The Doctor is in... The Export Business

Somewhere in an obscure part of Taguig is a thriving company engaged in the business of designing, manufacturing, and exporting holiday décor and home accessories. Its factory and showroom hold within its confines a wealth of beautiful handcrafted pieces that are testaments to the exceptional creativity and talent of the Filipino.

Unlike most businesses, Sarilinlikha Novelties started somewhat by accident, explains Dr. Romeo P. Balderama Jr., chief executive officer of this 13-year old company. Balderama turned his back on a promising career as an anesthesiologist to go into the export business full-time.

"It all started when a co-resident (who was a sub-contractor for export companies) left with me overrun stocks of paper boxes before she migrated to the US," he recounts. He decorated the boxes, placed baked goodies inside and sold them in the hospital. "Naubos ang paninda ko," excitedly shares Balderama.

After finishing his residency at the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (uerm-mmc), he spent his idle time attending a seminar given by the Christmas Décor Producers and Exporters Association of the Philippines (cdpeap). "It was just something to do," he says. There he learned how to make different holiday décor using a variety of materials.

Not long after, he started joining bazaars. Making use of what he learned in the seminar and relying on his innate creative skills, he made Christmas ornaments, boxes, nativity sets, and other décor using paper, wood shavings, and corn husks, among other materials. The success of this initial venture made him seriously consider turning his hobby into a viable business.

He got together with a couple of friends and formed Sarilinlikha Novelties in 1992, so named because of the company’s original designs. "Actually, we came up with other ridiculous sounding names like Cockatoo, because one person said nakakatuwa daw yung items namin." Evidently, that didn’t work. But had they known that foreign buyers would have a difficult time pronouncing and remembering Sarilinlikha, they would have called it something else.

"One German buyer thought we were from Sri Lanka," he relates with amusement.

They sold to Rustan’s, and eventually went into exports in 1994 through the help of a local buying agent. A buyer from the UK loved their products and ordered a considerable amount. But it was their exposure at the Manila F.A.M.E. International, a bi-annual tradeshow organized by DTI-CITEM, that gave Sarilinlikha its well-deserved attention from buyers worldwide.

They were certainly not prepared for what would happen. Close to US$50,000 worth of orders were booked at the fair. "It was quite overwhelming–and nerve-wracking," he says in hindsight. "Nataranta talaga kami. Hindi namin alam kung paano mag-compute ng CBM, kung ano yung LC. We literally didn’t know anything about exports. Akala namin basta may produkto kang maganda, okay na," he admits. Despite those limitations, they delivered their orders on time.

Since 1995, Sarilinlikha has joined every Manila F.A.M.E. show. Balderama is proud to share that during their second participation in the bi-annual fair, the company won a Katha Award for Best Product Collection for an assortment of holiday décor made of abaca. Sarilinlika also participates regularly in other shows held abroad, including ChristmasWorld in Frankfurt, Germany, which is the leading international trade fair for festive decorations.

After more than a decade, he still finds it hard to believe that his hobby –his love for creating beautiful things–could be this successful. So successful that he eventually chose it over his medical profession. "It already required so much of my time, especially when we have big orders. Besides, I enjoy it more than sticking needles in my patients," he says, laughing.

When one of his partners had to leave the country, and the other got preoccupied with other things, Balderama took it upon himself to care for his "baby." "It was hard. Marami ding palpak," he confesses, but admits that it has been an exciting learning experience–in all aspects of the trade, from product development, to negotiations with buyers, to dealing with copycats. "I used to be very sensitive about other companies copying my products, pero nagsawa na din ako." Instead of being irritated, he says he opts to channel his energy into something more creative, like developing new designs.

Indeed, while product development has proved to be the bane for most exporters, Balderama makes it an essential part of his business. He adds that he always applies the "70-30" concept: "In every show, we make sure that 70 percent of our products are new." He says this is very important in keeping his clients interested, and in attracting new buyers. In fact, Sarilinlikha now also produces home accessories, including vases made of capiz and abaca. And judging from the sales they make at each fair, it is clear that buyers welcome the new offerings.

"Product research and development can be quite expensive, but the time, effort, and cost are definitely worth it," he says with a positive note. "We always make sure that we avail ourselves of the Merchandise Development Consultancy Program offered by Citem in the FAME shows."

He readily acknowledges the vital role Citem has played in the success the company has achieved. Today, Sarilinlikha exports its products to the US, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Spain, Ecuador, Venezuela, Portugal, and the Netherlands. Some of his pieces are sold in top retail stores like Macy’s and Neiman Marcus.

Last year, the Center for the Promotions of Imports of the Netherlands awar-ded Sarinlinlikha Novelties a subsidized three-year participation in the Ambiente fair in Frankfurt, which is the largest consumer goods fair in the world with over 4,600 exhibitors from 90 different countries. His excitement is palpable. He says this is a huge opportunity for the "baby" he nurtured and cared for. And although he doesn’t want his company to be really "big," there is no denying that the big time is where Sarilinlikha Novelties is bound for. And this all began with a hobby.