Imelda Gondosiswanto

Furniture is inseparable from a building; even a warehouse sometimes requires furniture, let alone a residential building. Of course, purchasing furniture requires considering many factors beyond its primary function. Aesthetic factors and the building's theme also influence it. This niche is what led Imelda Gondosiswanto (35) and her husband, Rudi Tanoko, to enter the furniture business. Using the Dante Home brand, Imelda not only provides products of the highest quality but also aesthetics that will make you proud to own them.

Thorough preparation for the best products

DanteHome opened its showroom in 2008 in Surabaya. But there was a lengthy process before Dante Home was marketed to the public. "We truly want to provide top-quality products," Imelda explained. To ensure this excellence, Imelda employed consultants from Germany to create Dante Home. "We import all our raw materials from Europe," she said. Europe was chosen because its products are eco-friendly. "Odorless and chemical-free," explained the woman born on April 21, 1982.

Until now, our society has often considered the smell of furniture products to be normal. It will eventually disappear. In fact, the smell is actually a dangerous poison. Therefore, Imelda guarantees 100% that Dante Home is free from odors and chemicals that are harmful to health.

Another advantage of Dante Home products is their machine-made workmanship. "All products are precise. There are no errors. Because everything is programmed into the machine," explained Imelda, who specifically imported machines from Germany to work on all the furniture. Furthermore, Imelda ensures that all Dante Home products fit the exact dimensions of the furniture. "There's no such thing as a kitchen set being 1 mm off or 1 mm over. Everything is system-based," she said. The work is also guaranteed to be completed on time. "If we promise two weeks, it will be installed. We always strive for zero customer complaints," Imelda said.

Defying a modern minimalist design theme, Dante Home is also equipped with a variety of the latest technological accessories. "From lifetime-warranty handle hinges, sophisticated stovetops and exhaust vents, to cabinets with touch or remote control for opening and closing," Imelda said.

Business recipe: well-planned and focused

Every business has its ups and downs. The furniture business Imelda started was no exception. When she first started Dante Home, Imelda had to swallow the bitter pill of having her design ideas stolen. "After we had drawn almost 60 designs, the client canceled the order. But it turned out the designs were stolen and produced elsewhere," Imelda recalled. From that experience, Imelda took a new approach: "To ensure all orders are fulfilled, there must be a contract and a down payment."

Imelda understood that growing a business requires careful planning and focus. "We can't be greedy and take on all the work. When we focus on furniture, we have to be totally committed to it," she said. Like it or not, Imelda, who has no background in interior design or carpentry, had to learn from scratch. "From going down to the factory, sourcing raw materials, to supervising the craftsmen," said the Ubaya Faculty of Economics graduate.

So far, Imelda admitted that Dante Home's most effective marketing is still word of mouth. "Even so, we still schedule at least five exhibitions every year," she said. In addition, Imelda also markets Dante Home through the website www.dantehome.com and other social media platforms. "Our customers no longer come only from Surabaya, but also from Kalimantan, Bali, Lombok, and other major cities," Imelda explained.

Going forward, Imelda will frequently hold gatherings with Bank Mandiri. "Bank Mandiri has been very helpful in managing personal and business finances. In the future, I hope to collaborate with Bank Mandiri by holding gatherings and providing credit card installment facilities for customers," Imelda hoped.

Expanding Market Share

After building the Dante Home brand for the high-end market, in 2015, Imelda began developing the Cubic Home brand for the middle-up market. "For Cubic, we already have two showrooms: in Surabaya and Jakarta," she said. The raw materials are still European, "but for some accessories, we use Chinese products," Imelda explained.

Before creating Dante Home and Cubic Home, her husband, Rudi Tanoko, had actually opened a furniture factory in 2002. "We use the brand name Activ Home for the lower-middle market.

Asked about future business plans, Imelda, who is also a game enthusiast, hopes that Dante Home can open showrooms in several more cities and realize her dream of developing a company.