May 2009 GO GREEN!

MASIGASIG PUBLISHED BY GLOBE BUSINESS FOR SMEs

VOLUME

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ISSUE

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Filmmaker KIDLAT TAHIMIK is a true patron of the arts Find out DELICIOSO’S & GOOLAI SALADS’ recipes for success Increase efficiency in your delivery system with GLOBE TRACKER GPS

GO

GREEN!

EARTH GARDEN’S PATRICK and MICHELLE PLES thrive in the business of promoting Mother Nature’s beauty

©2009 Globe Telecom, Inc.

MASIGASIG Table of CONTENTS

15 COVER:

CELEBRITY RAKETS

Filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik turns to business for art’s sake

HOT NEGOSYO

12

Learn how Delicioso and Goolai Salads became pioneers of the health food business

BATANG NEGOSYANTE

22

Teddy Manuel of Flowers & Events™ pursues his passion for events styling

IN EVERY ISSUE

5High Tech 8Helpline 9Franchising 101 10Hot Spots 19Global ang Dating 25Round Up

STAFF

When we say the color green, what’s the first thing that pops into mind?

For most Westerners (and us Westernized Pinoys), it would most probably be green = cash = money. Yet these days, due to alarming global warming effects and volatile climate changes, we are predisposed to equate green with Mother Earth.

Earth Garden Patrick and Michelle Ples uphold the family legacy and love for all things Mother Nature

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Leslie G. Lee Mari-An C. Santos Sunshine Selga-Funa Camille Besinga Aimee Morales Dino de Ocampo

Editor in Chief Associate Editor Managing Editor Asst. Managing Editor Copy Editor Art Director

Ray Andallon, Jr. Martin Cuyegkeng Leo Laparan II Heidi Pascual Bubbles Salvador Aubrey Sangalang Katrina Tan Abby Yao

Writers Jemps Gallegos

Mark Ches Ang Vincent Coscolluela Heidi Pascual Jun Pinzon

Photographers

Kris Bacani Al de Leon Ana Isip Jasmine Mendiola

Makeup Artists

Jaclyn L. Chua

Editorial Consultant

Junn delas Alas Dondi Limgenco

Project Managers

Globe Advisory Team Ailene Averion, Aldwin Co, Cielo Javier-Sonza, Alain Sebastian, Michelle Perlas, Barby Coronel

ma•si•ga•sig – determined, persistent or motivated, with a strong sense of direction in terms of goals to be achieved.

A special publication made by Summit Media for Globe Telecom.

For special publication inquiries, please call 451-8888.

This month, the Masigasig team gives kudos to businesses and entrepreneurs who promote—and not exploit—Mother Earth. For instance, our cover features Patrick “PJ” Ples of Earth Garden, which is a perfect example that technology and modernization can co-exist, and even thrive, with nature. Then we have 32-year-old Teddy Manuel of Flowers & Events™ by Teddy Manuel, who flourishes in the beauty of flora. Lastly, the inspiring stories of health food pioneers Delicioso and Goolai Salads show that success comes from relentlessly pursuing your goal and that the rewards of believing in Mother Nature's goodness go beyond monetary benefits.

Enjoy this month’s issue!

Leslie G. Lee Editor-in-Chief One rule of thumb in running a profitable business is achieving—and maintening—efficiency. Making your operations run smoothly is tricky to achieve, but once you reach that optimum level, it’s vital to sustain and continuously improve it.

And part of being efficient is keeping tabs on your staff and stock. We at Globe Business understand that, which is why we’re excited to unveil our latest product—the Globe Tracker GPS. In this month’s High Tech, we have a more in-depth explanation of how the Tracker GPS works, from monitoring your delivery vehicles/vans to fuel and gas usage. It is a powerful tool to enable you to run your business more efficiently, and we assure you that the system is safe and secure so you need not worry about tampering and information leakage.

I invite you to call our Globe Business Hotline at 730-1288 or check out our website sme.globe.com.ph to find out more about Globe Business solutions that may just provide solutions that fit your business.

Maridol Ylanan Head-Corporate & SME Segments

Call the Globe Business Hotline at 730-1288 for inquiries on Globe products and services, or visit any Globe Business Center or Globelines Payments and Services Center. ●

For inquiries, comments or suggestions on Masigasig magazine, e-mail sme@globetel.com.ph or visit http://globe.com.ph/business. ●

ASKED & ANSWERED LE

M of TT O th ER N e TH

JUMPSTARTING A MEALS-ON-WHEELS SERVICE Hi Masigasig, Good day to all! I am an avid reader of your magazine and in fact I have collections of issues since 2007. My husband and I find it interesting and helpful to people like us, who have plans on venturing into small-scale business. We’re planning on engaging into the food business, which I really love since I am a food technology graduate, and my husband proposed the idea of a meals-on-wheels service.

We’re grateful to have you, so we could solicit ideas and suggestions on our proposed business plan. Thank you and more power to you.

PHOTO BY JUN PINZON

AU-AU A. DE LA CRUZ Blk. 4, Lot 26 Los Angeles St., Phase 4 ext. V&G Subd. Tacloban City 0926.9317765 delacruz_aurelia@yahoo.com

Entering the food business can be tricky but good value for money can be your clincher.

Dear Au-au, Many thanks for your letter. The Masigasig team always loves receiving such encouraging and supportive words from our readers. To answer your query:

tinola, kaldereta, and the like? Or is it Chinese food, like siomai, siopao, yang chow fried rice and other dishes? Or is it a mix of both? From there, you can start determining your menus for the day. We suggest that you alternate your dishes so your customers won’t get bored with the choices.

DRAFT YOUR PLAN. Entrepreneur.com suggests these questions you should ask yourself to determine your business goals and objectives: 1. Am I willing to invest my own money and work long hours for no pay, sacrificing personal time and lifestyle, maybe for years?

2. What will be its annual revenues in a year? Five years?

MAINTAIN PRODUCT QUALITY. Once business is smooth sailing, the tendency is to become lenient. But keep your guard up at all times: the food industry is always thriving and very, very competitive, as Delicioso’s Jill Busuego said. Be extra-cautious about sanitation in your dishes—your customers will appreciate your effort. And for as long as you are faithful to the quality (taste, presentation, and sanitation most importantly) of your product, so will your customers remain loyal to you.

You might also want to check out the Helpline article (“The Secret Ingredients of Restaurant Success”) in our March 2009 issue to get a few tips.

Good luck with your business, and do let us know what happens.

FIGURE OUT WHAT FOOD/DISHES YOU SERVE BEST. Is it Filipino food, like adobo,

Do you have any questions about your business that you think Masigasig can answer? Write to us and be our next letter sender of the month! Include your full name, name of business, contact number and e-mail address. The chosen letter sender will win premium Globe items! The winner will be notified via e-mail and will receive a call from Masigasig.

4 • MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG

Cheers, LESLIE Editor-in-chief

Mabuhay!

Every month I look forward to getting a copy of your magazine for I find it really informative and inspiring for me as an entrepreneur. I’m in the business of designing and selling my own brand of shirts on the Internet. I’m currently looking for ways to reach the market more effectively and I see that having my shirts in department store racks as the next viable step in business. I would like to ask for information regarding the process and requirements in making my products available in leading department stores. Also information on who to get in touch with is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your help.

My best regards, PETER ALLAN R. BONTUYAN Pogi Enterprises 0917.4240586 pogishirts@gmail.com

Hi Peter, Getting department stores’ attention is admittedly a bit difficult, but patience and perseverance will always get you somewhere. Why not make use of the Internet and find out your target department stores’ contact details, then send them a proposal letter via fax or e-mail? An insider source also told me this: It’s best to schedule an appointment with the buyers in charge of your target market (as they are in charge of consignments) so you can better present your products. If the contact person is too busy, simply leave your proposal letter and a sample or two of your shirt designs so he or she can have a better idea of your product. Good luck!

Dear Masigasig, I truly love reading your issues and every time I visit Globe’s business centers to pay my bill, I just get excited in getting a copy of the magazine, and more excited in reading the articles that you feature on every issue. I just resigned from work and I’m interested in going into the flower business. I believe I have an eye for really cool and beautiful floral arrangements, I just really don’t know where to start. Can you help me get insights on how to go about this new venture. Any ideas that you can give would be highly appreciated. Thank you and more power to you.

Sincerely yours, SOCORRO PIA DURAN socpiaduran@yahoo.com 231 Rd. 2 Evangelista St., Leonila Hill, Baguio City 0917.5110869

Hi Socorro, Thank you for your continued patronage of Masigasig. As for your flower business venture, perhaps you’d like to take a peek at this month’s issue, where we feature TEDDY MANUEL OF FLOWERS & EVENTS™ in Batang Negosyante.

You may find ideas and get inspired on their success stories.

We would also suggest that you utilize the web to check for possible suppliers and attend bridal fairs to get a better grasp of your potential clients. Best of luck to you and let us know how it goes.

ERRATUM In the Hot Negosyo section of our April issue, the information “Classes include Art, Family, Music, School Skills, Sports, its best-selling Play and Learn, as well as a full Pre-School Program and Summer Camps” should be attributed to Gymboree. We sincerely apologize for this error.

HIGH TECH

GPS tracking technology is a satellite navigation system that determines the precise location of an object being tracked almost anywhere on Earth.

IS IT SECURE?

Be On Track Find out how GLOBE’S NEW TRACKER GPS can work for your business B Y

B U B B L E S

S A LVA D O R

P

ilferage, slow delivery, and driver inefficiency are some common headaches entrepreneurs experience in running a business. But these can be avoided with Globe’s new Tracker GPS (Global Positioning System) service.

It provides businesses with an accurate way of monitoring their mobile assets to ensure tighter security. Ultimately, it helps businesses reduce its losses and increase efficiency in its operations.

Problem # 1 DELIVERY MONITORING

Where is your delivery truck currently at? Do away with waiting for a reply or worse, those irritating general answers like “D2 na sa EDSA”. With Tracker GPS, you can monitor—in real time—the location of your delivery truck, which can be set with interval updates (for instance, every 30 seconds or one, five, 10, 15, or 30 minutes depending on your request). If you’ve got problems with delayed deliveries, Tracker GPS helps as well. It automatically generates trip logs, including reports such as the actual route taken.

