By Excel Dyqiangco

With the COVID-19 pandemic severely hurting many companies worldwide, small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), are among the worst hit.  While governments tackle the complicated job of re-opening the markets while cases still continue unabated, the question remains: how can small businesses with limited resources recover? The answer is critical as small businesses account for two-thirds of the globe’s jobs and half of its GDP. In the UAE, this translates to more than 98 percent of the total number of companies operating in the country, with SMEs contributing 52 percent of the non-oil GDP.

“When this crisis hit, the majority of businesses were concerned about keeping their employees healthy and secure, which means providing them their daily needs,” says corporate law expert Atty. Barney Almazar. “The government has made a directive showing what we can do and what we cannot do, but of course, this is within the prerogative of the employer.”

So, during this time of crisis, how are SMEs coping in the UAE, and what can entrepreneurs do to rise above the challenges? Illustrado hosted a livestream discussion amongst entrepreneurs and business leaders from a variety of sectors to get valuable insights that SMEs can learn from, and here are the main points.

Watch the full livestream here: 

1. PROTECT YOUR PEOPLE AND KEEP IN TOUCH WITH PARTNERS

a. Take care of the health and welfare of your workforce.

“We want to make sure that they are safe and well taken care of,” says Ishwar Chugani, CEO and Managing Director of Giordano Middle East, which operates over 200 stores in 23 countries from their headquarters in Dubai. “At this point in time, I communicate with them, and I have to make sure that everyone is okay. Although expenses continue, we are looking at paid salaries this April – the important thing is we have to make sure that they have enough to live and survive.”

“I am where I am today because of my people,” says Chugani.  He also cautions entrepreneurs from making drastic decisions in laying off staff, mindful that the markets and businesses are set to eventually re-open. “To get new people and to restart would be more expensive. We just need to focus on getting things done and then restart.”

Mary Jane Alvero, Group CEO of Prime Group, leading quality and compliance solutions provider in Asia, Middle East, and North Africa, meanwhile, admits that they weren’t affected much in this pandemic because they are into the construction business and laboratory services. However, Alvero says that they have created a centralized emergency response team related to the outbreak. “We believe that in this way, we could protect our customers and at the same time, we could protect our people,” She adds that part of their business continuity plan is to minimize the visitors, test consultants, suppliers, and customers.

b. Reskill your employees or reassign and redistribute tasks in response to the current market situation.

Adopting to the current situation in some cases requires teaching your staff new skills, or reassigning them to handle other functions.  According to Iman Suguitan, Founder and Managing Director of Ahsant Premium Hotel Supplies and Co-Chocolat, “Those people who used to deal with sourcing leather, for example, are now re-deployed to deliver chocolates,” says social entrepreneur Iman Suguitan. “We focus now on enhancing the customer journey, the customer experience like re-skilling. This is important even when the pandemic first blew up in China, So what we did was to keep everyone busy, and I think we are adapting.

c. Allow your employees to work from home.

Atty. Barney Almazar, a partner at Gulf Law, says that for both parties to make this current situation work, employers can just make their employees work from home. This is a win-win situation since the businesses would still be earning money while at the same time, providing salaries to their employees.  At the time of writing, in Dubai, private sector companies are allowed to have only 30% of their workforce in offices, the rest have to work from home.

d. If salary cuts or unpaid leave is unavoidable, do it lawfully.

Atty. Almazar says that if paying full salaries for employers is not possible, employees may be asked to go on unpaid leave, or given salary cuts.  He explains, however, that this should be mutually agreed upon.  “The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) has given a form which they could easily download and have to sign – together with their employer – if they agree on unpaid leave or a temporary reduction of salary,” he says. “In this way, parties are both protected. We also try to advise our clients to have an amicable settlement, but if they can’t agree, then the company has two options: to keep them under the payroll and pay them under the contract without reduction, or they can just let them go. For the employee who has been let go, think of options. If they are let go, they could look for another job when the lockdown is lifted.”

e. Communicate openly with your staff and partners and share challenges.

“I do believe they are their heart and soul of the company,” says Albert Tranquilino, the Managing Director of Darcey Flowers. “I secure their future. Although we stopped operations, we use this time to be calm and to add some best value to our company. We try to be more creative and innovative, and productive too. I was also able to use this time to speak with my business networks and suppliers just to send my greetings, especially during these trying times.”

