MANILA, Philippines – A former house helper in London who used to get a monthly salary of P7,000 is now earning millions from her cosmetics and soap laboratory in San Pablo, Laguna.
On ABS-CBN’s “My Puhunan”, Dina Dela Paz-Stalder said she started out with almost no capital at all, only relying on her doctor friends to supply her with beauty and cosmetic products to produce and sell.
From there, Stalder saw potential in the venture, highlighting that she immediately found passion in selling make up, soaps, and other beauty products.
“Siguro ito ‘yung trabaho na minahal ko at isina-puso ko. This is the kind of business or job that I really want,” she said.
Working overseas
Stalder, who was born and raised in Laguna, recalled how she struggled to finish school because of financial issues.
“Walang baon, minsan walang shoes. Pero maganda din ang kinalabasan kasi out of that, doon ako naging inspirado na magtapos,” she said.
She earned a degree on medical technology, but will not practice it until years later.
While employed as a domestic helper in London, she also studied facial skin care procedures.
She decided to return to the Philippines in 1986, but did not have any money to put up her own business.
But what she lacked in finance, she made up for in passion.
“’Yun ang dapat gawing inspirasyon ng mga kasambahay na kagaya ko before kasi hindi habang panahon kasambahay ka,” she said.
Stalder Laboratories
From mixing a small pot to make beauty products, Stalder is now running Stalder Laboratories in her hometown of San Pedro.
The name came from her husband, Christopher Stalder, a Swiss foreigner she met through her brother. Unlike other overseas Filipina workers, however, Stalder said she did not meet her partner abroad.
“Ang kaibahan lang, dito siya ipinanganak, dito siya nag-aral. Nag-meet lang kami because of my brother, hindi siya ‘yung talagang ‘rich, Swiss guy,’” she said.
The lab, which opened in 1999, is currently earning P20 million to P30 million a month and is one of the biggest skin care manufacturing companies in the country.
Aside from producing 25,000 papaya soaps daily, the lab also manufactures shampoo, hand sanitizer, lotion and other beauty products.
Stalder shared that a 30-milliliter bottle of hand sanitizer that cost P15 to make can sell for P40 to P45.
She attributed her success to the passion she put in the work, saying she herself gives importance to beauty and health.
“Dati kasi overweight ako ng 25 pounds, with my height parang nakaka-insecure when you see people around na healthy and sexy,” she said.
“Dapat magkaroon ng kaunting kaalaman sa gusto nilang buksan na negosyo, hindi ‘yung basta basta ka magbubukas,” she added.
Stalder also opened the facial and skincare clinic Diana Stalder, with branches in Metro Manila, Luzon provinces and Visayas.
Paying it forward
For all her successes, Stalder has remained grounded and always eager to share her blessings.
Stalder helped a headband vendor, Cristeta Sarenio, increase her daily income by supplying her with hand sanitizers and soaps to sell.
She also taught Sarenio how to manufacture hand sanitizers using ingredients that can be purchased from a drugstore.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
