CREATIVITY began for Unaisi Butuivalu in a small corner of her home, where simple handmade crafts became more than something to do with her hands – they became the beginning of a business.
During COVID, Butuivalu started making jute earrings and tekiteki as a way to earn an income from home.
She did not know then that those small beginnings would eventually grow into LIUVI Creations, a registered home-based business producing and customising handmade and cultural products for customers in Fiji and overseas.
From Naselai, Nausori, Butuivalu is a wife, a mother and the woman behind LIUVI, a business that has grown from its humble beginnings into something she is proud of.
“LIUVI has grown from a small corner of my home into a business that I am truly proud of,” she said.
Today, her work includes bags, fans, salusalu, tekiteki, masi items, mats, laptop cases and other customised pieces.
Learning by doing
Butuivalu’s journey into business was not built around a single skill learned at once.
She developed her craft gradually, learning to make different handmade and cultural products while also discovering how to customise them for customers.
Some skills came from others, some through observation and many through trial and error.
“A lot of what I know today came through practice. I learned by doing, making mistakes, correcting them and trying again,” she said.
That willingness to experiment became an important part of her creativity.
Customers themselves have also become a source of inspiration.
A request for something she has never made before can become an opportunity to work out how to create it.
“Someone might ask me for something I have never made before, and instead of immediately saying no, I think about how I can make it work,” she said.
She also draws ideas from cultural designs and special occasions, while some ideas come while she is already working on another order.
The result is a business built around products that are not only handmade but can also be personalised.
Customised bags and matching fans are among the products customers particularly love.
Butuivalu believes their appeal comes from the personal touch.
“Having your name, a special design or cultural element added makes the product unique,” she said.
A name rooted in family
LIUVI is more than a business name.
It carries a personal meaning for Butuivalu, representing her mother Litia, herself, Una, and her late sister Vika.
“LIUVI is very personal to me and represents family, love and the journey I have been through,” she said.
That connection to family and culture remains at the heart of the business.
Anything connected to those two things has special meaning to her.
“That is why I don’t see LIUVI as just a business. It represents family, creativity, culture, faith and everything I have worked through to get here,” she said.
Her family has also been part of the journey.
Her children motivate her because she wants them to see that it is possible to start small, work hard and build something for yourself.
Her father has supported the business by helping with the home space where she now works, while the memory of her late sister remains connected to LIUVI through its name.
Building with what she had
Turning creativity into a business was not without uncertainty.
Butuivalu had doubts about whether people would support her products and whether the business would grow.
She also started with limited capital while balancing family responsibilities.
“My biggest challenge was believing in myself,” she said.
When she began, there was no large shop or team behind her.
She had to learn almost everything herself – from making products and taking photographs to posting online, replying to customers, buying stock, keeping track of money and completing orders.
She used her own savings from selling handmade earrings and other crafts to invest back into the business.
“Taking that first step was scary, but I knew I had to start somewhere,” she said.
Her confidence grew with every order.
Every returning customer or recommendation reminded her that she was doing something worthwhile.
Her faith has also remained an important part of the journey.
“My faith has also played a huge part in my journey. I pray, work hard and trust God with the results,” she said.
Growing with the business
As LIUVI grew, so did the challenges.
In the beginning, Butuivalu was focused on finding customers. Now, she sometimes has to manage many orders at the same time.
Large orders, sourcing materials, meeting deadlines, balancing family and business, managing customer expectations and cash flow have all become part of running the business.
She learned to plan better, communicate clearly with customers and manage her time.
She also became more organised with deposits, orders, deadlines, stock and payments.
“Most importantly, I learned to take things one order at a time,” she said.
There is no typical day.
Some days are spent making products, while others involve packing orders, taking photographs, replying to messages, sourcing materials, preparing invoices or organising payments.
At the same time, she remains a wife and mother.
“There are days when I start early and finish very late. Running a small business means you wear many different hats,” she said.
A creative future
What began with jute earrings and tekiteki has expanded into customised products ordered from different parts of Fiji and overseas.
Butuivalu has worked on individual orders as well as larger orders for organisations and groups.
One of her proudest moments is seeing people recognise LIUVI and trust her with their orders.
For her, the achievement is not simply financial.
“It is about seeing an idea that started in my home reach people in Fiji and overseas,” she said.
Her ambition is to continue growing without losing the personal quality that helped shape the business.
She hopes to eventually have a proper shop or workspace where customers can see her products.
She also wants to create more LIUVI-original designs and continue taking Fijian culture and creativity to customers overseas.
There are new skills she wants to learn too, including business management, financial management, branding and product development.
She wants to explore more ways of creating modern products using traditional Fijian designs and materials.
“There is still so much I want to learn,” she said.
Start with what you have
Butuivalu’s experience has also shaped the advice she would give another young woman with a skill or craft who is considering turning it into a business.
“Start,” she said.
She believes a person does not need a big shop, lots of money or everything figured out before beginning.
“Start with what you have. Learn as you go. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, because some of your biggest lessons will come from those mistakes,” she said.
Her own journey began with limited resources, a few handmade crafts and a small space at home.
“Start small. Stay consistent. Trust God. Keep going.”
Unaisi’s products include bags, fans, salusalu, tekiteki, masi items, mats, laptop cases and other customised pieces. Picture: SUPPLIED
Unaisi developed her craft gradually, learning to make different handmade and cultural products while also discovering how to customise them for customers.
Picture: SUPPLIED
Her customers have become a source of inspiration to her. Picture: SUPPLIED
What began with jute earrings and tekiteki has expanded into customised products ordered from different parts of Fiji and overseas. Picture: SUPPLIED