What Can Small Business Do to Cope with Covid-19?

2. MITIGATE LOSSES AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AVAILABLE RELIEF

a. Take advantage of whatever relief packages are available to help liquidity. Talk to your bank.

The UAE Central Bank has recently announced a Dh256 billion Targeted Economic Support Scheme (TESS) to equip banks to extend support to private sector companies and individuals affected by the crisis.  Entrepreneurs are advised to talk to their banks to see how they can benefit from the initiative, whether in the form of loans, deferment of payments, or other support.

“When it comes to renegotiating with the banks, we are classifying the situation of the client,” says Atty. Almazar. “There are those without any default, and that means they have higher chances of having favorable restructuring terms and conditions. However, those who have issues with the banks can also renegotiate. There will just be additional things that we will have to do to prove to the bank that they can cope, considering the situation.”

b. Check out government stimulus measures that can help reduce the cost of doing business and also simplify processes.

Among many other measures to ease business in the emirates, the government has also suspended the collection of administrative fines, and for companies with up to 6 employees, there is a reduction of work permit fees. Foreign companies, moreover, can apply a refund up to 50% of the bank guarantees they have paid for each of their employees, so that will be a big help on their cash flows. Those who are in trading have a 20% refund on customs duty paid for goods being sold in the UAE, according to Atty. Almazar.

The government is also giving extensions in renewing licenses, fines, and penalties, depending on which free zone the company is registered. Sharjah is offering an extension of up to 3 months for fees, and also condone fines at the start of the year. Dubai has several free zones that give a form of discount when license fees are paid in advance, so somehow this will also be beneficial to the cash flow. Other emirates are providing an extension, and the accumulation of fines has also been suspended.

“SMEs can also pay their license fees on installment,” says Atty. Almazar. “The surcharge per installment payment has been waived so this would be very helpful for businesses. They can make a staggered payment.”

Edwin Duria, Managing Director of Play Middle East Business Consultancy and Ambassador of Business Network International (BNI), adds that despite the lockdown, authorities are working online. “Businesses can renew their license online and work on different structures and promotions,” he says. “All they need to know is to check it. The discount depends on the structure and the activity and that the options depend upon the structure.”

c. Raise money by selling off non-core assets.

For companies under tremendous financial pressure, especially those faced with having to lay off employees, Atty. Almazar suggests looking at non-core assets that they have, which they can use to augment their cash flow. He said, “Just last week, we did some asset swap where we sold some of the assets of the companies so that they would be free of debt, and that they would be in a better position.”

d. Negotiate with landlords and suppliers to get more convenient payment terms/relief provisions.

At a time when most businesses are under tremendous pressure, it pays to talk candidly with your landlord and suppliers to strike a deal that will allow for business continuity and would help out both parties.  “If you have a difficult time paying, the court can mitigate the situation, lessen the rent or impose that the tenant pays the rent,” says Atty. Almazar. “But that has to be in court.”  He emphasizes that it’s in the best interest of both parties to negotiate and have a mutual agreement that will help and benefit one another.

With the imminent opening of shops around the emirates, Ishwar Chugani says part of their priorities is to discuss with the shopping malls and various retailers on what they can do for the tenants and what options they can offer, considering that it will take time for consumers to feel comfortable again to go shopping – even if businesses open tomorrow.

3. PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE AND KEEP AN EYE FOR OPPORTUNITIES

a. Use this time to learn and plan for recovery – how you will operate when the lockdown is done.

Mary Jane Alvero, shares, “We have established a business continuity plan that has given us the vision for the next six months. Every week, we regularly review this and see if it needs changes since there are new regulations every day. Even if we already have a short-term plan, we make it a point to update what we are going to do since our projects are related to the government.”

b. Covid-19 will not go away overnight, and as a result, consumer attitudes and preferences, as well as new consumption models are on the rise.

Even after the lifting of lockdowns, and as markets reopen slowly, it is understandable that people will be uncomfortable to go out of their homes for fear of getting the virus. Businesses need to learn and adjust to these new circumstances.   As an off-shoot of the crisis, there will be a growing preference for contactless operations, home services, work-from-home, as well as the continued rise in e-commerce.

