Pearls from Lombok for the World: Setia Pearl Expands Global Market Thanks to BRI Peduli Export Training
On the coast of Lombok Island, Setiawati sees pearls not merely as natural beauty, but also as a regional identity with the potential to open up opportunities for community prosperity.
Driven by that conviction, she founded Setia Pearl in Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara, in 2018. The business she started does not focus solely on selling jewellery. Setiawati wanted to make Lombok pearls a distinctive souvenir sought after by tourists while also creating job opportunities for women and people with hearing impairments.
For her, a business becomes more meaningful when it can grow together with the surrounding community. Using natural Lombok pearls, Setia Pearl offers a range of jewellery collections including rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings and pendants that can be custom-made to suit customer needs. Its products are also designed to reach various market segments.
The journey of building a business is certainly not always easy. As market demand increased, Setiawati began to aspire to open branches in various parts of Indonesia. However, the capital required for raw materials and business premises became the biggest challenge she had to face.
“The biggest challenge in our business is expanding to several regions in Indonesia. Market demand is actually quite large, but the capital needed for raw materials and business premises is also growing,” said Setiawati.
Amid her efforts to develop the business, Setiawati took part in an Export Training programme organised by BRI Peduli. The programme provided an understanding of strategies, preparations and opportunities that MSMEs can leverage to enter international markets.
According to her, the training changed her perspective on the world of exporting. Whereas exporting previously felt complicated, she now understands that the process can be carried out gradually as long as business owners have the right knowledge and strategy.
“Taking part in this training was very beneficial and broadened my insight into exports. It turns out exporting is not as difficult as I had imagined. Exporting is easy if we know the science and the strategy,” she said.
The knowledge gained has further strengthened Setia Pearl’s steps to expand its market. Currently, its pearl jewellery products are enjoyed by customers in Turkey, Malaysia, Singapore and Nigeria through a hand-carry scheme with limited-quantity shipments.
The various achievements attained and the success in bringing Setia Pearl products to export markets serve as motivation for Setiawati to continue developing her business. Going forward, she hopes that Lombok’s distinctive pearls can become better known in international markets while providing broader economic benefits for the community.
On a separate occasion, BRI Corporate Secretary Dhanny said that BRI, through BRI Peduli as the umbrella for its Social and Environmental Responsibility programme, continues to provide support to micro, small and medium enterprises so they can develop their businesses and increase their capacity to move up a level through the Export Training Programme.
“This initiative is presented to help MSME players understand the stages of exporting independently and in a structured way, while preparing themselves to face competition in the global market,” said Dhanny.
The training also provides guidance on various aspects needed in developing an export business, ranging from export strategies, understanding international trade regulations, completeness of export documents, mapping global markets, to packaging and strengthening product branding to meet international standards.
“Setiawati’s journey with Setia Pearl shows that with a willingness to keep learning and the support of relevant knowledge, MSME players have an increasingly greater opportunity to develop their businesses and expand their market reach to the international level,” said Dhanny.