Three inspiring Rotaractors share the stories behind their small businesses and how they are surviving through the tough COVID-19 conditions. With changing lockdown restrictions and the threat of the virus still persisting in different variants, it goes without saying that operating a business at this time has been extra challenging and terribly uncertain.
Yet this Economic and Community Development month, these young Rotaract entrepreneurs set a shining example of fortitude and resilience through their thriving business ventures. Get inspired by reading their stories below.
ALY FRANCISCO | District 3800
Tell us the story behind your small business and how you started it.
Bata pa lang kasi ako gusto ko na magtinda at magbenta ng kung ano ano. Yun ang isa rin sa pangarap ko kasi feeling ko nung bata ako pag may tindahan ka or may business ka, ang yaman yaman mo na.
2014 nagstart akong magwork sa Eat Bulaga bilang Talent Coordinator. Super ipon and lagi akong nagnonotes pa nun kung magkano ginagastos ko sa isang araw kasi ang goal ko talaga dapat pag 24 or 25 years old na ko dapat may sarili na akong business bukod sa work na meron ako. Kasi ang mindset ko talaga is magkaroon ng business. Lahat ng Live and tapings ko nun inipon ko kahit yung mga lenten tapings ko nun.
2017 nag iisip na ako kung anong magandang gawin sa mga naiipon ko kasi sabi ko nga hindi rin naman habang buhay malakas ang work sa showbiz mas mabuti na rin na meron kahit papano.
2018 naisip ko na magbusiness ng Water Refilling since sabi ko nga ang tao hindi mabubuhay ng walang tubig. And nagstart lang yung water business ko sa maliit na bodega ng bahay namin na hindi ginagamit. Since marunong ako magdrawing, nag-layout ako ng water refilling na ang katabi ay sari sari store rin ng lolo at lola ko. Nung una ipinaalam ko pa sa lolo ko na pwede ko ba magamit yung bodega para sa refilling station and pumayag naman sila kaya agad agad ayun nag ayos ako ng papeles para sa mga kailangan sa City Hall, Barangay at syempre para sa Health Approval ng DOH ng City namin.
Kaya at the age of 25 ayan naitayo ko yung Aly in Waterland sa Marikina. Hindi naman siya kalakihan pero syempre atleast nakita ko yung pangarap ko noon na gusto ko magbusiness.
Why did you choose your industry to run a small business in?
Siguro weird para sa iba pero yes totoo ako mismo nag ask ako ng sign kay Lord na, bigyan niya ko ng sign na anong magandang business? Ano yung pwede kong gawin na business? Kasi nagtatalo sa isip ko nun kung food or water. Inisip ko rin pag Food mahirap kasi pag may nagkasakit sa customer kargo ko yun at sira syempre ang business. Oo mahilig kumain ang Pinoy pero kasi expert ang panlasa ng pinoy pagdating sa food. Tapos siguro 2weeks akong nananaginip ng tubig basta everything about tubig natakot pa nga ako nun kasi ipapadala ako sa Gensan para sa Eat Bulaga at Cebu eh sabi ko nun sasakay ng eroplano nun baka masamang sign yung tubig baka mag crash yung eroplano di ako marunong lumangoy. Basta ganon praning lang ako. Pero tinignan ko pa yung ibang side about water tapos naisip ko nga na yung water need talaga siya ng mga tao. Kagaya ko lagi naman ako umiinom ng tubig.
Siguro ang kinagandahan rin na kaya napili ko yung water business kasi yung daddy ko ay dating OFW ng Saudi at yung work niya is Water Treatment na ginagawa nilang mineral water at purified water ang tubig sa Saudi. Kaya naisip ko na jackpot na ko dun kasi syempre yung daddy ko may idea once na tumakbo na yung water business ko. At syempre may magbabantay at manage.
Kasi sa water business iguide ka lang nila ng 2-3months after nun kayo na ang bahala. May seminar yes pero syempre mas maganda na mayroon talagang nakakaalam sa pinapasok na business.
What are the tools that you need to start a business?
For me. Ang ginamit ko lang naman is lakas ng loob lang at syempre tiwala sa sarili at tiwala sa taong makakasama mo or tao na tutulong sa business na naisip mong gawin.
Kasi once na pumasok ka sa isang bagay handa kang sumugal para makita mo kung papatok ba yung business mo sa tao o hindi. At syempre dapat bago ka pumasok sa isang business nakapag ready ka nasa lahat like naresearch mo na ang business mo kung paano tumakbo, nagsurvey ka na kung anong patok sa lugar mo at tatangkilikin ka ba sa lugar or need ba yung business mo sa lugar.
