NEWLUXE JUDY GO/MAY 10,2017:Judy Cometa-Go Chief Executive Officer Newluxe International Inc.(CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
Every Sunday, Judy Go would take her sons JJ, 5, and CJ, 2, to the mall so they can let loose at the shopping center’s indoor playground following a busy week in school.
The 31-year-old mother said she would pay P500 for each child just to have them use the mall’s facility on an “unlimited” basis during each visit.
In a business trip to China in 2015, Go came across Cowboy Toys by Guangdong Cowboy Industrial, Co., Ltd., a company specializing in the design, production, sale and installation of playground and fitness equipment.
“When I first visited this company, I really liked their products because their target market is not the locals but from America and Europe. Basically, their products are really of good quality,” she told Cebu Daily News.
She also thought that the price of having a playhouse built for her children was lower compared to what she would spend if she kept bringing her kids to the mall every week for the rest of their childhood.
It was a huge investment on her part, she said, but she was glad it made her kids really happy.
“They were so happy that we no longer needed to go to the mall to play. They didn’t want to leave the house anymore,” she said in jest.
At first, her intention was only to buy a playground set for her two children, but later on, she realized that selling these products was a potential business venture.
Go went back to Cowboy Toys and became the latter’s sole distributor in the Philippines, leading to the creation of NewLuxe International Inc., which was launched earlier this month.
She found out that NewLuxe was the pioneer supplier of these kinds of products in Cebu, giving her a huge head start in this market.
The company’s products include recreational outdoor and fitness equipment, swings and rockers, trampolines, sports facilities, rubber mats and grass, inflatable castles and slides, and indoor school facilities.
Target clients
Among NewLuxe’s target clients are hotels and resorts, schools, parks and plazas owned by local government units, as well as residential developments.
While NewLuxe was introduced to the public only recently, Go said she has been selling playground sets on an order basis since December 2016.
Go is no stranger to business since she also owns a printing and advertising venture, which she has been running in the last seven years.
She also finished college in Cagayan de Oro City with a degree in accountancy, which also helped her make her way through her business.
P3M capital
To establish NewLuxe, she had to shell out a startup capital of P3 million, pooled from her own savings.
Since December 2016, Go has sold her products to 30 clients in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
On her first month, she sold a playground set worth P2.5 million to one client based in Dumaguete City.
Go said she is confident about the growth of the company since they are the only suppliers in Cebu at the moment.
“There are a lot of clients from Mindanao and Luzon calling me and asking about our products. There are so many who are looking for these products, but they don’t know where to go,” said Go.
Her only hesitation at the onset is that her products are not cheap, and the supplier in China does not allow payments done on an installment basis.
She also did not have an idea about her market, at first, but she quickly overcame these hindrances as she strived to continue what she started.
“I just really love the products. If you love what you are doing, I believe you will really excel,” said Go.
In the next three to five years, Go said she dreams of bringing a water park to Siargao Island, her hometown.
She also plans to build a playhouse in Cebu City, bigger than those that exist in malls at present.