Former OFW Who Became A “Tsinelas” Reseller Builds Her Own Footwear Manufacturing Business

Sandra May Mallare of Sandra’s Fashion Style shared how she was able to build her successful business. From an online reseller, she’s an inspiration to many as she built her own footwear manufacturing company.

Former OFW Who Became A "Tsinelas" Reseller Builds Her Own Footwear Manufacturing Business
Screengrab: GMA via Youtube

Like many former Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), Sandra admitted that when she returned to the Philippines, she was confused about what she should be doing. “Bumalik po ako dito sa Pilipinas na hindi ko po alam kung ano ba ang gagawin ko,” Sandra shared in an interview on GMA’s Pera Paraan.

Sandra began venturing into several small businesses. She started making ice candies, “kakanin” and “ulam” or viands to sell. But her luck began when she saw several fashionable slippers online.

She started reposting photos of several slippers online looking for sales. Instead of stockpiling slippers, Sandra decided to gather her orders and send them to a supplier to be made. As a result, she was able to save money and didn’t require much storage space for her stocks.

The entrepreneur recalled how quickly she was able to earn back her capital. She started with P20,000 as a reseller of ‘tsinelas’ or slippers and her first profit was P2,300. “Nagulat po ako kasi kumita po ako agad ng P2,300, yung unang kita ko po,” Sandra shared.

Former OFW Who Became A "Tsinelas" Reseller Builds Her Own Footwear Manufacturing Business
Image by Sandra May Mallare via Facebook

Since then, Sandra’s fashionable and trendy footwear became a hit among her customers. She soon realized that she could expand her business but manufacturing her own ‘tsinelas’ or slippers.

But building a manufacturing company is no easy task. You need a huge capital to provide for the equipment, supplies, and staff. Sandra admitted going through so much stress and even experiencing depression. “Ang daming stocks pero konti lang nadi-dispose,” she recalled.

But since there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel, Sandra found her success slowly but surely. Determined to succeed, Sandra made use of social media to promote her business. She worked hard on her Facebook pages to make them more active and appealing to their audience. She invested in the right people to handle customer service queries and concerns. She also tries her best to keep up with the latest fashion trends for her footwear.

“Doon ko po naisipan na kumuha po ako ng taga-sagot at gumawa ako ng maraming pages. Para po continuous yung orders ko,” Sandra shared.

For Sandra, a lot has changed. She used to be a reseller making P10,000 per month, but now she owns a footwear manufacturing business and earns P100,000 to P200,000 per month.

Slippers, footwear, and other fashionable items and clothes are among the top trending products you can sell online. Like Sandra, you can also start small before going big! Learn the tips and strategies for starting a small business in the Philippines.

Sally Mae

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