Entrepreneurial diplomacy
Business World Online
September 30, 2010
Junie S. Del Mundo
Chief Executive Officer
EON
In communications, the way one packages a message is often as important as the content of the message itself. In a rapidly digitizing and intensely sensory world, people are bombarded with thousands of messages each day, making it even more challenging to ensure that messages are transmitted with unequivocal precision. Particularly in sectors such as business or politics, misunderstandings can have extensive repercussions. This is the world of professional communicators like Teodoro "Junie" S. Del Mundo, CEO of EON.
Educated in the Philippines, the United States and France, Mr. Del Mundo spent 13 years of his professional life strengthening ties between countries. He built a career in foreign service with postings in the Philippine embassies in Paris, France and Dakar, Senegal and at the Philippine Mission for UNESCO in Paris. After deciding to return home for good in 1995, Mr. Del Mundo felt a burning need to explore other avenues for his career and future. Serendipitously, he was asked to help organize the 1996 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Manila. Gaining much knowledge and confidence from this experience, he followed his instincts and entrepreneurial spirit, making the jump from government service to the private sector. He founded EON in 1998 and focused on events organizing.
His past experience in facilitating communications and bridging ideas proved invaluable in helping him build trust and cooperation -- this time among clients, media, investors, businesses, and government and nongovernment organizations.
Happy with EON’s events management services, Mr. Del Mundo’s clients also requested him to handle their publicity requirements. This opened up a new avenue of opportunity, enabling EON to evolve into a full-service communications agency. EON’s services expanded to include public relations, corporate communications and stakeholder relations. The company also affiliated itself with Edelman, one of the world’s largest global public relations network.
A defining service that EON provides to its clients is stakeholder relations, which involves building trust-based relationships between an organization and its stakeholders such as media, the government and business entities. "Different stakeholders will necessarily have different issues and concerns. We need to internalize the unique needs of each stakeholder, then tailor tightly focused strategies for each group. Using a broad-based communications platform just won’t work," Mr. Del Mundo explains.
EON is a forerunner in rendering this innovative and personalized communications model. To help others understand stakeholder relations, Mr. Del Mundo illustrates it with the work done recently for a client. "We managed a corporate social responsibility project for one of our clients, a global oil and gas company with drilling operations in the Sulu Sea. They wanted to do something for the town closest to their operations, so they initiated a water pumping project. To make this work, not only did we need to raise awareness of community’s very pressing needs for potable water, we also needed government and media groups to buy in and support the whole thing."
In addition to developing an effective community profile for their client, EON also facilitated dialogues with media and government groups, including arranging for these concerned groups to see the situation for themselves.
Over the years, EON’s client base has grown to include both local and regional companies, 95% of which are multinational corporations. EON has done projects in Uzbekistan, Singapore, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. Mr. Del Mundo hopes to win more regional projects within the next five years. The firm has been accredited by the Asian Development Bank and is the only Filipino agency with a specialization in Central Asia. He intends for EON to be a regional player using the Philippines as a hub, believing in the creativity, ability and resourcefulness of Filipino professionals. He draws encouragement from the success of projects such as one done in Uzbekistan, where all online requirements were done out of the Philippines.
Recognizing the huge potential and growing importance of the online landscape, Mr. Del Mundo created a separate company called Tangerine in July 2010. This spin-off company will offer web content development and design, blogging research and Web site-related interaction.
In an industry that relies hugely on talent and aptitude, quality people will always be a professional services company’s greatest asset. Mr. Del Mundo expects his people to differentiate themselves from competition in terms of professionalism, immediacy and quality of response, speed in delivery, and intelligence. To ensure that EON can deliver consistent high-quality work to meet the specialized requirements of its clients, he also focused on building a strong and experienced management team to guide and mentor the young and enthusiastic staff. From 36 people in 2009, the company has now grown to 60 employees in 2010.
One of EON’s core values is joy. Mr. Del Mundo constantly works to promote a happy, friendly, light and interactive culture within the company. He is involved with Hands On Manila and the League of Corporate Foundations and encourages his employees to fully embrace the ideal of personal and corporate social responsibility. With his staff members, they support 10 scholars under World Vision by contributing through voluntary salary deduction.
While he may have left the foreign service and has found his niche in entrepreneurship, Mr. Del Mundo remains a diplomat at heart. "I still get to apply my people-relation skills because we do a lot of business with local and foreign governments. And really, if you think about it, our job is to act as envoys for companies and organizations. I’m really still building bridges and connecting ideas between people," he muses.
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The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, operating on behalf of the Air-France KLM Group. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. The winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 will be announced on October 12, 2010 at a banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
The branding of non-brands
The branding of non-brands
Business World Online
September 29, 2010
Benjamin I. Liuson
President
The Generics Pharmacy Franchising Corp.
For a country where medical treatment is both prohibitively expensive and sadly insufficient, the concept of generic medicine is a godsend. With little government subsidy on health, Filipino families are hard-pressed to provide for their family’s needs. According to latest data, Filipino families spent an estimated P127.3 billion on healthcare in 2007, 54.3% of the Philippines’ total health expenditure.
The Generics Pharmacy, under the leadership of Benjamin I. Liuson, is doing its best to help society and the pharmaceutical industry by carrying only generic medicines. The company traces its roots back to Pacific Insular Co., a German wholesaler and importer of medicine in 1949. In 1960, Mr. Liuson’s parents bought the firm, which he joined in 1970. He eventually took over in 1974 when his father passed away.
Under Mr. Liuson’s guidance, the company started implementing innovative marketing strategies in 1983. Seeing how the average consumer struggled to make ends meet, they lowered their gross margin to around 30% from the usual 400%. To save on costs, they also did not give out samples and did not employ an agent. Instead, they sold directly to doctors and hospitals. After the Generics Act of 1988 was implemented, the firm established DLI Generics, to serve the needs of government hospitals.
In 1996, doctors from the Philippine General Hospital started referring their patients to the DLI Generics’ office in Quezon City. Mr. Liuson recalls that they had to turn the patients away since the company was a wholesaler and therefore not allowed to sell products to them. This inspired him to open the Philippines’ first generics-only retail store, DLI Pharmacy, in 2001. To set it apart, they focused on selling generic medicines exclusively. They also carry only one generic product for every type of medication. "When a consumer is in a rush to buy medicine, the last thing they need is to get confused by too many brands or chemical names. It also makes inventory-keeping simpler and more efficient," he explains.
The drugstore started to gain acceptance and in 2006, regular customers complained that the lone branch in Quezon City was not accessible to provincial residents. With this, Mr. Liuson re-branded DLI Generics into The Generics Pharmacy in July 2007. They also began franchising outlets through The Generics Pharmacy Franchising Corp.
To help jumpstart the franchise stores, Mr. Liuson had all stocks in the stores on consignment. Having been in the pharmaceutical business for 50 years, he was confident that they understood the needs of their market. Second, as a concession to the first 100 outlets, the company offered to refund the franchising fee should the franchisees opt out for any reason in the first three years.
"We might have been in hot water had it not clicked," Mr. Liuson muses. The strategies seem to be working because the firm now counts over 300 franchisees nationwide. To date, The Generics Pharmacy has 900 franchise stores, only one of which is company-owned. "With only one company store, our franchisees trust us more because they know that we’re not competing with them ourselves," Mr. Liuson says.
Because it only sells generics, the firm can set its own retail price for all its products for the franchisees to follow. It encourages franchisees to put up outlets in areas with heavy foot traffic, even if there are already big drugstores in the vicinity. "Being near a big drugstore is one of my key success criteria. Consumers can more easily compare products. In the end, the public wins," he says.
Over the next three years, the company plans to open 450 more stores. By December 2013, it expects to have a network of 1,500 pharmacies. Mr. Liuson says that they are also considering opening outlets in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam and the United States.
The company also plans to introduce more products. In the pipeline are dermatological, cosmetic and antiseptic products, as well as medical supplies.
Mr. Liuson believes in the value of building long-term trust and partnership relationships with franchisees, suppliers and retailers. "We work closely with those who share our goals," he relates, "An example is one supplier who, despite objections from a huge competing drugstore chain, chose to continue working with us because their CEO shared our vision of providing the public with affordable and effective medicine." The Generics Pharmacy would eventually become the supplier’s biggest local client.
Besides sound business relationships, Mr. Liuson emphasizes the importance of quality, affordability, accessibility, communication, God’s help and social responsibility to maintain his company’s growth. A deeply religious man, Mr. Liuson acknowledges God’s help in all his achievements. That is why, aside from the usual corporate social responsibility projects, the firm is also involved in what he calls "corporate spiritual responsibility." For three years now, the company sponsors the printing of 200,000 Bibles annually through the Philippine Bible Society. Free copies are distributed with the aim of having one Bible in every home in the country. Copies are also sent to the country’s top corporations.
Reflecting on the company’s success, Mr. Liuson shares that he received the best comment from a franchisee -- that Generics Pharmacy was heaven-sent. This affirmation of how much the company helps people provides powerful motivation to work even harder. "The more people you help, the more successful you are," Mr. Liuson says.
--
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. Winners will be announced on October 12, 2010 at a banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.
Business World Online
September 29, 2010
Benjamin I. Liuson
President
The Generics Pharmacy Franchising Corp.
For a country where medical treatment is both prohibitively expensive and sadly insufficient, the concept of generic medicine is a godsend. With little government subsidy on health, Filipino families are hard-pressed to provide for their family’s needs. According to latest data, Filipino families spent an estimated P127.3 billion on healthcare in 2007, 54.3% of the Philippines’ total health expenditure.
