A casual encounter turned into a sweet enterprise.  That was how celebrity entrepinay, LJ Moreno-Alapag founded her business, "The Lollicake Factory", located at Brgy. Kapitolyo, Pasig.  Out of craving when she got back to Manila for her favorite dessert she bumped into during her US wedding planning meet-ups, LJ was quick to spot a missed opportunity in the local market for lolli cakes - delicious, rounded, chocolate-covered cakes set on lollipop sticks.

  

Cake pops caught LJ's eyes for her local business venture.
Photo courtesy of Hans via Pixabay

Thereafter, she went head-on with research and continuous product experimenting until finally perfecting the cake ball concept. As what she has envisioned her business to be, The Lollicake Factory these days stands as a cozy breakfast and dessert cafe serving not only lollicakes in various designs and character forms, but also cupcakes, specialty cakes, mini desserts and brunch menus.   

Doting MOM + Celebrity Entrepinay = MOMtrepinay Jodi Sta. Maria.  

The two descriptions above may best explain how the Kapamilya Primetime actress was led to her latest business venture, The Happy Barn Milkshake Factory.  It opened its first branch at Rustan’s Evia, Las Pinas in May 2013, and additional branches at SM South Mall, Rockwell Powerplant Mall and Market, Market, BGC a little after one year later.   

Be Careful With My Heart star and Happy Barn celebrity entrepinay, Jodi Sta. Maria
Photo courtesy of Tilly Holland via Flickr, Creative Commons

Jodi, who isn't totally new to the business world with her Rue Bourbon Bar and Restaurant started back in 2011, also attends to her newest enterprise with such seemingly detailed attention and untiring energy. But this time, Jodi admits it was her son's love for milkshakes that inspired her on the idea. 

Owing perhaps to her entrepreneurial senses, Jodi is proud to say that the Happy Barn presents the first milkshake bar concept in the country.  Aside from its regular best-sellers such as Oreo Overjoy, Cookie Butter and Tickled Pink Berry, The Happy Barn also has more offerings which allow customers to concoct their own milkshakes, too. For starters, there's Cowie's Favorites for basic milkshake flavors like Chocolate and Vanilla. For more options, there's also Cowie's Specials which blends in sweet goodies like Oreo cookies and bananas.  And finally, there's Cowie's Shake and Bake that combines cake desserts with your milkshake. Price starts from Php 85 but you may also want to hype your milkshake drinking experience with extra toppings and mix-ins for just an additional Php 15-20. 

And what’s more? Apart from wonderful flavors, The Happy Barn also comes with health value to beverage consumers via its own ice-cream. Jodi utilizes their exclusively prepared ice-cream that's low-sugar, low- fat and made with prebiotics to facilitate easy digestion and absorption of calcium.     

With so much going on for Jodi aside from her current impressive showbiz career, she admits it’s no easy task having a business of your own.  But with her entrepreneurial insights kept intact, Jodi surely has gotten more surprises tucked in her sleeves for the future.    

Nothing ever beats the joyous feeling of receiving gifts. And who wouldn't like it?  After all, isn’t it true from the classic cliché that best things in life are free? In the business world, corporate giveaways take the common form for office gifts especially during December. And admittedly, these are very popular and such a common place in the office ranging from pens, calendars, and up to the most possibly unique, creative item you could ever think of.   

Promo budget possibly stretched to the max by corporate giveaways.
Photo courtesy of aiia via Pixabay

But more than you just being a good-hearted soul with the kind act of gift-giving on Christmas time, try pondering on below about the benefits that corporate giveaways can actually bring to your business. You might say that in the end, all the tiring fuss during yuletide season is worth it.  

1.  Branding

When you talk with marketers, branding seems to be all that matters to stay at consumers’ top-of-mind. Corporate giveaways with your properly impressed brand logo on them should give all the branding you need for your business, but with the fun element of doing it! Promotional gifts like notebooks or coffee mugs found everyday on your customers’ desk are absolutely some form of hardworking advertising that gets your business to be remembered.

