PAG-IBIG Office Now Open at Graceland Plaza Marikina

PAG-IBIG has another great news for Marikina business-owners who live near at Sto. Nino, Lamuan, Concepcion and Parang areas!  There is now a PAG-IBIG office right at the second floor of Graceland Plaza Marikina located at J.P. Rizal Street or "Lamuan", just across the Shell gas station.  This new PAG-IBIG branch comes as a much welcome addition to the PAG-IBIG office in Marikina City Hall. 

PAG-IBIG now open at Graceland Plaza Marikina
Photo by Go Entrepinay

With the SSS Marikina-Malanday branch situated across at the second floor, the new PAG-IBIG office doubles the delivery of business-related government services to enterpise owners in Marikina. PAG-IBIG Graceland Plaza Marikina branch may be reached via its contact number at 861-4842.

PAG-IBIG Graceland Plaza Marikina across SSS Marikina Malanday Branch
Photo by Go Entrepinay

Surely, this development brings so much convenience to business-owners who wish to pay on time their PAG-IBIG monthly contributions.  But the new PAG-IBIG office in Graceland Plaza Marikina can also process all other concerns of PAG-IBIG members ranging from membership verification services to applications for loans and other benefits. 

PAG-IBIG Graceland Plaza Marikina Member Services
Photo by Go Entrepinay

Small Company Meetings at Wendy's SM Marikina Alternative Business Venue

Small businesses and even micro enterprises may feel the same great need to hold occasional or periodic company meetings as big corporations do during formal employee gatherings. After all in worst scenarios, holding a business meeting to manage the company grapevine could spell the one big difference between having smooth office operations and a full-blown employee walk-out. But in some instances though, initiating a company meeting may also be borne out simply from good management practice to boost employee morale with an announcement of strong year-end earnings. Whatever may be the purpose, business meetings can always serve as your single, most valuable management tool to reach out to employees fast and clear. 

Wendy's SM Marikina Function Room Reservation
Photo courtesy of Go Entrepinay

As critical as the timing is the venue where to hold these company meetings. From an entrepreneurial mind-set, a decent, comfortable venue, enjoyable food, purposeful agenda, and effective communications may just all be the essentials for a productive business meeting. It's a good thing that nowadays, there are alternative business venues for you to explore aside from the office and other grand event venues. Aside from offering accessible location inside shopping malls, some fast-food restaurants can accommodate even the not-so-big business meeting needs. One such place discovered recently was Wendy's restaurant located at Upper Ground Floor of SM Marikina, just across SM Supermarket.  

Aside from the all-good food freshness it's known for, Wendy's SM Marikina now offers function room reservations for meetings, seminars, and other events. It has affordable booking rates that start at a minimum order amount of Php 5,000 for a 2-hour use of the function room with maximum capacity of 60 heads. Apart from the food, inclusions for function room reservation are sound system, projector, white screen and crew assistance. Payment terms require a 50% down payment and full payment after the event. 

Wendy's SM Marikina has ready, set food packages for you to choose from such as below. But you're free to make delightful add-ons to these with Wendy's well-loved green salad dishes and the ever-popular Salad Bar.  Or perhaps, you may create your own menu as to how you would like your meals to be. 

Food Packages: 

Package 1 at Php 120:  Spaghetti, Cheeseburger, and Softdrink

Package 2 at Php 139:  1-pc. Fried Chicken with Spaghetti and Softdrink

Package 3 at Php 165:  1-pc. Fried Chicken with Rice, Regular Fries, and Softdrink

Package 4 at Php 189:  Cheeseburger, Spaghetti, Regular Fries, Softdrink 

Wendy's SM Marikina Meetings Food Packages
Photo courtesy of Go Entrepinay

At least a two weeks’ notice is required before the event.  As per asking from Wendy's SM Marikina, actual event may be set during mornings from 10am -12nn on weekends, and from 10am to 9pm on weekdays. For clarifications and inquiries, you may call Wendy's SM Marikina contact numbers:  650-5510 and 09257517788

