Studio Bagru a Social Entrepreneur Start-up?

Studio Bagru, a company that preserves the tradition of block printing in Bagru, India that
has been passed on to their next generations reminds me of a local Philippine start-up
called AKABA. AKABA is a local start-up that connects artisans of the weaving community
known as the T’boli indigenous tribe in South Cotabato with local designers and
manufacturers. When I first saw AKABA on their open space shop in UP Town, it made
me really look into the background of the company and asked questions to their saleslady.
I really felt great and proud of buying one of their products because of the value that it
gives to the community, most especially to the local artisans of the T’boli tribe. Products
like these is something that one can be proud of having because not only you’re able to
help but also preserve traditional practices and art in the modern era.

It made me understand more in depth with what Jeremy Fritzhand said that social
entrepreneurship isn’t really that different from entrepreneurship. The difference is that
the value which the company or start-up prioritizes. Every entrepreneur’s goal is to be
able to make an impact. It can be an economic impact, social impact, etc. and this is
where companies or start-ups base the value that they will prioritize, if they will make
more money, prioritize the social aspect of their business, or what not.

I believe that Jeremy’s corporate experience in the sourcing industry is one of the biggest
factors for the success of Studio Bagru. It is also a great advantage for him, his team and
company because of the network that he was able to build during his time working in the
sourcing company and the knowledge that he has on the know-hows of the supply chain
of retailers and other companies. Through his experiences, he was able to identify a pain-
point and pursuing the blue ocean strategy.

I also believe that not knowing how to do other tasks or work doesn’t mean you can’t do
it anymore. There is always space to learn even just the basics and also find someone
that can be part of the team with the expertise that you may need. This is important
because it helps the team to be able to focus on their expertise and produce qualitative
and quantitative work.

I learned that it is important to have a mentor and dependable lawyer most especially
when starting-up a business. Also, be always ready to explore more markets, identify
market strategies and to innovate and pivot when needed for the business to thrive
because a lot can change in a span of time.

Companies or start-ups like Studio Bagru and AKABA are not only a business that gives
value to the people, but also preserve its country’s cultural heritage.

Link to AKABA: https://akaba.co