What’s the most fulfilling part about being a small business owner?
Siguro yung part na everyday nakikita mo na okay na yung business mo. Everyday may mga gallon akong nakikita na talagang marami ang orders.
Nung binubuo ko pa lang kasi yung Water Business ko yung tipong kakagising mo pa lang may gastos agad sa pagpapagawa, kailangan ng ganito, bibilhin yung ganito para sa mga gamit sa pagpapagawa pero ngayon gigising ka na may bibilangin kang mga barya dahil yun ang kita ninyo sa araw araw.
What are the challenges of having a small business pre-COVID?
Nung nagkaroon ng pandemic, akala ko nun ipapasara kami. Pero since sabi ni Pres Duterte ang mga basic needs ng tao ay hindi ipapasara gaya ng food, water at sa mga pharmacy.
Pero nahirapan rin ako kasi syempre kailangan ko makasiguro na safe yung mga “Angels ko”. Dapat safe rin ang pagdeliver nila. Hanggat maaari nakasupply sila sa akin ng mga vitamins, ngayon fully vaccinated sila and yearly rin naman sila na merong flu vaccine. Kasi dapat sila ang number one na safe kasi sila yung humaharap sa customers and syempre sila yung katuwang ko sa business ko. Sa sobrang praning ko rin nun lagi kaming may swab sa amin para makasiguro ako na safe sila sa everyday na nagdedeliver kami ng water sa ibat ibang bahay. Nangyare rin na kung noon ang deliver namin ay bubuhatin ang gallon hanggang loob ng bahay lalo na kung ang customers namin ay di na makabuhat, syempre ngayon hindi na at pinagbawal ko na rin yun at pinapaiwan ko na lang sa harap mismo ng gate or pinto nila or nagrequest ako ng table na paglalagyan nila.
Ang stay in ko na tao ay ngayon nagpapatuloy siyang mag aral na tinutulungan ko rin dahil sabi niya nga gusto niya makapagtapos ng pag aaral. Ngayon nasa module system siya last year sa online siya talagang binigyan pa namin siyang laptop, internet para makapagfocus siya sa aral and papasok sa work ng half day para lang everyday may pera siya. Wala na rin kasi siya mapupuntahan and ako naman ay wala ng kapatid na nag aaral kaya mas mabuti na rin na tulungan na rin siya kasi mabait naman siya at pursigido siyang makatapos at para na rin may kasa kasama kami sa bahay na lalaki. (Sorry ang daldal ko
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Dumating rin sa point na may konting “ayuda” like sa groceries promo na bigas, noodles etc kasi yun lang rin yung pa thank you ko na kahit pandemic sinasamahan nila ako na ipush itong business na ito.
How do you overcome these challenges?
Ako kasi yung tipo na “amo” na hindi talaga amo hehe parang kuya lang talaga at part ng family na namin ang mga angels ko sa water station kasi kasabay namin sila kumain, pag may gathering kasama rin sila at kung noon nung di pa uso si covid pag holyweek at holidays may vacation kami na outing talaga. Kasi maliit lang family namin At gusto ko ng malaking family talaga kaya lagi ko silang sinasama na sa ganong happenings.
Lagi ko sinasabi sa kanila na maraming walang work ngayon mas okay na yung may work. Hindi naman ako malaki magpasweldo
pero hindi ako nangkakawawa ng mga angels. Binibigay ko kung anong deserved nila.
Dumating rin naman na yung mga tao hindi ganoon na bumibili ng water parang pag sa grocery day nila kasama na sa listahan nila ang bumili ng water. Pero talaga kailangan kakapit ka pa rin para maencourage mo pa sila na etong business namin ay safe at syempre monthly ko pa itong pinapalaboratory para lalong maencourage ko ang mga tao samin at customers na safe ang water namin. Safe ang angels ko, fully vaccinated at may health permit ang angels ko.
What is your advice for aspiring business owners?
Advise. Bukod syempre sa lagi kong sinasabi sa mga Interactors, Rotaractors at Rotarians na lahat naman to nagsimula sa mga pangarap at panaginip na kailangan once na pinangarap mo gagawan mo ng paraan para matupad.