The Generics Pharmacy, under the leadership of Benjamin I. Liuson, is doing its best to help society and the pharmaceutical industry by carrying only generic medicines. The company traces its roots back to Pacific Insular Co., a German wholesaler and importer of medicine in 1949. In 1960, Mr. Liuson’s parents bought the firm, which he joined in 1970. He eventually took over in 1974 when his father passed away.
Under Mr. Liuson’s guidance, the company started implementing innovative marketing strategies in 1983. Seeing how the average consumer struggled to make ends meet, they lowered their gross margin to around 30% from the usual 400%. To save on costs, they also did not give out samples and did not employ an agent. Instead, they sold directly to doctors and hospitals. After the Generics Act of 1988 was implemented, the firm established DLI Generics, to serve the needs of government hospitals.
In 1996, doctors from the Philippine General Hospital started referring their patients to the DLI Generics’ office in Quezon City. Mr. Liuson recalls that they had to turn the patients away since the company was a wholesaler and therefore not allowed to sell products to them. This inspired him to open the Philippines’ first generics-only retail store, DLI Pharmacy, in 2001. To set it apart, they focused on selling generic medicines exclusively. They also carry only one generic product for every type of medication. "When a consumer is in a rush to buy medicine, the last thing they need is to get confused by too many brands or chemical names. It also makes inventory-keeping simpler and more efficient," he explains.
The drugstore started to gain acceptance and in 2006, regular customers complained that the lone branch in Quezon City was not accessible to provincial residents. With this, Mr. Liuson re-branded DLI Generics into The Generics Pharmacy in July 2007. They also began franchising outlets through The Generics Pharmacy Franchising Corp.
To help jumpstart the franchise stores, Mr. Liuson had all stocks in the stores on consignment. Having been in the pharmaceutical business for 50 years, he was confident that they understood the needs of their market. Second, as a concession to the first 100 outlets, the company offered to refund the franchising fee should the franchisees opt out for any reason in the first three years.
"We might have been in hot water had it not clicked," Mr. Liuson muses. The strategies seem to be working because the firm now counts over 300 franchisees nationwide. To date, The Generics Pharmacy has 900 franchise stores, only one of which is company-owned. "With only one company store, our franchisees trust us more because they know that we’re not competing with them ourselves," Mr. Liuson says.
Because it only sells generics, the firm can set its own retail price for all its products for the franchisees to follow. It encourages franchisees to put up outlets in areas with heavy foot traffic, even if there are already big drugstores in the vicinity. "Being near a big drugstore is one of my key success criteria. Consumers can more easily compare products. In the end, the public wins," he says.
Over the next three years, the company plans to open 450 more stores. By December 2013, it expects to have a network of 1,500 pharmacies. Mr. Liuson says that they are also considering opening outlets in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam and the United States.
The company also plans to introduce more products. In the pipeline are dermatological, cosmetic and antiseptic products, as well as medical supplies.
Mr. Liuson believes in the value of building long-term trust and partnership relationships with franchisees, suppliers and retailers. "We work closely with those who share our goals," he relates, "An example is one supplier who, despite objections from a huge competing drugstore chain, chose to continue working with us because their CEO shared our vision of providing the public with affordable and effective medicine." The Generics Pharmacy would eventually become the supplier’s biggest local client.
Besides sound business relationships, Mr. Liuson emphasizes the importance of quality, affordability, accessibility, communication, God’s help and social responsibility to maintain his company’s growth. A deeply religious man, Mr. Liuson acknowledges God’s help in all his achievements. That is why, aside from the usual corporate social responsibility projects, the firm is also involved in what he calls "corporate spiritual responsibility." For three years now, the company sponsors the printing of 200,000 Bibles annually through the Philippine Bible Society. Free copies are distributed with the aim of having one Bible in every home in the country. Copies are also sent to the country’s top corporations.
Reflecting on the company’s success, Mr. Liuson shares that he received the best comment from a franchisee -- that Generics Pharmacy was heaven-sent. This affirmation of how much the company helps people provides powerful motivation to work even harder. "The more people you help, the more successful you are," Mr. Liuson says.
--
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. Winners will be announced on October 12, 2010 at a banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Teacher builder
Teacher builder
Business World Online
September 28, 2010
Engr. Remegio Salanatin
Corporate President
R.G. Salanatin Construction
Civil engineer Remegio Salanatin, founder and president of R.G. Salanatin Construction, considers himself a "lucky entrepreneur" because he never planned things to happen but they just fell into place. And while he attributes his good fortune to "getting the right breaks at the right time," he blended vision, insight and expertise to transform this luck into a thriving construction business.
Entrepreneurship was not Mr. Salanatin’s original career track; it was in academe. After graduating valedictorian from the University of San Agustin in 1965 and placing second in the civil engineering board exams, he took up graduate studies in Structural Engineering at the University of the Philippines and Business Administration at the De La Salle University. He worked in Manila briefly before returning to the province to pursue his interest in education and learning. He joined the faculty of the Notre Dame Midsayap College and taught introductory courses on engineering.
However, it seemed that a quiet life as an educator was not his destiny when he was approached by two big schools in Cotabato City to help them with the construction of their buildings. Seeing an opportunity to put his knowledge into practice, he established R.G. Salanatin Construction in 1967. These initial projects became the foundation of his reputation as a dependable contractor. Looking back he says, "In those days, if people know that you are a faculty member, your credibility increases. Suppliers trusted me because they trusted my credentials."
Mr. Salanatin added innovation to his credibility. He developed two strategies that would be the hallmark of his company: the Design & Build (D&B) construction scheme, and Easy-to-Pay (ETP) terms.
D&B is a holistic approach to construction, offering the full suite of services from planning to design and the actual physical construction. This differs from the costly industry practice where owners first seek architects for the project design and then hire a builder.
Mr. Salanatin also offered the ETP option which would require his clients to pay only 30-70% of the contract price upon the project’s completion. The balance would then be paid off monthly over a six to 24-month period. Again, this was not typical in the industry where a downpayment and periodic payments are the norm.
While the D&B and ETP proved very popular with clients, Mr. Salanatin also came up with other methodologies to increase construction work efficiency. He formulated a unique construction scheduling method for project managers and supervisors called Milestone dates, on top of the standard Time Bar Chart construction schedule. This was done to enhance overall efficiency on project completion.
Mr. Salanatin also takes pride in having authored a handbook for construction supervisors. Based on his own experiences, this handbook serves as a best practices guide on how to become an efficient supervisor. He emphasizes the importance of completing a project on schedule with quality workmanship and within budget. He encourages construction supervisors to be committed to achieving these goals, as they largely determine the success of a project.
With his methodic and pedagogic approach to his business it is not surprising that majority of R.G. Salanatin Construction Company’s clients are academic institutions. The company lists among its many projects educational structures, including libraries, gymnasiums, high school and grade school buildings, and faculty and student housing. "Learning has always been a part of my life," he says with a smile. "From being a student, to a teacher, and now, as a builder of learning institutions. I help the country because I build schools, which is essential for education."
Having established the company’s reputation in the Cotabato region, Mr. Salanatin relocated to Davao in 1980, aspiring to become one of the five leading construction companies there. With determination, he was able to build up his company in Davao in less than five years. The company is now looking to expand further in the country, eyeing the Visayas region for potential opportunities.
Still a teacher at heart, Mr. Salanatin encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to do their best while still in school. He says, "Always strive for excellence even as a student. It is a person’s innate competence that will define his level of self-confidence. And you can’t be a true leader or manager without confidence."
--
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. This year’s winners will be announced on October 12, 2010 at an awards banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines will represent the country in the World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 in Monte Carlo, Monaco in June 2011.
Business World Online
September 28, 2010
Engr. Remegio Salanatin
Corporate President
R.G. Salanatin Construction
Civil engineer Remegio Salanatin, founder and president of R.G. Salanatin Construction, considers himself a "lucky entrepreneur" because he never planned things to happen but they just fell into place. And while he attributes his good fortune to "getting the right breaks at the right time," he blended vision, insight and expertise to transform this luck into a thriving construction business.
Entrepreneurship was not Mr. Salanatin’s original career track; it was in academe. After graduating valedictorian from the University of San Agustin in 1965 and placing second in the civil engineering board exams, he took up graduate studies in Structural Engineering at the University of the Philippines and Business Administration at the De La Salle University. He worked in Manila briefly before returning to the province to pursue his interest in education and learning. He joined the faculty of the Notre Dame Midsayap College and taught introductory courses on engineering.
However, it seemed that a quiet life as an educator was not his destiny when he was approached by two big schools in Cotabato City to help them with the construction of their buildings. Seeing an opportunity to put his knowledge into practice, he established R.G. Salanatin Construction in 1967. These initial projects became the foundation of his reputation as a dependable contractor. Looking back he says, "In those days, if people know that you are a faculty member, your credibility increases. Suppliers trusted me because they trusted my credentials."
Mr. Salanatin added innovation to his credibility. He developed two strategies that would be the hallmark of his company: the Design & Build (D&B) construction scheme, and Easy-to-Pay (ETP) terms.
D&B is a holistic approach to construction, offering the full suite of services from planning to design and the actual physical construction. This differs from the costly industry practice where owners first seek architects for the project design and then hire a builder.
Mr. Salanatin also offered the ETP option which would require his clients to pay only 30-70% of the contract price upon the project’s completion. The balance would then be paid off monthly over a six to 24-month period. Again, this was not typical in the industry where a downpayment and periodic payments are the norm.
