I started my second business last year as a weekend hobby. It was inspired by family trips to Colombia where my children fell in love with mochila bags, which are handmade by indigenous women from the Wayuu tribe of La Guajira.
Together with my daughter, Ana, we created Mochila Bags and I think her IT background and experience in social media got us off to a good start. Today our Facebook page has more than 2000 likes and through our website we've sold more than 500 mochila bags worldwide with one pending order from Europe for 250 bags to be shipped by Christmas.
What have been the major challenges for you as an immigrant entrepreneur?
I haven't found many challenges that I haven't been able to overcome as an entrepreneur just because I'm an immigrant. New Zealand is a wonderful place where with hard work and the right attitude, your dreams - no matter where you come from - can come true.
Our biggest challenge with Mochila Bags has been the issue of online payment. Because it's an international online business, prices on our website must be in US dollars and we've found only one New Zealand bank that allows this, but it won't accept credit card payments if the goods aren't shipped from New Zealand.
That means we'd have to pay to ship product from Bogota to Auckland and then on to its final destination. Customers also like to have a tracking number and to get one from here costs us almost double what it does from Colombia, so shipping from New Zealand hasn't been an option for us.
We've found the only feasible way to bring mochila bags to New Zealand is to offer them at wholesale prices to local boutiques and shops. We're currently running a wholesale campaign around Auckland and hope to get our first set of orders from retailers in time for Christmas.
But obviously originally being from Colombia has had its advantages when starting this business?
Yes. My sister Carolina is our main point of contact in Bogota and it's a great advantage having someone like her there that we can trust. Mochila bags are really popular in the US, South America and Europe and for those markets Colombia, geographically, is in a better location than New Zealand, which helps us save on shipping costs.
What advice would you have for other immigrant entrepreneurs looking to set up in business here?
I'd say start with a business that you can develop from your home, because it will save you time and money, and do your research to find out the best way to market your offering in New Zealand. If it's a product, perhaps sell it in the flea markets first to see how people respond.
And last, but not least, believe in yourself and in the products and services you're offering. There will be ups and downs and you'll need to be strong.
Coming up in Your Business: I've been hearing about a few interesting local jewellery brands lately and it's got me thinking, what does it take to build a small business in this area, particularly if you're taking your brand offshore? If you've got a story to tell, drop me a note: nzhsmallbusiness@gmail.com.