2.  Mileage

More than just brand presence, corporate giveaways are a smart way of making your ad spending work further. For instance, an eco-bag with prominent branding on it carried around on a shopping spree becomes ultimately a walking advertising. Just imagine the repeat viewership it achieves whenever another sees it virtually from your customers’ use. While a typical giveaway is said to be retained for 5.8 months (which I tell you is like almost equivalent to a single burst for a TV commercial), there’s indeed a great multiplier effect that can be generated during this time period for creating impressions on other potential customers each time it's used or exposed.

3.  Imaging

Distributing corporate giveaways especially during trade events can also be a resourceful device for attracting and leveling the brand with your desired target market. But of course, you need to think about well what giveaways will be amusing and yet useful to catch the attention of a specific demographic and/or psychographic attributes set from the crowd.

4.  Goodwill

Who can just hate the kind gesture of gift-giving? Anyone who’s faced with it is most likely to respond back with favorable regard.  Just consider the following survey figures which undoubtedly support the typical reciprocal behavior extended towards gifts.  While 31% of those receiving giveaways from an ASI study posted more possibility of transacting with the supplier, a survey at Webs indicated that 52% of respondents specified an increased positive regard for a company after receiving corporate giveaways. That is why leaving behind giveaways is found commonly handy by sales representatives when attending to first-time sales calls with their clients.  

5.  Budget Management

If you’ve got a tight marketing budget to work with for your ad & promo activities, corporate giveaways may just be the way to go around it. Keeping your giveaways inventory at low price but infusing the WOW factor into it via unique and impactful items can give your company the needed loud bang to customers. Investment spending presented by corporate giveaways is found more favorable by small businesses over other advertising forms. 

Indeed, corporate giveaways distribution promises valuable benefits which make it a very popular route for business promotion.  If properly utilized and managed for more than just a one-time gift-giving tactic, you could turn it into an effective marketing campaign for your company. Apart from increased sales, its’ end-all could be the long-term benefit of gaining customer loyalty.

Big surprises come in small packages.  Indeed, this may actually hold true when you work from your home office.  Just as in a formal office, toiling from your work cavern at home may churn out equally similar, or even greater, productive results for some reasons. 

Putting up a home office may also sound more appealing for start-up entrepreneurs. Better grip on operations, finances, employees and other business aspects is virtually afforded by the on-sight benefit of working from a home office. But what if your home isn’t richly endowed with generous space? Read on below for several suggestions on Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) set-ups that could solve worries even for tiny spaces.

1. Space-saving Office Tower

If you have in mind specific measurements or design for a work station, go for an office tower.  It could come with several shelves for various office items, desk space for personal computer and other gadgets, and even extra storage all the way down.  While you may opt for something customized done according to your preferred specifications or a finely-crafted ready-made one, you could select to have space-saving pull-out drawers and cabinets.  And since it comes as a compact, carry-all piece, it grants you ultimate flexibility to place it anywhere you may like-- living room, study, kitchen or bedroom.

Office tower for the ultimate space-saver
Photo courtesy of Evelyn Giggles via Flickr Creative Commons

                                

2. Window Fit-All

How nice it would be to work with a lovely front view.  When you feel sluggish, you could just peep outside for some amusing sight. Or close the blinds if you require some piece of quiet for work focus.  Hence, keep an eye for window front spaces which would just require you to fit in a desk, lamp and chair.  You'll be surprised how your home office could swiftly spring up in just a matter of short while. 

3. Converted Closet Space

Got an abandoned closet space?  Turn it into an instant office area with shelves to hold your file boxes, printers, etc. instead of those old shoe cartons and age-ago pieces of unused wardrobe. Once done, you’ll be amazed how your tiny closet can make way for an effortlessly organized and private work station.

Space recycled from unused wardrobe closet
Photo courtesy of Ian Lamont from in30minutes.com via Flickr Creative Commons

4. Under Slanted Ceilings  

Areas under sloping ceiling such as those below staircases or inclined window panes may also be converted into mini home offices.  Place the desk and all work items closest to and the chair farthest from the dented area for a safe, manageable headroom.

