Inquirer.Net Blog

http://blogs.inquirer.net/openforbusiness/2008/08/04/the-highs-and-lows-of-selling-online/
by Karen Galarpe

Do you have a product you want to sell but don’t have the capital to put up a store? An easy way to make a sale (and test the market) is to go online and put up a virtual store.

Hi everyone!  I apologize for the silence.  I have been on complete bedrest for the past 3 weeks due to a few complications to the pregnancy.  But everything looks ok now (and hopefully until I give birth in December), so I am hoping I get the go-ahead from my OB to go back to work by Wednesday.  I haven't been online all this time, and have been in bed (literally!) so long that it has been painful when I tried walking around again.

Anyway, thank you for your prayers and your get well wishes.  All NappyCake orders until Thursday will still be without the standard recipe card, but everything after that will come with it na.  Also, I haven't been able to go through all the invites, so please bear with me as I do the approvals in the coming days.  Thanks for understanding.

For faster transactions, please text me your orders via my mobile phone 09189397963.  I apologize for the orders I've had to cancel in the past 3 weeks, but I am grateful for your patience and understanding.  Thanks and God bless! :)

 

ps. thanks to Jenny and Stella for posting the announcements on my condition. :)

Kaye is on strict instruction to be on complete bed rest for the next 2 weeks she will not be able to reply to any of your PMs, so please direct your inquiries to her mobile 09189397963. Thanks  

.... her friend Jenny

I have been extra nauseated the past coupl'a days, so I am stuck here at home.  My connection here is baaaaddd - as in turtle slow, so I haven't been able to update nor upload pictures like I had originally planned.  I am on my 11th week of pregnancy today, so hopefully, the nausea is on it's way out. Hehe.  As much as I would want to update the albums, my photos are in CDs in the office (for those of you who don't know, I moved down to another office and have taken on more responsibility at work, so I had to store all my photos on CDs when I did the transfer from my old PC to my new VAIO) and I haven't had time to edit them and transfer them to my new laptop.

And because of that, inspite of the numerous requests from you to upload pictures of my other products, I haven't been able to do so.  Been super busy at work the past 6months.  Took 3 trips out of the country, then found out about the pregnancy right when things started to get uber busy at the office (we're restructuring).  But I will get around to doing that.  Soon, hopefully. :)

Anyway, I was looking for a letter from my US Bank when I stumbled upon these old pics on my home PC.  These are some of the TowelCakes I've made in the past (NappyCakes also makes Kiddie Cakes, TowelCakes, Bridal Cakes, Kiddie Bouquets, Wedding Souvenirs, etc). 

This Barbie Fairytopia KiddieCake is actually the first KiddieCake I've ever made!  The birthday girl, Hannah, came all the way from Hong Kong to celebrate her 7th birthday with friends and relatives here.  Her mom, Cris, learned of NappyCakes through the Smart Parenting E-Group and trusted me enough to commission this gigantic KiddieCake for her daughter's birthday.  This particular cake is made out of towels, blankets, pillows and other items related to the theme.  It served as Mommy Cris' special gift to her daughter, and she used it as centerpiece for the gift table too.  That was one heavy cake, I must say! Hehe.

This simple Wellness TowelCake (in olive) was an order by one of my celebrity customers for another celebrity two years ago.  I know I have a picture of her holding the cake around here somewhere (will upload that soon, when I find it... hehe).  A Wellness TowelCake has wellness items for one's well-being.  This one has towels, a bottle of bath beads, a bottle of body wash, and other bath items.

Aside from the big cakes, we also make smaller cakes for giveaways.  This one's a sample of the towel cakes we made for the Montero-Apostol wedding last year.  The Bride and Groom gave these to the women who made up their entourage.

Thanks to all who made NappyCakes a part of their lives!  You may send us photos and messages on how we became part of your memorable event (baby showers, baptisms, weddings, birthdays, etc) and we will feature these on our testimonial album.    