Problem # 2 DRIVER DISCIPLINE & INEFFICIENCY

Is your driver dilly-dallying again? Or has he become mindless of vehicle fuel use?

Now, you can analyze the usage of your delivery vehicles in terms of total distance travelled, idle time, run time, and even how long it takes for the truck to return to the warehouse/factory. Alert Sensors can let you know of incidents such as truck head-trailer disconnect, door opening/closing, and ignition shut-off.

Problem # 3 THEFT & PILFERAGE

In the event that this unfortunate incident happens, you will receive emergency alerts like Panic/ SOS, GPS Tamper, and Battery Off alerts. These inform you in real time of any threat to your valuable assets.

All in all, Tracker GPS results in quicker delivery to customers, optimal distribution of delivery vehicles, and lower gasoline expenses. ●

The Central Monitoring Station (CMS) where the Tracker GPS’ information and data are processed, analyzed, and translated, is totally safe and secure. It has complete administrative control of the service.

CMS also has the ability to give secure levels and limited types of access to remote terminals, if needed to be used by other groups or departments of the business.

The GPS device installed in the company’s assets (such as trucks and other vehicles) is fitted with closed circuit sensor switch wiring to prevent tampering.

TO AVAIL OF THIS SERVICE: Since each business’ needs are unique, you need to discuss the details with your assigned Account Manager who will bring in the team that will assess the overall solution that will fit your requirements.

1

2

You need to have a minimum subscription of 10 GPS Plans/Devices to avail of Tracker GPS. ■

For more inquiries on the Globe Tracker GPS, visit http://globe.com.ph/business or call (632) 730-1288.

MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG • 5

AArtKE’s FOR

CELEBRITY RAKETS

S

Renowned filmmaker KIDLAT TAHIMIK creates a vegetarian fantasyland to support the art community in the North.

BY CAMILLE BESINGA PHOTOS BY JUN PINZON

Kidlat sits on the steps of VOCAS’ theater stage; (below) the sign that greets art enthusiasts and diners after their five-flight climb.

F

ilmmaker KIDLAT TAHIMIK is an eccentric mix of visionary creativity and unique business sense.

Before digital indie films became the norm, he broke into the international independent film industry with the 1977 experimental film Mababangong Bangungot (Perfumed Nightmare), which was screened at the Berlin International Film Festival and won the prestigious FIPRESCI (Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique or International Federation of Film Critics) prize.

But before he became Kidlat, he was born ERIC DE GUIA in breezy Baguio, schooled at the University of the Philippines and earned his MBA in the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.

He worked at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, before finding his calling in the arts.

“I was an economist for five years, until something inside me rebelled,” he explains. “That was when I [knew I] wanted to become an artist.” So, he turned his back on business and subsequently earned a reputation for artistic expression and support of indigenous art and young artists.

BACK TO BUSINESS

Yet, Kidlat’s business side resurfaced in 2001 when he found an opportunity to support the arts center he had put up in the penthouse of the family-owned building in downtown Session Road in Baguio. “[My uncle, Victor Oteyza], my mother, and their brother inherited the [La Azotea] 6 • MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG

CONTACT DETAILS Oh My Gulay Café Victor Oteyza Community Art Space (VOCAS) 5th floor, La Azotea Building Upper Session Road, Baguio City

building,” he relates. Victor Oteyza is known throughout art circles in the country as one of the pioneers of modern art, along with Cesar Legaspi. “I thought, since he’s [my mother’s] co-inheritor, why not just honor him? We could utilize the commercial space [downstairs], but [we could] leave the top floor as community art space.” They christened the space the Victor Oteyza Community Art Space (VOCAS).

Obviously, a community art space needs proper funding to survive. With the family and building administrators agreeing to finance construction of VOCAS, Kidlat thought of the idea of having a restaurant to support the art activities. “The architecture [of VOCAS] is alternative—walang blueprints, walang architectural plans, walang drawings, walang pre-studies,” he stresses. “You’re coming all the way up here. The visuals are all alternative here, the architecture is way out. So why not make people have an alternative [meal]?”

Thus, on July 14, 2004, with only 100,000 as capital, Kidlat opened the Oh My Gulay Café.

A VISUAL & VEGETARIAN FEAST

While the main purpose of the café was to sustain the activities of VOCAS, business did not flourish during its first two years. Friends of Kidlat and

his family were the only regulars at the place.

In due time, though, word spread of this visual, vegetarian oasis in the center of Baguio’s commercial district, and soon, tourists from other parts of the Philippines, abroad and locals began trekking the five-flight climb to experience the non-exclusive vegetarian menu. It was developed with the help of Pol Poblador, chef and son-in-law of well-known Filipino designer Patis Tesoro. “I think the recipes are interesting enough,” Kidlat says. “They’re vegetarian food for nonvegetarians. We’re not strictly vegetarian fanatics.”

OMG Café also has meat dishes—but they use seafood meat instead for a fresh twist on traditional recipes.

Their popular dishes—which are priced from 95 to 200—include the Chow2x, their vegetarian version of chow mien; Eggplant Parmigiana; and the salads. Crowd faves include the Lumpia Salad (tofu lumpia with watercress and lettuce served with Asian dressing), the Waldorfesto (a combination of Waldorf salad and pesto), and the OMG salad (a delicious mix of greens sourced in Baguio). Students are drawn to their freshly brewed Cordillera coffee, for relaxed afternoons while watching the traffic of shoppers below.

The central location of the café works to its advantage, as the influx of customers is high enough

CELEBRITY RAKETS to sustain VOCAS. According to Chef Marlon Caranto, OMG—as Baguio residents fondly call it—gets walk-in clients that reach up to around 100 a day. Despite the climb that often leaves customers breathless upon entry, people continue to patronize the café for the view, the food, and, as Kidlat believes, “the visual feast.”

Chef Marlon adds, “People get comfortable because they see this greenness in the middle of the concrete jungle. If they’re lucky, they see artists jamming with their drums and the gong.

Or, if they’re more than lucky, they have Kidlat Tahimik around to give a few insights about Cordillera culture. These are a few bonuses that you can’t get from any high-end gallery.”

DEVOTED TO ART AND CULTURE

With the help of his sons—Kidlat, Kawayan, and Kabunyan—Kidlat has created a wonderland of art, culture, and delicious food, where customers can escape, reflect, and immerse. The proud dad beams, “My sons take the cudgels when there’s a show or an exhibition. They don’t do paperwork, but they’re good at creating energies.” He adds jokingly, “And they clean up afterwards.”

From the get-go, Kidlat’s vision has been to showcase the art and culture scene in the North. “To a fault, I’m a romantic for Cordillera culture,” he shares. “Because of our Westernized orientation, we take for granted these things.

I think it’s a great civilization that can be our contribution to world culture.” And as a patron of the arts, Kidlat uses his connections in Manila and around the world to bring in art to the Philippines. “[Through VOCAS, I can] also bring in good programs from [the likes of] CCP, Alliance Francaise, and Goethe Institut.”

In running the business, Kidlat relies on his staff, led by Chef Marlon Caranto, to handle the day-today operations and manage the café’s six regular employees. He admits that he doesn’t really use what he learned from his economist days—though he knows he should—because being an artist is first and foremost for him. “I have suppressed that part of me,” he says of his MBA self.

Kidlat says he is “economically sloppy,” particularly on the managing and accounting side—“I need to clock in a little more time [to operations], so that the margin is comfortable enough [that we can] expand to a few more activities,” he grins sheepishly. “Luckily, I’ve been able to achieve my aim of having regular shows and enough art activities. When people come up here, they leave good energy behind. It’s a nice feeling. It’s not like a regular place where people just buy something quickly and eat it. In that sense, I’ve achieved my goals.”

TECH HELP FOR THIS “ACCIDENTAL” SUCCESS Kidlat has been fortunate that OMG is able to generate interest without much promotional

my review should consist only of an ‘!’, but of course couldn’t resist and added, ‘The food is good. Fresh is always good. They also have pretty pun-ny names, so simply choosing from the menu is a fun activity in itself.’”

T H E O M G I N D I C AT O R O F ACHIEVEMENT

(Top to bottom) “Oh my gulay!” indeed, as OMG Café’s specialty is in delicious, locally-sourced salad greens; the space features an eclectic mix of antiques and abandoned wood and materials, as well as sculptures and art pieces made

by Kidlat’s sons.

Like a true individual, Kidlat is quick to define his own indicator of achievement. “Roi means ‘king’ in French—and ROI (return on investment) is king in the minds of a lot of [business-minded] people. For me, success comes in the form of accomplishing the qualitative goals—a profit on what has been invested artfully. The profit is all these happy people coming in and [leaving their positive vibes]. It’s a social, personal, artistic, soul profit.” OMG’s eclectic mix of tourists, students, and art enthusiasts are proof of this.

He does acknowledge, however, the importance of gaining such a profit through a sustainable enterprise. “All these nice abstract profits are nice to talk about, but if [the business is] having a hemorrhage, I couldn’t talk as freely about it.” For this end, Kidlat and his sons have continued holding art shows, exhibits, music concerts, and stage plays at VOCAS, to entice people to make the climb to their space.

Today, the relationship of VOCAS and OMG is symbiotic—the café funds the art shows, and the art shows bring the people to OMG. “The modest profits of OMG support art openings, theater productions, film showings” and Kidlat hopes this is sustainable in the long run.

HARVESTING FOR THE FUTURE efforts. “I’ve never advertised,” he relates. “It’s essentially word of mouth. When we have an [exhibit], we don’t spend much to print posters, just one or two that we put up in the café and at the bulletin board downstairs. We rely on the text brigade. I guess this is an aberration of the texting age—we don’t have much high overhead, and because of that, we can have regular shows.”

