Susana Saldaña: ​​”Being formal opens opportunities for you, such as being subject to credit”

You can see the program here: Interview with Susana Saldaña in LR+ Economy

—Are the conditions in the country to start a business, for example, clothing manufacturing?

—Peru is a country of entrepreneurs, the need for money, employment leads us all to undertake. It’s a very good opportunity for women, that’s why 60% of the people who work in the emporium and in the textile and clothing industry are women.

—But what do small entrepreneurs, those who are just starting out in the business, require to emerge? What are the conditions of legality, of institutionality that they require?

—Being formal implies that you have a business with all of the law; but you have to start with something, for example, get a RUC 20, or a RUC 10, in the general, special or mype regime, or even a RUS, but the advice is always to start formally.

—Why?

—Although it is the most difficult, it is the longest, it is the safest. Being formal opens you to other opportunities, for example, being subject to credit. The Sunat will look at you, but there is no need to be scared.

—So is it a good start to do it in the formality with the RUS?

—Yes, to begin with, but it is not good to stay in the RUS because it limits your growth. There are people who want to stay 20, 30 years in the RUS, but we do not advise it. The RUC generates vision, you can sell to the State, to more interesting clients.

—What can a person who has 2,000 soles of initial capital do to start a business?

—The school campaign is coming, we all live near a school, go to the school in your area. (You can) make a contract, see what uniforms they wear and offer the service to parents and get together with other parents. It’s cheaper that way. The ones who order the manufacture of uniforms the most are the parents of private schools and they can order it to be done in groups. That is a way of promoting associativity. If you have a fund of 2,000 soles, I would suggest that you invest 1,000 and keep the other half.

—What is the minimum amount to start a business that can be profitable in the short and medium term?

—We in Gamarra have businessmen who have started with 500 soles or 300 soles, the important thing is not having a large capital. The important thing is the discipline in what you are going to invest, even if it is 100 soles you buy finished garments and sell them.

—For example, in socks for educational centers?

—Every year the children are bought the stockings, the truzas, that is very cheap, with 300 soles, you can buy 5 or 6 dozen.

— For example, a dozen school shirts. How much does it cost in Gamarra and how much could they sell it for?

—The white shirt is used in all schools, they can have the insignia made and embroidered for 1 sol. The shirts, wholesale, can be found in Gamarra from 12 soles per unit. From then on the businessman decides how much to sell.

—There are those who say that you should earn 30% in a business.

—25% is the minimum. I think the basic word is discipline. The faster you manufacture and the faster you can sell, perhaps making a little less profit, it is much more convenient because you give quick money back. We suggest that, grab the capital, make it profitable, save the profit and invest again.

—Can you start by buying basic polo shirts and stamping fashion figures, for example?

-Of course! In Gamarra, we have many entrepreneurs who are only dedicated to the manufacture of polo shirts, advertising, sports, and there are other places where you can print, embroider, iron. We have entrepreneurs who come to Gamarra, make their own design and send it to be stamped, that is good business.. If someone wants to enter the textile and clothing business, the first thing we recommend is that they think about the audience they are going to address, you cannot cover everything, because you get distracted. But, if it is segmented into, for example, children, babies, men, women, what type of style, etc. things change. Girls and women are the ones who buy the most, the ones who consume the most, now we have seen the start of ventures for gorditas and gorditos, it is a good niche to start.

—What considerations should be taken into account when choosing a provider?

—The quality of the product, the seriousness of the supplier and above all where you are going to find it. That is why I said, if you have a RUC, you are going to buy and ask for an invoice. When you sell, deliver a ticket, so that when you declare (to the Sunat) what you have bought can be discounted in something.

—Also, always look for a formal provider.

-Exact! You have to take care of your client, it is the reason for the business, you have to give it quality, if there is a problem with the fabric and the supplier is formal, I go and complain to him and he will respond.

—How to identify the target audience?

—You have to do an analysis of what we like and what people like, you have to do it the best possible, you have to understand the customer, listen to them, see what they value, the quality, the price, the design, the puntuality.

—How to set the price of production?

—We don’t need to do a master’s degree in Administration. In a jacket like the one you are wearing, you have to determine the fabric, the labor, the lining, the interfabric, the design, the mold, the label, the packaging, and with all that written, give yourself a value, At your time.

—There are people looking for seed capital. Does the microfinance system give you that opportunity?

—It exists in cooperatives and in small banks, but the problem is that interest rates are high. We call on the MEF to hurry up with the “Impulso Mi Perú” program, to hurry up with FAE Texco to lower the rate of 17% in which it is now, because we do not want new entrepreneurs to work just to pay the bank. Note that we have not talked about rentals here, we are only talking about a basic business, which can be managed from your home or social networks, which can be delivered via delivery.

—How to make our products visible?

—Now social networks have become a very important tool, free, that we all have on our cell phones, WhatsApp, Facebook, we have to win over customers little by little.

—What are Gamarra’s figures?

—We have closed 2022 with 50% of pre-pandemic levels, our expectation is to reach 60%Hopefully the crisis stops once and for all. We are concerned because we have kept 50% of the year-end campaign. In terms of employment, we continue in 50% of the positions we had before the pandemic. There the call is to the Executive. Right now what the mypes need is the confidence of the Government, financing and work.

You can see the program here: Interview with Susana Saldaña in LR+ Economy