For inquiries, orders, and what-nots, send me a PM or email us at nappycakes@gmail.com

note: I started this Update on May 20, but only finished writing it today, 01 June.  Bear with me. :D 

Hi!  I apologize for not being able to reply to your queries as fast as I normally would, but I have been at home and in bed for the past 2 weeks (with the occasional meetings at the office and errands to run), and have not been able to log on to multiply as often as I would have wanted to.  Inspite of that fact, we have been uber-busy this past month, with Mother's Day orders and baby showers/ christenings that my also-pregnant nanny (yes, everyone is having babies! two of my cousins are having end-2008 babies too!) and I have been working overtime.  Alexa is learning the ropes of the business as well, helping us cut ribbons to the measure and preparing linens and essentials for the NappyCakes.

Yes, NappyCakes is a family business, alright.  I have yet to convince the hubby to help me do delivery though (which is a shelved service as of now, the last one he delivered was Baby James' gigantic Barney NappyCake, and that was summer of last year! -- Hmm, I should dig out the pic from the Nappycakes' baul, whaddyathink?).  But the good news is, we will try out shipping our cakes and giveaways soon.  We have been talking to a few couriers and are looking at having shipping boxes made so that we will be able to service the land of "far, far away". :)  So yes, stay tuned.

In other news, NappyCakes partnered with MOMents on Net25 to cater to Gladys Reyes-Sommereux's Baby Shower!  My aunt in Seattle emailed me a link of the PEP article where some pictures are posted.  She always has an eye out for NappyCakes, and amazingly (or rather, not suprisingly, hehe) she spotted NappyCakes on the pics!  And to think I failed to tell her about it (I've been on hiatus from the net world, really!).

We gave Gladys a 4Layer Flowers and Butterflies Layette NappyCake in Pink for her soon-to-born Baby Girl (she and actor husband Christopher already have a little boy named Christophe).  We also provided LoveBlooms/ Baby Blooms Washcloth Roses for her guests and other surprise gifts for future expectant mommies who will guest on her show, MOMents. I was supposed to go to the event, held at Grand Terrace in Quezon City last Wednesday but I've been extra nauseated and tired (from lack of food and sleep!) so I had to beg off from explaining NappyCakes and Perfect Baby Shower Gifts and Giveaways firsthand. Oh well... :(  MOMents airs over Net25 every Saturday at 630pm, with replays on Sundays at 11am.  The Baby Shower feature will air on Saturday, June 14. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above photos show the following: PIC1 - Basket of Assorted Washcloth Blooms on left corner beside lamp; PIC2 - 4Layer Pink Layette NappyCake behind Gladys' sis, Janice; and PIC3 - Adorable little Christophe Sommereux holds a Pink Washcloth Rose.

Photos are from Philippine Entertainment Portal.  Special thanks to Anita Ramos for making this partnership possible.

See PEP article/ photo page here: http://www.pep.ph/photos/917/Gladys_Reyes%26%2339%3Bs_advance_birthday_party_and_shower_party

Hi there! 

Thank you for taking time out to visit my Multiply site for NappyCakes - It's a Diaper Cake!  I've been very busy digging for pictures (both old and new), and putting them together has been a big, big task.   Because of numerous business trips plus that forever-demanding full-time job (hehe) and putting together NappyCake orders, the Multiply Project (as i've coined it) has been shelved several times.  But because of certain developments in my life, I think I will find the time to update my albums on a more regular basis now (oh, i hope!).

