Page 13 - IB MAR 2017

Business
Scion of chiefly family turns fashion heads

Koila’s children as part of the business.
Koila’s
This time Ganilau decided to operate from home with her
As a team the mother and her four children take care of con-
cepts, design, fabric printing, cutting, sewing and marketing.
“Each of my children has been blessed with particular talents
House and strengths and we draw on those to contribute to parts of
House
the business,” Ganilau said.
“My daughter is really good with a camera and the internet so
she posts all our new designs for people to see and the orders
start pouring in.
“The fact that we all work together – with and for each other
– makes the business so much more fulfilling.”
In order to run a successful small business, Ganilau needed
capital and support from
experts.
Her initial unsuccessful
foray into the world of
fashion had much to do
with her lack of under-
standing about saving,
developing a strong capi-
tal base and good record Maramadina designs at a Sydney show.
them and they actually ‘ ... Without the
keeping.
“The BSP Bank guys
were really helpful,”
Ganilau said.
“I had an account with

encouraged me to save support, the
and later offered a small continued advice, A focus on quality.
loan which I service regu- encouragement
larly.
“Without the support and general
and the continued ad-
vice, encouragement and personal banking Our quality commitment runs very deep.
general personal banking services, it would
services it would not have We mentor our people and we monitor our
been easy to run the busi- not have been procedures, and the result is a host of awards that
ness well.” testify to the very high standards we attain – with
In October 2016 easy to run the equipment positioning; on-time arrivals;
Ganilau had been operat- business well ...
ing from the basement of documentation speed and accuracy; workplace
her home and was offered safety; environmental responsibility, and more.
space for the Maramadina ‘
label in the Intimate Ap- Quality – we get it. And that means you will, too.
parel shop in downtown Suva.
That was after Intimate Apparel saw the Maramadina designs For more, please contact Williams & Gosling Ltd
on Facebook.
“Really that’s because my older daughter takes pictures of ■ Suva: (679) 331 2633 / info@wg ji.com.fj
production, goes to the printers, takes shots of the models, ■ Lautoka: (679) 666 4090 / helpwest@wg ji.com.fj
sets it to music, puts it on Facebook and the orders come in,”
Ganilau said.
Her first loan from BSP put her designs in full public view
and her daughter’s regular posting of new dresses and shirts
went viral on social media.
“We couldn’t keep up with the orders,” Ganilau said.
“I had to go back to BSP to top up the loan so we could stay
ahead of the orders. I’ve never regretted taking the initial loan.” www.hamburgsud-line.com

n Continued overleaf

Islands Business,March 2017 13