Hidden home office from idle space under slanted ceilings
Photo courtesy of Sean MacEntee via Flickr Creative Commons

                              
5. Clear Entryway or Landing Spaces

Idle spaces upon ascent or descent of stairs or leading from porch entry can serve as a tiny home office as well.   With a unilateral enclosure sometimes, you could organize your things into a stable work nook while proceeding undisturbed.

6. Behind Furniture

When you really got no spare space, try moving your furniture with a little more oomph.  Then cut through some area behind your bed headboard or sofa coach with a reliable desk that has a wide work surface and additional storage underneath.

Potential space offered by behind the couch
Photo courtesy of Peter Hellberg via Flickr Creative Commons

                                  

7. Spacious Corner

Room corners present a spacious workspace.  Embracing arms bent at a right angle easily translate to two hardworking desks for you!  With adjacent desks, you work with greater agility and convenience as all your stuffs come within easy reach. 

Greater leg room from a corner work station 
Photo courtesy of James De Mers via Pixabay

                                        
8. Vacant Wall Space

If you’ve got a vacant wall area, put it into smart use by tucking your desk against it and adding vertical shelves upward to hold other office accessories.  Doing so not only achieves a well-functional space at your home, but also installs a reviving indoor sight that breaks the monotony emanating from redundant space.

9. Hallway Strip

If you have extra space standing narrow but long, make use of this by placing horizontal desks and cabinets that extend sideward.  Or you may locate your work desk toward the hallway’s end, perpendicular to the wall for a contrasting, make-shift office counter.

Home office ideas stretch from a hallway space. 
Photo courtesy of Dave Dugdale from Learning Video via Flickr Creative Commons

                       

Thanks to PAG-IBIG! Aside from DTI, PAG-IBIG Fund has likewise set up its Service Desk at Marikina City Hall.  Among others, payments for Members' premium contributions are made convenient and easier through here. It's open every first and last Tuesday of the month at 10am-3pm. Located within the Business Permits and Licensing Office, (BPLO), transactions are coursed via its glass counter facing DTI Marikina City Hall Office. 

Pag-ibig Fund Service Desk in Marikina City Hall
Photo courtesy of Go Entrepinay

PAG-IBIG Fund contact numbers are as follows: 

For details and inquiries:  421-9447 

For verification of contributions:  861-4147
For loan inquiries:  421-5838/421-9445   

Concerns transacted via Pag-ibig Fund Service Desk's glass counter. 
Photo courtesy of Go Entrepinay

Waiting for some speck of inspiration for your business? Here are seven suggested movies which should be a "must-watch" for female entrepreneurs.  Hopefully, the list knocks you off from your seat and pushes you even more to pursue your dream business. 

Try a movie marathon featuring women entrepreneurs.
Photo courtesy of  Ginny via Flickr, Creative Commons

You may catch a glimpse of the film trailers at Youtube and pile up which to see for a movie date night or marathon for the coming long holiday weekend, Aug 29-31.  Enjoy watching!

1. Julie and Julia, 2009. 

Amy Adams plays Julie Powell, a New York employee tired with her daily job that she challenges herself to cook all recipes from the the game-changer cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child, portrayed by Meryl Streep.  The movie then weaves the life story of Julia and how she mastered French food with her genuine passion and boldness.

2. Sunshine Cleaning, 2008. 

Life seemed to have taken the opposite direction for sisters, Rose (Amy Adams) and Norah (Emily Blunt) Norkowski. But not until when Rose discovers there's money from cleaning services for crime scenes.  Rose then puts in all that she's got for growing her new found business despite the odd work involved and finally help change Norah's life with a job.

3. P.S. I Love You, 2007.

After the death of her husband, Gerry (Gerard Butler), Holly (Hillary Swank) painfully sulks into grief, but gradually finds the courage to live anew.  Unknowingly, Gerry prepared before his death a series of letters designed to help her move on.  Enrolling herself at a fashion school, Holly found her passion in shoe design and eventually, opened her footwear company. 