So today, I've updated the Party Giveaways album for all my contacts. :) 

Check out: http://thenappycakesshoppe.multiply.com/photos/album/12
(you must be my contact in order to view this exclusive album)

Anyway, I will update the other albums in the coming days.  So stay tuned!

~~~

In other news... WE'RE PREGNANT!  And that is why I have the extra time to update... because i've been having difficult bouts with nausea (and have taken some time off from work).   So yey!  It'a about time, since our last pregnancy was about 6 years ago, and Alexa is now giddy-ready to be a big sis. Haha!  But yea, give me pregnancy without the nausea, please... I think the hubby has had his fair share of my pregnancy woes already (to think we only found out we were expecting just last week).  But that makes him appreciate just how hard it is to bring a child to the world.  Yes, aren't all men lucky to have us do all the real work? 

Happy Mother's Day to all!

after a short hiatus (read: quick business trip to the US), we're back to regular business hours and ordering leadtimes.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all mothers! :)

NappyKaye of NappyCakes - It's a Diaper Cake! will be out from 18 April 'til 24 April 2008.  Should you wish to order a cake or party giveaways, please take note of the schedule below:

FOR ORDER PICKUP ON 16-26 APRIL 2008:
Your order must be in by 6pm on Monday, 14 April 2008.  Please make sure all details are sent to us via email (nappycakes@gmail.com) or via text (0918.9397963).  

NORMAL OPERATIONS WILL ENSUE AFTER THESE DATES.  Thank you for your continued patronage.  GOD BLESS YOU!

NappyCakes - It's a Diaper Cake! will be closed from 20 March 'til 24 March 2008.  Should you wish to order a cake or party giveaways, please take note of the schedule below:

FOR ORDER PICKUP ON 17-20 MARCH 2008 (Holy Monday to Maundy Thursday):
Your order must be in by 6pm on Sunday, 16 March 2008.  Please make sure all details are sent to us via email (nappycakes@gmail.com) or via text (0918.9397963).   For Maundy Thursday (20 March), pickup will be up to 2pm only.

FOR ORDER PICKUP ON 25-27 MARCH 2008:
Your order must be placed by Holy Tuesday, 18 March 2008.   Please make sure all details are sent as well.

NORMAL OPERATIONS WILL ENSUE AFTER THESE DATES.  Thank you for your continued patronage.  HAPPY EASTER!

‘Cakes’ for babies
By SHERYL G. LAUDATO
Manila Bulletin - 27 August 2006

Cakes are made to be eaten, but NappyCakes are decorated stuff made of bibs, blankets, diapers, pacifiers, feeding bottles, among others, to be used as gifts for baby showers, baptisms and birthdays.

Kaye Catral, 32, a graduate of AB Economics from Ateneo de Manila University, and a full time brand manager for a local distribution company was inspired by a 2003 episode of the sitcom "Sex in the City" where the character Miranda received one for her baby shower.

KAYE CATRAL

When Kaye made a trip to Seattle in May 2004, she was influenced by her aunt Edith Lopez who makes "cakes" out of diapers in the U.S.

"Since I love artistic stuff, my aunt pushed me to establish a diaper cake business and gave me an initial capital of P50,000. It is very hard to start a business but I learned from my aunt that if this business doesn’t work out in the Philippines, at least I enjoyed doing it and I should think of the money as a gift," Kaye said.

Back in the Philippines, she worked on the plan to make non–edible cakes without giving up her full–time job. She used her aunt’s money to buy baby supplies such as towels, hairbrushes, teethers, rattles, receiving blankets, diapers, among others.

"My marketing job helped me get various high–end products from distributors at a lower price. And I made sure that quality is on top of my list," Kaye noted.

Kaye made her first two layered diaper cake and presented it at the baby shower of a friend, Tiffany del Rosario.

"My friend really loved my gift for her. That was why she kept it intact even until after her daughter was born. It’s what motivates me most about this business," Kaye said.

After the shower, orders for diaper cakes started coming, so she officially launched NappyCakes in July 2004.