“The situation post-COVID will be very different,” says Chugani. “We have to be ready for it. It’s going to be a bit contactless; people will still have a lot of fear going out. People will have a lot of fear about meeting other people. But we are also looking at new business opportunities. We need to have a very different mindset. We have to start and reset based on the new economy.”

Joan Tuaño, Culinary Head at their family enterprise La Carne Premium Meat, says business is doing well, with people staying at home and opting for home-cooked meals.  She shares, “We transformed to a delivery-only shop,” she says. “Lucky enough, we have already set up our online store way in advance. We just had to tune out the physical aspect of our store, and we had to just focus on the delivery. Now we deliver across the emirates. Interestingly, we have turned into something beautiful, and now we are managing customer expectations.”

Iman Suguitan, also emphasizes on the importance of enhancing online channels, “It’s good that we have our online shop for Co Chocolat and that we are also active in our Instagram accounts.”

c. Keep an eye for new opportunities resulting from the new reality.

Despite the current crisis and uncertainty in the markets, these entrepreneurs are positive that there are still opportunities for SMEs. Duria, whose company helps in the establishment of businesses in the emirates, shares, “There have been a lot of licenses, especially in the freelance businesses, as well as new companies related to IT, web designing and e-commerce. This is the trending activity because of the lockdown. Visa-wise, we are gathering a lot of info, collaborating with lawyers, monitoring news from the government, and gathering a lot of deep info so that we can spread information not only to my clients but to the community. We are very busy right now doing some collaboration, preparing our relaunching after all the COVID situation is over. We are learning a lot online, and we are using this opportunity to learn, strategize, and collaborate with our network.”

Alvero, meanwhile, plans to expand her business moving forward.  She adds, “I am positive that whatever is happening now, there will be a lot of opportunities that will come up in the future. More entrepreneurs will come in the future because of this crisis. For our discovery plan, we are also coming up with a new business expansion that will be under the group. We will go to the manufacturing side.”

4. DETERMINE THE “NEW NORMAL” AND HOW YOUR COMPANY WILL ADAPT OR PIVOT.

With this current situation, how do SMEs expect to operate in the near future? According to Duria, people will continue to use online technology for even more extensive communication seven after Covid-19. “We have never used Zoom before, but now we are using a lot of that. I believe that we will use this and other methods of online communication regularly for our businesses,” he says. “Transaction-wise, however, I think everything will go back to normal once the government goes back to normal work.”

For Tuaño, what is happening is a very humbling experience for everyone and has changed a lot of people. She adds that with this crisis, businesses should think more about how to become more sustainable. “Is your business environmentally and socially sustainable?” she asks. “Is what you are doing something that people need for basic living? Are you able to adapt to the needs of the people? We need to go back to the basics. This is the time that creative modeling starts to happen. You can have the time to sell your unique proposition. I think it is going to be about simplicity and quality – less is more.”

“We have learned a lot from this crisis,” says Alvero. “After analyzing the impact of this crisis, I believe that it is high time that we diversify our businesses. The most important thing about this crisis is that you learn how to give importance to every detail that happens in our personal life, in the business, in our careers, and in the community. In the end, we all have to give back.”

Atty. Almazar says after the COVID-19 crisis, they still see a lot of remote work, which would stay for around 4 to 7 months after the government has relaxed the measures. According to him, there will be a lot of government spending, and that banks, meanwhile, will be working on helping to restructure industries like the tourism sector, helping it to adjust according to the new needs of the customers.

“The new norm that we will be seeing is that people will still continue to work on their businesses, but in different ways,” he says. “There will be improvements. For example, now you can notarize your documents through video conferencing. These changes can also be carried on after we have normalized. We get the best things out of this situation, use them and move forward.”

Suguitan adds, “If you can’t go outside, go inside. This situation is a good time to be quiet and reflect. This is not to create fear but to create a sense of calm that there are more important things than what we used to take pride in before.”

Watch the full livestream here: 

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For most Overseas Filipinos, apart from owning a home, having a sustainable business back home that will support the family is the ultimate dream – an aspiration our kababayans want to achieve before they eventually settle back home for good in the Philippines.