Other indirect promotional efforts that have propelled OMG Café’s popularity are done by people who post VOCAS events in their own networking accounts or online forums. Proof that technology has helped spread the word about OMG: Look up “Oh My Gulay Café,” and you’ll find many reviews written by foodies, art connoisseurs, satisfied tourists, and proud locals posted all over the Net. In an online review from the iExplore Community (community.iexplore. com), a self-professed carnivore—intrigued by the café’s word-of-mouth popularity than its menu—exclaims, “The food was much, much better than I expected. I had a creamy tuna fettucine, and it was heavenly.” Food blogger The Theoretical Cook (thetheoreticalcook.blogspot. com) raves, “If I were a brief and concise person,

Kidlat half-jokingly says that he needs to be more attentive to running the business, as opposed to simply overseeing it. “We haven’t changed prices in a long time. [With] all these gas price increases, maybe we have to look at price adjustments,” he muses. He also mentions establishing long-term plans, instead of the usual “bigla-bigla” manner in which they organize events at VOCAS. “[Our] antennas are entrepreneurially ticking so that [we] get to do something like expanding our [existing] programs. You can get spoiled and just let it be, but it could take a little more planning.”

Kidlat believes that the “joyful entrepreneurship” he’s achieved with Oh My Gulay Café is a result of many factors. “Did I discover this by any entrepreneurial genius? No. You don’t need an MBA for this. Somehow I let my instincts as an artist create the place and ambiance. People are happy and they also leave happy. It is a cosmic, accidental, entrepreneurial success story, not due to any genius on anybody’s part.”

Kidlat adds, “Let’s just say it was a combination of my playfulness and my children’s artistry, and maybe [the influence of] my uncle Victor Oteyza.

All these converged in this place. It’s an example of where the combination works.” ● MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG • 7

HELP LINE

EXPORT101 Exporting agricultural products isn’t as complicated as it seems. We’ve broken down the basics to help you get started BY

F

JEMPS

GALLEGOS

or those in the agricultural business, you might want to consider branching out to agri-exporting.

The export value of the Philippines’ top 10 agricultural exports (coconut oil, fresh bananas, tuna, pineapple and its products, desiccated coconut, milk and cream products, manufactured tobacco, seaweeds and carageenan, shrimps and prawns, and sugar, respectively) rose 28 percent last year to US$2.9 billion from 2007’s export value of US$2.2 billion, according to Agriculture Undersecretary Jesus Paras.

So, despite the global economic crisis, the market for agricultural products abroad is huge, especially with the burgeoning popularity of the organic movement and increasing ecological awareness. This spells out many opportunities for agri-entrepreneurs to export their products. How do you get started? Florida-based importing and exporting company Spyglass Point (www.spyglasspoint.com) shares these exporting tips:

3. ESTABLISH A PROFESSIONAL IMAGE. You don’t have to be a big company to be a successful exporter but people need to know you mean business. A well designed website evens out the playing field between a big and a small exporter. A reputable online B2B marketplace like Global Sources (www.globalsources.com) helps connect buyers to the right suppliers. Provide all the details important to a prospective importer and make sure your information is always updated and accurate.

In all phone calls, meetings, and written correspondences, be articulate and respond quickly to inquiries in a professional, respectful manner for your prospects to gain confidence in you.

4. GET HELP. Don’t be intimidated by payment, currency, customs, paperwork, and shipping hassles. Ask for assistance from local and multinational banks that offer services globally. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has recently allowed thrift banks to issue letters of

PHOTO BY VINCENT COSCOLLUELA

AGRIBUSINESS

Manager Leo Aguirre. Nowadays, Pontmain mainly exports to China, Japan, and Taiwan.

Coconut is the Philippines’ top agricultural export product.

1. ASSESS YOUR STRENGTHS. What do you bring to exporting that’s uniquely yours? Is it your contacts? Relatives or friends overseas? Confirm your credibility with your supplier for them to also gain confidence in you. Did you start out as a fruit stall vendor?

Your edge would be your knowledge of the fruits you sold and which variety sells—that will be your credibility when you communicate with your prospective market as an exporter. The key is to build on what you are good at and already have.

2. INVESTIGATE. Ascertain the product and the country with the greatest trading potential. Coconuts are still the Philippines’ most significant cash crops, and the country is one of the world’s main exporters of coconut products, including coconut oil and copra (dried coconut).

Take for example Ariel Aguirre, who started Pontmain Resources Inc. (www.pontmaincoir.com.ph) in 1999 because he realized the profit potential of the coconut coir (coarse fiber extracted from a coconut used in gardening, making floor mats, brushes, mattresses, tiles, and sacking) industry. “After reading numerous articles on the coconut coir’s huge potential, he researched on how to get into that line of business, sought the help of certain government agencies such as the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), raised the capital needed, and established the business in Davao. He and his general manager even went to India to learn more about the business and talked to potential suppliers for the machines needed in the plant,” shares Assistant General 8 • MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG

WIELD THE POWER OF TECHNOLOGY

The Internet is an indispensable tool in learning more about specific agriexport products and their markets. Check out the links below: ■ Presidential Decree No. 930 on the Revised Rules and Regulations Further Simplifying Export Procedures and Documentation relevant to your agriexport business: (www.philexportcebu.org/pdf/presidential_decree_930.pdf) ■ How your sale is concluded between banks (export-import procedure) (www.export911.com/e911/gateway/summary.htm) ■ International Commercial Terms (INCOTERMS): (www.export911.com/e911/export/incoterm.htm) ■ The International Trade Group. Register to view the most promising exports per country, top exports by country, industry news, and The Official Export Guide (www.officialexportguide.com/search/oeg/exhowto/search.asp?)

HELP LINE credit (LCs)—a certificate issued by a bank to its client’s vendor to prove that the buyer has sufficient money in the bank to pay for the ordered goods/services to their clients’ foreign suppliers. The conditions, however, are that the company has to have at least 1 billion in assets, experience in issuing localcurrency LCs, and have a capital adequacy ratio of at least 10 percent.

You can also take advantage of export groups such as PhilExport Cebu (www. philexportcebu.org) that offers services such as processing of export documents, travel tax exemption, export financing, etc.

5. CONTACT YOUR SUPPLIER. Local suppliers are preferable. As soon as you finish your research on how appealing your product will be to your target market, write to suppliers The government also has many resources with the most reputable export capability. for exporters, such as the Bureau of Tell them about your company, explain your Export Trade Promotion and the One vision to share possibilities Stop Export Documentation Center for success, and set (OSEDC), which handles the processing up a meeting. Give The PHILIPPINES’ of export documents. It serves various them a call if major markets for coconut government organizations with you don’t get oil are USA (42%) and the representatives, namely: a reply within NETHERLANDS (37%); for fresh seven days. bananas, JAPAN (44%) and IRAN (19%); ■ Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Philexport and for pineapple, the USA (47%) and ■ Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Global JAPAN (17%).

■ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Sources Resources (BFAR) can help SOURCE: Department of Agriculture ■ Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) with buyer(DA)’s Bureau of Agricultural ■ National Statistics Office (NSO) supplier Statistics ■ PHILEXPORT matching. continued on p26 (www.philexport.ph/services.html)

FRANCHISING 101

Spot a

SCAM

Is a business proposal too good to be true? Here are 6 signs you should watch out for

W

BY BUBBLES SALVADOR

hen reviewing a potential franchise investment, it’s easy to get dazzled by promises of high profit and immediate success. Be alert and think twice if you encounter any of the suspicious signs:

Inc. “The franchisor must have survived at least three years of continuous operation,” opines Gerlie Pagtakhan, general manager of GS Pagtakhan Lechon Manok, Inc. Remember that you, as a franchisee, should be buying into a proven system. If the business has been operating for a short time only, what proof do you have that the system is working?

Heed these tips from fellow franchisees.

Pontmain Resources Inc. Plant Address: Sitio Fatima, Barangay Inawayan, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur Office Address: 727 B Florentino Torres St., Davao City Metro Manila Liaison Office: Unit 2303, The Orient Square Bldg., Emerald Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City E-mail: pontmain@info.com.ph, pontmain_ davao@yahoo.com The Philippines’ Department of Agriculture Bureau of Agricultural Statistics Ben-Lor Bldg., 1184 Quezon Ave., Quezon City Philippine Coconut Authority Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City E-mail: pca_cpo@yahoo.com.ph

food, there should be a commissary. In services, a maintenance team,” Asis cites as examples.

Your application is approved even without 04 any investigation. “Legitimate franchises will do a background check on you and your company, as well as a credit investigation (CI) to prove your financial capabilities,” says Asis.

The franchise has no company-owned You’re required to make a deposit 02 store or outlet. Asis emphasizes that if the immediately. You should begin to doubt 05 business is profitable, then the first person to the legitimacy of a franchise if you are asked to invest in it would be the franchisor. “The more company-owned stores they have, the better, because it means the owner truly believes in the business,” adds Asis.

Pagtakhan is more specific: “Companies with less than 10 company outlets and franchisees are not well-established enough to offer a good franchise business.”

The franchise has been in business for a 01 short time. “The shorter the franchisor has No support team. Without this, the franchisor been in business, the riskier it is,” says Dominador 03 may only be after your franchise fee. In effect, Asis III, president of A’s Laundromat Company, you, the franchisee, will be working alone. “In

Be A Smart Franchisee

CONTACTDETAILS

pay a certain amount even before talking about the business. Are you being asked to pay any reservation or application fees upfront during your first meeting? This should sound the alarm.

The franchise makes impossible promises.

06 Pagtakhan says, “Those companies offering a very low franchise investment plan with very

tempting features and benefits should be doubted as well.” Study the feasibility of the business well.

Any business that promises high returns in a short time should be carefully examined. ●

➼ Talk to existing franchisees. Ask about their relationship with the franchisor. Are they satisfied with the The support given by the franchisor?

Association ➼ Talk to the owner directly and not just a franchise representative. of Filipino ➼ Personally visit the company’s head office and factory sites. Interview company officers and Franchisers staff about how the franchise company operates.

Inc. (AFFI) ➼ Be a customer of the business you want to franchise. This will help you determine if the seeks to business is profitable. professionalize ➼ Ask legitimate franchise organizations like the Association of Filipino Franchisors, Inc. (AFFI) and standardize the local if the company you are dealing with is a member. franchising industry. For ➼ Check if the company is registered with the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) more details, log on to or Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Make sure the trade name is registered with the (www.affi.com.ph).

Intellectual Property Office Philippines (IPOPHIL).

MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG • 9

HOT SPOTS

Tayabas

Plant and harvest seeds of opportunities in this agricultural town of Quezon.

