This 33-year-old entrepreneur is offering the public top-quality fragrances at affordable prices, based on his belief that customers deserve value for their hard-earned money.
President
Ian Darcy Oil-Rich Fragrance Scent of success
Even from childhood, Ian Darcy Lumibao already suspected that entrepreneurship could lead to success in life. Taking his cue from his mother Zenaida, who ran a notary public business to support the family, he started selling bibingka (native rice cakes) to his playmates. “I charged them P1 per slice. When I won at street games, using teks or pogs (little game cards), I would sell these to them as well,” he smiles in recollection.
While studying to get his degree in communication arts at Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Ian worked at a talent management agency as a coordinator, escorting models to their go-sees. This he did to be able to afford school supplies. He was the first in the family to earn a college degree.
Quality product
After graduation, he tried to pursue a career in marketing, public relations and events management, but the plan fell through. At his last corporate job as marketing head, he even got demoted, “because my boss didn’t think I was good enough,” he says. He resigned in October, and since he was concerned about contributing to the family’s Christmas table, he put up a fragrance stall at a bazaar at the UP Town Center mall.
Earlier, Ian had already started looking into fragrance as a business. “A friend, who worked at Lazada had told me that fragrances were always in demand, so they made for a good sideline. This led me to watch YouTube videos and reading books about perfumery,” he says.
His initial capital was P20,000, culled from savings and his last salary. He named his brand, Ian Darcy Oil-Rich Fragrances, after himself after his life partner, Allan Lainez, said it sounded good.
Their first store didn’t do too well. Ian recalls: “We set up at the Victory Mall, and it closed down after three months. It was not the right location for us. Our kiosk was far from foot traffic. I realized that just because many people go there, doesn’t translate into sales. You need to find your market. Thank God, we were able to get a space at the UP Town Center.”
The product line started with five fragrances each for men and women, which has now expanded to 15 each for both sexes, with two seasonal variants, all carried at 81 Ian Darcy branches.
When asked why he thinks the items popular, Ian replies: “I felt that there was a need to deliver quality and long-lasting perfumes in the market. There was a need to give the customers value for their hard-earned money by giving them scents that they would love. I wanted to show people that there was a better choice than the usual. We gave them a P350 product that others would sell for P1,500 because of the content of the perfume.”
So many stores later, Ian still enjoys receiving positive feedback. “I can’t explain the feeling. It makes us so happy when customers come back the next day because their friends and family liked the product.”
His career background helped the brand grow too. “With my training, I had ideas about the messaging that we were going to use for our business. Having had to make the right decisions quickly in my previous marketing job, I can decide easily when it comes to the innovations we can offer our customers. Also, I save money on social media efforts because I am able to do it myself,” he adds.
His strategy on expanding takes their capital in account. “I save enough from our earnings and use this to open a new store. This is the strategy I started with, and that is what I am still practicing now. I think it is effective, because the business has been thriving.”
Role of faith
Ian reveals that before their expansion, he and Allan also put up a small gym, which did well, but had to be closed down due to the demands of the fragrance operations. But now that the 33-year-old has a better feel of the business, he has decided to expand to franchising other brands with a focus on food. “We have franchise branches of Turks, Jamaican Patty, Banapple and Macao Imperial Tea. Our latest opening was in Butuan City.”
They employ about 210 employees for both their brand and their franchises, a boon in this economic downturn due to the pandemic. He feels that, contrary to other entrepreneurs, who are playing close to their chest these days, the time is right to invest in business. “I have a hundred percent faith in God. Since majority of the other businesses are adapting a wait-and-see attitude, there are many opportunities that are opening for people like me. There are more prime spaces that are becoming available, for example.
One of the biggest takeaways he has had from engaging in enterprise is to always stay on top of things. “You have to dedicate 24 hours [a day] to your business, and you also have to listen to customer feedback.”
He hopes to expand his brand globally to create more jobs as well as diversify into other industries. “I want to keep on learning new things. When you have a business, you have to keep in mind that it’s not all about you. It’s about your employees and how you can give them sustainable livelihood to support their lives and families. In our case, we do that by taking care of our brand and giving our customers the high-quality and long-lasting perfumes they deserve.”
Faith plays a strong role in how he grows his business. He recalls the time when he asked God if fragrances were really what he was meant to do. “This is also the advice that I want to give those who are thinking about becoming entrepreneurs: pray and wait for God’s perfect time. Along with that, be humble. You should adapt the ‘it’s either I win or I learn’ attitude to everything.
“Also, I want to emphasize that going into business takes courage; that it’s better to say: ‘I tried, rather than thinking ‘what if I try?’ The hardest thing to get over in life really is regret.”
ABOUT ME
ROLE MODEL
My mother. She is perfectly imperfect.
GOALS
To serve God. Also, as a child, I wanted to be an astronaut, so I want to build the Ian Darcy Space and Science [facility] to explore new worlds beyond our solar system.
FIRST PAYING JOB
Talent coordinator
MORNING RITUAL
Thanking God for a new life and playing with my cats
SPECIAL SKILLS
I can forgive people I love countless times.
TIME SPENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
About eight hours a day to monitor trends
Source: ManilaTimes
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