While the D&B and ETP proved very popular with clients, Mr. Salanatin also came up with other methodologies to increase construction work efficiency. He formulated a unique construction scheduling method for project managers and supervisors called Milestone dates, on top of the standard Time Bar Chart construction schedule. This was done to enhance overall efficiency on project completion.
Mr. Salanatin also takes pride in having authored a handbook for construction supervisors. Based on his own experiences, this handbook serves as a best practices guide on how to become an efficient supervisor. He emphasizes the importance of completing a project on schedule with quality workmanship and within budget. He encourages construction supervisors to be committed to achieving these goals, as they largely determine the success of a project.
With his methodic and pedagogic approach to his business it is not surprising that majority of R.G. Salanatin Construction Company’s clients are academic institutions. The company lists among its many projects educational structures, including libraries, gymnasiums, high school and grade school buildings, and faculty and student housing. "Learning has always been a part of my life," he says with a smile. "From being a student, to a teacher, and now, as a builder of learning institutions. I help the country because I build schools, which is essential for education."
Having established the company’s reputation in the Cotabato region, Mr. Salanatin relocated to Davao in 1980, aspiring to become one of the five leading construction companies there. With determination, he was able to build up his company in Davao in less than five years. The company is now looking to expand further in the country, eyeing the Visayas region for potential opportunities.
Still a teacher at heart, Mr. Salanatin encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to do their best while still in school. He says, "Always strive for excellence even as a student. It is a person’s innate competence that will define his level of self-confidence. And you can’t be a true leader or manager without confidence."
--
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. This year’s winners will be announced on October 12, 2010 at an awards banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines will represent the country in the World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 in Monte Carlo, Monaco in June 2011.
Monday, September 27, 2010
From hotelier to rainmaker
From hotelier to rainmaker
Business World Online
September 27, 2010
Annabella Santos-Wisniewski
President and CEO
Raintree Management Partners, Inc.
Seasoned travelers rave about two major observations on the Philippines. First is the ethereal, almost unearthly beauty of the land; second is the endearing warmth and hospitality of Filipinos in general. These two standout qualities were the fundamental strengths on which Annabella Santos-Wisniewski capitalized to build her business, Raintree Management Partners, Inc.
Mrs. Wisniewski has built a tourism development group that leverages on the best aspects of the Philippines. Raintree-managed properties attract a sizeable chunk of local and international tourists. These include Discovery Shores Boracay and Discovery Country Suites Tagaytay. Combining her extensive experience in the hospitality industry with an innate entrepreneurial spirit, she has helped to greatly enhance the standards of quality and service in the travel industry.
Mrs. Wisniewski says that she was born with entrepreneurship running in her veins. She began her entrepreneurial journey in the United States where she worked in various segments of the hospitality industry for over 20 years, renovating and reselling foreclosed hotels with much success. She reprised her success in Singapore where she helped jumpstart the Ascott chain of serviced residences. She was recognized to have been instrumental in the company’s success, which led to its going public in 1987.
In 1995, the chairman of the Ascott group asked her to return to the Philippines to head their local country operations. However, instead of accepting the offer, Mrs. Wisniewski experienced an epiphany and decided to establish her own company instead: "I thought to myself -- ‘The Philippines is a goldmine! Why am I doing things for other countries when there is so much to do for my own?"
In 1996, Mrs. Wisniewski set up Raintree Management Partners, Inc. as an independent consulting services firm serving established hotel chains such as the Four Seasons and the Shangri-La. Mrs. Wisniewski recalls that she started small, "Really small! It was just my driver, my secretary and I." She now has 1,000 employees.
In addition to the consulting business, Mrs. Wisniewski ventured into operations to build market presence. HSAI Raintree Hospitality Management was formed to operate luxury hotels. In 1998, Raintree entered into a technical service and a long-term management agreement with Discovery Suites to pioneer the full serviced-apartment concept. The tie-up received international recognition and the company was named the Best Employer for Asia in 2003 by Hewitt Associates.
Raintree Management Partners, Inc. believes in injecting innovation into their projects such as providing free Wi-Fi in all Raintree-managed luxury hotels and resorts; revolutionizing corporate food service; and giving quality dining experience in their tastefully designed restaurants that occasionally feature art exhibits and other events.
Mrs. Wisniewski ensures that each innovative approach is market driven and location specific. "After all, we are in the ‘people business’ and it is the people who lounge by our infinity pools and enjoy the amenities our luxury hotels and resorts provide," she states.
Quick to recognize opportunities, Mrs. Wisniewski likewise went into the food service business when she was approached with a proposal to develop a food court at the Enterprise Center on Ayala Avenue. She pioneered a new concept -- themed food parks in a corporate setting, combining easy and affordable dining with events and entertainment. With the initial success of The Enterprise Center Food Court, Raintree started to receive numerous inquiries and offers from other Makati building owners.
To manage the growing demand, she created FoodParks by Raintree in 1998. At present, FoodParks operates the Food Park at the Enterprise Center, Food Odyssey at the LKG Tower, Food & Art Galerie at GT Tower, Food Patio at the PBCom Tower and Food Arcade at the PhilAm Tower.
Being revenue minded, Mrs. Wisniewski knew that it was not financially sufficient to just sublease spaces in the food parks. She organized a subgroup, the Retail Food Group, to operate various food and beverage stalls like Lola’s Kitchen, Pinoy Sizzlers, City Bites, the New York Cafe and FP Express. Seeing that the business was rapidly growing, Mrs. Wisniewski asked her son Andrej to oversee the FoodParks business. The Wisniewski family is very involved in the business and in fact, she says: "My husband and my sons are major players in all my endeavors, and their support and encouragement constantly inspire me."
From FoodParks emerged yet another division -- Raintree Restaurants. The division runs the M Cafe in the Ayala Museum Complex. This was followed by Chelsea Market & Cafe at Serendra, Mr. Jones in Greenbelt 5 and Momo in the Eastwood Mall.
Mrs. Wisniewski’s deep knowledge of the hospitality industry provides Raintree with its competitive edge and is primarily responsible for the group’s market leadership and successful ventures. Moving forward, plans are underway to launch a new generation of hotels and resorts. It is currently developing two beachfront properties in Baler -- one is moderately priced for the budget-conscious traveler and the other, an exclusive high-quality resort and an eco-adventure destination. Discovery Bay Albay will also be opening soon.
While being aggressive in growing the business, Mrs. Wisniewski is also passionate about people development. Key people are sent for training to institutions like Cornell University and the Asian Institute of Management and industry experts are invited to conduct in-house seminars.
With a robust organizational structure backed by a solid business framework, Raintree’s growth has been impressive, but Mrs. Wisniewski recalls when it wasn’t so. "At the beginning, we had to overcome the perception that only international hotel groups could deliver world-class quality." This did not deter her as she steadfastly believed that commitment, effort, optimism and passion can overcome any difficulties: "There’s just no substitute for tenacity and hard work. These are valuable traits that anyone must live by."
Annabella Santos-Wisniewski tirelessly works to enhance and develop the country’s best qualities, particularly its people. Her advice to young entrepreneurs is this: The Filipino can! Success takes a lot of believing. Believe in yourself and in your dreams, and do not fear failure. In the end, it is not the falling but the rising that counts.
--
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. The winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 will be announced on October 12, 2010 at an awards banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.
Business World Online
September 27, 2010
Annabella Santos-Wisniewski
President and CEO
Raintree Management Partners, Inc.
Seasoned travelers rave about two major observations on the Philippines. First is the ethereal, almost unearthly beauty of the land; second is the endearing warmth and hospitality of Filipinos in general. These two standout qualities were the fundamental strengths on which Annabella Santos-Wisniewski capitalized to build her business, Raintree Management Partners, Inc.
Mrs. Wisniewski has built a tourism development group that leverages on the best aspects of the Philippines. Raintree-managed properties attract a sizeable chunk of local and international tourists. These include Discovery Shores Boracay and Discovery Country Suites Tagaytay. Combining her extensive experience in the hospitality industry with an innate entrepreneurial spirit, she has helped to greatly enhance the standards of quality and service in the travel industry.
Mrs. Wisniewski says that she was born with entrepreneurship running in her veins. She began her entrepreneurial journey in the United States where she worked in various segments of the hospitality industry for over 20 years, renovating and reselling foreclosed hotels with much success. She reprised her success in Singapore where she helped jumpstart the Ascott chain of serviced residences. She was recognized to have been instrumental in the company’s success, which led to its going public in 1987.
In 1995, the chairman of the Ascott group asked her to return to the Philippines to head their local country operations. However, instead of accepting the offer, Mrs. Wisniewski experienced an epiphany and decided to establish her own company instead: "I thought to myself -- ‘The Philippines is a goldmine! Why am I doing things for other countries when there is so much to do for my own?"
In 1996, Mrs. Wisniewski set up Raintree Management Partners, Inc. as an independent consulting services firm serving established hotel chains such as the Four Seasons and the Shangri-La. Mrs. Wisniewski recalls that she started small, "Really small! It was just my driver, my secretary and I." She now has 1,000 employees.
In addition to the consulting business, Mrs. Wisniewski ventured into operations to build market presence. HSAI Raintree Hospitality Management was formed to operate luxury hotels. In 1998, Raintree entered into a technical service and a long-term management agreement with Discovery Suites to pioneer the full serviced-apartment concept. The tie-up received international recognition and the company was named the Best Employer for Asia in 2003 by Hewitt Associates.
Raintree Management Partners, Inc. believes in injecting innovation into their projects such as providing free Wi-Fi in all Raintree-managed luxury hotels and resorts; revolutionizing corporate food service; and giving quality dining experience in their tastefully designed restaurants that occasionally feature art exhibits and other events.