BY MARTIN A. CUYEGKENG PHOTOS BY JUN PINZON

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CONTACT DETAILS DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRYQUEZON MS. MARCELINA ALCANTARA Provincial Director (042) 660.7657 to 58 MAYOR DONDI SILANG Municipality of Tayabas (042) 713.0079 ATC CRAFT VENTURE MRS. CHIT B. PONTIOSO (042) 793.2301 MARTHA’S HANDICRAFT MR. COCOY BERNALES (042) 793.2840

10 • MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG

T

he town of TAYABAS, QUEZON is a mere threehour drive from Metro Manila. The small and quiet municipality sits under the watchful eyes of the infamous and mystical Mount Banahaw, as if guarding the secrets it holds. Its neighbors are Lucena City with its Chami Festival, Lucban with its longganisa, and the province of Laguna, famous for its hot springs.

Tayabas is a place that tells of our nation’s rich heritage. The friendly locals enjoy living in a backdrop of our national treasures. For instance, I got to visit St. Michael Minor Basilica that is home to the biggest and oldest clock in Asia, while Casa de Communidad de Tayabas dates back all the way to the Hispanic era gave me a glimpse of how the affluent people of the town lived back then.

Now, the Casa serves as the town museum where priceless artifacts that were uncovered in Tayabas are kept and on display. Travelling around three and a half kms off the town proper, I came upon the Malagonlong Bridge and was most impressed by its sheer size and the craftsmanship that had gone to its stone arches.

SMOOTH SUCCESS

Tayabas boasts of historical landmarks, but it also takes pride in holding fast to traditions,

1. Long shot of the Malagonlong Bridge 2. A vendor selling cassava cakes at Calle Budin, the pasalubong center of Tayabas.

3. Local handicrafts boost Tayabas’ economy.

4. Sanctuario De Los Almas used to be the graveyard of friars.

5. Casa de Communidad de Tayabas is one of Tayabas’ must-see sites. 6. Mayor Dondi Silang’s vision for Tayabas is for the town to make the most of its agricultural resources. 7. Joselito Mallari of Mallari Distilleries proudly shows off Tayabas’ OTOP: lambanog.

such as the time-honored art of lambanog 5 making. In fact, its OTOP (One Town, One Product) is lambanog or coconut wine, and has earned the town the title of “Lambanog Capital of the Philippines.”

As the early morning sun slowly rises in the horizon, skilled workers climb the towering coconut trees with a short-handled sickle and a special hand-made bamboo container called “tukil” to collect the coconut sap which will later be made into the popular wine. The end product is the smooth and warming sensation of the authentic Filipino spirit which is always present in the Umpukan at Tagayan, the town’s traditional drinking ritual, and during the Mayohan Festival every May, other celebrations, and just any ordinary gathering.

As one of the town’s profit-generating industries, a distillery can produce as much as 400 liters of coconut wine a day. Mallari Distillery, one of the leading distilleries in town, sells 375ml and 750ml bottles priced 130 to 450 depending on the kind. They have even expanded the business with the help of the local Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) under their Micro Small-Medium Enterprise Development Program. Over a few shots of triple distilled lambanog, I found out that Mr.

HOT SPOTS Joselito R. Mallari started to export the Philippine’s native spirit back in early 2000.

First he exported to Japan, then the United States, and now, to New Zealand. He adds that aside from the Filipinos overseas, foreigners like Japanese nationals are starting to appreciate the distinct taste of lambanog. The triple-distilled variety is widely favored for its smooth and “sabitfree” taste.

6

A QUICK GLANCE @ TAYABAS

would like to do business with Mr. Bernales, sooner or later, need not go all the way to Quezon.

He plans to expand his business with the opening of his own showroom in Metro Manila in the near future. In the meantime, he would be more than

7

TOP INDUSTRIES: Lambanog and handicraftmaking EMERGING INDUSTRY: Organic farming OTOP: Lambanog RAW MATERIALS: Coconut sap/nectar WHERE TO STAY: Mi Casa en Tayabas, a boutique hotel with Spanish modern eclectic style within the town proper.

WEAVING A BUSINESS

Another industry that generates profit for the town is their local handicraft. Chit B. Pontioso of ATC Craft Venture participates in trade shows in Manila. ATC produces wooden bird cages, rattan baskets, interesting and colorful coco leaves (made out of “ting-ting” and wood shavings), and other decorative pieces for Oriental Handicrafts and Oriental Hands Enterprise that export the products to Germany and other countries. They produce an average of 250 pieces a day per item.

Prospective clients will be pleased to know that they can churn out more if demand requires. Their items retail for as low as 35 for the coco leaves and can go up to 200 for their rattan baskets.

Likewise, Cocoy Bernales of Martha’s Handicraft produces items for Regalong Pambahay. They supply the retail store with unique and colorful pieces like wind chimes and candleholders made from recyclable materials such as dried leaves, twigs and branches, and bottles. They also join local trade shows and provide the special twig basket for the packaging of the town’s local lambanog business. Entrepreneurs who

willing to accommodate any inquiries in his shop in Tayabas.

I was surprised to find out that the local handicraft industry is DID struggling, due to cheap YOU KNOW? labored products imported from China. However, Chit and Cocoy were quick to clarify that business, nevertheless, is coming in at a steady pace.

Interested entrepreneurs can assist in the development of the industry by purchasing their products, hiring them to produce particular items, or even promoting them to their colleagues.

ECO-FRIENDLY INDUSTRY

The town of Tayabas is predominantly agricultural and Mayor Dondi Silang wants to make the most of its natural resources.

Over a delicious lunch of Garlic Chicken and Seafood Kare-Kare and a tall glass of Gumamela Iced tea at Mi Casa en Tayabas Boutique Hotel, he explains that the rich soil and cool climate of Tayabas make it ideal for organic farming. Recognizing the increasing demand for organic farming produce, he is

HOW TO GET AROUND: The tricycle and jeepney fares go for 6 to 7 depending on the destination.

WHAT TO DO: ✔ Enjoy the eco-friendly environment and amenities of Graceland Estates and Country Club. ✔ Feast on Tayabas’ seafood dishes like Inihaw na Pla-pla , Inihaw na Hito , and Habhab (local pansit ) at Kamayan sa Palaisdaan.

The feast of San Isidro Labrador, patron saint of farmers, is celebrated all over Quezon from May 11 to 15—there’s the Pahiyas sa Lucban, Agawan sa Sariaya, Balwarte sa Gumaca, and Mayohan sa Tayabas—which is also when the Lambanog Festival is held.

preparing to steer the town in this direction.

They are now breeding worms as preparation for organic farming—worms help air out and break down the soil while their droppings provide nutrients to the soil. Now would be the best time for entrepreneurs to enter this type of business since it is relatively new. Also, with the readily available resources, it can be quite convenient and affordable.

The quiet town of Tayabas is more than just a tourist destination. Tayabasins have a rich recollection of the Philippine’s past in their midst, which makes it conducive for tourism and even business. Definitely, the spirit of the Filipino continues to live on in these modern times. ● MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG • 11

HOT NEGOSYO

A Healthy Harvest T Two female entrepreneurs flourish in the fresh foods business.

BY KATRINA TAN • PHOTOS MARK CHES ANG

he focus on freshness has been on an upswing, not only for health reasons but also for ecological considerations (thanks in great part to attention from Hollywood). These days, more and more people are now looking for unprocessed products and organic food.

The success of these two female entrepreneurs—both in the fresh produce industry—further proves that it’s not only possible to enjoy a natural and nourishing lifestyle, but make a good living from it, as well.

MAKEUP BY AL DE LEON

DELICIOSO: FRESH STARTS

JILL BUSUEGO of Delicioso is a firm believer of healthy eating.

12 • MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG

JILL BUSUEGO’S DELICIOSO started out as a modest catering business in 1981 and hit a gold mine in the mid-2000s when people began asking for salads and other healthy options. “A loyal client asked if I could provide her with South Beach meals. Since it was the beginning of the year and most of the events were winding down, I decided to give it a try,” she recalls.

This spurred Jill to introduce a line of South Beach Diet dishes, which basically replaces “bad” carbohydrates (“those that have been refined and processed, and are mostly loaded with additives and preservatives, hence losing their natural nutritional value”) and fats with “good” carbs that have undergone relatively minimal processing and are still very nutritious.

“The South Beach is a good diet because it disciplines and educates one what is a proper portion, which cooking method to use when preparing meals, and which ingredients to favor,” Jill says.

BACK TO BASICS

After reading up on the popular diet, Jill created a menu featuring dishes such as Chicken Lemongrass Skewer with Vegetable Slaw and Grilled Mushroom Burger served with Roasted Vegetables. “The target consumers are the health-conscious, who have personal health concerns, are feeling a bit heavy, and want to jumpstart their weight loss. Some simply want to go on a diet and don’t have the energy nor time to prepare their meals,” she explains.

Expenses-wise, aside from purchasing two motorcycles for deliveries, Jill’s investments have mainly gone towards business expansion.

She also hired 12 employees, which included two chief cooks and delivery personnel.

As Jill herself has a weak stomach, she is “very particular about freshness.” She says, “My advice is to only buy when needed. For example, I buy my vegetables from the market every two days, wrap them first in paper and then in plastic, and place them in the fridge. I also make it a point to have the meat de-boned or filleted for the diner’s convenience. Food shouldn’t be delivered at temperatures between 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit—this is the dangerous range when bacteria grows fastest.”

HEALTHY SERVINGS

While large functions often have higher margins, deliveries help Delicioso stay top-ofmind of customers. “It’s something that can be purchased on a more frequent basis. I now deliver an average of 20 dishes daily. There are currently about 25 clients on the 14-Day South Beach Diet program, with new people signing up every day,” she says. “The bestseller is the Chicken Parmigiana, served over pasta or rice, and costs from 135 to 175, depending which size you get.”

