Emmy Pratiwi's extraordinary success story

YOGYAKARTA (JP): It is always exciting to see beautiful Indonesian-made items in shops overseas, displayed elegantly alongside famous-name products. It is even more exciting tracing some of these items back to their source.

That, in fact, is the sensation one gets upon meeting Emmy Pratiwi, president director of Read's, a manufacturer of bags and other accessories made from natural materials.

Read's bags have been exported to Europe, Japan and the U.S. Considering that the company was only founded in October 1998, it is an extraordinary success story, and for many Indonesians a feel-good story.

Read's showroom on Jl. Godean in Yogyakarta is tastefully decorated; colorful with a definite air of class.

Apart from the hundred or so workers on site, the company employs more than 800 people throughout Java and Madura. It outsources the initial work, which involves spinning and weaving the various fibers used in production. The company then collects the sheets, which are cut and sewn into bags, hats and other accessories in the factory. And at this stage, quality controllers also are employed.

Hearing Emmy tell of her rise to success it sounds so easy, but hard work and determination, no doubt, played an important part.

After graduating from a secretarial academy in Jakarta, Emmy began her career at a drilling company before moving into advertising.

After several years, Emmy moved on. She was recruited by a Japanese building contractor, where she worked before ending up at another foreign company, Bangkok Bank.

It is obvious from her story that Emmy enjoyed each of her jobs up until the point when she stopped learning anything new.

"When the bank job became too monotonous, I became restless. I felt ready to start my own business. A chance meeting with two old friends from school helped me make up my mind. So at the beginning of 1992 we started our joint venture. We pooled our resources, Rp 60 million in total, and rented an office that measured three-by-five meters, with a staff of two."

They began by making calendars for various companies. "We effectively went door-to-door seeking orders, and delivered the orders personally as well," she said, with an "I'm-glad-that-part-of-the-business-is-over" giggle.

When the business progressed to making household items, their clientele grew, encompassing middle to upper-class houses as well as interior decorating enterprises.

Their first break came after another chance meeting, this time with Joop Ave, then minister of tourism, who was taken by their products and suggested they move into the interior decorating business.

The minister was serious. He introduced them to the buyer at the presidential palace, opening a very significant and timely avenue for them, because Indonesia was then hosting the Non- Aligned Movement conference, and Emmy and her partners became major suppliers of household items for the conference.

With their business established and the economy booming, Emmy and her partners became very busy as the orders flooded in. They even won a substantial contract in 1997 to supply Garuda Airways' in-flight service.

Just when they thought nothing could go wrong, the economic crisis hit toward the end of that year. Everything they had built crumbled.

Emmy returned to her hometown, Yogyakarta, but she was not beaten.

She met another long-time friend, who had a successful business exporting bags made of crocheted nylon materials. Together, they reminisced about the time they ran a makeshift catering business.

The encounter ended up with a new business venture for Emmy. Her friend was inundated with orders for her nylon bags, so she suggested that Emmy pick up the production using natural materials. She also introduced Emmy to her buyers and designers overseas.

They went to Italy to renew contacts with a designer friend and to update her on the new arrangement. Then they went to meet former customers, who were now purchasing products made from natural materials.

They told the customers that they were setting up a factory to produce bags and other accessories made of natural fibers. This news received an enthusiastic response, and samples were requested. Orders promptly came, and a factory was built in July 1998 to fill those orders.

"The first orders were sent to Europe, 14 containers in total, in October. Then we waited with bated breath for the response. No complaints or claims were received. All of the products were well received," Emmy recalled.

When asked if there was anything that worked against her after this phenomenal beginning, she said: "Oh yes, the nature of our products makes them seasonal. In Europe they create demand only between September and March. After the doubling of the number of orders the following year, the downtime was very much felt. Workers had to be laid off during that time, including our outsource crafts people. So we began to look at the potential for domestic markets. They are taking off slowly."

Then last year, Emmy began to break into the Japanese market, which has shown steady growth. "Japanese like natural fibers such as river reeds and lontar leaves. They also like beads as decoration, so we have to import those. Luckily those beads are only a small component, 5 percent of the whole product," Emmy explained.

One secret of success, it transpired, is the ability to predict the styles of the future which agree with the various buyers in different parts of the world.

Europeans like big, colorful bags and colorful accessories. And they will only order one style once. While Americans are more into simple, conventional and functional medium-sized bags, and they do not mind a repeat of the same style with a little variation. Japanese tastes are similar to Indonesians: small, high quality, pastel and natural colors.

"And deep down, I still believe that I've had luck on my side," said Emmy modestly.

Now the question is, can one capture Lady Luck, drag her to you kicking and screaming and then keep her prisoner by your side? Or does she only come voluntarily to those people who ooze easy charm and burst with a quiet sense of adventure, like Emmy?