"My officemate bought one of my cakes for her friend’s baby shower. When the host and guests saw the cake, they started passing out plates and dessert forks until they found out that it was only made of nappies," Kaye said.

At first, Kaye priced her two–layered cake at P700. but she later realized that she should increase it to P900. When she started to get 10–15 orders a week, she again increased her price to P1,000. She now has have a gross sale of 30 orders monthly.

Single–tier cakes cost P850, P1,000 for two–tier, and P1,500 for three–tier cakes and clients can choose from cartoon themes such as Winnie the Pooh, Baby Mickey, Baby Minnie, Sponge Bob, Precious Moments and Carebears.

"People think that my products are expensive, but the same stuff goes for about $70-$200 in the States. I already adjusted to my customer’s budget so more people can afford my products," Kaye said.

Information about Kaye’s business spread by word of mouth, and in e–groups. In early 2005, she had over 30 buyers including Makro and PLDT, that made her earn a monthly profit of R30,000.

"It’s quite hard for me because I have a daughter and a full–time job. I spend more than three hours a night finishing my orders. That is why I also taught my daughter’s ‘yaya’ so she could help me make the stuff," Kaye said.

Kaye shared that she once made a cake in just 16 minutes when actor Marvin Agustin rushed his two–tiered cake order for the baptism of a friend’s baby.

She was also challenged when another client wanted to buy all the baby stuff and put them all together in a cake.

"Sometimes I ask myself how I made it. I got about 12 spin–off arrangements from that cake alone, until I finished it," Kaye said.

Soon, Kaye discovered that there were businesses that copied her idea. She was forced to register NappyCakes at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

"When I was about to register my business with DTI, I had a hard time registering the name NappyCakes because they didn’t understand that I’m selling non–edible cakes. They thought I was trying to mislead people. Until now, I still have to explain my products, which allowed me to use my marketing skills," Kaye said.

Kaye also started attending baby and kids shows twice a year, and forges tie–ups with event organizers, and uses different venues to promote and sell her products.

"I know I still have to learn and discover a lot even if I’m designing my cakes all alone using my imagination. Especially there are so many ‘copycats’ now. I have to improve my stuff and use quality materials. I don’t want to be embarrassed by the quality of my work," Kaye noted.

Kaye used to sell handmade hair accessories at bazaars. She’s been into crafts and cake making since childhood that helped her run her business.

"Being a mom, we always want the best for our babies, so I made sure that everything that goes into the cake is usable. I made sure that all materials are sanitary and contains everything which can be used for my baby’s care," Kaye said.

Kaye also plans to open her own shop in Pasig area next year.

Visit www.picturetrail.com/nappycakes or e-mail nappycakes @gmail.com.

Baby Boom!

August 23rd, 2006 by Cherry Pacheco-Uy
Posted in Kids and Home
http://www.shopcrazy.com.ph

NappyCakes - It's a Diaper Cake!
By Kathleen Kay Sy-Catral

Kaye's typical day involves juggling roles being a full-time Brand Manager, a wife, a mother of 4-year-old Alexa Amber Rei, and managing her other baby, NappyCakes, which may look familiar because they have appeared in a number of magazines. Her items include popular cartoon and baby characters such as Dora, Sleeping Beauty, and Winnie the Pooh.

1. When did you start with your business and why? I made my first NappyCake in May 2004. I had just come from a US trip where I saw a diaper cake sample at a Baby Registry counter at the Kids R Us store in Bellevue, WA. I made my own version for a friend's baby shower, and everyone loved it and started ordering after that. NappyCakes - It's a Diaper Cake! was officially born in July 2004.

