holiparent.com

 

Holiparent Food Division: Opening Eyes & Getting Creative to Create New Products

 

I launched my first product—private tutoring services in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry—in 1990. I was 19 and a half years old at the time, in my second semester of undergraduate studies in Fisheries at the Faculty of Animal Science. I also created advertisements to attract students and earn money to cover laboratory fees and purchase books.

In 1996, at the age of 26, I developed a software product for international banking and export/import transactions. I created this product using dBase III Plus, a program I had learned in late 1994 through a dBase III Plus programming course.

In 1999, I produced educational articles for "Job Indonesia", a tabloid published in Jakarta. I wrote these educational pieces on export and import, drawing upon the professional experience I had gained between 1995 and that time.

In 2002, at the age of 32, I became the Operations Director of a company in Semarang. At the same time, I served as the Quality & Relationship Manager for the corporate group that oversaw that company. In 2007, I took on the additional role of Independent Commissioner for three banking entities within the same group. Over a span of 20 years—lasting until my early retirement in 2022 at the age of 52—I developed various products and systems for the group. These included advertising materials, press releases for newspapers, and operational protocols for several departments established at my initiative: Branding/Marketing Communications, Legal, Human Resources, and Technical Training. I also created protocols regarding employee scholarships (for university studies in Law or Management), pension funds, and technical training programs. Furthermore, I developed protocols for handling non-performing loans, restructuring manufacturing management, and managing human resources.

The keys to creating these products are: 1) I always keep my eyes open to the problems right in front of me. 2) I use (and expand) my insights to solve those problems. 3) I build relationships with people I can collaborate with. 4) I respond to criticism or rejection by staying focused on the product I am developing—which will ultimately address those criticisms or objections (this requires long-term patience, potentially up to five years). 5) When a product of mine fails, I view it as part of the process of creating a better product.

Of course, there was a price I had to pay to create those products: 1) I used to sleep only four hours a day (fortunately, I was young back then); 2) I continued working on days off—of my own volition and without overtime pay—because there were urgent issues to resolve or because I had ideas for new products; and 3) I spent my own money to attend classes while continuing to work.

The price I had to pay was still small compared to the results I gained, namely: 1) My income was relatively very good; 2) I was able to realize my ideas for creating new products; 3) I built an extensive professional network; 4) I established a strong professional reputation; 5) I obtained additional academic degrees (in Law, Psychology, Management, and Environmental Studies) as well as professional qualifications (as a lawyer and an industrial psychologist); and 6) I gained real-world experience that served as material for writing books.

In conclusion: 1) I always keep my eyes open to identify existing problems and develop products to address them. 2) There is a price to pay for creating these products, but that cost is relatively small compared to the results and benefits I gain.

Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 18:10 WIB

Dr. Constantinus, S.Pi, S.H., S.Psi, M.M., M.M., M.Psi, Adv., Psi. (Green Industry & Management)

Holiparent Food Division: Social Media Content as a Data Source for Developing New Products

What do many people want these days? It comes as no surprise to me that the answer is: 1) Affordable products—it doesn't matter if they aren't (particularly) durable. 2) Products that can be selected and ordered from home. 3) Products that can be paid for electronically. 4) Products that are "ready stock," allowing buyers to use them immediately.

This reflects the public's desire: everything must be fast, easy, and affordable. Consequently, sellers must be prepared to operate "24 hours a day, 7 days a week." Practitioners in Green Industry & Management like myself watch TikTok content (and other social media) not because I "have nothing else to do," but because I need to analyze public preferences—which are very often expressed through social media content.

From that social media content, I also learned that many people appreciate "lush green nature," the "quiet atmosphere of the countryside," the "babbling of river water," "beaches and blue seas," and much more. These represent a "supplementary desire" for many: to be close to a preserved natural environment and far from the stress-inducing atmosphere of the city.

In conclusion: 1) Learning today is not limited to printed books but also extends to social media content. 2) When developing new products (whether goods or services), social media content—which reflects public desires—serves as a valuable source of data for both creating and selling these products.

Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 13:58 WIB

Dr. Constantinus, S.Pi, S.H., S.Psi, M.M., M.M., M.Psi, Adv., Psi. (Green Industry & Management)

Holiparent Food Division: Mindset for Product Creation and Sales

 

I wrote this piece with the hope that it might inspire others. However, everyone's life path is indeed different.

The knowledge and experience involved in creating and selling products are crucial for building a career in the professional world. Personally, I acquired this knowledge and experience during my undergraduate studies in Fisheries and my master's studies in Marketing Management.