Mobile Food Business Startup 101: From Food Carts to Food Trucks

Most business startups have often been attracted to the essential food industry.  From fish ball food carts, Burger Machine trailers, and up to Makati jollijeeps several decades ago, the mobile food business truly has evolved much to what it is today. Though without much media hype, the street-food industry is one that has long taken centerstage in Pinoy food culture and lifestyle. But now, the mobile food business has worn a more dynamic face to adapt to consumers’ changing needs with time. While food kiosks and food carts have already been popular in malls and train stations since the ‘90s and early 2000s, today however sees an emerging craze towards food truck business startups which began to spring up two to three years ago in the country.  

Converging food trucks may now be found at fixed locations, and sometimes during specific hours in key commercial business centers like BGC, Cucina Andare in Glorietta Makati, Eat St. in Maginhawa Q.C., and Food Truck Park Ph in Capital Commons Ortigas. While the current set-up in the Philippines seemingly still leaves some room to fully embrace the mobile food truck concept in the US, present food truck players have definitely stirred the trend for more innovative food concepts in the mobile food business.

Meals on wheels from mobile food business
Photo courtesy of Coolhaus via Wikimedia Commons

If you’re one entrepreneuring mind, you’ll probably agree that the exciting mobile food business presents strong potential as the country progresses further with its growing economy. Meals-on-wheels will continue to be in demand as it tries to cater to a bigger populace of a busy, working class. But beyond easily accessible food, more smart consumers are on the search for unique food concepts that are reasonably priced and guaranteed safe.   Can food truck business startups answer to that?  Find out more about the mobile food industry and how it can keep up with the street-food lovers of today. 

·         Perks and Drawbacks

Doing mobile food business certainly brings unique advantages by operating small and mobile. First, you enjoy a much lower overhead due to minimal workspace within a food truck, trailer, cart or kiosk. You also get to reduce wage expenses since you’ll only require few helpers to prepare and sell the food. Unlike stand-alone restaurants, you also need not worry about searching for and getting fixated with your business location as you can park in and move from one location to another depending on how good business is at the site.  With all these cost reducing factors, you’re able to offer more affordable price, quick service, and accessibility to customers.  

Be prepared, however, for a much longer business day ahead of you.  Before your food cart or truck hits the road for actual selling, you need to be up three to four hours earlier to do morning shopping for ingredients and food preparation work like slicing, etc. prior to cooking. As the day ends with no more food to sell or the last customer, you also have to clean shop to put the food truck in tip-top shape again for the next day. Add to this in between days some time you have to spend for online marketing, housekeeping with financials, and other admin paper works.   

·         Food Vending Business Startup Options

If you’re keen about the mobile food industry, you need to decide on what vehicle type to use for food vending.  You may select from food kiosk, food cart/trailer, and food truck.

Food kiosks are your familiar food booths/stands that are found indoors at malls and theatre, selling anything from doughnuts to French fries. These are often detachable panels and can be assembled easily from one mall to the next when moving on locations.

Food carts and trailers are typically moved by car, van or truck, while the simplest type may be pushed by the vendor himself, such as the ice cream cart. Trailer types are usually with concessionaire arrangements and can be found commonly at carnivals, fun fairs, and open venues with spaces for unhitching and sitting for some time.

The food truck can be the most sophisticated among all types, offering the greatest mobility and providing the most space for equipment, food storage, handling and cooking procedures. There can also be gourmet food trucks which take food servicing to a higher level with specialty- or themed-offerings conceptualized and prepared by young culinary chefs. A mobile food truck may somewhat overlap with a mobile food catering truck, which is essentially a food catering business on wheels, minus the dependence on an event venue or dining hall since food may be served from the food truck itself.  Versus a mobile food truck, mobile food catering truck doesn’t suffer from excess inventory and competition since you’re hired to serve exclusively for a party event with a given, definite headcount.   