Delicioso CONTACT DETAILS delivers meals Agri-Growers Multipurpose at 112 to Cooperative 235, while its Gemmarc Foods, Inc. customized 26 Hillside Loop, Blue Ridge South Beach A Subd., Quezon City Program is 0917.8552742 priced at www.gemmarcfoods.com 10,000. “I do consider Delicioso competitive Mesclun Specialties, Inc. pricing, but #13-B Gen. Segundo St., what’s more San Antonio Village, Ortigas important Center, Pasig City to me is the 0917.8223354, 0926.4735264 quality of the Telefax: (632) 910.0310, (632) 910.0123 ingredients,” info@deliciosophilippines.com www.deliciosophilippines.com

HOT NEGOSYO she says. “Competition Delicioso is about. I is very stiff. Oftentimes, also send e-mail and the selling price is a text blasts whenever customer’s only basis we have new offers,” for choosing their she says. caterer, but the quality “Globe has also and style are important helped a lot in making as well. I am constantly our business grow. re-inventing Delicioso In fact, Delicioso has Delicioso’s South Beach diet to fit different markets. dishes are proof that eating been a Globe Broadband I assess possible future healthy doesn’t mean depriving and landline subscriber business opportunities, yourself of palatable delights. since 2006. We’re also and see if I can give a a G-Cash Merchant, promotional price just with all the staff using so more people can try Touch Mobile SIMs and our food.”

Share-A-Load.”

“One’s earnings depend on the costA THRIVING method they use. For BUSINESS example, food costs Delicioso attributes are usually padded 30 its major growth spurt percent for fine dining to being featured in and 70 percent for the popular Qualibet fast food,” she adds.

Testing campaign in “People think that 2007. “At that time, profits in the food Qualibet was starting industry are big, but to establish itself as the expenses are big, a world-class food too—labor, utilities, and pharmaceutical etc. Your earnings vary testing facility. When its given the expenses you founder, Pinky Tobiano, incur.” ordered a few South The South Beach Beach Diet meals from Diet is divided into three me, I had no idea that 14-day phases, of which that she was actually Delicioso provides the testing a number of first two. “We send suppliers to see if their the standard menu to food was truly nutritious interested clients, after and sanitary!” reveals Jill. which they can bring up “Soon after, she called to any food preferences or say that my meals had restrictions. Once they passed all her quality complete payment— tests, and asked if she through cash, check could feature them in pick-up and deposit, G-Cash, or her upcoming ‘Diet or Daya’ campaign.

PayPal—we then deliver a day’s worth Today, all my South Beach Diet meals of meals the night before the day of are Qualibet tested and approved.” consumption,” shares Jill.

Being flexible is another trait that Jill thinks is vital for a business S P R E A D I N G T H E W O R D to flourish. For example, Delicioso THROUGH TECHNOLOGY can “convert our regular meals to Needless to say, Jill’s venture into the healthier South Beach Diet versions, South Beach Diet was a hit, thanks to her such as using whole-wheat noodles enthusiastic sister-in-law who was her for pasta dishes. This way, a person first client. “Due to her positive response can try a meal before committing to and word-of-mouth, people soon the entire program!” began placing orders,” beams Jill.

She is optimistic about the future Jill has high praises for the of Delicioso. “Healthy eating is already importance of technology in business. popular, and it’s only going to grow as “I’m not a techie, but I know that being people get more conscious of things online is important. I started a website like trans fat and which carbs are good in 2007, which basically explains what for them.” ●

“Healthy eating is already popular, and it’s only going to grow as people get more conscious of things like trans fat and which carbs are good for them.”

LITO and ADELYN MISA go green with Goolai Salads.

MAKE UP BY ANA ISIP • HAIR BY JULIUS CASUYON

GOOLAI: FRESHNESS IN A PACK

Cliché as it seems, ADELYN MISA discovered the idea for GOOLAI SALADS purely by accident. “When my daughter Joanna began working in 2003, I would often make salads for her to bring for lunch. Her co-workers asked her to sell them salads, too, and soon, Joanna was bringing so many to work,” she remembers.

This high demand gave Adelyn (who was already operating GENMARC FOOD, INC., a small catering business, out of her own kitchen since 1981) the idea of delivering salads to employees of large companies. “Goolai Salads was the first to make ready-toeat fresh salad packs,” she proudly states. “We offered two kinds daily—one with vinaigrette and one with creamy dressing. Soon, we were being copied and even the fast food outlets came out with their own fresh salads priced much lower. But we survived because of our high quality and good value for money.”

Each pack is now priced at 146, and contains about 150 grams of lettuce and another 200 grams of various toppings, ranging from chicken to fresh strawberries and mangoes—whichever is available. The vegetables are grown hydroponically—using carefully measured water instead of soil—to prevent bacteria and pesticide contamination.

Adelyn explains that since 80 percent of a person’s intake should be alkaline-forming food (vegetables, fruits, and fish), the choice to sell healthy meals is not just a personal lifestyle; it’s a bodily requirement. “We got a very enthusiastic initial reaction since we offer an alternative to unhealthy fast food fare.”

NOT-SO-SMOOTH SAILING YET

“We were quite surprised at the response to our salads. Thanks to referrals and word-of-mouth, our customer list reached 3,000 by 2007!” shares Adelyn. “Although there are competing salad [brands] now, we’re still rising at a fast rate.

MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG • 13

HOT NEGOSYO We’ve been approached by a supermarket chain, a large pizza company, a new coffeehouse, and minimart chain to supply their in-house salads.”

“Our first big problem was sourcing greener varieties of lettuce that were grown hydroponically. Thankfully, a local seed supplier, Allied Botanical Corporation, helped me get in touch with farmers that met our needs. Many farms have since begun growing hydroponic lettuce and there’s now an ample supply,” she shares. “Then, I had to figure out how to dry over 100 kilograms of lettuce. I asked a machine shop to fabricate a large vegetable spinnerdrier for 6,000. As the business grew, I used the earnings to buy a walk-in chiller.”

PRODUCTION PROBLEMS

“People are more concerned about their weight and their wellbeing, and are therefore very conscious about what they eat.”

Things got more difficult when the deliveries hit as high as 800 a day. “We had to prepare the salads at 4 a.m. so they could arrive fresh for lunch. It was difficult to estimate the number of orders, as some would come in late at night and supermarkets were only open at 10 a.m. There were many times we ran short of ingredients,” Adelyn admits.

Moreover, customers were often not present to accept the delivery. “Some would be at a meeting or out of the office [when the deliveries arrived].

Although we asked them to leave instructions and payment with the guard or receptionist, they forget to do so. A few unclaimed salads had to be brought back, and though we had a policy that all deliveries should be paid for, it was too difficult to collect,” she recalls.

At times, the problem was building security.

If a delivery person wasn’t allowed to go up to a particular office, he would have to wait for the customer to come down. “Even a 15minute delay by one customer sets back all the deliveries,” Adelyn explains.

So in 2005, she decided to stop the deliveries and make the salads available to the public through supermarkets and store outlets.

This tactic was a wise decision, as it required less delivery people and made it easier to keep track of collections and sales.

“Our first consignment was in Rustan’s Fresh Supermarkets. They liked our concept and offered to put it in their Makati, Greenbelt 1, and Rockwell branches. Sales were very good, so they expanded our consignment to include their Corinthian Hills, Forbes, Gateway Mall, Katipunan, and Magallanes branches,” she says. “It was a hard adjustment at first, since deliveries gave us immediate cash and consignment is paid in terms. But we’ve developed good relations with our outlet partners, so our payments are regular and on time.”

14 • MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG

and cherry tomatoes. “We do a lot of research on salads here and abroad,” she remarks.

Due to the high demand for other products to go with the salads, Adelyn introduced two new lines—bottled salad dressings and healthy Tinapai Sandwiches—in 2006. To keep operations simple, she established Agri-Growers Multipurpose Cooperative for Goolai’s farm where they can plant their own lettuce and be able to give their farmers and other members more benefits, while Gemmarc manages the newer food products.

All 25 salad dressings are homemade and preservative-free. A 250-ml bottle ranges from 150 to 155; a 350-ml bottle, 200 to 205; while a 500-ml bottle, 250 to 255.

Tinapai Sandwiches, meanwhile, are made with whole wheat bread and a number of healthful fillings. They are priced at 90 to 110 and come with a small pack of potato chips.

As of now, the sandwiches and bottled dressings are only available through direct order and in her 8-sqm kiosk in Promenade Lane, Greenhills. “The kiosk is basically a takeout store. We’re lucky to be located along the perimeter of the mall, where cars can stop Healthy Tinapai sandwiches are made from whole to buy. It’s doing very well,” she shares. “We wheat bread and come with a small pack of chips. opened another kiosk inside Unimart in 2008, PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOLAI which later closed due to slow sales. Since we were located at the far end, SPROUTING OUT shoppers couldn’t really Boost Business Goolai Salads are now find us.”

Productivity with available in about 50 She proudly adds, Faster Internet outlets, such as Crossings “The sales of our bottled Connection with Supermarkets, Parco dressings are growing. In Supermarkets, Petron fact, many balikbayans Treats, Robinsons buy them as pasalubongs, Supermarkets, and so we even get inquiries Total Gasoline Stations. from abroad! We plan to “As we wanted uniform further develop in 2009, With Bandwidth ranging pricing and we supply on so we can start supplying from 384 kbps to a consignment basis, we supermarket outlets.”

5 Mbps, you can choose give the outlets a fixed the broadband plan percentage of the price DOING BUSINESS VIA that will best suit your and take back any unsold THE WEB business requirement. packs on the third day,” “The Goolai brand has Perform more task says Adelyn. “However, we indeed become a byword to just by adding decide how many packs to salad-eaters—seeing our 1,050 to your monthly deliver, depending on the sign on an outlet window service fee to get a outlet. A single outlet can is enough to make people desktop computer or sell from 10 to 60 packs stop by,” Adelyn reveals.

1,425 for a laptop. per day.”

Having never engaged in Adelyn still supplies two traditional advertising, she For more information, kinds of salads daily. She launched a website when call 730-1288 or visit rotates about 30 varieties of Goolai Salads started, http://globe.com.ph/business Goolai Salads, depending on which was an efficient and or go to any the fruits and vegetables in effective move.

Globe Business Center. season, such as strawberries continued on p26 Goolai Salads has now expanded to include yummy salad dressings such as Raspberry Vinaigrette and Strawberry Vinaigrette.

Broadband Biz Bundle

COVER FEATURE

PJ and MICHELLE PLES have inherited their mom’s green thumb and knack for entrepreneurship.

