Enterprise: Cvoorheis Handicraft
Founder: Christine T. Voorheis
Industry: Fashion Accessories
Year it was founded: 2018
Location: Taguig, Philippines

From a simple hobby, Christine Voorheis managed to turn her skill in crocheting into a business, Cvoorheis Handicraft that offers hand-crochet creations for wearables, home & lifestyle.

With a starting capital of P500 only, Christine, who used to be a company employee, pursued her business fulltime while raising her son.

In conversation with GlobalLinker (GL), Christine Voorheis (CV) shares her business journey.

GL: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
CV: I accidentally turned my hobby into a small business. Crochet is my craft talent I learned from my Mom.

GL: How did your business start?
CV: I started this business from the amount of P500, because of the first order of my co-parents in the Day Care school of my son. Friends and family motivated me to keep going at what I was doing.

GL: Tell us about the unique challenges that you have faced working on this enterprise.
CV: I was scammed when I was in the second year of my business. I fell down that time because of what happened but lots of people told me to use it as an experience.  It took time and effort for me to build my confidence again to do the business. 

If you want to achieve your dreams, you need to face your fear. Don’t be afraid to fail and just keep trying to achieve it.

GL: How many women workers you do have and what jobs and responsibilities do they have? What is the ratio between men and women?
CV: For now, since I still consider my enterprise as a small business. I don’t have workers or employees. I work alone in my business. But most of the time I give opportunities to some crocheter in my community, I let them make items for me. And I pay them for the price of their items.

GL:  As a woman, was it harder or easier to face this challenge?
CV: Hard part is that sometimes I experience discrimination. Some people try to say that women should just be doing household work. But for me, it’s still easier to face this because I can manage my time and schedule.

GL: What is the unique advantage of being a woman in business?
CV: Women do not easily give up on any matters. They always have a backup plan for everything. As women, we also manage the household and it makes it easy for us to face any challenges.

GL: Are there specific DTI programs, training, or assistance that helped you overcome business challenges?
CV: All trainings and trade fairs that DTI provided, it helps me a lot to be a better entrepreneur. It makes me a business owner who needs to make smart decisions, and be brave to face every challenge for my business growth.

GL: How has your enterprise helped and empowered other women?
CV: Besides from selling handicraft, I also do a livelihood program for other women that want to learn crocheting and earn money from it even they are full-time moms.

GL: What message can you share with others, especially other women, who are looking to achieve their own dreams?
CV: If you want to achieve your dreams, you need to face your fear. Don’t be afraid to fail and just keep trying to achieve it. You need to love what you’re doing and have a passion for everything you do.

To find out more about Christine’s products, you can visit her online store here (cvoorheishandicraft.linker.store) Buy local; support women-led-enterprise!



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