·         Location Possibilities

Parking location is one critical success factor for mobile food business startups.  Consider parking laws, where and when to reach your target market, and competition. Be diligent in scouting for premiere parking locations and having back-up contingency plans even when you’ve settled at one prime spot already.  Remember that the flow of the crowd may be affected by changes in local parking ordinances and seasonality anytime.

Best parking locations for food truck business may be found at tourist attractions, recreational parks, fair grounds, sports centres, and special events venues.  Other places that also serve as crowd magnets include university belts, business districts, bus/train stations, and shopping hubs.   

·         How Much to Spend on Business Startup Costs?

Exact figures on start-up costs may be too difficult to determine as standardized operations in mobile food business is nearly impossible to achieve.  Definitely, one food truck selling gourmet dishes will have different requirements from another food truck offering pre-packaged pizza, burgers, and fries.  Hence, start-up costs will depend largely on the type and nature of mobile food business you plan to pursue. Whether you intend to sell your own cooked food or pre-packed food will determine the appropriate investment on vending vehicle, kitchen equipment, food serving utensils, licenses and permits, need for workers, fresh foods inventory, marketing, etc.  The food cart or truck getting the biggest amount is one thing for sure though.

It may also help if you ask yourself whether to launch your business startup from scratch or to go with franchising. You may look up for food cart or truck contractors and try building up from there your total investment requirement. Meanwhile, there are franchising plans that offer complete start-up packages that serve ready to roll-out your business. For instance, there are food cart franchise plans from Php30,000 to Php75,000 for variety of food business like Chinese dim sum, rice toppings, burgers, shawarma, etc. You should be open to drawing up options and weighing in the costs and benefits of each.

·         Your Kitchen Rules!

The street-food industry is like one big nut that is hard to crack.  There can be so many food ideas to ponder with but nothing can be so definite as to what will click to the public in the long term.  As always, it may be safe to follow that old business formula of doing what you’re good at. Try to bring to the crowd your own distinct kitchen flavour that you alone are good at so you may carve your niche out from competition.

When planning your menu in mobile food business, you may want to consider asking several questions. What foods do you know to cook well? Any specialty from your country or town? What foods are not yet carried by competition?  What foods and ingredients aren’t easy to spoil when travelling? What foods can match meals-on-the-go lifestyle? What can be offered at affordable price street-meal wise?   

·         Go Legit.

Street-food sellers were always criticized as dirty and unsafe especially in the past. Hence, it’s by complying with full licensing and regulatory requirements, aside from upgrading the physical look and functionality of food carts and trucks, that mobile food players can appeal and expand their business to higher-end consumers.  While business regulations may vary among cities, these may also differ between a food handler and non-handler.  Food handler, such as when simply scooping an ice cream, may face more rigid requirements, versus those selling pre-packed food items.

·         Master the Look for Your Mobile Food Business Startup.

Apart from unique food offering, equally critical is giving the right look to your food cart or truck.  Remember, your food cart or truck can serve as your single, most valuable piece of advertising to market your food brand concept or theme.  Hence, to capture mind share of new customers and existing market, your brand must be consistently communicated from your food truck down to the minute details like menu booklet, packaging, serving utensils, napkins, etc. Be creative and seamless with how you want your food truck to be remembered by the street-food loving public. 

Liked this article so far?  Read more of the blogs from Go Entrepinay now and explore how you could join the world of entrepreneurship. 

12 Outdoor Corporate Events' Party Themes for Summer

Corporate events held outside the office confines are occasions much looked forward to by everyone. Breaking daily office monotony through outdoor corporate events can definitely provide that much needed breather and ice breaker to employees. In the end, this can help unlock valuable boost to work productivity. 

Outdoor corporate events made more fun with party themes.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

While swimming excursions and team-buildings are most common during summer, you can also explore outdoor party themes for your other company events. Whether a product launch, promo activity, or company anniversary, you can level up your corporate celebration while taking advantage of the sunny weather outside. So come on, brush up now on tips for events planning and pack up things for your next company shindig while summer is still here! 

