David's AW News: Dreams do come true.
Fri Apr 12 2024 17:56:00 GMT+0800 (Malaysia Time)
Greetings from Bali, Indonesia
Hope you guys are doing well and the Spring trading season is blooming for you.
I'm here in Bali with Tomas (products & marketing wizard), Raul (IT wizard from KL) and Peter (SEO wizard from Slovakia).
So we have been working with our enthusiastic digital marketing team in our famous Bali beach office.
Last week I was telling you about being zapped all ways by electrical storms.. if you missed it you can catch up here.
As you drive along the coastal road from Padang Bay towards Denpasar close to the village of Ketewel you might just spot a strange sign on the side of the road. No name. No advertisement, no nothing.. just a symbol. The AW symbol, you might recognise it, but only because people, like you who know AW know this.

Turn left at that odd sign. Trundle down a rough track past fragrant water meadows and an old abandoned hotel you come to a rarely used almost secret beach. A stone plinth with a rock circle on top marks a holy spot for the local temple. You can see a single rustic beach bar frequented by a few hard core Japanese surfer dudes. But walk a little just beyond the shack and you will spy an office packed full of earnest young folk studious bent over laptops..
It's the home of AW-Advantage and just a year ago was only a dream.. but this week was our 1st anniversary.
So after work, and after dark (so the muslim folk could join us to eat) we drove to Turtle Island. Actually it's no longer an island as reclaimed land has enabled a bridge to this newly developing corner of Bali. It seems like all the businesses here are little independent fish restaurants and all the customers are local Balanese.. It's good fresh food and very cheap.. Debbie, our highly organised office manager organised everything. And called on me to do a speech.. nobody warned me.. haha so I had to wing it.. the best way because then the words come straight unfiltered from the heart.. I told them 18 months ago this project was just an idea, a dream. And even though this company is still a baby, only one year old today.. It is a dream come true. You guys, I told them, are my Dream Team.. come true.
The mandatory group photo notice one finger signifying one year.. Dream Team!
Anyway.. as much as we love the Dream Team.. there is also another thing that we love (a little bit) more in Indonesia.. and that's finding the Dream Products. At AW we love the products! Here in Indonesia it is giftware heaven. ..
But there are many challenges, nothing that can't be overcome but our team here has heaps more to do than in the old days. Compliance paperwork to make exports is a full time job, and new rules and tests and complications land everyday.
Our lady Made does a valiant job.
Also other issues like we just don't get the stock as quickly as we used to. There are less artisans available and this impacts supply chains. We have been countering this by finding multiple suppliers for the same products, giving long term contracts so artisans can feel more secure and making more professional binding contracts. I discovered they like a contract here.
The warehouse is busy busy busy... trying their best to dispatch more containers. Ringo is taking many people on from the island of Sumba, young people coming to Bali to find work. It's all go!
Our guard dog Apim has also been busy.. and the AW team has two brand new members in the security department..
Very cute!
Meanwhile in the Uk.. it seems to be getting busy. Lots of best selling items are back in stock.
And the new Crystal Elementary Soaps are creating a massive buzz.. Shower Steamers are really trending now - I noticed a few big orders coming (not sure why).. and the new Chakra Bath Fizzers Sets are.. well just next level!
It seems like anything Chakra is Next Level right now.. see our Chakra Inspirations page for ideas..
Oh and did I mention the (rather generous) Spring Gift Give Away we have going on right now..
Details below.
So have a wonderful weekend. Dream big!
Because if you don't have a Dream.. how you gonna have a Dream come true..
More updates next week.
Take care..
David
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