Tags: Entrepreneurship, Handicrafts, Wholesale and Retail
By KC Santos
LAS PINAS, METRO MANILA – Beam Mariano confesses to having an uncontrollable impulse of tinkering with all things colorful, creating a vast array of items. She has turned her hobby into a crafts business called Artwine.
“It’s a hobby so I figured why not make it into something I can actually sell,” shares the 24-year-old entrepreneur.
The Multimedia Arts graduate from College of St. Benilde shares that while she initially wanted to pursue a professional career, she knew she would be happier if she held tight to her real passion.
“The art in craft-making and designing is just something I found hard to give up, so I started this business,” she says, adding that starting a business young “liberated” her in more ways than one.
“When I started this business, I opened my eyes to the world. I realized that you have to consider a lot of things on the marketing side alone. I learned that local materials like the sinamay are actually very versatile.”
Beam personally designs and makes items from cutting and forming felt cloth into three dimensional pieces, which she overlaps with denims, pins, laptop sleeves and native bayongs that she sells from 100 to 1,500 pesos.
With the business, Beam is able to help out a Mangyan family from Mindoro. She shares that slowly, she is learning to grasp the weight of poverty affecting families all over the country.
“They are a family of fisher folks who don’t get what’s rightfully theirs when selling squid here in Manila. This is my little way of contributing to their needs,” says Beam, adding she is also teaching Mangyans how to make crafts.
Only recently, Beam met and joined advocates from the Mano Amiga Academy with Altius Foundation, on a mission to help poor families to work they way out of poverty. Beam conducts craft demonstrations with the help of this group.
“Even in the early stages of my business, I’m not excluded from helping others,” Beam said. The young entrepreneur has the same attitude in crafting. She stressed that a simple patch can make ordinary things look better.
“You can use your old bags and shirts again just by putting patches or wearing on a brooch and that totally changes an outfit,” she says.
Three years in the business and Beam still considers herself an amateur. She knows that despite learning everyday, she has still a lot to study on and that experience is the best teacher.
“I have immersed myself so much in this business. Yes, a course or two on marketing helps but it’s different when you run it more on a personal basis.”
Browse Artwine website to see more products. For inquiries, call Beam Mariano at 556-4655 and (0917)4292684.
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nice1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1