4. Chocolat, 2000.

Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche) and her daughter arrive one winter day at a quiet French community deeply seated with tradition. When Vianne opened her extraordinary chocolate shop to business across the church, this didn't meet warm reception from the villagers. But she managed to turn this around with her steadfast devotion to grow the shop and eventually, won their hearts with her delicious chocolat. 

5. Sliding Doors, 1998.

Helen Quilley (Gwyneth Paltrow) gets fired from her advertising job and hastens to catch the train trip, but two situations happen. At first, Helen lands inside the train and arrives to see Gerry, her boyfriend (John Lynch), with another girl. She dumps Gerry, meets a new guy and betters her life with her own advertising firm. At the other, Helen misses the train and gets home when the other woman already left. She grows suspicious of Gerry's love and turns dismal. 

6. You've Got Mail, 1998

Small-size bookshop owner Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) despises big-time competitor Joe Fox (Tom Hanks), owner of Foxbooks bookstore retail chain that opened just across from hers. But their online meeting results to an anonymous romance via Internet, with both remaining unknown to each other's real identity. Later however, they uncover who the real persons they're falling for and struggle to merge their emotions and business positions.   

7. Baby Boom,1987.

New York-based career woman, J.C. Wiatt (Diane Keaton) is tied up to her job all her life. But suddenly, this changes when she's made to take care of a baby left by dead relatives. Having the new baby with her, J.C. is led to life-changing events and to move to Vermont where she starts her own company on baby food.     

From academe or corporate world, turning into an entrepreneur comes as a new, exciting phase in your life. You no longer heed directions from others, but now you stir your own course. To feel and look the part, you also need to dress for the role!  

Build up your wardrobe with essential pieces. 
Photo courtesy of markusspiske via Pixabay

And so from fashion style magazines to career counseling experts scanned through, below are wardrobe essentials to support your many demanding tasks from leisure, casual, corporate to formal outings. You can build upon this cool wardrobe ensemble later with other mix n' match pieces to create your own fashion statement. It also permits Entrepinays to cope easily with unpredictable weather changes typical of any tropical country as the Philippines. But as it is, you're well on your way by just having them in your closet as you come out to meet your new world!  

1. Standard White Shirt.  With its sleek lines, this piece matches excellently with anything while offering a fresh, professional look that's handy in fostering a favorable client meet-up experience. The classic collared, full-sleeve style is a top favorite, but a more detailed front design may work best with petites.                                                                                                                                

2. Striped Tee.  A hardworking top which makes any matching garment look stylish overall. Pair any striped tee with your pants, skirt or preferred additional layering top and you’ll never come out lousy.

3.  Classic Black Pants.  With its polished look, black trousers can give you that confident appeal while feeling comfortably at the same time. With the straight-cut that never goes out of style, you could vary the look by partnering it with a pretty blouse for a visit at the client’s office or a basic t-shirt on a relaxed weekend.                                     

4.  White T-shirt.  No other closet staple comes to as basic as the white tee. It just goes perfect with anything, whether in plain or prints.     

              

5.  Well-cut Jacket/Blazer. This versatile piece answers all your matching needs.  From pulling off a formal corporate presentation, cozying up on a not so late but cold dinner night, and up-styling for late afternoon cocktails.  Neither too heavy nor too light, the adaptable blazer or jacket just suits up with anything.        

6.  Timeless Pumps.  No doubt, heels are still the standard footwear choice in the office. Pumps in neutral shades can be a worthy investment which you could wear anywhere without going out of style for a long time.                                                                                                                                                                                                   
7. Pencil Skirt. This is your best bet if you want a feminine vibe but makes you look professional at the same time. Go with a cut that flatters the curves but feels comfortable to wear that's good for a whole-day work.                                                                                                                        

8.  Cardigan.A neat simple cardigan can also just pair with any lower piece while giving the added feminine touch to your look. It also serves great for warming up on cold days but without the heaviness of a stuffy blazer.