Mrs. Wisniewski ensures that each innovative approach is market driven and location specific. "After all, we are in the ‘people business’ and it is the people who lounge by our infinity pools and enjoy the amenities our luxury hotels and resorts provide," she states.
Quick to recognize opportunities, Mrs. Wisniewski likewise went into the food service business when she was approached with a proposal to develop a food court at the Enterprise Center on Ayala Avenue. She pioneered a new concept -- themed food parks in a corporate setting, combining easy and affordable dining with events and entertainment. With the initial success of The Enterprise Center Food Court, Raintree started to receive numerous inquiries and offers from other Makati building owners.
To manage the growing demand, she created FoodParks by Raintree in 1998. At present, FoodParks operates the Food Park at the Enterprise Center, Food Odyssey at the LKG Tower, Food & Art Galerie at GT Tower, Food Patio at the PBCom Tower and Food Arcade at the PhilAm Tower.
Being revenue minded, Mrs. Wisniewski knew that it was not financially sufficient to just sublease spaces in the food parks. She organized a subgroup, the Retail Food Group, to operate various food and beverage stalls like Lola’s Kitchen, Pinoy Sizzlers, City Bites, the New York Cafe and FP Express. Seeing that the business was rapidly growing, Mrs. Wisniewski asked her son Andrej to oversee the FoodParks business. The Wisniewski family is very involved in the business and in fact, she says: "My husband and my sons are major players in all my endeavors, and their support and encouragement constantly inspire me."
From FoodParks emerged yet another division -- Raintree Restaurants. The division runs the M Cafe in the Ayala Museum Complex. This was followed by Chelsea Market & Cafe at Serendra, Mr. Jones in Greenbelt 5 and Momo in the Eastwood Mall.
Mrs. Wisniewski’s deep knowledge of the hospitality industry provides Raintree with its competitive edge and is primarily responsible for the group’s market leadership and successful ventures. Moving forward, plans are underway to launch a new generation of hotels and resorts. It is currently developing two beachfront properties in Baler -- one is moderately priced for the budget-conscious traveler and the other, an exclusive high-quality resort and an eco-adventure destination. Discovery Bay Albay will also be opening soon.
While being aggressive in growing the business, Mrs. Wisniewski is also passionate about people development. Key people are sent for training to institutions like Cornell University and the Asian Institute of Management and industry experts are invited to conduct in-house seminars.
With a robust organizational structure backed by a solid business framework, Raintree’s growth has been impressive, but Mrs. Wisniewski recalls when it wasn’t so. "At the beginning, we had to overcome the perception that only international hotel groups could deliver world-class quality." This did not deter her as she steadfastly believed that commitment, effort, optimism and passion can overcome any difficulties: "There’s just no substitute for tenacity and hard work. These are valuable traits that anyone must live by."
Annabella Santos-Wisniewski tirelessly works to enhance and develop the country’s best qualities, particularly its people. Her advice to young entrepreneurs is this: The Filipino can! Success takes a lot of believing. Believe in yourself and in your dreams, and do not fear failure. In the end, it is not the falling but the rising that counts.
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The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. The winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 will be announced on October 12, 2010 at an awards banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Finding strength and happiness - in numbers
Finding strength and happiness -- in numbers
Business World Online
September 24, 2010
Paolo Benigno Aquino IV
Mark Joaquin Ruiz
President/Managing Director
MicroVentures, Inc.
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." These often-quoted lines by poet Robert Frost aptly describe the journey of school friends Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV and Mark Joaquin Ruiz. Years later, their minds would meet and together would embark courageously on the road not taken. They would co-create a revolutionary microenterprise business model to address the economic and social inequity for those marginalized by the status quo -- the more than 50% of the total Filipino population who lives on less than $2 a day.
They had gone on different career tracks after graduating with Management Engineering degrees from the Ateneo de Manila. After college, Mr. Aquino established himself in the public service sector, while Mr. Ruiz ventured into the corporate world.
"I always considered myself a social entrepreneur," Mr. Aquino says, "because I was driven by a strong public service perspective." As a fresh graduate, he joined the ABS-CBN Foundation’s Special Projects Group and was involved in a rehabilitation center for abused and neglected children, disaster management projects, relief operations and volunteer recruitment. He then spearheaded the National Youth Commission as its commissioner-at-large in 2001 before becoming its chairman and CEO in 2003. "In government, I witnessed programs that had short-term gains but no long-term effects for the people it served. That influenced me to think of something that could make a lasting, transforming difference for Filipinos."
Mr. Ruiz, on the other hand, joined global company Unilever as customer development executive and merchandising supervisor. There he honed his skills in customer marketing, promotions development and planning. In just six years, he rose to the position of senior customer marketing manager and CMD head. Mr. Ruiz says, "Unlike Bam, I only considered myself an entrepreneur when I resigned from Unilever to collaborate with him. But being in sales and marketing, I always pushed for social development through innovation and entrepreneurship -- the intersection of my passions and skills."
Mr. Ruiz’s experience in marketing fast-moving consumer goods led to the idea of leveraging on the Filipino sari-sari or convenience stores, usually found in lower-income communities, that make up around 40% of total retail sales in the country. Seeing both the problems and the potentials of the sector, they theorized that for the stores to grow and be truly viable, they needed to enter a new phase of microentrepreneurship development.
After exchanging ideas on innovative microfinance development with like-minded individuals -- among them Dr. Jaime Aristotle Alip, founder of the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development-Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD-MRI) and with whom they would eventually tie up -- Mr. Aquino and Mr. Ruiz concretized their plans and developed a business plan for aggregating microretail outlets, which led to MicroVentures, Inc. (MVI)
MVI started its formal operations in 2007 as a social business enterprise working with CARD-MRI and its borrowers through its flagship project, the "Hapinoy Store Program." A combination of the words "happy" and "Pinoy," Hapinoy aims to "make every Filipino happy" by using an ecosystem management approach to improve local microenterprises. Through the program, a borrower who has top credit scores can borrow capital to convert an existing convenience store into a small Hapinoy Store or a larger Hapinoy Community Store, which serves over 50 small stores.
Recognizing that sari-sari stores are usually owned and run by the woman of the household (the mother or nanay), the Hapinoy Program focuses on increasing these Nanays’ profitability. Nanays are given access to business management and marketing knowledge through the "Path to Prosperity," a four-tiered program designed to assist a fledgling Hapinoy store. Mr. Ruiz says, "We believe that empowering the woman microentrepreneur is a pivotal factor in reducing poverty. Increasing her profitability leads to an improved quality of life for her family and her community as well."
The Hapinoy Program harnesses the potential of smaller enterprises through microfinancing, aggregation, value chain integration, business model innovation, branding and training. By linking Hapinoy Stores with established manufacturers and microproducers, MVI brings sari-sari stores into an organized supply chain. Moreover, MVI is able to get goods directly and at a lower cost and is able to pass these savings on to Hapinoy Stores. "Our partner companies do very well on their own, but they also see the intrinsic value in helping the community," Mr. Aquino says.
As marketing and branding consultant, merchandise consolidator and training provider, MVI teaches each Nanay to make her own business more resilient, profitable and sustainable. Through a training program named Sariskwela, members are equipped with best practices on pricing, inventory and credit management, business expansion and goal setting. Veering away from the traditional patronage relationship between an organization and its beneficiary, Hapinoy empowers each Nanay to be a proactive manager accountable for her own business decisions. While the program teaches each Nanay ways to increase her monthly earnings from P3,000 to P18,000 within six to eight months, MVI’s ultimate goal is to improve her entrepreneurial ability and, consequently, her family’s livelihood, self-esteem and dignity.
In this respect, the Hapinoy Program is different from similar microfinancing or social enterprise models in Mexico or India, where the main focus is on raising funds for the organization’s goals. Village stores in Southeast Asia exist but are not consolidated systematically. Mr. Ruiz mentions that international microfinancing organization Grameen Foundation has singled out Hapinoy’s uniqueness -- while social in nature, it is run like a real business.
"We envisioned Hapinoy as a flexible and wide-ranging platform, giving us more areas of application such as retail, production, mobile banking, technology and healthcare," Mr. Aquino adds. In fact, a grant from the Science and Technology Innovations for the Base of the Pyramid in Southeast Asia has enabled MVI to pilot its Hapinoy Health Hub, which makes affordable medicine available in Hapinoy communities.
Currently, there are 150 Hapinoy Communities of around 10,000 stores concentrated in Southern Luzon. MVI hopes to expand operations in North Luzon by next year and, eventually, establish a Hapinoy presence in every town in the country. Groups in other countries have also expressed interest in replicating the program, and both Mr. Aquino and Mr. Ruiz foresee international expansion.
Mr. Ruiz acknowledges, however, that the present business environment is not quite ready for large-scale social enterprises; for example, there is not much "patient" (long-term) capital source available given the developmental aspect, and for-profit organizations cannot accept donations without being taxed. Mr. Aquino sees this as an opportunity for advocacy, saying that, "It’s time more people push for social entrepreneurship. As donations for non-government organizations get scarcer, social enterprises need to take the lead." Both believe that in the long term, they can help microenterprises integrate into the formal economy and create a system of entrepreneurs helping other entrepreneurs. They dream of changing the world, one happy Pinoy at a time -- it is the road they have taken.
--
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. Official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, operating on behalf of the Air-France KLM Group in the Philippines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. The winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 will be announced on October 12, 2010 at an awards banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.