Earth’s their

EDEN

MAKEUP BY KRIS BACANI

The PLES SIBLINGS sow the seeds of change, outdoors and online

BY ABBY YAO PHOTOS BY JUN PINZON

P

ATRICK JOSEPH “PJ” PLES, 28, and his sister KRYSTLE MICHELLE, 20, may be young, but they are no greenhorns in business. Together, they run the Parañaque City-based EARTH GARDEN & LANDSCAPING, taking on projects ranging from sprucing up home pocket gardens to transforming the grounds of a corporate headquarters in an industrial park. An Industrial Engineering graduate of De La Salle University, PJ heads the marketing and operations as President and General Manager, while Michelle, a Communication Arts senior at Assumption College, manages and oversees the flower shop and introduces new designs for flower arrangements.

Having the family business passed down to the brother-and-sister team may be the good fortune of these green thumbs, but the ideas they bring into the company are all theirs to claim.

CONTACT DETAILS: Earth Garden & Landscaping 296 Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes Parañaque City, Metro Manila 0915.5747067; 0927.3236464 earth_garden@yahoo.com www.earthgardenonline.com

MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG • 15

COVER FEATURE A MOTHER’S ART

The first seeds for Earth Garden came from their mother Emy, who herself has a green thumb and is a plant enthusiast. She had opened a flower shop called Buds & Blossoms in Makati in 1981, but closed it down in 1984 when she became busy rearing her five kids. Jogging around her childhood hometown in Bulacan many years later with Michelle, she saw an area that seemed perfect for her hobby. In 1996, that 1-hectare lot became their first plant nursery.

Emy’s design and drawing skills combined with her love for plants were a hit. “Friends and relatives would visit her to see her plant collection,” recalls PJ. “From there, they would ask for her help in setting up their gardens. Her initial landscape works were quite impressive and stunning, so people referred her for landscape designs.”

The 1 million starting capital she spent on the lot and initial inventory was recouped in less than a year via selling plants, trees, grass, landscape materials and garden accessories, and offering landscape design and construction, garden maintenance, and renovation services.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP 2.0

While in college, PJ helped out in the other family businesses—trading, jewelry manufacturing, and a convenience store—by manning the store and making signboards . His first job was at Nissan Motor Philippines. After three years in the corporate world, he felt ready to jump into entrepreneurship in 2005 at age 25.

Earth Garden was stable before PJ came on board full-time. But with a business in his hands, PJ dreamed big. He spearheaded setting up the 1,000-sqm nursery and flower shop in BF Parañaque near their home, marketed aggressively, and built a stronger brand image through media exposure in newspapers and magazines. He also added events styling for occasions such as debuts and weddings to their list of services.

PJ quickly took on the mindset of an entrepreneur. In addition to interacting with customers and studying the operations, he “devoted many hours to research and reading books.” He finds both his degree and work experience helpful, but points out the immediate change of lifestyle from employee to entrepreneur. “Usually, an employee can relax after 5pm, but as an entrepreneur, your business is always on your mind,” PJ explains.

“Even at night, you think of it, you evaluate, you plan and think of your activities for the next day. You cannot relax because your business also relaxes.”

He adds, “Entrepreneurship brought out the best in me. I think [entrepreneurship is] for the brave and daring ones.”

16 • MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG

The nursery and head office of Earth Garden in Parañaque is literally a green haven.

SMALL STEPS, BIG LEAPS

With limited equipment, manpower, and funds, PJ learned to be resourceful. “I had to learn alternative means of doing tasks and activities in a less costly way,” he says. “If special equipment is not available, renting one is the alternative. You must also learn to reinvest your profits.”

Another challenge PJ faced was relating to their laborers: “I noticed that the workers are somewhat more sensitive. You have to choose your words so as not to offend them in any way.

I also learned how to motivate them.”

When PJ took the reins, his first customer was a walk-in client who came to have his home garden landscaped. This initiation into the business was memorable for PJ because of the excitement he felt. “It was the chance for me to show what I have learned,“ he says. Earth Garden fulfilled the requirement without any hitches and since then, sales have multiplied.

PJ Ples: “The Internet is a quick and valuable resource for us in gathering information that can be used by our company.”

ALL SHAPES AND SIZES

As Earth Garden’s residential clients come from high-end subdivisions such as Portofino Alabang, Dasmariñas Village, and Ayala Alabang, where gardens tend to be 300 sqms or more, the average cost for residential clients is 100,000 inclusive of labor and materials. However, Earth Garden is not limited to big-budgeted projects. “We try to tailorfit a landscape design based on the clients’ budget,” says PJ. “If no budget [is given], we base our price on the size of the area, choice of plants, and other specifications.” Whatever the size, Earth Garden will take on any outdoor project, whether it’s a patio or a waterfall, and accommodate requests for feng shui to be considered in their designs. Landscaping clients also become clients for garden maintenance.

Earth Garden also gets expat clients. PJ finds foreigners more open-minded: “They give you more freedom and give you authority but are strict on time. You need to be there early and

finish on time.” Because of the professionalism PJ instills in his workers, this is not a problem. The workers wear a uniform and an ID, the team sticks to the project timetable, and after-sales service is efficient and prompt. “We discuss everything transparently,” says PJ. He takes pride in their practice of KAIZEN (Japanese for “continuous improvement”), as well as the company’s core values of Excellence, Artistic Talent, Reliability, Teamwork, and Honesty (EARTH). continued on p18

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COVER FEATURE the different garden designs. We buy the latest books to our business. The Internet is also a quick and valuable resource for us in gathering information that can be used by our company.”

Corporate projects (such as the Ericsson building in Sta. Rosa, Laguna) are often larger than the average residential garden, but the clients have a much longer approval process and additional requirements, such as financial documents, a list of completed projects of the same scale as the project being considered, equipment list, and construction bonds. “You usually deal with the engineer, architect, manager, all the way to the top decision maker,” says PJ. Landscaping services peak during the rainy season. “People don’t want to plant in the summer because it’s difficult to make things grow,” shares PJ. During the lean months, allied products and services help increase their turnover. Landscaping still accounts for 60% of billings, while event styling and retail sales each comprise 20% of total earnings.

From a workforce of 10 in 1996, Earth Garden now employs up to 50 people, mainly on a per-project basis, during the peak season. The staff handles 10 or more projects at a time, each running from two weeks to six months, depending on the scale of the project.

O t h e r s a r e even willing to pay more. Unlike other garden businesses who consider their immediate neighborhood their target market, Earth Garden is as outwardlooking as the business name suggests. Earth Garden does not consider distance a difficulty, though there is a premium on cost for projects in other provinces. Among Earth Garden’s finished projects are a resort in Batangas and a resthouse in Palawan. For the latter, they shipped the plants and brought a team of 15 to the site.

Why hire Earth Garden? The secret is and has always been the design. Concept illustrations are still done by hand, but the landscape plans are done by professional landscape architects, engineers, and designers. As proof, Earth Garden bagged two awards last year: People’s Choice Award for Best Exhibit Display at the 19th Philippine Travel Mart, SM Megatrade

PHOTO BY JUN PINZON

WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS

BRANCHING OUT, CULTIVATING SKILLS

But perhaps the best advice still comes from his parents, especially his mother, who he consults on major business decisions. As the head of the design team, she still comes up with the concept and has the final word on the designs.

Michelle appears to be on the same path to entrepreneurship taken by her mother and eldest brother. As a student, she maximizes her time at the flower shop. “After school, I come here to entertain customers, check stock. In the summer, I spend most of my time here every day,” she says. She brings the love of nature she inherited from her mom into her work and takes inspiration from her surroundings.

The Ples siblings are not worried about competition, especially since they are more serviceoriented than the retail-centered garden companies in the industry. PJ is upbeat on the demand and notes that there is no significant change in sales between 2008 and this year despite the economic crunch. “The daily challenge is how to further improve the company’s business operations, including manpower, facilities, systems, and marketing.”

The multi-tasking siblings’ vision for the future is a rosy one: “We envision Earth Garden to be a power brand...[with] more allied products and services and possibly a nature-oriented foundation that will help preserve, promote, and protect Mother Nature.” Indeed, growing a business has never been so youthful and green. ●

LANDSCAPE PHOTOS COURTESY OF EARTH GARDEN

“We envision Earth Garden to be a power brand...[with] more allied products and services and possibly a nature-oriented foundation that will help preserve, promote and protect Mother Nature.”

18 • MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG

Hall; and Best Exhibit Design at the Philippine International Flora & Fauna Garden Expo, World Trade Center.

GROUNDED CONNECTED

BUT

That a business so rooted to the soil and to manual work can be tied to the Internet is not surprising for PJ’s generation. “I believe in the power of the Internet,” he declares. The comprehensive Earth Garden website, which he maintains and designs himself, is always advertising. It generates 1,000 unique hits a month, which PJ thinks significantly helps them get more clients. He sees the business as technology-driven. He uses e-mail to send proposal letters and to communicate with clients and suppliers. SMS and calls are also vital to their daily business coordination and monitoring.

Overseas Filipinos Workers (OFWs) use Xoom to make credit card purchases from Earth Garden’s online Flower and Garden Shop. “Usually, they purchase items like flowers, dish gardens, and plants,” reveals PJ. “The items are delivered to the recipients here in the Philippines. We have already had more than 200 online credit card transactions.”

PJ says it will be relatively easy to set up the online ordering system once nationwide online purchases pick up.

Until today, Earth Garden prides itself in being on top of the game. “We invest significant time and effort in research and development. We even travel abroad to countries like China, Australia, Singapore, USA, and Hong Kong to learn

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GLOBAL ANG DATING

Bottoms UP! Fate brought LITO MALLARI to the fore of the family’s lambanog business.

But the expansion he spearheaded made MALLARI DISTILLERY what it is today.

W

ho knew that a local spirit could win over even foreigners? Lambanog , made from distilled coconut and a staple in tagayan sessions all over Quezon province, has crossed over to the foreign shores of the United States, New Zealand, and Japan, thanks to MALLARI DISTILLERY. The period between 1985 to 1988 ushered in many changes for LITO MALLARI, who went from being an accountant in a lime (or apog) factory to taking over the reins of the family’s lambanog distillery after his father passed away. “I had mixed reactions,” he recalls. “I was happy because I was the boss, but at the same time, it was a huge adjustment for me.” It helped, though, that as he was growing up, he served as errand boy for his father.

