Entrepreneur Sherill Quintana is no stranger to beauty and wellness products. Starting her own business manufacturing and exporting scented candles and aromatherapy items in 2000 when she was just 26 years old, she began to research on rice bran oil and how it could be turned into beauty products such as soaps, shampoos, and body lotions. After starting Oryspa in 2008, the company began toll-manufacturing massage oils, facial masks and body creams to major spa and institutional clients, eventually venturing into retail with their first store in SM Calamba.
Her experience and hard work paid off, with Oryspa’s products becoming warmly received by a growing number of customers, allowing them to recoup their initial investment in just eight months. From the initial five products offered when the company started, Oryspa now has more than 62 SKUs ranging from oils, soaps, and shampoos, to body lotions, body scrubs, and even pain relief balms.
While Oryspa has been hit hard by the impact of COVID-19, Oryspa looks to find opportunities during times of crisis. “The pandemic posed an opportunity for us to implement strategies that we have been gearing up since last year, that is to service our customers seamlessly, engaging them digitally, cashless payments and serving them in our omni channels, stores in the mall included. We’ve also worked closely on how our franchisees may be able to serve their respective clients. Though we have migrated our operations online, we’ve opened our stores in SM once the mall made it safe for us to do so.”, shared Quintana. Oryspa also provided a platform for customers to pick up their orders, or through third party logistics. They’ve also shifted their production of perfumes and mists to offering 70% alcohol sanitisers and sanitising agents for hospitals and LGUs, opening a subsidiary called ORYSPA Healthcare.
“We’re grateful too that our partners like SM are seeking ways to help us. At the end of the day, saying that MSMEs are bleeding is stating the obvious, what steps you undertake as entrepreneurs will define your resiliency and help you survive this crisis.”, said Quintana.