2. What are your most popular products? My customers go mostly for the 2- and 3-layered NappyCakes. I also get a lot of orders for my Baby Blooms and Kiddie Blooms. The giveaways and party packages (Nappy Cake + Bloom Giveaways) are very popular now.

3. What makes them unique? I choose quality products and make sure that what I put in my cakes would be of great use for both momma and baby. I think it helps that I am a mom, because I want what's best for my baby and I KNOW that every mom (or dad!) who receives a product from NappyCakes would expect the same. My cakes have no cardboards to hold it up. Everything (yes, absolutely everything!) can be used and re-used. I also try to price my cakes well so that it becomes affordable to Filipinos.

I try not to include plush toys UNLESS a customer requests for it. Babies (especially young ones) have no use for plush toys (which can carry allergens and promote danger to suffocation) so I really do not like to use them in my cakes. However, there are some customers who insist on plush/stuffed toys, so I made a few NappyCake products with them.

4. What is the price range of the items? My standard NappyCakes are priced from P850 (1-layer Cake) to P2500 (4-layer Cake). BabyBlooms are P500 each. Kiddie Blooms are P250 and P500 (for the 3-stem and 6-stem, respectively).

5. Where do you sell your items? Because I work full time, NappyCakes is just home-based for now. We are located in Ortigas Centre. I have plans to open up a store, but right now, I operate from home. For product info and prices, please visit www.picturetrail.com/nappycakes.

6. How can people order? What is the lead time for orders? For orders and inquiries, you may reach me via e-mail through nappycakes@gmail.com, landline 635-5256 and cellphone 0918-939-7963 or 0917-577-4111. You may also order online through Lasketti Boutique at www.lasketti.com. All my products are made-to-order. Lead time is usually 3 days for NappyCakes and Blooms, 1 week for TowelCakes, and 2 weeks for Party Packages.

No-Bake Cakes
At Nappy Cakes, you can have your cake but you can't eat it, too - literally - because it's a company that makes creative, albeit non-edible gifts for baby showers, baptisms, and birthdays.
By Katrina Tan
Be Your Own Boss, Entrepreneur Philippines - July 2006 Issue

Ordinarily, gifts are wrapped in fancy paper or cloth and finished off with a colorful bow of ribbon. But Kaye Catral discovered a new way of presenting gifts on kid occasions like baby showers, baptisms, and birthdays.

"They're known as diaper cakes. They look like cakes, but are made out of non-edible stuff like bibs, blankets, diapers, and pacifiers," says the 31-year-old mom who owns and manages Nappy Cakes.

At P850 for single-tier, P1,000 for two-tier, and P1,500 for three-tier cakes, Catral's cute creations also contain a rattle, a teether, a receiving blanket, a burp cloth, a bib, feeding bottles, a brush, and a comb. Placed on top of a cake board and wrapped with tulle, they come with a recipe card and a personalized gift card. Clients can choose from cartoon themes such as Winnie the Pooh, Baby Mickey, Baby Minnie, Sponge Bob, Precious Moments, among others. Her other product lines-toddler, towel, and bridal cakes-cost a few hundred pesos more.

"Some people think they're expensive, but the same products go for about $70 in the States," says Catral. But she adjusts to her customers' budget so more people can enjoy her handiwork.

Catral herself saw her first diaper cake in an episode of the sit-com Sex in the City where the character Miranda received one during her baby shower. Inspired, Catral - who used to sell handmade hair accessories at bazaars - tried her hand at making diaper cakes, which she gave to friends as gifts.

"It actually took a few attempts before I was able to perfect them. I don't even know how I got my first customers. I simply started getting a few orders a month." And these non-edible cakes have become a huge hit. The first of their kind in the Philippines, they have always been the main attraction at parties.