9.  Little Black Dress.  Your wardrobe won’t be complete without that little black dress (LBD) which is a must-have for working women.  Especially for formal parties or occasions you need to doll up for, you'll grab on to that LBD for easy styling while looking good with just the way it is.                                                                                       

10.Comfy Flats.  Who says flat shoes can't be stylish too?  A tasteful pair of flats will look chic when worn with pants and classic white shirt combination or a night cocktail dress while giving you a comfort sole throughout the day.                                                                                                                   

11.Dark Slim Denims or Jeans.  A great mix n’ match piece for chill-out Fridays is a slim pair of denims or jeans worn with the standard white shirt or layered top for a fashionable get-up.  Make it a dark shade and this makes you look even better with its greatly slimming effect.                                                                                                            

12.Wrap Around Dress.    Allows you to transition with ease from a busy day schedule to a cozy dinner date with your other half, friends, or family.  It comes as the perfect substitute for the more sophisticated little black dress during casual and relaxed, but dressy occasions.                                         

13.Slip-On Sneakers.  Chic but cool and comfortable, slip-on sneakers can take you to lengthy walks for short business errands or leisurely strolls. This is your partner when you need to step outside once in a while for some breath of fresh air.                                          

14.Dressy Blouse.   Here’s a girly complement to charm up the professional businesswoman in you.  Other than with pants and skirt, the pussy-bow style blouse can even go with tailor-made shorts and ballet flats to knock the odds out in your favor during luncheon meetings with hard-to-win suppliers.  

15.V-neck Sweater. This one permits you variety in layering to gain more wardrobe style. The V-neck sweater comes convenient for breathing out collared blouses or as an under shirt to soften a blazer or jacket during cold days. It’s good enough to be worn as a stand-alone piece for ordinary work days. 

Events for business promotion have increasingly gained importance. Major firms, whether local or multinational companies (MNCs), have become more highly visible outdoors, marching out into industry-wide exhibits or staging private initiatives of their own.  But according to a 2015 joint survey of The UPS Store and Inc., a considerable percentage of small business owners, recorded at 42% of total respondents, likewise put their marketing budget to events. 

Event marketing for worthy consideration of small business owners
Photo courtesy of purplegillian via Pixabay

As these small business owners may probably have realized, events to be effective don't require hugeness in terms of activities or attendance as long as they meet your marketing objectives. Find out more the reasons why events marketing can work the same or even more, not only for established, but also for small and startup businesses like yours. 

 

Highly Targeted Audience.  Tri-media is basically designed to touch base with the broad mass audience.  With events marketing however, you could decide even for an extremely selected audience of your choice. You could devise ways to drill down and cut through the audience pie by putting in place activity qualifiers such as payment of entrance fees, showing up for attendance of specific family members from particular age segment, presentation of employment I.D.s for exclusivity on specific occupational group, and so on. These event screeners serve to guarantee that you generate the market with corresponding demographic or psychographic profile you’re targeting.  With the assurance of high interest from event attendees  since compliance with these activity safety nets is made voluntarily, wise marketing investment is on the works for your business.

Face-to-Face Communication.  Nothing beats the rewards which personal communication can bring you. Beyond the actual message transmitted, personal communication also enriches interaction via non-verbal cues that you see from customers like facial expressions and body gestures. Based on these verbal and non-verbal communication signals you receive, you could make the best out of your conversation with clients by asking on wants, clarifying gray areas, soliciting suggestions, and probing further on possible product likes or dislikes, etc. If you’re on a trade exhibit that combines retail selling, you could adjust your negotiation binge based on these message signals to have better chance of closing a sale, or generate leads from contacts made.  Overall, face-to-face communication grants you the chance to wrap up your customers' experience towards something pleasant and memorable, which they can attach to your brand and will make them buy when they see it at the trade.  