Whether working in a factory, a workshop, a car dealership, a bank, a hotel, or the real estate sector, the requirement was always the same: to produce goods or services through an efficient process that allowed for sales and profitability. So, the principle is quite simple.

Naturally, creativity is required to create new products and sell them profitably. In my personal reflection, the creativity needed to develop and sell these products was cultivated during my elementary school years through activities such as: 1) visiting development and technology exhibitions; 2) collecting and repeatedly reading brochures from those exhibitions; and 3) reading and analyzing food and seasoning packaging.

Regarding points (1) and (2), my parents played a significant role by supporting my visits to development and technology exhibitions, even though these were limited to my hometown of Semarang. As for point (3), ever since elementary school, I have enjoyed reading the packaging of food products and kitchen seasonings to learn about their ingredients; my parents understood this interest and never discouraged it.

Food and condiment packaging contains a wealth of information that can be leveraged to broaden knowledge and spark creativity, ultimately driving the development of new products—whether goods or services. This information includes: 1) Raw materials used—details regarding species, farming or livestock-rearing techniques, and post-harvest technology can be further explored on Wikipedia or other relevant websites. 2) Preservatives and food colorings used—information on these can be further studied on Wikipedia or other websites. 3) Nutritional composition and chemical content—topics that can be investigated further via Wikipedia or other relevant websites. 4) Serving suggestions or consumption guidelines—details that can also be studied in greater depth online to understand the biotechnology and bioengineering aspects associated with food.

Examining outer packaging (such as boxes or plastic bottles) and inner packaging offers a learning opportunity that can be linked to Wikipedia or other websites to broaden one's understanding of packaging technology and engineering. Insights into sales and marketing principles can also be gained by studying the packaging of food products and kitchen seasonings.

In conclusion, 1) the mindset and behavior of creating and selling a product can be cultivated using food packaging or seasonings found at home; and 2) this mindset and behavior foster creativity that is highly valuable for building a career in the professional world.

Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 10:00 WIB

Dr. Constantinus, S.Pi, S.H., S.Psi, M.M., M.M., M.Psi, Adv., Psi. (Green Industry & Management)

Holiparent Food Division : Ph.D for Branding and Competitive Advantage

In 2018, after working in the management of a corporate group for 16 years, I began pursuing a doctoral degree at my own expense. My goal was to foster the growth and public appeal of the vocational training institute owned by the company group where I worked. My doctoral dissertation focused on Green Management & Green Leadership.

My dissertation is closely linked to ecology, ecosystems, and environmental science—fields that have interested me since my undergraduate studies in Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology (1989–1994). It is also closely related to "green management," an area of ​​interest since my master's studies in Human Resource Management (2013–2014). My goal is to become an expert in Green Industry and Management, a role required by the vocational training institution I mentioned earlier. (My wife was a junior to me during our studies; her doctoral dissertation focused on Green Industrial Behavior.)

At the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 crisis struck. The vocational training center within the corporate group I managed was shut down because there were no longer any training programs; companies lacked the funds to finance employee training. Amidst the crisis, I told my wife that I would drop out of my doctoral program because I could no longer afford the tuition. I suggested that she be the one to continue her doctoral studies until graduation instead.

At that time, my wife replied that we would continue with the doctoral studies until completion, even if it meant living on a very meager diet. So, we pressed on with the program and collected research data while the COVID-19 pandemic was still raging.

As it happened, in early March 2022, I slipped and fell on my home's terrace. I needed to focus on my recovery and applied for early retirement on health grounds. On July 4, 2022, I officially retired early.

Since taking early retirement, I have filled my days working as a university lecturer and providing consultancy services to business owners, corporate employees, and the general public. The corporate group where I was previously employed has also become one of my clients. My expertise and doctoral degree in Green Management & Leadership have proven highly valuable: the degree enhances my professional branding across academic, corporate, and public spheres, while my knowledge of Green Industry & Management enables me to educate clients and build business ecosystems that balance environmental sustainability, the well-being of employees and the community, and financial profitability—thereby fostering sustainable corporate growth.

In conclusion: 1) University studies certainly offer benefits for working in the real world; and 2) my doctoral studies—initially intended to support the development of a vocational training institution—ultimately proved valuable for my livelihood and career during "Episode II" (spanning from my early fifties into my seventies).

Monday afternoon, July 6, 2026, at 21:20 WIB

Dr. Constantinus, S.Pi, S.H., S.Psi, M.M., M.M., M.Psi, Adv., Psi. (Green Industry & Management)