Catral, who has two-year-old daughter and a marketing job, was content doing Nappy Cakes on the side, and was actually fending off a few partnership offers because that would require her to commit to the business.

What changed her mind was a trip to Seattle in May 2004, when an aunt, Edith Lopez, convinced her to start her diaper cake business. "She didn't want me to partner with anyone else, so she gave me P50,000 as initial capital," she says. "There was definitely a risk in starting the business, but my aunt didn't pressure me. If the business didn't work out, she said to think of the money as a gift."

Soon after her return to the Philippines, Catral set to work on her new venture, but without giving up her full-time job. This allowed her to use her aunt's money for buying her initial supplies - hairbrushes, ribbons, towels, bibs, and other baby stuff.

The professional relationships she developed in her marketing job helped her get various high-end products from distributors at a lower price. She insisted on getting only quality products because "as a mom, I know quality is important."

To price her products, Catral uses "tiangge-style" accounting where she simply adds all her expenses and tacks on a 20-percent mark-up.

News of Catral's fancy gifts spread by word-of-mouth, in e-groups, and through a few features in major newspapers and magazines. In early 2005, she had over 30 corporate clients, including Makro and PLDT, and enough individual clients to fill her two mobile phones' address book. She was getting an average of 10 orders a week, with a monthly profit of P30,000.

"It's still fairly easy for me. I spend about three hours a night finishing my orders. During this one rush job for Marvin Agustin, I made a two-tiered cake in 16 minutes!" Once in a while, Catral turns to her daughter's yaya for help. "She can make the one-tiered cakes pretty well, but the larger varieties just don't look the same."

Catral soon discovered a downside to being successful: Copycats. "That was when I decided to register my business with the Department of Trade and Industry. I actually had a hard time registering the name Nappy Cakes because they didn't understand that I wasn't selling cakes. They thought I was trying to deceive people!"

Until now, Catral has to explain her product to potential clients, which allowed her to put her marketing skills to good use. She uses different venues to promote and sell her products, as well as engages in exchange deals, participates in baby and kids shows twice a year, and forges tie-ups with event organizers. "There's also the need for constant innovation. Copycats and competitors are natural, so I just make sure that I maintain my standards and continue coming up with more products."

With an additional P50,000 from the same aunt, Catral came up with a new line called Baby Blooms - tiny towels rolled up into rose buds -and is looking forward to opening a stall this year so more people can see and appreciate how she could turn ordinary materials into something creative and fun.










WHAT THEY SAY

"I bought my first Nappy Cake early this year for the baptism of a friend's baby, and I knew it would be a party standout. It was so cute I wanted to keep it! All eyes were on me from the moment I entered the party until I handed the 'cake' over to the baby's parents."
- Monique Lecaros, 38, customer and licensed stockbroker

"We at Lasketti Boutique [an online store] always check if an item is well-made and affordable before we agree to distribute. Nappy Cakes passed all our standards. Plus, it's an attention-getter, with some people even visiting the site just to see the items. When we began carrying it, our clients got so excited about giving a uniquely presented gift, some even ordered three times!"
- Mari-stella M. Estuar, 31, entrepreneur and distributor

"I've never heard of Nappy Cakes before, but from the sound of it, I think this product would be a hit with my customers... a lot of the mother's that come in love creative, crafty things. They even make scrapbooks and other memorabilia themselves."
- Carlota Ramos, 32, Baby & Co. store manager

2006 also brought in a webzine feature on Kasal.com.  They featured our Towel/ Bridal cake!