1. English Garden Tea Party

Hold your own classy and posh version of an afternoon tea party as you draw some inspiration from the well-polished Downton Abbey TV series. Spruce it up some more by holding it in a fete garden venue complete with fresh flower arrangements as table ornaments, paired with fine china plates, silver cutlery, teapot, and teacups for dining wares.  Top these all up with a savory menu of fancy, yet filling, canapés, spreads or jams, cakes, biscuits, and pastries.  And of course, don’t forget to offer a variety of teas from herbal, fruit, etc. Best of all, a serving of iced tea comes as a refreshing treat for summer.    

English tea party with flowers, pastries, teapot, and garden setting.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

2. Cocktails by the Bay

Entertain your guests in style by serving cocktails after lunch or dinner by the river or bay side. Aboard a yacht or boat while holding steady or in cruise, the magnificent sunset or bay view in the late afternoon or evening creates a high-profile setting perfect for any trade or gala event. Add to the cocktails the performance of a live band or acoustic performer and you’re all set to have a successful and an entertaining time for the rest of the party.

Fresh fruit cocktails by the bay or riverside.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

3. Spanish-Mexican Fiesta

As Cinco de Mayo rolls out, it’s time to get into fiesta mode!  Translate the flamboyant Spanish flamenco dance into vibrant, bold colors of summer for your banderitas, table cloth setting and centrepieces, glasses, and plates.  For food servings, go for crunchy-filled tacos, freshly grilled corn-on-the-cob, elaborate Spanish paella, or hot Mexicali rice. And oh, don't forget to put on el sombrero!

Festive banderitas mimic fiesta-like events.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

4.  Barbecue Cookout

Who can resist the smoking hot, off-the-grille smell of barbecue?  Almost everyone just gravitates to barbecue cookouts to have a piece of it.  More than gathering everybody for a favourite meal, barbecue cookouts can even be turned into a perfect team-building activity. Divide the company into teams for a cooking face-off challenge to see who grilled the most and tastiest barbecues for the day! Those tongs will not only surely work out the muscles, but may also bring out unexpected culinary wits from the group.  

Barbecue cookouts as sure-fire formula to gather everyone around.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

5. Carnival Fun Fair

If you have various activities lined up, holding a carnival fun fair party theme may just be the answer. Put up fun play booths, amusing and show-stopping performances from fire-breathers, jugglers, to clowns, and kiddie food stands such as pop corn and cotton candy. This party idea suits up well with company events where the whole family is enjoined to take part for one awesome day of fun and activities.

Carnival fun fair theme for all-family fun and activities.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

6.  Hawaiian Tropic 

Get the closest feel of tropical paradise with a Hawaiian luau swim-out party by the pool or beach. Apart from floral attires, garlands, and grass-skirt accessories to create the ambiance, prepare generous servings of fresh fruits platter or fruit drinks of coconuts, pineapples, mangoes and more! Make a greater turnaround of the venue with palm trees, greeny shrubberies and coral displays for that lush tropical vibe.   

Get inspired by the Hawaiian Hula dance.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

7. Rustic Country Farm

Go back to the old and rustic country farm lifestyle for a laid-back corporate event party theme.  Adorn the occasion with roadside vignettes composed of scarecrow mock-up, piles of hay stock and farm implements.  You could pop up the table with hefty farm-produced fruits and vegetables and servings of freshly squeezed lemonades, home-baked apple pies, and green, leafy salads.

Go rustic country farm with scarecrow and fresh produce backdrop.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

8. Racing a-la Fast & Furious

If you’re going for excitement and adrenalin-rush, why not try a car racing themed-event where you get to recreate the Fast & Furious driving mania? You could have it held in one huge open area marked with race tracks, heaps of tires, covered tents, and food attendants clad in mechanics’ jumpsuits. Or you could opt to go vintage style with open car wagons, old wooden fences, tent seats, and other barn-like paraphernalia.      