But being at the helm was a different story. It demanded a lot of flexibility, especially in human resource management. “You need to know their feelings, kasi makikisama ka rin dun sa mga tao,” he says.

B Y A U B R E Y P H OTO S B Y

S A N G A L A N G J U N P I N Z O N

MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG • 19

GLOBAL ANG DATING FROM ERRAND BOY TO BIG BOSS

Fortunately, the basic foundation of the business was in place, as he is the third-generation manager: “I didn’t have to buy a farm lot, distillery equipment, etc. All I had to do was polishing, including initiating control measures, quality control, inventory.” Mallari Distillery also has minimal problems in terms of meeting production requirements since they don’t mass produce, but instead, produce only specialty products.

To add his personal touch to the business, Lito introduced innovations that added variance to the products, and consequently, increased their market base.

His grandfather introduced the 90-proof and 80-proof variants. “Proof” is the standard alcohol content in distillery lingo. A 90-proof liquor has 45 percent alcohol while an 80proof has 40 percent. To be more competitive in the market, Lito has increased the product line to include single-distilled, doubledistilled, triple-distilled, 12 years old, mango, wild berry or bignay liquor, coffee-flavored, and blueberry-flavored lambanog .

Each variant caters to a niche market. The coffee-flavored lambanog, for example, is preferred by young professionals who are more “experimental” with their liquor.

But drinking lambanog per se, Lito explains, is part of Filipino culture.

In terms of pricing, he says one “must be competitive enough to be able to compete.”

Lito is proud of the fact that they alone produce an 80-proof, triple-distilled, 750 ml lambanog which costs 450. A less expensive choice is a first-distilled, unpackaged 90proof lambanog, at only 250.

In general, he says that a good entrepreneur should know his product. “I think that if you believe in your product, you will surely succeed.

And most of all support our country—buy Filipino products,” he concludes.

FOREIGN FLAVOR

In early 2000, upon the urging of Japanese customers, Mallari Distillery expanded from being a local distributor to duty-free shops, specialty stores, and pasalubong centers

“I think that if you believe in your product, you will surely succeed. And most of all support our country—buy Filipino products.”

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

Good research is key to their success, which is why their company has their own Research and Development office, which takes care of studying the trends in production and marketing before they launch a new product. His company presently has 30 personnel, 22 of which take care of the production, including the hauling of raw materials, specifically coconut, and distillation.

Aside from good research and the lambanog’s cultural roots, he says that their success can be attributed to their unique packaging: exquisitely hand-woven “lala” boxes.

“We have to be consistent in our quality to satisfy customers,” Lito states, stressing that quality and packaging are what set their products apart from their competition. He adds that another factor is sourcing of raw materials. “Dapat mahalin mo ang coconut tree kasi ’yun ’yung pinagkukunan mo ng raw materials. Dapat rin environmentconscious at CONTACT DETAILS environmentMallari Distillery friendly ka dahil J.P. Rizal St., Tayabas, mas maaalagaan Quezon mo ang mga 0917.3257645 coconut trees,” mallari_joselito@yahoo.com Lito advises.

20 • MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG

and began exporting the Philippine spirit. It started off with Japan; then, the United States.

Dealing with different buyers, Lito has become accustomed to the different traits of foreign clients. He says that the Taiwanese are price-conscious while Europeans are straightforward customers: “If the Europeans say what they want, they mean it. Madali silang kausap.”

Lito says that 80-proof lambanog is preferred by foreign buyers, while “90-proof is too strong for foreign buyers, except those living in cold countries.”

But their primary market, even abroad, are kababayans.

“Pilipino pa rin ang iinom ng lambanog abroad. With millions of OFWs, bumili lang ng tig-iisang bottle of lambanog, sure na ang benta,” he explains. These past few months, however, orders have decreased, owing to the recent global recession.

GLOBAL ANG DATING E-MAIL: PAVING THE WAY TO THE FUTURE

LITO MALLARI: “Dapat environmentconscious at environmentfriendly ka dahil mas maaalagaan mo ang mga coconut trees kung may concern ka sa environment.”

INSET PHOTOS: Mallari Distillery boasts of a wide range of lambanog varieties, which are packaged using “lala” boxes when sold in trade fairs.

With the company’s huge market abroad, e-mail is obviously vital for their daily business.

“When there was no e-mail communication with foreign buyers, we only had the telephone to communicate.

E-mail is certainly a big help for us. You can close a deal through e-mail because it is written and you have evidence of the transaction, unlike a telephone conversation, [where exchanges with client are only verbal],” Lito says.

While the company still has no branch abroad because of the limited resources of an SME, it sells to its foreign market through distributors who found the company through the popular web search engine Google.

They also joined trade expositions of the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) at the Philippines’ World Trade Center from 2000 to 2005, which definitely raised awareness about them among buyers.

Mallari Distillery started exporting to New Zealand with the brand name Atin just this February. Lito says that they are also planning to launch another brand called Doña Pita, a 12 year-old lambanog named after his grandmother, the founder of their distillery.

Lito proudly shares that because he grew up in the lambanog business, he understands the nitty-gritty of lambanog production: “I know the smallest details from production to sales.” Being a hands-on manager helps him lessen the lapses in production and important decisions in the company. “I didn’t choose to be hands-on but the situation dictated it.

[I have learned to be more specific and pay attention to details,]” he explains. ●

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MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG • 21

Flower

POWER Talent and passion for flower arrangement turned this engineer into an event stylist

E ‘‘

B Y L E O O R T E G A L A PA R A N I I • P H OTO S B Y J U N P I N Z O N

vent styling is when flowers, lighting, decoration, and props are incorporated with the look and ambience of the venue, thus creating the essential theme and mood for a wedding,” says 32 year-old TEDDY MANUEL, an aeronautics engineer by profession. He makes weddings come alive through his Flowers & Events™

by Teddy Manuel.

In early 2001, while working as ground crew for Air Philippines and pursuing a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, Teddy helped organize a friend’s wedding.

Naturally gifted in visual arts and a penchant for arranging things, he found his calling: He started accepting bookings for weddings, and when he had to make a business plan as part of graduate school requirements, it was inevitable that he focused on floral arrangements for weddings.

“I supplied flowers to City Garden, a small hotel in Makati, for its events every week. I was doing that for around a year when I realized I was also accumulating more and more contacts that included other suppliers, hotels and venues, caterers, wedding planners and coordinators, media organizations, even my competition,” he says.

Growing up in a household that ran a food business, Teddy had a natural inclination towards entrepreneurship. Encouraged by his success, he put his MBA pursuit on hold to open Flowers & Events™ by Teddy Manuel in 2001. He only had 100,000 as initial capital and the professional expertise of his brother Roland, who handled mainly purchasing, inventory, and accounting. “I thought I’d have a niche in the floral arrangement of a wedding. Considering current trends, ‘di na basta florist ang isang florist.

This time, there’s more challenge to the role,” tells Teddy.

He would go to Divisoria to buy materials for his arrangements. He turned to now-defunct livelihood TV shows Negosiyete and TeleAralan ng Kakayahan to guide him in the procedures. “Hindi pa uso ang glue gun before; it was still expensive then. So I had to do the

22 • MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG

pasting and attaching using an alcohol lamp,” he recalls.

Their first office was a tiny space in San Marcelino, Manila, whose size, in Teddy’s words, “was 20 steps, back and forth.”

Neither he nor his brother received any salary from the business initially. “Multitasking was the name of our game when we were new. I took charge of the creatives while Roland handled mostly clerical and admin stuff. After a year, we started earning, and we were able to recover our investment then,” he recounts.

Blooming Business

Teddy’s now full-fledged venture prides itself with on-time, consistent, and excellent service. He always tries to make everything personalized and customized for his clients, as his company is known for coming up with really thematic and detailed weddings. For him, weddings are all about ideas and concepts. “Even if you use inexpensive flowers but arrange them in such a way that it will appear simple yet elegant and classy, it works.”

Teddy primarily offers three packages specially designed to suit the needs of soon-to-be-newlyweds in their early 20s to late 30s, his primary clients: Entourage Package for 18,000 (inclusive of hand-tied bouquet for the bride and the entourage,

BATANG NEGOSYANTE choices of flowers in season, depending on the motif and availability, and a gift for the client); Church Package for 25,000 (inclusive of pew and altar arrangements, altar candle holders and choices of flowers); and Reception Package for 35,000 (inclusive of table arrangements, backdrop, and choices of flowers). These are all based on the costs of flowers acquired from Baguio, Tagaytay, Bacolod, Davao, China, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, and Holland; and the types and costs of services needed to produce the said packages.

With medium to upper-scale price markets, the “-ber” months, especially December, see the business vibrantly blooming for Flowers & Events™. “Contributing factors are the holiday season, stretching until February, with

Filipinos abroad coming home to maximize the holidays,” observes Teddy. “But, surprisingly, the wedding season in the Philippines is a year-round affair!”

Aside from weddings, Teddy and team accept bookings for birthday parties, like debuts usually held during term breaks, other small parties, and corporate functions. They also sell the usual gift bouquets, which contribute to overall income as well. All these account for 10-15 percent of what can be lost business in a month during lean periods.

The business transferred to their current, bigger two-storey office along Quirino Avenue in August of 2008. Aside from his brother who handles purchasing, Teddy employs an accountant, two secretaries, two warehouse guys, and four in-house florists. He also has around 10 more florists and around 10 lighting and drapings staff, who are all on-call and are paid on a per-event basis.

“Even if you use inexpensive flowers but arrange them in such a way that it will appear simple yet elegant and classy, it works.”

TEDDY MANUEL flourishes with his floral and events styling business.

MAKEUP BY JASMINE MENDIOLA

Adding Tech to the Mix

CONTACT DETAILS Flowers & Events™ by Teddy Manuel 1321 Quirino Avenue corner Osmeña Highway, Malate, Manila 0916.5548993 mail@flowersandevents.com.ph www.flowersandevents.com.ph

“Having my business’ own website is effective because we have a lot of markets abroad, not to mention that many Filipinos work overseas.