~~~

No Punchbowls Accepted
by Maraya Bien
Reading Room, Kasal.com • Punchbowl
• China set
• Wall clock
• 2 dozen spoons and forks
• Matching towels
If your list of possible wedding gifts for your best friend looks similar to the one above, then waste no more time and discard it. Why? Because everybody else’s list probably looks like it too. The big question now is, what will you give them? Enrico Gaw, one-half of the pioneering duo behind Mosaic Moments, explains, “A wedding is an event where two people become one. Their mosaic is a compilation of their pictures, of their days together and of their memories and experiences all laid out in one big picture for everyone to enjoy. It is the culmination of both their lives coming together.”

Another NappyCake was spotted on Smart Parenting's feature on Baby Showers.  This came out in their May 2006 Issue.  The NappyCake you see in the photos is a 3-Layer Baby Minnie NappyCake. :)



























Again, thanks to Tin of Smart Parenting Magazine.  Kristine Tabada is currently SP's Assistant Photo Editor.

Well, not now... but then.  Hehe.  We gave away a Mini NappyCake to a lucky Smart Parenting reader. :)  This was featured as a prize to the Help Doctor! section of Smart Parenting Magazine's March 2006 Issue.



























Special thanks to Kristine Tabada! :) Thanks, Tin!

Weddings @ Work featured our Towel/ Bridal Cakes in time for Valentine's in their 02 February 2006 News Blog.

~~~

02 FEBRUARY 2006

A Wedding Cake you need not bake!

Thinking of what to give your friend for her bridal shower? Want to send a little something for the newlyweds on their wedding night? Send a Towel Cake! It's easy to make so check out this page for the "recipe". If DIY (do-it-yourself) is not your forte, you can simply order a Bridal Towel Cake (complete with Champagne & glasses!) thru NappyCakes which also makes cakes out of baby diapers! COOL!

Thanks to Benz Co-Rana, John Rana and Weddings @ Work. :)

Why, NappyCakes, of course!  This SP Recommends feature came out on Smart Parenting Magazine's Jan-Feb 2006 issue.  The cake you see here was supposed to be a 2 Layer Winnie the Pooh NappyCake in Blue, but... somehow, when they were about to shoot the cake, they misplaced the top layer (haha, it was in the box, but they assumed it was a Mini NappyCake). Oh well, looks fine anyway. :P

























Special thanks to two great friends from Smart Parenting Magazine - Kristine Tabada and Maan Pamaran. :)

NappyCakes was featured a second time on another broadsheet a few weeks after the PDI article.  This was also through another Smartie who wrote for the Manila Times.  The article came out as a Career Times Feature on the Sunday Times (aka Manila Times Sunday Edition) on August 7, 2005.  We remember scouring the streets of Murphy just to find whatever was left of the Sunday Issue, since we found out about the run late evening already.

Thanks to Rizza Barghout for making this possible!

The first NappyCakes broadsheet feature came a few days after the Good Housekeeping feature.  The article is written by fellow Smartie and writing mom, Ruth Floresca.  This leap brought NappyCakes to great heights! 

Super thanks, Ruth! 

~~~

Creative mom turns passion into profit

By Ruth M. Floresca, Contributor
Job Market, Philippine Daily Inquirer - July 13, 2005

THESE days, more and more mothers are looking for ways to augment the family income. Unfortunately, not everyone venturing into home-based businesses or sidelines become successful, partly due to insufficient business sense and to a certain extent caused by lack of persistence. However, there are some who do find their niches in the world of commerce.

Destined for business

Kaye Sy-Catral grew up in a family of business people, "As a child, I was taught by my father the ropes of handling any business." She remembers selling pencils and whatnots to helpers when she was about seven years old. Later on, she spent summers manning her mom's bookstore. In college, she sold all sorts of stuff.

A graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University in 1998 with a degree in AB Economics, Catral admits she learned to apply theory into practice when she and her close friends put up Blue Bargain (a shop-by-catalogue venture that later evolved into a tiangge business) for a Management Economics subject. "The actual day-to-day thing trains you more than anything you'll learn in class," she says.

Catral, currently a brand manager at a local distribution company, says she was actually encouraged by her aunt to get into the concept cakes scene. Now, she does her "baking" as a sideline.

Unusual product

What Catral sells is something relatively new to the Philippine market. She designs diaper cakes and markets them as gifts and centerpieces for baby showers, new baby visits, christenings or baptisms and first birthdays.

"I first got the idea from watching an episode of 'Sex and the City' back in 2003," Catral reveals. She then surfed the Net, keen on the idea of making diaper cakes for friends having babies. Catral recalls making her first cake for a friend's baby shower, "It didn't really look that good to me, since there was no theme in mind. But my friend and her husband loved and cherished that gift and kept it intact until after their baby was born." She started selling when friends began placing orders. Nappycakes-It's a Diaper Cake! was officially born in July 2004.

