As the Philippine economy opens up, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are taking the opportunity to recalibrate their business plans in order to tap on new customer demands that have emerged.
Farah Abu is one such business owner — a talented Filipino fashion accessories designer.
Growing up, Farah was by nature artistic and entrepreneurial, crafting charm bracelets sold at Php250 to her sister’s friends in college at a tender age. She completed a degree in architecture, but decided to pursue accessory design “Contrary to the restrictions I felt with Architecture, I felt so free with the endless possibilities in accessory design. I could make whatever I wanted and it just really made me happy. I finally found what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”
In 2009, Farah moved to Manila and ventured into selling her handmade accessories at bazaars, which led to her break into the industry. Today, Farah joins a roster of select Filipino designers whose creations are being carried in the “For The Stars Fashion House” – a unique, high-end style center led by creative director and fashion icon Jacob Meir located in Hollywood, California.
When the pandemic hit, crippling many SMEs, Farah continued to adapt and innovated to achieve success in today’s new normal. Currently, Farah is intensifying her online presence through her Instagram account to further expand her business globally and obtain international recognition. “This is the new age. The good thing about e-commerce is low operational expenses, no rent and when you sell online, you already have a catalogue of your designs which your buyers can easily choose from,” she said.
As an entrepreneur, Farah understands that the other side to successful cross-border trade is having a reliable logistics service provider that is able to ensure her fragile and delicate products reach their destination on time and in perfect condition. Her specific shipping needs were met by FedEx. Now, her creations are being worn in the US, UK, Malaysia, France, Mexico, Australia, Qatar, Bahrain, Switzerland, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Singapore, Hungary and Japan.
As a fierce advocate for the growth of SMEs across the Asia Pacific region, FedEx remains a strong platform for local entrepreneurs to launch their businesses into foreign markets.
With its seamless logistics services and extensive network of more than 220 countries and territories, customers like Farah are better equipped to expand their global footprint.