Direct Feedback.  Market feedback is very much valued in business.  It's the only way you could know how your product is faring with your customers.  This can help drive your business’ current performance and future outlook.  The enriched, individual interfacing with clients during an event made possible by face-to-face communication may be summed up to a general trend on consumer behavior and attitude toward your products and services.  This nudges you to return to your work station, to rethink, and to redraw your marketing plans, if the need may be.

  

Dovetailed Approach.  When you decide to go with events marketing, you have the freehand on planning your event execution.  Except for minor technicalities on audio, sound, light and other venue parameters, the sky’s the limit until where your wit and creativity can bring you for your event. You need to be clear though on your business goals for joining or hosting one to make sure your money, time, and efforts aren’t wasted on non-sense activities. For instance, if you intend to heighten awareness and education for your product’s new feature and benefit but you’re focused mainly on games and marketing collaterals distribution without conducting any product demo or sampling activities, you’re definitely much off the target, girl!

Better Control.  A marketing event is like a live show, with your company, brand or product acting at curtain call upon the exhibit's opening and closing hours. Any changes to the program can therefore be done on real time without any lags. You, yourself can effect these revisions without going through or waiting on third party agencies.  This definitely puts you at better control all throughout your event for any corrective measures to avoid wasted resources. For instance, if your aim is purely product retailing but you see on the first day that stock movement is slow, you may consider coming up with free goods promo like a Buy 5, Get 1 FREE to hasten sales off-take.

Got a key company event coming up?  If you're up to staging one with a different vibe unlike other occasions before, why not try fusing in some Chinese flair towards holding your own Asian-inspired celebration. When you see this fitting the picture, Gloria Maris Greenhills may stand as your one feasible option. 

Gloria Maris Greenhills for Chinese vibe during corporate events
Photo courtesy of Go Entrepinay

Gloria Maris has long been popular for its wide array of succulent Chinese dishes, but now, it also has offerings for choices on affordable party packages. Its various amenities at Greenhills also make it a functional venue for corporate parties. Found within the mainstream commercial center, its location lies central to buzzing business districts of Makati, Taguig, Ortigas, and Quezon City. Adding to that is its spacious dining areas at the ground floor, which is good for small- to medium-size company lunch-outs or dinner treats.  

Grand dining halls at Gloria Maris Greenhills.
Photo courtesy of Go Entrepinay

But if you have grander corporate milestones to spread out from your sleeves, the even wider banquet halls located at the third floor could suffice for that need.  Parking also doesn't seem to pose a problem for there is a car park right at the basement.  VIP or guests drop-off is also made convenient by the driveway clearance set off from the main Missouri road, paving way for a more dramatic entrance into the venue if you wish so.

It seems Kapuso star Sheryl Cruz has her hands definitely full.  Aside from starring in GMA-7's current teledrama, Buena Familia, she has gotten also a paper weaving business to keep herself busy with.  Started back in 2012, Sheryl landed into this business when she bumped one time into paper-woven shopping bags sold on display and bought them for Christmas gifts to friends. Eventually, she was smitten with the idea of learning the craft and the passion of designing her own pieces. 

Aside from style, she's also at the helm of ensuring durability for her products through the use of bag lining and double lamination to keep the paper-based bags from being wet. From brand tags down to other bag materials and accessories, Sheryl appears to be pretty much hands-on with selection and production activities, too. 

      Photo courtesy of Rachel Biel via Flickr Creative Commons

Photo courtesy of Rachel Biel via Flickr Creative Commons
Woven bag samples from recycled paper present noble causes and strong marketability. 

Named as Paper For Now, her business presently produces bags and wallets made from recycled newspapers that are woven intricately with bare hands of women workers, while lending to the noble cause of preserving the environment.  As Sheryl finds her recycled- paper bag business a way of expressing her art, she's also happy with providing jobs to women, especially mothers, through it.  

And while having the business operations lean and simple, her bags have now found their way to retail outlets like Kultura and Cash & Carry, and to trade exhibit, Manila FAME, in 2012. With combined passion and advocacy as driving forces for her business, Paper For Now certainly weaves a bright picture ahead. Hats off to you, Ms. Sheryl Cruz!