Business World Online
September 24, 2010
Paolo Benigno Aquino IV
Mark Joaquin Ruiz
President/Managing Director
MicroVentures, Inc.
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." These often-quoted lines by poet Robert Frost aptly describe the journey of school friends Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV and Mark Joaquin Ruiz. Years later, their minds would meet and together would embark courageously on the road not taken. They would co-create a revolutionary microenterprise business model to address the economic and social inequity for those marginalized by the status quo -- the more than 50% of the total Filipino population who lives on less than $2 a day.
They had gone on different career tracks after graduating with Management Engineering degrees from the Ateneo de Manila. After college, Mr. Aquino established himself in the public service sector, while Mr. Ruiz ventured into the corporate world.
"I always considered myself a social entrepreneur," Mr. Aquino says, "because I was driven by a strong public service perspective." As a fresh graduate, he joined the ABS-CBN Foundation’s Special Projects Group and was involved in a rehabilitation center for abused and neglected children, disaster management projects, relief operations and volunteer recruitment. He then spearheaded the National Youth Commission as its commissioner-at-large in 2001 before becoming its chairman and CEO in 2003. "In government, I witnessed programs that had short-term gains but no long-term effects for the people it served. That influenced me to think of something that could make a lasting, transforming difference for Filipinos."
Mr. Ruiz, on the other hand, joined global company Unilever as customer development executive and merchandising supervisor. There he honed his skills in customer marketing, promotions development and planning. In just six years, he rose to the position of senior customer marketing manager and CMD head. Mr. Ruiz says, "Unlike Bam, I only considered myself an entrepreneur when I resigned from Unilever to collaborate with him. But being in sales and marketing, I always pushed for social development through innovation and entrepreneurship -- the intersection of my passions and skills."
Mr. Ruiz’s experience in marketing fast-moving consumer goods led to the idea of leveraging on the Filipino sari-sari or convenience stores, usually found in lower-income communities, that make up around 40% of total retail sales in the country. Seeing both the problems and the potentials of the sector, they theorized that for the stores to grow and be truly viable, they needed to enter a new phase of microentrepreneurship development.
After exchanging ideas on innovative microfinance development with like-minded individuals -- among them Dr. Jaime Aristotle Alip, founder of the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development-Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD-MRI) and with whom they would eventually tie up -- Mr. Aquino and Mr. Ruiz concretized their plans and developed a business plan for aggregating microretail outlets, which led to MicroVentures, Inc. (MVI)
MVI started its formal operations in 2007 as a social business enterprise working with CARD-MRI and its borrowers through its flagship project, the "Hapinoy Store Program." A combination of the words "happy" and "Pinoy," Hapinoy aims to "make every Filipino happy" by using an ecosystem management approach to improve local microenterprises. Through the program, a borrower who has top credit scores can borrow capital to convert an existing convenience store into a small Hapinoy Store or a larger Hapinoy Community Store, which serves over 50 small stores.
Recognizing that sari-sari stores are usually owned and run by the woman of the household (the mother or nanay), the Hapinoy Program focuses on increasing these Nanays’ profitability. Nanays are given access to business management and marketing knowledge through the "Path to Prosperity," a four-tiered program designed to assist a fledgling Hapinoy store. Mr. Ruiz says, "We believe that empowering the woman microentrepreneur is a pivotal factor in reducing poverty. Increasing her profitability leads to an improved quality of life for her family and her community as well."
The Hapinoy Program harnesses the potential of smaller enterprises through microfinancing, aggregation, value chain integration, business model innovation, branding and training. By linking Hapinoy Stores with established manufacturers and microproducers, MVI brings sari-sari stores into an organized supply chain. Moreover, MVI is able to get goods directly and at a lower cost and is able to pass these savings on to Hapinoy Stores. "Our partner companies do very well on their own, but they also see the intrinsic value in helping the community," Mr. Aquino says.
As marketing and branding consultant, merchandise consolidator and training provider, MVI teaches each Nanay to make her own business more resilient, profitable and sustainable. Through a training program named Sariskwela, members are equipped with best practices on pricing, inventory and credit management, business expansion and goal setting. Veering away from the traditional patronage relationship between an organization and its beneficiary, Hapinoy empowers each Nanay to be a proactive manager accountable for her own business decisions. While the program teaches each Nanay ways to increase her monthly earnings from P3,000 to P18,000 within six to eight months, MVI’s ultimate goal is to improve her entrepreneurial ability and, consequently, her family’s livelihood, self-esteem and dignity.
In this respect, the Hapinoy Program is different from similar microfinancing or social enterprise models in Mexico or India, where the main focus is on raising funds for the organization’s goals. Village stores in Southeast Asia exist but are not consolidated systematically. Mr. Ruiz mentions that international microfinancing organization Grameen Foundation has singled out Hapinoy’s uniqueness -- while social in nature, it is run like a real business.
"We envisioned Hapinoy as a flexible and wide-ranging platform, giving us more areas of application such as retail, production, mobile banking, technology and healthcare," Mr. Aquino adds. In fact, a grant from the Science and Technology Innovations for the Base of the Pyramid in Southeast Asia has enabled MVI to pilot its Hapinoy Health Hub, which makes affordable medicine available in Hapinoy communities.
Currently, there are 150 Hapinoy Communities of around 10,000 stores concentrated in Southern Luzon. MVI hopes to expand operations in North Luzon by next year and, eventually, establish a Hapinoy presence in every town in the country. Groups in other countries have also expressed interest in replicating the program, and both Mr. Aquino and Mr. Ruiz foresee international expansion.
Mr. Ruiz acknowledges, however, that the present business environment is not quite ready for large-scale social enterprises; for example, there is not much "patient" (long-term) capital source available given the developmental aspect, and for-profit organizations cannot accept donations without being taxed. Mr. Aquino sees this as an opportunity for advocacy, saying that, "It’s time more people push for social entrepreneurship. As donations for non-government organizations get scarcer, social enterprises need to take the lead." Both believe that in the long term, they can help microenterprises integrate into the formal economy and create a system of entrepreneurs helping other entrepreneurs. They dream of changing the world, one happy Pinoy at a time -- it is the road they have taken.
--
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. Official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, operating on behalf of the Air-France KLM Group in the Philippines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. The winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 will be announced on October 12, 2010 at an awards banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Soup is good food...and business
Soup is good food... and business
Business World Online
September 23, 2010
Adelfa Lepura Borro
President and CEO
Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy
The humble batchoy -- comfort food to many Ilonggos -- has become the iconic food of Iloilo. A bowl of steaming batchoy may look appetizing yet simple but, if one digs deeper, you will find an interesting story of an entrepreneur and his progeny.
Teodoro "Ted" Lepura invested all of his 10 pesos to start his eatery in a public market. He served what became his signature dish -- La Paz batchoy. While the soup originates from the town of La Paz, Mr. Lepura perfected its broth and added round noodles called meke. This was way back in 1945 when he sold batchoy at 20 centavos a bowl.
Among his children, it would be his daughter Adelfa (now Borro) who would inherit both his penchant for cooking and entrepreneurial spirit. At 10, she was already trained to be the cook and templadora (one who mixes and adjusts the taste of the broth). To this day, she has maintained the original flavor of her father’s famous batchoy or as what others may say, "just like the old times." Indeed, a bowl of Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy holds much history.
For as long as he was alive, Mr. Lepura lorded over his kitchen. Ms. Borro took over managing the business only after acquiring her Commerce degree from the Western Institute of Technology in 1973. By that time, the business had grown from its stall in the La Paz Public Market into a full-fledged restaurant called Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy. Mrs. Borro’s skills in the kitchen and her inherent understanding of the Filipino merienda mentality were instrumental in helping the business thrive.
"One of the things we needed to ensure was a consistent ’old-timer taste’ for every bowl of batchoy," she relates. "Some of our loyal patrons had been coming to us for years and we couldn’t disappoint them."
Banking on the Filipino habit of merienda (mid-morning or late afternoon snacks), Mrs. Borro decided to use her own savings and a bank loan to expand the family business. She opened a branch on Valeria Street, Iloilo City in 1985.
At first, the restaurant served batchoy with puto or pan de sal as side dishes. She started to introduce batchoy options like other choices of noodles. She also came up with Namit (Yummy) Meals, All-Day Breakfast Meals and Pancit Guisado Specials. These new products were well-received by customers, kept competitors at bay and generated more sales for businesses.
"Sipag (hard work), tiyaga (perseverance) at tibay ng loob (guts)," Mrs. Borro says, are the necessary ingredients to success.
These values have continually pushed Ted’s to its steady growth. Seeing that the business was gaining a major foothold in the market, she started streamlining operations in 2002 by establishing a company profile and formalizing the operations manual. A year later, Mrs. Borro embarked on a more aggressive expansion route through franchising. Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy now has 12 franchises all over the Philippines in addition to 23 company-owned restaurants.
However, expanding the business came with its own set of challenges. When the company decided to open a branch in Mindanao, they were faced with a non-pork eating clientele. Mrs. Borro responded by introducing the beef batchoy.
"Although the basic ingredient is beef, it still has the rich meaty taste and distinct flavor of the original recipe. You can barely tell the difference!" she enthuses.
The beef batchoy became a huge hit and is now offered in all Ted’s branches nationwide.
Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy has already become a household name in the food industry with branches all over the country and still growing.
Yet Mrs. Borro has never been one to rest on her laurels. Understanding the need to nurture the business into the future, she began to explore the next stage in Ted’s evolution. She initiated renovations at all her restaurants, outfitting then with modern decor and architecture.