Ako naniniwala ako na hindi naman mahalaga ang pera, ang mahalaga yung nakakapagbigay ka ng inspirasyon at syempre nakakatulong ka sa tao. Kasi ang pera kinikita naman yan. Ang makatouch ka ng puso ng mga tao hindi lahat kayang gawin yun lao na kung hindi nila nararamdaman na gusto mo silang alagaan at protektahan. Dapat pag ginusto mo, gagawin mo. Susugal ka pero dapat sa sugal laging ang mindset “oo magiging successful ito!”. Hindi pwede yung mahina ang dibdib kailangan laging laban lang kasi ikaw at ikaw lang ang nandito sa laban na to kasi dapat alam mo rin sa sarili mo kung anong kaya mong gawin. Sabi ko nga noon sa sarili ko wala akong alam sa business kasi ang pinag aralan ko ay pagiging director, production team at behind the camera kumbaga pagiging madaldal lang puhunan ko. Pero dahil ginusto ko ‘to pinag aralan ko kung paano ba ang konsepto ng water, paano ba to tatakbo pati paghuhugas ng gallon pinag aralan ko pati na rin ang magbuhat ng 5 gallons na water kinaya ko kasi gusto kong matutunan kung ano ba yung pinasok ko. Hindi kasi pwede yung nagbusiness ka sa simula ganado ka at atat ka, pero habang tumatagal nawawalan ka ng gana kaya maraming business ang nagsasara kasi siguro nandun sila sa isip nila na nagsawa sila or hindi sil sigurado sa pinasok nilang business.
Dapat think positive lagi (wag lang sa covid). Tiwala sa sarili at sa mga kasama sa business.
As a small business owner, how do you pay it forward to your community?
Yung Aly in Waterland everytime na nagkakaroon ng mga relief operation baha, bagyo, taal eruption etc nandiyan tayo para mag share sa mga tao. Actually even sa mga event ng Rotaract nandiyan rin tayo. Ito kasi yung paraan natin na mapakita na ako nga sa ganitong edad nakaya ko magbusiness kaya naman kung kaya ko kaya niyo rin syempre.
Tingin ko kasabay ng Preloved Items ko ang Aly in Waterland sa pag share ng kung anuman ang mga kinita nito. Kagaya Preloved ko lahat ng kinita nun ay ating naibahagi sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo, naitulong sa mga nabaha, Taal eruption, nasunugan at maging sa ibang mga organisasyon na pupunta at tutulong sa mga karatig lugar. Pupunta sa bahay ang ilang mga kaibigan ko mula sa rotaract at ibang organisasyon mag ask ng ilang mga water supplies at agad rin natin yun binibigay at pinadadala kasabay ang kinita ng mga preloved items kung hindi naman ay thru gcash para mashare natin kung anuman ang pwede natin maishare.
Sa mga career talk, laging bida ang inyong IPDRR na palagi kong sinasabi na noon naman hindi ako magaling o matalino mag isip sa business wala ako alam dun hindi nga ako magaling sa Math subject dahil ang alam ko lang noon talaga ay umarte lang at madaldal lang talaga ako at magaling magdrawing at magsulat ng kung ano ano
pero syempre kailangan maencourage natin sila to think and dream big maliit man na business ay nagiging successful basta may tiyaga at tiwala sa sarili. Marami akong gustong ishare, kasi marami akong gusto pang mainspire na dahil sa kagustuhan ko na magkaroon tinda tindahan ang dating pangarap at panaginip ngayon 3 years ng nasa industriya ng business.
MAKKI JASARENO | District 3820
Tell us the story behind your small business and how you started it.
My Business is a Pandemic Business. Isa siyang Pizza House.
2015 nung una kaming nagtry gumawa ng pizza as a merienda sa bahay. Naging regular merienda namin siya until one time, may nag order saamin na mga friends. Then since meron kaming Day Job hindi namin naging business ang Pizza. But there’s always a second chance and yung chance na yon was given to us in the midst of pandemic. nag announce ng ECQ sa province namin, nagclose ang mga business establishments like malls, restaurants and fastfood. Dun nauso ang pag papa order online. Dun naman namin sinubukan magbenta ng pizza online. And pumatok ito to the point na hinahanapan na nila kami ng shop or store.
Why did you choose your industry to run a small business in?
Because of the demand of the people in our city, naisipan kong magbukas ng physical store nung nag GCQ status na ang sorsogon city. Nagkataon na yung isang pwesto along the main roads of sorsogon ay nabakante dahil sa nagsarang business din, though wala akong enough na pera to start the business,nilakasan ko loob ko and opened a Pizza Shop, and named it Eldon Pizza.
What are the tools that you need to start a business?
Before kami nakapagstart naman ng business we already new the tools that we need, since nagstart naman kami online. We already have the materials and ingredients, we just made it official when we opened the shop.