Try old-style, vintage car racing for a travel back in time.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay 

9. Nature Wonder-Woodland 

Going for a dreamy look and feel is possible with a nature-inspired woodland theme. Transform your world into a magical forest with enchanting fairies, friendly dwarves, and lush flora and fauna. Create your own tiny house version of the Hobbits’ residence from Lord of the Rings movie and let this serve as your venue centerpiece!

Wander into nature wonder woodland.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

10. Musical Concert Festival 

Rock or cozy up your business presentation events with an outdoor concert party theme. Break down your audience into small groups with distinct lawn seating arrangements, snacks and drinks. Go minimalist with just the night sky, outdoor breeze, and in-between live musical performances from different genres and talents, including an in-house all-employee band, ranging from pop, jazz, R&B, folk, to country, serving as your event backdrops.  

Sway into musical concert for corporate presentations.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

11. Camping Adventure    

For a sense of excitement and adventure, try to go on a camping party theme.  Prepare to provide for tents, sleeping bags, outdoor cooking utensils, and first-aid kits, among others. Ready-to-eat and picnic menu foods are necessary if you plan to go all out, such as hotdogs which can be cooked easily from a makeshift fire.  However, a food catering may be arranged if you plan to camp outdoors at a distance away from your lodging accommodations.  Think about games similar to Survivor TV show, which require teams to undergo a series of challenges before they can win the competition.

Camp out with survival game challenges.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

12. Under-the-Sea Bounty

Celebrate thanksgiving milestones with an under-the-sea themed-gathering.  Ideally to be held by the beach, convey your message on bounty with a festive serving of rich seafood variety such as fish, shell-food, squid and edible seaweeds. Line your table setting as well with shells and starfishes, and have fun trials of mermaid outfits for the ladies to complete the party experience!   

Let starfishes and seashells accent your beach party theme.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

8 Considerations When Starting a Flower Shop Business in the Philippines

Who wouldn't want fresh flower arrangements as gifts?  Anyone’s affirmative answer if you ask around underscores the lucrative potential of a flower shop business.  In the Philippines, flower shops face an existent local demand with a growing sophistication which shaped the ornamental horticulture industry.  It was from one in the '80s that was characterized by few cut flower varieties limited to mums, daisies and roses, and with narrow focus on price instead of quality to one of the '90s’ growth markets which was geared towards better quality, wider variety, and enhanced flower arrangements with foliage and fillers.

Flower arrangement with foliage and fillers
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

Ever Present Demand

The steady demand for flower arrangements come from all-year round occasions such as Philippine weddings, birthdays, parties, funerals, and also from regular purchases of consumer and institutional buyers, such as churches, hotels, and restaurants.  But apart from stable demand, flower shop business in the Philippines also enjoys seasonal demand upticks during Valentine’s day, Mothers’ day, graduation season (March-April), wedding months (December & June) and All Saints’ Day (November).  As flowers remain virtually a luxury product, flower shops can expect a strong demand with an equally buoyant economy.

Three-tiered Supply Chain

Unsurprisingly, entrepreneurs don’t stop on their tracks to meet the ever present demand for flowers.  Supply chain of the cut flower industry offers several options for business owners to cash in. You may decide to become a wholesaler supplier/grower that delivers cut flowers and ornamental plants in bulk to flower shops and markets, a retailer florist catering to flower arrangement needs of end-consumers, or a florist supplier providing the flower arrangement tools, accessories, and materials. 

In Metro Manila, the best buys for flowers are found at big flower markets such as Dangwa in Sampaloc and Farmers Market in Cubao, where customers can buy in bulk, in cheap price, and 24/7.  Aside from downtown flower markets and standard flower shops, consumers may also opt to purchase now from online flower shops via the internet. Online flower shops offer outmost shopping convenience without worrying about time and traffic involved when going to physical flower markets. With just a click of the preferred item and completion of online payment, orders for flower arrangements can be delivered by online flower shops.

Get Set Before Rosy Fields

While strong domestic demand comes as an attractive lure to any enterprising business enthusiast or experienced florist ready to venture on his own, the floral arrangement industry requires a keener look beyond the sweet icing on the cake.   Below are some factors you may want to look into to get yourself more prepared before making your way to the rosy fields of the flower shop business.