Overcoming hurdles

The first few months were difficult particularly the time Catral was trying to secure papers for the business. "They couldn't quite picture out what a diaper cake is supposed to be," she sighs. "They kept on insisting that I was misleading people by naming my product with the word 'cake' because my cakes were inedible." She had to send photos to a local government office to convince them that the product is really a cake. After much deliberation, the officials finally approved the name.

One other challenge Catral faced is finding balance between a demanding day job, a family to attend to and her sideline. Although she allots time for making the cakes after work before dinner, she makes sure she has attended to husband Richard and three-year-old Alexa first before starting on her creations if she gets home late. More often than not, she finds herself making cakes late at night or early in the morning while everyone sleeps. She realized that making the cakes during those times gives her occasion for self-reflection. "I look forward to working at night because it also allows me to rethink the day and focus on some time alone with God," she imparts.

Aiming for perfection

"The cakes I make are my original designs," Catral states. She went through a lot of trials and errors before getting the perfect construction that would hold up the cakes without adding cardboards and other insignificant materials. "I want the cakes to be fully re-usable and make sure that the babies' safety and parents' concerns are taken into consideration," she shares.

All items Catral uses, though sourced locally from distributors, are original and licensed to ensure quality. "I will not sell something I will not personally use myself. If a certain item is out of stock, I replace it with something equal in value or usage," she explains.

One-person team

At the moment, Catral is a one-person-team. She does everything from conceptualizing and buying to "baking" and delivery. She has tried training their helper but found that the quality isn't the same. She admits to being a perfectionist, which is evident in anything she makes. "If something isn't quite right, I make the cake all over again. It is really a craft I take pride in, and anything less than perfect is unacceptable," she adds.

Catral's thoroughness has paid off. Although her advertisements were only made through e-mail sent to friends and two bazaars she joined last December, orders kept pouring in. Friends helped sell her products and one even sold a cake to a well-known TV actor! She's thrilled that there are already recipients-turned-Nappycake-givers. "I save customers' texts of appreciation on my mobile phone and look at them for encouragement, especially during the low weeks," Catral says. In the future, she hopes to find the right person to train-one who will love making diaper cakes as much as she does.

Faith, hard work

Catral recalls, "When I first started out, I would get about five orders a month and I'd be really ecstatic." Now, 10 orders a week is a conservative average though there are still peak weeks and low weeks.

When asked what her secret to success is, she answers, "Perseverance and hard work is the key, plus you have to really love what you're doing." Because there are ups and downs to any business, Catral says you have to be prepared for whatever comes your way. She advises against being in a business for the sole purpose of making lots of money, because when the storms come, you might easily fall back and give up. "If you love what you're doing, and your main concern is making yourself and others happy, then you stick to the business through thick and thin," she counsels.

God's blessings

Her sideline, she says, is more of a hobby and a craft than about making money. It just happened to be something she loves doing that has evolved into something more. Catral also shares that she personally feels that without God's blessing, a business will not thrive, "I depend solely on His guidance and know He has my good in mind. I try to give back to God in whatever way I can, because I know He will take care of me."

Moreover, Catral believes that to be successful in any business, one also has to know how to prioritize time. "I know of some parents who get into all sorts of sideline businesses in order to provide 'more' for their children only to find themselves losing time for their families who are supposed to be up there on their priority list," says Catral. She warns parents not to lose track of their goals and that business should never take the place of one's family or work, or it shouldn't be called a "sideline" in the first place.

The first NappyCakes feature came out so close to home.  We started advertising our cakes online through the Smart Parenting E-group (Smart Parenting Magazine is a spin-off from Good Housekeeping Magazine), and it was through that e-group that Jing Lejano decided to feature NappyCakes in Good Housekeeping's July 2005 Issue!  We were featured as Editor's Pick!

























Jing Lejano is now Good Housekeeping's Editor-in-Chief.  Thanks, Jing!