In keeping with the times, she started exploring the cafe concept where ambience and comfort complement delicious and affordable food. When Ted’s opened its newest branch on May 16, 2010 at Diversion Road in Iloilo City, this cafe concept was adopted. The food offerings now include a variety of coffee concoctions and an assortment of cakes and pastries for Dulgie’s -- Ted’s sister company owned by Mrs. Borro’s daughter, Allen Mae. Eventually, steaks and grilled specialties will be worked into the menu.
These innovations helped Mrs. Borro score a coup for Ted’s; the concept became popular not only among longtime patrons but also among the young and upwardly mobile crowd. She is also looking at ways to target home consumers.
Working close-ly with the Department of Science and Technology, Mrs. Borro is planning to develop an instant noodle version of the famed dish. She is confident that the product will stay true to the taste of the original La Paz batchoy. Richer in flavor and fuller in taste, Mrs. Borro believes that her instant La Paz Batchoy will be unlike any other being sold in the market.
Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy has been recognized for its excellent reputation and customer service. In 2005, it was declared the Best La Paz Batchoy by the National Shoppers’ Choice Awards. Mrs. Borro is committed to maintaining this position by focusing her efforts on continuously enhancing product quality, restaurant ambience and customer service.
"I always remind my employees that their good service reflects not only on the business but on the Ilonggo culture where good food must be prepared and served with the highest quality," she emphasizes.
She also believes in adopting a hands-on management approach to running the business. "As an entrepreneur," she reasons, "you have to stay on top of operations and know every aspect of the business. Being hands-on is crucial in driving business growth."
A formidable business figure in her own right, Mrs. Borro has come a long way from being her father’s little kitchen helper. Now the visionary behind Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy, Mrs. Borro knows all too well the value of hard work and perseverance. Of all the lessons Adelfa Lepura Borro has learned since taking over Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy, the most lasting is that a strong belief in oneself and the fearlessness to take on calculated risks can do wonders for the business. Her father’s legacy has taught her that good old hard work almost always results in abundance.
"As an entrepreneur, you have your work cut out for you. And yet all you really need is the determination to see it through," she says.
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, operating on behalf of the Air-France KLM Group in the Philippines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel.
--
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 has concluded its search for the country’s most successful and inspiring entrepreneurs. Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines is a program of the SGV Foundation, Inc. with the participation of co-presenters De La Salle University, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine Business for Social Progress, Philippine Stock Exchange and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.
Business World Online
September 23, 2010
Adelfa Lepura Borro
President and CEO
Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy
The humble batchoy -- comfort food to many Ilonggos -- has become the iconic food of Iloilo. A bowl of steaming batchoy may look appetizing yet simple but, if one digs deeper, you will find an interesting story of an entrepreneur and his progeny.
Teodoro "Ted" Lepura invested all of his 10 pesos to start his eatery in a public market. He served what became his signature dish -- La Paz batchoy. While the soup originates from the town of La Paz, Mr. Lepura perfected its broth and added round noodles called meke. This was way back in 1945 when he sold batchoy at 20 centavos a bowl.
Among his children, it would be his daughter Adelfa (now Borro) who would inherit both his penchant for cooking and entrepreneurial spirit. At 10, she was already trained to be the cook and templadora (one who mixes and adjusts the taste of the broth). To this day, she has maintained the original flavor of her father’s famous batchoy or as what others may say, "just like the old times." Indeed, a bowl of Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy holds much history.
For as long as he was alive, Mr. Lepura lorded over his kitchen. Ms. Borro took over managing the business only after acquiring her Commerce degree from the Western Institute of Technology in 1973. By that time, the business had grown from its stall in the La Paz Public Market into a full-fledged restaurant called Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy. Mrs. Borro’s skills in the kitchen and her inherent understanding of the Filipino merienda mentality were instrumental in helping the business thrive.
"One of the things we needed to ensure was a consistent ’old-timer taste’ for every bowl of batchoy," she relates. "Some of our loyal patrons had been coming to us for years and we couldn’t disappoint them."
Banking on the Filipino habit of merienda (mid-morning or late afternoon snacks), Mrs. Borro decided to use her own savings and a bank loan to expand the family business. She opened a branch on Valeria Street, Iloilo City in 1985.
At first, the restaurant served batchoy with puto or pan de sal as side dishes. She started to introduce batchoy options like other choices of noodles. She also came up with Namit (Yummy) Meals, All-Day Breakfast Meals and Pancit Guisado Specials. These new products were well-received by customers, kept competitors at bay and generated more sales for businesses.
"Sipag (hard work), tiyaga (perseverance) at tibay ng loob (guts)," Mrs. Borro says, are the necessary ingredients to success.
These values have continually pushed Ted’s to its steady growth. Seeing that the business was gaining a major foothold in the market, she started streamlining operations in 2002 by establishing a company profile and formalizing the operations manual. A year later, Mrs. Borro embarked on a more aggressive expansion route through franchising. Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy now has 12 franchises all over the Philippines in addition to 23 company-owned restaurants.
However, expanding the business came with its own set of challenges. When the company decided to open a branch in Mindanao, they were faced with a non-pork eating clientele. Mrs. Borro responded by introducing the beef batchoy.
"Although the basic ingredient is beef, it still has the rich meaty taste and distinct flavor of the original recipe. You can barely tell the difference!" she enthuses.
The beef batchoy became a huge hit and is now offered in all Ted’s branches nationwide.
Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy has already become a household name in the food industry with branches all over the country and still growing.
Yet Mrs. Borro has never been one to rest on her laurels. Understanding the need to nurture the business into the future, she began to explore the next stage in Ted’s evolution. She initiated renovations at all her restaurants, outfitting then with modern decor and architecture.
In keeping with the times, she started exploring the cafe concept where ambience and comfort complement delicious and affordable food. When Ted’s opened its newest branch on May 16, 2010 at Diversion Road in Iloilo City, this cafe concept was adopted. The food offerings now include a variety of coffee concoctions and an assortment of cakes and pastries for Dulgie’s -- Ted’s sister company owned by Mrs. Borro’s daughter, Allen Mae. Eventually, steaks and grilled specialties will be worked into the menu.
These innovations helped Mrs. Borro score a coup for Ted’s; the concept became popular not only among longtime patrons but also among the young and upwardly mobile crowd. She is also looking at ways to target home consumers.
Working close-ly with the Department of Science and Technology, Mrs. Borro is planning to develop an instant noodle version of the famed dish. She is confident that the product will stay true to the taste of the original La Paz batchoy. Richer in flavor and fuller in taste, Mrs. Borro believes that her instant La Paz Batchoy will be unlike any other being sold in the market.
Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy has been recognized for its excellent reputation and customer service. In 2005, it was declared the Best La Paz Batchoy by the National Shoppers’ Choice Awards. Mrs. Borro is committed to maintaining this position by focusing her efforts on continuously enhancing product quality, restaurant ambience and customer service.
"I always remind my employees that their good service reflects not only on the business but on the Ilonggo culture where good food must be prepared and served with the highest quality," she emphasizes.
She also believes in adopting a hands-on management approach to running the business. "As an entrepreneur," she reasons, "you have to stay on top of operations and know every aspect of the business. Being hands-on is crucial in driving business growth."
A formidable business figure in her own right, Mrs. Borro has come a long way from being her father’s little kitchen helper. Now the visionary behind Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy, Mrs. Borro knows all too well the value of hard work and perseverance. Of all the lessons Adelfa Lepura Borro has learned since taking over Ted’s Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy, the most lasting is that a strong belief in oneself and the fearlessness to take on calculated risks can do wonders for the business. Her father’s legacy has taught her that good old hard work almost always results in abundance.
"As an entrepreneur, you have your work cut out for you. And yet all you really need is the determination to see it through," she says.
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, operating on behalf of the Air-France KLM Group in the Philippines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel.
--
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 has concluded its search for the country’s most successful and inspiring entrepreneurs. Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines is a program of the SGV Foundation, Inc. with the participation of co-presenters De La Salle University, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine Business for Social Progress, Philippine Stock Exchange and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Wealth in and of water
Wealth in and of water
Business World Online
September 22, 2010
Gabino M. Abejo, Jr.
Abejo Builders Corp.
Cebu City is the hub of trade, industry, tourism and education in the Visayas. Steeped in history and rich in local traditions, it has been consistently rated among the top island destinations in Asia. However, it is also a known fact that Metro Cebu has had a water supply problem for some time now because of deforestation and seawater seeping into its underground water supply. That water is a basic human necessity cannot be ignored in this populous area and 27-year-old Gabino M. Abejo, Jr. has risen to this challenge. He has channeled his drive, energy and boundless enthusiasm into projects to provide clean, safe water to barangays in Talisay and Consolacion, Cebu.
Leveraging on the resources and experience of Abejo Builders Corp., Mr. Abejo guided his family’s business into diversifying from construction into bulk water production. The company was created in 1999 as a family-owned construction business based in Mandaue City. At that time, Mr. Abejo’s brother Gerry headed the company that was involved in small piping projects with the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD). Seeing an opportunity to supply potable water by engineering their own water delivery system, the Abejo family began shifting their focus to water production. The company partnered with a Manila-based water distribution consultant to learn more about the industry.
A big break occurred in 2003 when the company won a bid to supply a minimum of 4,000 cubic meters (cu. m.) of potable water to the MCWD for distribution in Talisay City. As this was the company’s first venture into the business, it took 12 months to build the system. In 2005, Gerry stepped down, and his younger brother, Gabino, took over as vice-president of the business.
Mr. Abejo has had some experience in the water industry. After graduating from Northwood University in Florida in 2004, he came home and set up a water refilling station in Mactan, where water is mostly brackish. The success of his business led to two more branches within the next nine months.