1.  Where to Set Shop?

Location is one of the most critical decisions you have to make in any business, and this applies as well to a flower shop.  Firstly, your location must have easy accessibility and high visibility to your target market.  Hence, proximity to churches, hospitals, funeral parlors, and commercial centers with higher purchasing behavior can offer assured demand. Secondly, the presence of competition can determine your share of the overall business in the area.  If there are several competitors around, you need to think further how you may differentiate your product offering from the rest.  Also, your consideration of location choice should factor in the rental costs if you decide to hold business away from home.

2.  Store Planning

Since your flower shop should ideally consist of several sections like the work area, sales counter, clients’ area, and display area, store planning must consider appropriate design elements and efficient space utilization at the same time. 

Providing for a display window through which your customers can view anytime from the outside can definitely save on store space.  Also, make sure to offset a minimal store space with highly creative displays of your other services or gift inclusions like balloons, stuffed toys, and goodies. 

Glass display window can save on showroom space.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

3.  Flower Arrangement Training
It's necessary that you learn the art and craft of flower arranging whether you plan to do the floral arrangements yourself or get employees later for additional help. Even if you may have a natural flair for visual arts, the knowledge and understanding of the principles, techniques, styles, and materials that you'll acquire from formal training can be handy when you decide to go free styling in the future. Your formal training must be supplemented with practice and may be enhanced further with DIY instructional videos from the internet and other readily available reading materials.

4. Big Item Investments

There are several big-ticket items which you must invest on. At the outset, you need pieces of furniture to sit and work on, and to accommodate your clients and suppliers with.  Additional inclusions in the purchase list also include office equipment for carrying out daily paper works, such as computer, printer, and scanner.  A hardworking camera is most necessary to produce your portfolio of flower arrangements.  Essential also to flower shop operations are refrigeration containers to keep freshness of flowers for several few days. And later, multiple deliveries may also require you to invest in a delivery vehicle.

5. Inventory for Fresh Flowers and Flower Arranging Materials

Flower shop operations will eventually entail you to keep inventory for several items.  Aside from office stationery and supplies, you also need to stock on materials for flower arranging such as floral foam, vases, pots, baskets, wire, floral tape, wrapping papers, gift tags, ribbons, balloons, toys, etc. 

Though perishable, keeping inventory for fresh flowers is also needed to legitimize your flower shop display area. Hence, determining the right inventory level is the key by knowing what’s in demand and in season. It's  advisable to keep a reasonable low inventory at first so no much wastage is incurred.  You can adjust this later once you get more familiar with the demand behavior.    

Fresh flowers inventory for flower shop
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

6. Suppliers’ Pool

Sustainable life of your flower shop business rests, among others, upon the reliability of your suppliers for fresh flowers. At best, it's advisable to transact directly with wholesaler flower farm growers or flower markets to get the best prices. Try to search for a wholesaler supplier that can accommodate small quantities even for the first few orders, which you can increase later to conserve delivery charges.  Strive to team up with reputable suppliers with established track record in quality and servicing. Finally, never tie yourself at the mercy of a single supplier but back up with two to three more.   

7. Employees

Flower arranging is one which needs much care and attention.   Other than the main task of assembling the elements together to compose a beautiful flower arrangement, the cut flowers and other ornamental plants call for trimming, cleaning, preserving, protecting from pests, and display maintenance.  Definitely, you can’t do all those by yourself as the business grows.  Thus, consider as well the costs of hiring employees to lend additional hands for all tasks.

8. Marketing

You can explore and come up with a full list of marketing activities to promote your flower shop business depending on how far you can unleash your creativity and budget. There are the traditional promotions ranging from flyer distribution, wedding fair attendance, specialized magazines print advertising, inclusion in trade directories, etc. You can also transform to become a full-blown online flower shop and do e-commerce and internet marketing.  Truly, your imagination can be the only limit!  But with all these, always keep focused on your target market to take on the most effective marketing strategies.