But there are so many questions and fears that linger in our heads that seem to make the journey from OF to entrepreneur a daunting one.  “Will I be able to survive in the world that I left long ago?” “Will I be able to reintegrate?” Or even the simple question – “Will I survive?”  These fears are enough to hold us back from coming home for good.  And that is a bit ironic, especially since “home” should be our comfort zone.

So how does one overcome this feeling of “alienness” in his/her own homeland?  It’s easy to set-up a business with all the rules written out.  All you have to do is follow.  But it is harder to change our mindsets that have been shaped by staying all those years abroad in foreign land.

Fret not!  All you need is to utilize whatever you have learned as a resilient OF, apply some flexibility and open-mindedness, and before you know it, you will be adjusting well to life in the Philippines and getting closer to your dream of having your own business back home.  Here are some tips learned from my own tough personal experiences that OFs can benefit from:

Be observant

As an OF returnee you have to understand that the country you have left a long time ago has experienced many changes through the years.  So it’s not useful to only be referring to the things you were used to “back in the day.”  Study the new lay of the land.  Get up to speed with how things work.  Observe your surroundings and the people and learn from them.  Find out the new way of doing things.

Be the people 

A lot of OFs have a hard time adjusting to the lifestyle back home because their expectations and actions are stuck to the life abroad that they left behind.  If you want to be successful in building a business in the Philippines, you need to make an effort to start acting like you are truly part of the community.  For how will your business serve the people, if you don’t even understand them?

Be a problem solver

Look for unique, urgent requirements or anomalies within the community that need resolution and where you can contribute your talent and skills. This is how you can come up with a business, a product and/or a service that, will address existing needs in the market.   OFs are very skillful in finding ways to solve problems, even beyond our professions. We’ve learned to be inventive with our exposure to different cultures and workplaces.  Use this strength and let your ingenuity shine!

Be an explorer

OFs are innately adventurous.  Our spirit for challenge has brought us to distant seas. We don’t want to be kept stagnant in one place.  So why not try new ways of addressing market needs back home with inventive new business solutions that would help a lot of kababayans.

Be experimental 

OFs are not afraid to try and fail, and relearn and apply what we have learned, whenever we get a chance. This is a special skill of an OF. Trial and error leads us to success and it’s proven. We just have to be more courageous and not be discouraged by failure, as each one of them is an opportunity to learn that brings us closer to success.

Be open minded

Not all business succeed on first attempts. 80% to 90% of startups fail.  So you have to have an open mind and accept whatever happens. By having the right perspective only are we able to move on, start over again and pursue that dream until we make it. But in starting anew, we have to understand what did not work in the first place. Our strong OF will which we developed while working abroad will help us to carry on, despite the failures we may face.

And lastly, be a doer

An idea is useless, unless you implement it.  A business plan is nothing until you establish the company and get started.  And being an entrepreneur back home can only become reality if you start working on it today.  Be a doer to get the result that you desire, to achieve the dream that you hold dear. Most of us think that we don’t have enough skills, and get paralyzed by fear.  But those skills exist deep inside us, so we must not be afraid of trying until we get it right.

Each of us may have different ways of applying these guidelines on adjusting our expat mindset to achieve our dream business back home.  But the most important thing of all is to start doing something to move towards success. There’s no better time but now!

Bel Ramirez

Former Overseas Filipino and Dubai-resident, management professional Anabel Ramirez is now based in Manila and is the founder of ABBR BUSINESS CONSULTANCY. As a driven result oriented person, her core advocacy is to help OFs create their own dream businesses back in the homeland.

Read more articles like these on Illustrado.

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CELEBRATE CO. LLC

Since: 1988

Managing Partner: Eden Borja

Established in 1988, and formerly known as The Card Shop, Celebrate Co. LLC has become a prime supplier of novelty items, collectibles, gift wrapping materials and recently, uniforms within its 20 years of business in the UAE.

The company has had a long-standing collaboration with ENOC convenience stores and Zoom stand-alone outlets, selling their gift-wrapping materials, greeting cards, balloon decorations, and accessories. They have also built across the years an extensive corporate network, with clients like Mars GCC, Hilton Hotels, Dubai Marine Hotel, Jebel Ali Hotel and the Metropolitan Hotel among others, offering their services through specialized packages. 2017 saw the addition of quality uniforms within their product lineup. Through their experienced team, they have designed various corporate and school uniforms for Kids Town Nursery, Capital Schoo, and Avalon Heights World Private School.