As head of the company, Mr. Abejo saw the huge potential of expanding into the bulk water system. He decided to restructure the company with water supply as its primary service and construction as a secondary service. Under his leadership, the company made significant investments in their water system model to ensure cost efficiency. This allowed the company to offer reasonable and competitive prices to both customers and water districts.
From an initial supply of 4,000 cu. m. daily, the Talisay bulk water system increased production to an average of 5,600 cu. m. daily by 2007. A year later, the company won another MWCD contract to supply a minimum of 7,000 cu. m. daily of potable water to the town of Consolacion. Despite being a fledgling in the water business, they were able to supply the MCWD with up to 15,000 cu. m. a day.
Moreover, lessons from their previous project enabled Abejo Builders to complete the new system in just six months or half the time it took to complete their first water system. The six-month turnaround is now a standard guarantee in their contracts.
With an eye for opportunity, Mr. Abejo also envisioned a way to help the communities where their bulk water supply system was located. Noting that not all houses in the barangays had ready access to the water supplied by the MCWD, Abejo Builders provided communal faucets in as many as 12 to 15 areas in the barangay. Water is available 24 hours a day and is free of charge. This was the start of his "Barangayan Water Project."
However, the water needs of the community proved to be too great, prompting Mr. Abejo to expand the project into a level three water supply system. This meant installing water meters in all houses and providing water directly to the barangay residents, at no cost to the local government.
Mr. Abejo also pegged the price per cubic meter at P1 lower than the MCWD’s to further subsidize the expenses in the community. The connection fee of P4,000 is also charged over a 12-month installment plan.
Mr. Abejo sees this as building a sense of social responsibility in his company. He hopes to replicate this system in other barangays wherever the company’s bulk water supply system is located.
Inspired by his company’s rapid growth and success, Mr. Abejo aggressively pushes on, aiming to further increase the volume he supplies to the MCWD by an additional 25,000 cu. m.
This year, he has already won five new supply contracts, two systems of which they have started to build. Apart from servicing the MCWD, Mr. Abejo is also in talks with two private companies to supply them with 4,000 cu. m. a day using surface water technology and brackish water desalination technology.
To undertake new and bigger projects, Mr. Abejo relies on his employees to deliver. To him, they are the company’s strongest assets, and he makes it a point to meet with his management and staff regularly to discuss problems and opportunities.
Every six months the company also organizes team building activities for the staff. He believes that employees continually become more efficient and innovative due to their culture of mutual trust, respect and teaming. He considers this to be the key to Abejo Builders’ growing competitiveness.
Confident of his team and optimistic about the opportunities in the water sector, Mr. Abejo is keen about the company’s expansion. There are plans to list on the Philippine Stock Exchange, acquire other bulk water supplier companies with existing contracts, and to bid on projects for other water districts outside Cebu, such as in Southern Luzon and other parts in the Visayas and Mindanao.
With youthful exuberance, Mr. Abejo is charting a course that he hopes will help improve the lives of his fellow Cebuanos and other Filipinos.
"It truly motivates me when I see poor people in the barangays living better and healthier lives because of the 24-hour potable water our company supplies directly to their houses. The never-ending show of gratitude whenever I visit these barangays inspires me to work harder and to duplicate this project in areas not served by the local water district," he says.
--
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, operating on behalf of the Air-France KLM Group in the Philippines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. The winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 will be announced on October 12, 2010 at an awards banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines will represent the country in the World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 in Monte Carlo, Monaco in June 2011. The Entrepreneur Of The Year is produced globally by Ernst & Young.
Business World Online
September 22, 2010
Gabino M. Abejo, Jr.
Abejo Builders Corp.
Cebu City is the hub of trade, industry, tourism and education in the Visayas. Steeped in history and rich in local traditions, it has been consistently rated among the top island destinations in Asia. However, it is also a known fact that Metro Cebu has had a water supply problem for some time now because of deforestation and seawater seeping into its underground water supply. That water is a basic human necessity cannot be ignored in this populous area and 27-year-old Gabino M. Abejo, Jr. has risen to this challenge. He has channeled his drive, energy and boundless enthusiasm into projects to provide clean, safe water to barangays in Talisay and Consolacion, Cebu.
Leveraging on the resources and experience of Abejo Builders Corp., Mr. Abejo guided his family’s business into diversifying from construction into bulk water production. The company was created in 1999 as a family-owned construction business based in Mandaue City. At that time, Mr. Abejo’s brother Gerry headed the company that was involved in small piping projects with the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD). Seeing an opportunity to supply potable water by engineering their own water delivery system, the Abejo family began shifting their focus to water production. The company partnered with a Manila-based water distribution consultant to learn more about the industry.
A big break occurred in 2003 when the company won a bid to supply a minimum of 4,000 cubic meters (cu. m.) of potable water to the MCWD for distribution in Talisay City. As this was the company’s first venture into the business, it took 12 months to build the system. In 2005, Gerry stepped down, and his younger brother, Gabino, took over as vice-president of the business.
Mr. Abejo has had some experience in the water industry. After graduating from Northwood University in Florida in 2004, he came home and set up a water refilling station in Mactan, where water is mostly brackish. The success of his business led to two more branches within the next nine months.
As head of the company, Mr. Abejo saw the huge potential of expanding into the bulk water system. He decided to restructure the company with water supply as its primary service and construction as a secondary service. Under his leadership, the company made significant investments in their water system model to ensure cost efficiency. This allowed the company to offer reasonable and competitive prices to both customers and water districts.
From an initial supply of 4,000 cu. m. daily, the Talisay bulk water system increased production to an average of 5,600 cu. m. daily by 2007. A year later, the company won another MWCD contract to supply a minimum of 7,000 cu. m. daily of potable water to the town of Consolacion. Despite being a fledgling in the water business, they were able to supply the MCWD with up to 15,000 cu. m. a day.
Moreover, lessons from their previous project enabled Abejo Builders to complete the new system in just six months or half the time it took to complete their first water system. The six-month turnaround is now a standard guarantee in their contracts.
With an eye for opportunity, Mr. Abejo also envisioned a way to help the communities where their bulk water supply system was located. Noting that not all houses in the barangays had ready access to the water supplied by the MCWD, Abejo Builders provided communal faucets in as many as 12 to 15 areas in the barangay. Water is available 24 hours a day and is free of charge. This was the start of his "Barangayan Water Project."
However, the water needs of the community proved to be too great, prompting Mr. Abejo to expand the project into a level three water supply system. This meant installing water meters in all houses and providing water directly to the barangay residents, at no cost to the local government.
Mr. Abejo also pegged the price per cubic meter at P1 lower than the MCWD’s to further subsidize the expenses in the community. The connection fee of P4,000 is also charged over a 12-month installment plan.
Mr. Abejo sees this as building a sense of social responsibility in his company. He hopes to replicate this system in other barangays wherever the company’s bulk water supply system is located.
Inspired by his company’s rapid growth and success, Mr. Abejo aggressively pushes on, aiming to further increase the volume he supplies to the MCWD by an additional 25,000 cu. m.
This year, he has already won five new supply contracts, two systems of which they have started to build. Apart from servicing the MCWD, Mr. Abejo is also in talks with two private companies to supply them with 4,000 cu. m. a day using surface water technology and brackish water desalination technology.
To undertake new and bigger projects, Mr. Abejo relies on his employees to deliver. To him, they are the company’s strongest assets, and he makes it a point to meet with his management and staff regularly to discuss problems and opportunities.
Every six months the company also organizes team building activities for the staff. He believes that employees continually become more efficient and innovative due to their culture of mutual trust, respect and teaming. He considers this to be the key to Abejo Builders’ growing competitiveness.
Confident of his team and optimistic about the opportunities in the water sector, Mr. Abejo is keen about the company’s expansion. There are plans to list on the Philippine Stock Exchange, acquire other bulk water supplier companies with existing contracts, and to bid on projects for other water districts outside Cebu, such as in Southern Luzon and other parts in the Visayas and Mindanao.
With youthful exuberance, Mr. Abejo is charting a course that he hopes will help improve the lives of his fellow Cebuanos and other Filipinos.
"It truly motivates me when I see poor people in the barangays living better and healthier lives because of the 24-hour potable water our company supplies directly to their houses. The never-ending show of gratitude whenever I visit these barangays inspires me to work harder and to duplicate this project in areas not served by the local water district," he says.
--
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, operating on behalf of the Air-France KLM Group in the Philippines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. The winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 will be announced on October 12, 2010 at an awards banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines will represent the country in the World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 in Monte Carlo, Monaco in June 2011. The Entrepreneur Of The Year is produced globally by Ernst & Young.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
The resolute grocer
The resolute grocer
Business World Online
September 21, 2010
Corazon Pineda-Aquino
Chief Finance Officer
C & Triple A Supermarket, Inc.
Just like her famous namesake, Corazon Pineda-Aquino is a woman with steely determination. Since childhood, her sense of entrepreneurship has always found a way to express itself.
Born in Tarlac to working-class parents, Mrs. Pineda-Aquino always sought out opportunities to earn additional income. As a young girl, she would collect and sell used bottles of vinegar and soy sauce. Because her family lived near a movie theater, she would harvest star apples from their backyard and sell them to hungry moviegoers.
She later earned a Commerce degree from the University of Baguio and married shortly after. To supplement the family income, she would sell eggs and tocino from their apartment. She even convinced her banker husband to sell to his coworkers. Borrowing a relative’s car, the couple also offered their products to sari-sari stores around town. In two years, Mrs. Pineda-Aquino opened a stall, named Triple A Poultry Products, in the Baguio Public Market.