Mas maraming kaming mari -reach,” says Teddy about the importance of being online.

“The same goes for taking advantage of chat features, like Yahoo! Messenger. We’re also wi-fi connected, so it’s less expensive and easier for us to connect online.”

“It’s so vital because we communicate with our clients mostly through the Internet.

It makes everything fast and efficient. I can do business even if I’m not in the office. The cellphone makes business transactions easier, even internal [communication] with my staff.

We can just call or text people.”

To update himself and his staff, Teddy makes sure that they attend mostly in-house Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC)-based training and seminars on floral arrangement every now and then, with him as principal designer-trainer and in joint efforts with some senior stylists. And his rule of thumb: “read, read, read and browse, browse, browse publications for ideas and inspirations.”

He also encourages them to research the Net for the latest trends and updates.

He remembers a time when he hesitated about buying even just one copy of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine, which would cost him around 500. “But I knew I couldn’t afford [not to] get a copy of it because it contains the information that I need. I had to keep on studying and learning from as MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG • 23

BATANG NEGOSYANTE much resources.” Eventually, he and his floral creations were featured in Martha Stewart Philippines September 2008 issue, as well as in other major wedding and bridal publications.

Periodically joining bridal fairs is a must, too, for Teddy and team to further promote the business and partner with events and wedding coordinators. Through this, they are assured of directly reaching their target market.

Flourishing in Fast Times

Teddy is happy to say that the wedding industry is not affected by the economic crunch. “Couples planning to get married will come up with a budget, no matter the circumstances.

Weddings are a one-time event that people will want to invest on. So when you’re investing on something that will last for a lifetime, hindi mo pagtitipiran .

That’s what makes weddings here in our country different from other cultures.”

Likewise, Teddy believes in being hands-on in one’s own business.

“That’s what my parents told me: ‘Wag ka nang mag-negosyo kung iaasa mo lang ito sa mga tauhan mo.”

So seriously he took this advice that Teddy had a hard time delegating work. “Instead of meeting with a client, I was stuck in the office doing the nitty-gritty. I realized there was no growth for me.” “[I learned to delegate only] four years after putting up the business-but still with my personal touch in every aspect, like making sure that I do the mock-ups myself,” he relates. “In business, even if you have good people, you still have to be there to personally oversee and check everything, to make sure that all are A-OK.” In fact, “During events, we are the first people to come in to prepare everything and also the last ones to leave the venue-all for the satisfaction of our clients,” he adds.

In the mock-up stage, Teddy comes up with a sample of the would-be appearance of the setting, like the look of the table centerpiece, as per budget of the client. The client will then take pictures of the mock-up for them to examine and make revisions and suggestions before giving their thumbs-up. Upon approval, Teddy’s florists will just execute

(clockwise from left): Paying attention to even the littlest details is part of Teddy’s drive to succeed.

Softly lit candles set the mood, whereas painstakingly crafted floral creations add a touch of vibrance to festivities.

“When you start young sa pag-nenegosyo, you’re aggressive in trying out ideas, and you’re not [afraid of failure]. You’re willing to take risks.

24 • MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG

the approved appearance on the day itself prior to the wedding ceremony proper.

“The good thing about it is that even if I’m not around, my staff can do the same arrangements by themselves, because from the very start, I was there to oversee things,” Teddy maintains.

In moments of mental block, Teddy taps his on-call designers and consultants, sometimes, even architects and production designers (for the lighting part)-his “creative department”-to help him out.

Musings About the Future

Of the event styling industry, Teddy says: “When you’re good, word about you [spreads] fast; ‘pag may palpak ka, news spreads at triple the speed. You have to be really careful, especially if your name is at stake.”

Now, Teddy wants to focus on sustainability.

“One thing is because we’re so personalized; we can only accommodate so many clients. On the business side, I’m thinking and studying whether I can come up with two to three different teams who can work for several clients in a day.”

Teddy says that his age was an advantage in striking out on his own. “When you start young sa pag-nenegosyo, you’re aggressive in trying out ideas, and you’re not [afraid of failure].

You’re willing to take risks. Just be passionate about what you’re doing and know that you have to be good at what you do. It’s about having faith in yourself and knowing what you know.” ●

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DID YOU KNOW...

TRIVIA TRIVIA

RP:

LAND of

LAKATAN

B

ananas are one of the most popular fruits in the world. They are today grown in every humid tropical region and are considered the fourth largest fruit crop of the world. The plant needs 10-15 months of frost-free conditions to produce a flower stalk. All but the hardiest varieties stop growing when the temperature drops below 12° C. Growth of the plant begins to slow down at about 27° C and stop entirely when the temperature reaches 38° C.

ROUNDUP High temperatures and bright sunlight will usually scorch the leaves and the fruit, although bananas grow best in full sun. It is ideal that most varieties of bananas be grown under 12 hours of bright light.

Given the Philippines’ tropical weather, it’s no wonder that CAVENDISH BANANA (saging na lakatan) production contributed the highest revenue to the Agriculture and Forestry sector at 27.8 BILLION or roughly 47.5% of the industry’s total, according to the 2006 Census of Philippine Business and Industry. Consequently, the business has the highest employment count, taking up around 35% of the industry’s total workforce.

According to a Business Mirror report, Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley in Southern Philippines are two of the country’s biggest producers of Cavendish bananas-exported mostly to Japan. The two provinces produce a combined 2.2 MILLION metric tons of Cavendish bananas, or about 80 PERCENT of the national Cavendish output in 2006.

Meanwhile, revenues derived from the growing of SUGARCANES and PINEAPPLES take the top two and three spots. Growing of sugarcanes (including the muscovado sugar-making in the farm) earned 3.3 BILLION in 2006, while pineapples earned 2.0 BILLION.

63

The percentage of the Philippines’ market share to the JAPANESE MANGO MARKET. Major competitors are Mexico and Thailand.

202,000

984,342 Number of produced MANGOES in the Philippines in 2005, in metric tons, making the industry the 3rd major exporter in the fruits sector (next to bananas and pineapple).

In US DOLLARS, the price tag of the world’s most expensive flower (an orchid) sold.

“Ideally, since 80 percent of your life is spent working, you should start your business around something that is a passion of yours. If you’re into kite-surfing and you want to become an entrepreneur, do it with kite-surfing.”

RICHARD BRANSON

fruit,

“If you could be a what would you be and why?”

Fellow entrepreneurs share what “fruity” characteristics they have.

C O M P I L E D B Y H E I D I R . PA S C U A L

ERROLE GUTIERREZ, Owner, 168media.net

“If I were to be a fruit, I would choose the coconut.

I want to be a coconut mainly because at every stage of its life and almost every part of its entirety is useful to man.”

COR SUNGLAO, Designer/ Owner, Coeur Clothing

“If I were a fruit, I’d be a mango. Usually nice and sweet, but if the timing isn’t right, can be a bit sour too. Easy to enjoy but also has a tough inner core.”

MARC VILLANUEVA, Project Manager, SheeroMedia.com

“I’d be a banana because most of the time, I’m surrounded with all sorts of monkeys and I get along with them just fine.”

JOEY SANTOS, Studio Manager & Proprietor, Love One Another Sound Production

“I’d want to be a tomato because it’s a fruit that gets used as a vegetable in cooking. I really like vegetables these days.

Anything but ampalaya!” ●

MAY 2009 • GLOBE MASIGASIG • 25

AGRIBUSINESS EXPORT 101

A HEALTHY HARVEST • GOOLAI: FRESHNESS IN A PACK

C ONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

C ONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

6. GET A FOREIGN AGENT. After gaining commitment from your supplier and establishing your product’s competency, look for a distributor in the country where you want to sell. Philexport can help match you with a representative abroad. You can also ask your banker for advice, or ask your friends or relatives abroad who might be able to sell your product directly to the consumers or at least find the right distributors for you.

“Since our initial target market was office workers from the AB class, we operated mainly through online orders. With just an e-mail address, mobile, and landline number, we were able to devise a system to computerize individual orders and deliveries,” she shares. “Customers were asked to register their contact details, so that we’d send our weekly salad menu to this database every Friday. When orders started pouring in, we’d automatically list them by company and send our confirmation replies. The list of orders would be printed and given to all assigned delivery personnel. Without this system, we would’ve never been able to service the hundreds of orders we got.” Her target market’s tech-savviness also helped spread awareness about Goolai.

While Adelyn no longer does personal deliveries, she still sends regular e-mails with service and product updates.

IMPORTANT: Make sure the agents you choose won’t be representing too many diverse industries or products or else they won’t be able to give your product the attention and focus it needs especially in its introductory phase.

7. RESPOND TO INQUIRIES. Compose a pro forma statement using the pricing numbers you learned from your initial research.

This form should illustrate the product, state the price, establish the time for shipment, and indicate terms of payment (i.e. letter of credit). Take note that your pro forma invoice is a binding price quotation so make your calculations carefully and doublecheck the form before sending it out.

IMPROVE YOUR EXPORT-EXPERTISE! Gain more confidence by taking some Export Management courses at De La Salle College of St. Benilde (www.askedu. net/course/c_61355_Export_ Management.htm), the Philippine Institute for Supply Management, or PhilExport Cebu’s Export Training and Coaching Center (info@philexportcebu.org).

8. CONCLUDE THE SALE. The initial trade contract will usually be settled by a letter of credit (LC). Dealing in U.S. dollars is recommended since it can be complicated to use other types of foreign currency.

You will get your commission check when payment is made on the LC. ●

back into the business. I’d like to invest in a few refrigerated vans, so we can maintain a cold chain from the farm to the supermarket, as well as open more stores and even a restaurant specializing in salads and health food.”

Adelyn is convinced that healthy eating is the way of the future.

“People are more concerned about their weight and their well-being, and are therefore very conscious about what they eat,” she states.

“Although people appreciate healthy food, purchasing power is still limited—people are looking for more value for money. But as long as your product is of good quality and worth buying, you will always have a market and your business will grow in the long run.” ● Lito & Adelyn, “People are very conscious about what they eat,”

A HEALTHY FUTURE

Adelyn tries to keep her gross margins at approximately “30 percent after the cost of goods. Many times when prices of ingredients increase, these margins suffer and we have to increase our prices again. But whatever we earn, we plow

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