Expanding like never before, Celebrate now oversees the manufacturing of its products, keeping up with industry standards and finding ways to innovate their design and production offerings.

Ahsant Premium Hotel Supplies

www.ahsantglobal.com

Since: 2009

Founder: Iman Suguitan 

Ahsant designs and manufactures leatherwear and accessories for hotels using high-quality wood, resin, steel, acrylic, and indigenous materials. With clients across the Middle East and Africa, Ahsants influence has won the Best Hotel Partner in the MEHA region (Middle East Hotel Awards)” in 2015 and the 2017 “Best Luxury Hotel Supplies Company” in the UAE Business Awards.

Read the full edition of Illustrado Work & Play 2019 on www.issuu.com

Previous Article – Filipino Businesses in the Middle East and Beyond: Media Production

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KAHON.PH

www.kahon.ph

Established Since: 2017

Founder: Nick Padilla and Carlos Domingo

As the first tech-enabled full-service storage solution in the Philippines, Kahon.ph is elevating the concept of storage by integrating technology in the practice of decluttering. This startup, co-founded by Nick Padilla and Carlos Domingo, eliminates the logistical burden of having to bring items to a storage facility, providing customers with unlimited storage space on-demand: “Packing, pick-up, storage, and return — we’re there every step of the way to help you make space for things that really matter.” Through the combination of digital and physical realms, they have created an efficient, hassle-free self-storage experience. Currently, Kahon.ph offers storage by the box (kahon) and storage by the square-meter (kwarto) on a subscription basis.

Since the company’s inception, Kahon.ph has had over 2000 square meters stored and has managed over 6000 of its customer’s items. Starting with the Greater Manila area with hopes of expanding throughout South-East Asia, the future bodes well for founders Nick and Carlos: “We’ve had a 6-fold increase in revenue for the first quarter of 2019 compared to that of the same period last year and with an overall annual growth of 122%. We still believe word-of-mouth is the most effective way for other people to get to know us and we’re glad that our customers see us as a service worth recommending.”

Nick attributes his know-how on real estate and flair for creativity to his experience at Zalora, Rockwell, and the Powerplant mall – having worked in the digital innovation arm of these companies – and to attending trade shows growing up. For Carlos, after his stint at Ace Saatchi and Saatchi and Publicis Jimenezbasic, he left the advertising industry to manage the family business, which is one of the first third-party local logistics companies, VGL Industries Inc. Before starting Kahon.ph, he took on the significant role of Director at the family business, then later he worked as the CEO/General Manager at Excelcare Logistics Inc. Together, they aim to change the traditional storage industry by leading the shift away from the closet or bodega, and by making Kahon.ph the preferred storage solution across the Philippines.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 

GEEK MOBILE SOLUTIONS

www.mrgeekmsi.com 

Established Since: May 2016 

Founder: Rowi Bautista 

Since being founded in 2016, Mr. Geek Mobile Solutions has been catering to Micro, Small, and Medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) delivering specialized tech services ranging from customized mobile apps to software development. Alongside this, they also offer free mobile apps through another platform – MyStart-Apps (MSA).  With hopes that their services provide their clients with an equal shot at success, founder Rowi Bautista remarks: “We intend to level the playing field for micro, small and medium Enterprises by providing technological innovations to achieve market dominance that leads to high profitability.”

Mr. Geek Mobile Solutions has closed several significant projects with top companies like BDO and Toyota over its three years of operation. As well as this, the startup represented the Philippines at the 2017 Asian Entrepreneurship Award competition in Japan and won a pitching competition at a business convention held at the University of the Philippines in 2018.

As the founder and CEO of this company, Rowi is a serial entrepreneur among other things. He is the founder of Mr. Click (a digital marketing agency in the Philippines serving the needs of MSMEs), Mr. Pluffy (a leading cotton candy company with over 70 outlets nationwide), and is also a co-founder at myBOSS (a Fintech company that offers back-office support services). Rowi has even built and sold his first tech startup in 2015, which specialized in microchips. Besides currently pursuing his Master’s in Entrepreneurship at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, he plans to cultivate Mr. Geek Mobile solutions as a company further: “Our Vision is to be the number one mobile solutions provider for micro, small and medium enterprises in the Philippines in the next five years.”

