, they conceived of Digipress as a way for people to earn money at their own time with as little expense as possible. The two describe the business as a unique concept that harnesses the power of social networking sites and the internet to provide a global business opportunity for everyone.

This is achieved through the company’s Business Partnership Program. For a one-time fee of P100,000, anyone can own their very own printing business at the comfort of their own house. Using proprietary software anyone can design and create photobooks, yearbooks, canvass print, invitations, calling cards and other photo personalized items.

Digital printing is an enormous untapped market, which is set to grow rapidly as more and more Filipinos connect to the internet. Research by Yahoo and ITU an agency of the United Nations revealed that internet usage in the country is growing by around 140 percent every year. This combined with the Filipino penchant for taking photos means that entrepreneurs have a solid and sure market.

With DigiPress, overhead expenses are minimal, as one doesn’t need to rent a space or pay employees. One only needs a computer and an internet connection and they can set up shop. The company handles manufacturing and shipping so one can just focus on getting more clients. Best of all, one can tap a truly global market as the internet eliminates geographical boundaries. With Digipress, anyone, anywhere, can be your customer anytime.

Unlike other franchises, Digipress promotes true entrepreneurship among their franchisees by giving them complete freedom to build their own businesses. Under the partnership program, the entrepreneurs can use their own business name, create their own product line, execute their own marketing campaigns, and set their own prices.

DigiPress was officially launched on March 2011 at a Go Negosyo Summit held at the World Trade Center. Following up to that recent success, the company is looking forward to joining similar events. And if their recent exhibitions were any indication of the company’s potential, both Royola and Magpoc have every right to believe that their print business won’t be taken out of the picture — even in the digital age.