Do you have the passion for business?

BUSINESS BITS
Art Tibaldo

BAGUIO CITY -- Not all can be entrepreneurs but everyone can be enterprising to move up in life. This is the gist of the well attended Go Negosyo seminar held recently at the University of the Cordilleras that challenged the participants to make a difference in their respective business ventures.

Dubbed Negosem, the event is part of the road-show seminar series on entrepreneurship that aims to help micro and small businesses on the basics of establishing an enterprise. Spearheaded by Joey Concepcion III, chairman and chief executive officer of RFM Corporation and Presidential Consultant on Entrepreneurship, the seminar touched on the key principles and how to do it in starting a business.

Department of Trade and Industry-Cordillera Director Myrna P. Pablo opened the day long seminar stressing the participant’s vital role in cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset, uplifting the Philippine economy and providing solutions to poverty.

The seminar’s framework focused less on theory and delved on practical, informative, and useful strategies on marketing, product development and financial management.

An interactive forum and sharing of experiences hosted by Ramon Lopez, Executive Director of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship also surfaced interesting stories from the participating guests.

Melody Ayupan, the youngest of the panel told the participants that she conceived Metaphors Bath and Beauty Products out of necessity when her physician advised her not to use chemical based products thus prompting her to research on organic soaps and concocted strawberry soap. Challenged by a Rolls Royce tagline “If it does not exist create it,” Ayupan was further determined to be a manufacturer when her bath soap was featured in media and when orders came in succession.

Rosemarie Bestre of Gardenline Vegetables and Angie dela Cruz of Tartland Baguio Pasarabo dwelt on quality, consistency and value for work.

Dela Cruz said she developed a new packaging for her products to address the problem of breakages during travels and to be able to reach high end stores and foreign markets.

Donna Jiao of XC Manufacturing and Trading Enterprise narrated how she carried on and expanded her family’s business of jewelry, supplied jewelry shops in Binondo Manila, innovated designs, put up a jewelry shop in Makati until finally established a branch abroad.

All panelists amplified the importance of positive and enterprising attitude saying “find your passion.” Midway through the forum, Go Negosyo’s Concepcion joined the panel and answered questions from the floor. The issue on copying and piracy was raised on the floor and both Lopez and Concepcion answered that piracy and copying is a form of technology transfer but there should be improvement, innovation and modification when adopted.

On the high cost of advertising and promotion as a strategy to increase sales, Concepcion added that marketing is not all advertising but it is about strategic positioning and reaching out to potential buyers.

Concepcion believes that Filipinos can address poverty in the country by engaging in entrepreneurship and developing an optimistic, passionate, creative and innovative, resourceful, diligent and persevering character.

The RFM CEO further encouraged the seminar attendees to take charge and make the most out of their resources and abilities by utilizing and transforming these into viable enterprises.

The Go Negosyo according to Concepcion is an advocacy program of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE), a non-stock, non-profit and non product endorsing organization that advocates for a change in mindset and attitude. Through caravans, Negosems, multi-media (TV and web) campaigns and books, Concepcion added that the program hopes to popularize entrepreneurship as an alternative to unemployment, job-seeking or migration. The more than 500 participants left the conference hall at past five in the afternoon with loads of energy as seen from their glowing eyes and each held a survival kit…a book on “21 Steps on How to Start Your Own Business.