MEDIA

SnippetMedia

www.snippetmedia.com

Established Since: 2016

CEO: Christopher Star

Imagine consuming quality online content while being rewarded for it at the same time. As a leading news and entertainment app based in the Philippines, SnippetMedia provides brands with a unique opportunity to share content with an audience of over 1.5 million. When individuals read, watch, or share the content, they accrue points which can then be exchanged for real items.

SnippetMedia’s CEO Christopher Star who builds and launches startups in Southeast Asia is armed with an extensive background in marketing for web/mobile startups, and a proven track record in user acquisition, business development, community management, content creation, and audience retention.  He has worked for various industries in the sector for over fourteen years including prominent brands such as Lazada, GuavaPass, DateTix, HappyFresh, Paktor, and Duriana.

“We bring together a group of skilled, driven, enthusiastic, and professional individuals who come together every morning to bring you the stories that matter,” Christopher shares. Having had over 2.5 million active users in the Philippines over the last eight months, he aims to bring about innovation when it comes to content as well as the media industry through integrating both in a seamless platform: “I want every bit of content to be rewarding for every user. We aim to reinvent content consumption and revolutionize online advertising.”

Previous article – Filipino founded startups: Stylegenie PH and GVER

Read the full edition of Illustrado Work & Play 2019 on www.issuu.com

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Rebecca Bustamante

I grew up in a very poor home in Dasol, Pangasinan with 10 siblings. My childhood life was a very challenging experience because I saw the difficulty of life, from the moment you wake up to when you go to sleep. My mother died when I was just 18 and my father did not work to support us. So at a young age, I was forced to seek work outside the country as a domestic helper to pay off our family’s debts, our house which was used as a collateral for a loan, and to feed my siblings and send them to school.

I worked for more than 3 years in Singapore alongside studying with an Open University. It was tough, of course, balancing work and studies. But I always thought about my siblings back in the Philippines, and that I always thought about my future goals. I want to transfer to Canada because I know opportunities will be better there for our family.

After those three years, luckily, I was able to transfer to Canada where I also started as a househelp. Unlike in Singapore, the opportunities in Canada were better. Eventually, I could even become a citizen. So while I was working as a househelp, I did many sideline jobs including selling Saladmaker, and then I was also studying at night. So in the morning, I would do my household chores, and then at night, study. During my day offs, I would then go out and sell. All the profits I had from selling, I would keep as savings. I did not want to spend on anything, even my clothes were all bough second-hand. I wanted to save up so I can start my own business.

I then started a recruitment agency called High-Q Personnel that helped bring domestic helpers to Canada. I wanted to help our fellow Filipinos. I always thought that if they can come to Canada, they will have better income and they can also provide better lives for their families. I want to inspire them to see that even though you start from the bottom, you can succeed because you are the driver of your own future. No one can drive for you expect you. I am in this future bec I drove myself, I pushed myself.

I started working again in the Philippines when I was already in Mary Kay Cosmetics and they sent me back because they wanted to start selling in the country. I also worked with the Canadian embassy. In 2005, when my husband lost his job in Canada, we decided to stay here in the Philippines and start our own company, Chalre Associates.

Chalre Associates started out as a multinational recruitment firm for senior management executive positions. But now, we are more concerned with another type of marketing—marketing the Philippines. I want to make the Philippines a first world country. I see our fellow Filipinos, working hard, but are still suffering. I want to change that. They say it’s a huge goal, but I say, If you don’t know how to shoot for the moon, how will you land among the stars?

To achieve this goal, we’re regularly holding the Asia CEO Forum and Asia CEO Awards, to give recognition to the Filipinos who are doing a great job and to inspire more to follow their footsteps.

For more information, you can also check out https://www.rebecca-bustamante.com https://www.asia-ceo.org/ https://www.asia-ceo-awards.org/  

Why did you become an entrepreneur?