What’s the most fulfilling part about being a small business owner?
The most fulfilling part of running a small business is when people appreciate your product, buys your product and support your business, but one of the most fulfilling part is that you get to help people, Especially our employees, we’re able to give them source of income for them to also help their family.
What are the challenges of having a small business during COVID?
With all the regulations and guidelines,limited access of people and lockdowns, it really affected our business. And one of the most challenging was when we opened a branch in May 8,2021 and on May 21,2021 i tested positive for covid-19, because of the situation we were forced to close the shop and stopped the operation in our newly opened dining place since our staff were also required to be quarantined and get tested.
How do you overcome these challenges?
Though our newly opened branch closed for almost a month, meron naman kaming isang shop, na pwedeng mag operate since yung employees dun ay hindi naman naging close contact, so yun yung naging lakas ng Eldon Pizza sa panahon na nakaquarantine ako. So dun kami nagfocus, nagpost kami sa social media ng product at lahat ng pwedeng gawin para maibenta ang produkto through online selling. It helped!
What is your advice for aspiring business owners?
My advice to aspiring business owners is to do it now. You may start a little at least nasimulan mo. Second, KNOW YOUR PRODUCT. dapat kilala mo ang produkto mo, mahal mo produkto mo at kaya mong ipagmalaki ang produkto mo, dahil sa lahat ng tao, ikaw ang dapat na unang nagtitiwala sa produkto mo. Third make use of social media to promote your product. because social media is platform that most people use nowadays. Fourth, invest in marketing, magpa sample ka or free taste sa mga friends mo
they will post it for sure and with that, nakapagpromote ka ng libre.
As a small business owner, how do you pay it forward to your community?
As a small business owner, marami na kaming ginawa to share in the community. We do outreach programs to different places in sorsogon and what i did when we celebrated our 1st anniversary is we joined the Rotaract Club of Metro Sorsogon in the Kick off Activity, Mangrove Planting, where we planted 100 propagules and also we gave free Snacks to delivery Riders in the City.
DON CANAMA | District 3860
Tell us the story behind your small business and how you started it.
Way back 2013 a friend of my mom offered us a commercial space to operate a water refilling station and laundry shop business. Ever since I was young, I already dreamed of owning a business rather than pursuing my career as a Nurse. So, with the opportunity given and the support of my family, I immediately researched, studied the business and put the plans to action. Honestly it was difficult since it was my first business venture, and I had to learn the business from scratch. It took me a lot of time researching, looking for affordable suppliers, but eventually hard work paid off. Thank God, we are now in the laundry business for 8 years.
Why did you choose your industry to run a small business in?
Our location is in close proximity with University of San Carlos – Talamban Campus, a huge and known university in Cebu and Cebu IT Park, a call center and IT hub of Cebu, so dormitories and boarding houses are scattered everywhere. With the hectic schedule of students and call center agents, their spare time is considered a luxury, so rather than spending their free time washing their clothes they rather use it to for relaxing and sleeping so that’s why I pursued the laundry business.
What are the tools that you need to start a business?
Opening a business is really a struggle and a headache. So aside from the basic tools you need like a business development plan, marketing research, sales strategy and all these business jargons. You also need a whole lot of patience and determination. Because there will always be challenges along the way but if you are passionate in what you do, you can always overcome these trials and hurdles.
What’s the most fulfilling part about being a small business owner?
Aside from the financial reward of owning a business, customer satisfaction and the opportunity to provide a decent employment to people for me is the most fulfilling part of owning a business.
What are the challenges of having a small business pre-COVID?
For me, in my industry competition is the biggest challenge in owning a laundry shop business. As I can remember there are 9 laundry shops in our area.
What are the challenges of having a small business during COVID?
During COVID, even though laundry shops are considered an essential business, we are surviving yet struggling due to the absence of physical class. Because students are our number 1 in our customer demographics.
How do you overcome these challenges?
Just like any other businesses now, covid unleashes the creativity in every business owners. We offer promos, freebies and discounts just to entice and lure customers for us to survive.
What is your advice for aspiring business owners?
Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Aside from conducting extensive planning and research, everything will remain as plan if you won’t take action and execute your plans. That’s one advice I can give to aspiring business owners out there.
As a small business owner, how do you pay it forward to your community?
As a small laundry shop owner and an active volunteer for different organizations, I usually offer my place as drop off for different donations during calamities and alike. And sometimes offer our laundry services for free for soiled clothing donations before donating them.