With their retail store’s success, Mr. Aquino decided to resign and help his wife manage their business full-time. Unfortunately, fire hit the marketplace only a few months after they started their business, destroying their entire inventory. It was a very difficult time as the Aquinos could not get any financial assistance to rebuild their business. "Just thinking about it again is heartbreaking," she admits, "but the trial actually defined my business principle: there are no obstacles too big for a determined woman."
Unwilling to let the misfortune deter her, Mrs. Pineda-Aquino fell back on her instinct and resourcefulness. With a fierce determination, she peddled sisig and barbeque on the sidewalks of Burnham Park. Business picked up and she was able to rent a space near the public market, where she put up a small sari-sari store. A few years later, she spotted a prime location along Zandueta Street and opened a 10-square meter mini-grocery.
With prudence and careful planning, the mini-grocery expanded into a 450-square meter establishment called C & Triple A Supermarket. Initially a sole proprietorship, C & Triple A has expanded into several corporations: C & Triple A Supermarket, Inc. and Pakjaz Corporation which operate three supermarket chains, A-Pine Marketing, Inc. to handle the supermarket’s marketing efforts, and Northern Luzon Market Associates Corporation for distribution.
One of the supermarkets of choice in Baguio City, C & Triple A caters to the C, D and E classes, especially local sari-sari stores that purchase items in bulk. It implements a fully integrated point-of-sale system, enabling management to monitor all transactions. This is managed by her son Patrick, who is her executive assistant in retail and the company’s IT head. "I always learn from the younger ones. Older entrepreneurs like me should always be open to innovations, especially if they help the growth of the business or benefit the customers," Mrs. Aquino-Pineda reveals.
Other innovations in the pipeline include a C & Triple A Customer Loyalty Card and a sales database to provide suppliers with sales offtake data.
While C & Triple A was enjoying modest growth, Mrs. Pineda-Aquino was aware that smaller trading channels such as sari-sari stores would regularly encounter problems in acquiring goods from Manila-based distribution companies. As a consequence, pricing in these channels became exorbitant. This prompted her to venture into distribution in 2000. To strike a win-win balance for all parties, she established A-Pine Marketing in partnership with her principal suppliers. She created a hybrid distribution model, concentrating efforts on developing marginal accounts and making value-for-money goods available to smaller channels. Soon, the smaller trade channels started to enjoy more efficient business because A-Pine’s parity pricing allowed them lower prices while achieving better margins. Today, A-Pine Marketing is the distributor of choice for sari-sari stores in Baguio.
C & Triple A aims to provide consumers with a one-stop shop for their food and grocery needs. The building is currently being renovated to add a second level which will house a meat shop, chicken station, fresh vegetables counter and an ice cream station. The distribution firms will also be starting the construction of a second warehouse and an office building for anticipated new principals.
While Mrs. Pineda-Aquino considers herself an aggressive entrepreneur, she carefully evaluates whether an opportunity should be seized by conducting feasibility studies and holding board meetings to gather insights. "I’m not afraid of moving forward," she says, "but taking risks doesn’t mean blindly jumping right in. It’s still about making calculated choices." This prudent attitude is reflected in the group’s success -- consolidated annual income more than doubled in the past year. More importantly, she measures success in the number of people her business is able to help and support. Thus, C & Triple A holds regular skills training programs to improve customer service. She also cultivates a close-knit culture among her employees and says they treat each other like family.
Having undergone misfortune and hardship firsthand, Mrs. Pineda-Aquino believes that corporate social responsibility can make a real difference in the community. Among its regular projects are providing in-kind donations such as tables and chairs to day care centers; supplying computer equipment to local police; and supporting various community projects. She also considers her two-year stint as president of the Baguio-Benguet Entrepreneurs and Traders Association as one of her successes. "Bringing these emerging entrepreneurs together for a common cause was an enlightening experience," she says. "It inspires me even more, knowing there are other like-minded people who share my passion for helping the poor and marginalized."
Looking back on the challenges she faced, Mrs. Pineda-Aquino says that she never considered just giving up and muses, "When things get tough, I rely on hard work, perseverance and faith." This woman entrepreneur from Baguio City certainly knows how to keep her cool in the face of adversity.
---
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, operating on behalf of the Air-France KLM Group. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. The winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 will be announced on 12 October 2010 at an awards banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.
Business World Online
September 21, 2010
Corazon Pineda-Aquino
Chief Finance Officer
C & Triple A Supermarket, Inc.
Just like her famous namesake, Corazon Pineda-Aquino is a woman with steely determination. Since childhood, her sense of entrepreneurship has always found a way to express itself.
Born in Tarlac to working-class parents, Mrs. Pineda-Aquino always sought out opportunities to earn additional income. As a young girl, she would collect and sell used bottles of vinegar and soy sauce. Because her family lived near a movie theater, she would harvest star apples from their backyard and sell them to hungry moviegoers.
She later earned a Commerce degree from the University of Baguio and married shortly after. To supplement the family income, she would sell eggs and tocino from their apartment. She even convinced her banker husband to sell to his coworkers. Borrowing a relative’s car, the couple also offered their products to sari-sari stores around town. In two years, Mrs. Pineda-Aquino opened a stall, named Triple A Poultry Products, in the Baguio Public Market.
With their retail store’s success, Mr. Aquino decided to resign and help his wife manage their business full-time. Unfortunately, fire hit the marketplace only a few months after they started their business, destroying their entire inventory. It was a very difficult time as the Aquinos could not get any financial assistance to rebuild their business. "Just thinking about it again is heartbreaking," she admits, "but the trial actually defined my business principle: there are no obstacles too big for a determined woman."
Unwilling to let the misfortune deter her, Mrs. Pineda-Aquino fell back on her instinct and resourcefulness. With a fierce determination, she peddled sisig and barbeque on the sidewalks of Burnham Park. Business picked up and she was able to rent a space near the public market, where she put up a small sari-sari store. A few years later, she spotted a prime location along Zandueta Street and opened a 10-square meter mini-grocery.
With prudence and careful planning, the mini-grocery expanded into a 450-square meter establishment called C & Triple A Supermarket. Initially a sole proprietorship, C & Triple A has expanded into several corporations: C & Triple A Supermarket, Inc. and Pakjaz Corporation which operate three supermarket chains, A-Pine Marketing, Inc. to handle the supermarket’s marketing efforts, and Northern Luzon Market Associates Corporation for distribution.
One of the supermarkets of choice in Baguio City, C & Triple A caters to the C, D and E classes, especially local sari-sari stores that purchase items in bulk. It implements a fully integrated point-of-sale system, enabling management to monitor all transactions. This is managed by her son Patrick, who is her executive assistant in retail and the company’s IT head. "I always learn from the younger ones. Older entrepreneurs like me should always be open to innovations, especially if they help the growth of the business or benefit the customers," Mrs. Aquino-Pineda reveals.
Other innovations in the pipeline include a C & Triple A Customer Loyalty Card and a sales database to provide suppliers with sales offtake data.
While C & Triple A was enjoying modest growth, Mrs. Pineda-Aquino was aware that smaller trading channels such as sari-sari stores would regularly encounter problems in acquiring goods from Manila-based distribution companies. As a consequence, pricing in these channels became exorbitant. This prompted her to venture into distribution in 2000. To strike a win-win balance for all parties, she established A-Pine Marketing in partnership with her principal suppliers. She created a hybrid distribution model, concentrating efforts on developing marginal accounts and making value-for-money goods available to smaller channels. Soon, the smaller trade channels started to enjoy more efficient business because A-Pine’s parity pricing allowed them lower prices while achieving better margins. Today, A-Pine Marketing is the distributor of choice for sari-sari stores in Baguio.
C & Triple A aims to provide consumers with a one-stop shop for their food and grocery needs. The building is currently being renovated to add a second level which will house a meat shop, chicken station, fresh vegetables counter and an ice cream station. The distribution firms will also be starting the construction of a second warehouse and an office building for anticipated new principals.
While Mrs. Pineda-Aquino considers herself an aggressive entrepreneur, she carefully evaluates whether an opportunity should be seized by conducting feasibility studies and holding board meetings to gather insights. "I’m not afraid of moving forward," she says, "but taking risks doesn’t mean blindly jumping right in. It’s still about making calculated choices." This prudent attitude is reflected in the group’s success -- consolidated annual income more than doubled in the past year. More importantly, she measures success in the number of people her business is able to help and support. Thus, C & Triple A holds regular skills training programs to improve customer service. She also cultivates a close-knit culture among her employees and says they treat each other like family.
Having undergone misfortune and hardship firsthand, Mrs. Pineda-Aquino believes that corporate social responsibility can make a real difference in the community. Among its regular projects are providing in-kind donations such as tables and chairs to day care centers; supplying computer equipment to local police; and supporting various community projects. She also considers her two-year stint as president of the Baguio-Benguet Entrepreneurs and Traders Association as one of her successes. "Bringing these emerging entrepreneurs together for a common cause was an enlightening experience," she says. "It inspires me even more, knowing there are other like-minded people who share my passion for helping the poor and marginalized."
Looking back on the challenges she faced, Mrs. Pineda-Aquino says that she never considered just giving up and muses, "When things get tough, I rely on hard work, perseverance and faith." This woman entrepreneur from Baguio City certainly knows how to keep her cool in the face of adversity.
---
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 is sponsored by SAP Philippines. The official airline is KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, operating on behalf of the Air-France KLM Group. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. The winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2010 will be announced on 12 October 2010 at an awards banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.
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