Then, I just wanted to help my family. But as I gain more experience and see more of the world, I saw the unlimited potential in myself, in all of us, and in the Philippines. ·       

What odds were stacked against you and how did you overcome them?

I faced so many challenges but the secret is staying focused on your destination. I left the Philippines without finishing college but I knew that I needed to learn and grow to be able to make it far. So I studied, even during the wee hours of the morning, I read books, I did assignments, I talked to people. I kept learning and growing so I’ll have more opportunities open to me. I also try to focus on what I can do for others, instead of focusing on what others can do for me. Building good relationships is key to succeeding in any field. I try to cultivate relationships that I make, and never forget the learnings and wisdom from the people I meet.

What is the single biggest thing that allowed you to achieve your dream?

The most underrated thing: Love. First, it was just love for my family that pushed to go out of the country and work and develop myself. Now, my love for the country is what drives me to keep going, keep organizing forums, keep meeting people, keep marketing the Philippines. I want my kids, the future Filipinos, to live in a country that’s more prosperous and better, and I want my legacy to be that I helped create that country.

What are your 5 tops tips to starting on growing your own business? Please give 5 points with a bit of description for each one.

1. Know your purpose in life
   Set goals, small and big, short-term and long-term. When you don’t have goals, you won’t know what your next step in life is.
2. Do the action
   You can always think about what you can do, but the key is starting it, really doing it. As long as you’re not doing anything, your dreams and goals are nothing. Action will take you where you want to go.
3. Failure is just a word
   There is no success without wisdom, no wisdom without learning, and no learning without failures. Never give up. You might run into people who will doubt you, you might run into circumstances that make you sad and tired, you might run into businesses and opportunities that won’t work out, but it all helps build you as a person.  
4. Determination is a must
   Have discipline in whatever you do. Have discipline with the things you eat, have discipline to wake up early and do more today, have the discipline to stick to your plans and goals. If you practice discipline in different aspects of your life, you’ll master discipline even in the hardest tasks.
5. Love.
   Keep love at the center of everything you do—love for yourself, love for your family, love for your country, and even love for the world. Everything is easier when you do it for love.

What else do you want to achieve in the future?

I want to inspire children and give them hope that we are all born lucky. I may be born poor but I was blessed to have been born with a huge family that I can love. I may be born without the usual stuff that people have but I am born with the practicality and the drive to turn things around. We all have something; we just have to change our perspective and see things differently. Focus on what you have, focus on your strengths, and use these to defeat your weaknesses. I want to inspire more people to have this kind of outlook in life.

And I want to make the Philippines a first world country. We can do that. I believe we can.

https://web.facebook.com/rbustamante.officialhttps://web.facebook.com/selfmade.rbustamante/

Read more on entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship here:

From OF to Entrepreneur in the Philippines: Adjusting Your Mindset To Get Closer To Your Dream

Filipino Entrepreneur: Timeless Elegant Event Management (TEEM)

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www.stylegenie.ph

Established Since: 2016

 Founders: Abbie Victorino, Minrie Macapugay and Rione Palacios

Due to its unrivaled practicality, online shopping is quickly surpassing the need for its traditional counterpart. When it comes to buying fashion, e-commerce is one thing. However, platforms that provide you with specialized styling from the comfort of your own home is a whole other ballgame.

With FashionTech company StyleGenie, customers are sent an expertly curated collection of clothes that caters to their style preferences. From this, people can try before they buy. The StyleGenie team expresses: “Our mission is to grant style wishes and boost our customer’s confidence through smart and sustainable fashion choices.” How it all works: after signing up on their website and creating a Style Profile, you get to choose a Style Box that has been curated just for you. StyleGenie then delivers the clothes to your doorstep – from the collection, you get to keep and buy what you like, and they’ll pick up the rest.

StyleGenie was co-founded by CEO Abbie Victorino, Minrie Macapugay (Chief Tech Officer), and Rione Palacios (Chief Curation Officer). Branding expert Rione is a skilled retail executive with strengths in brand management, marketing communications, and fashion styling, while all-round tech expert Minrie is an IT consultant, front end JavaScript developer, and product development head. Together with Abbie, an experienced leader with a proven track record in international fashion buying and e-commerce solutions, the StyleGenie team endeavors to innovate the online shopping experience: “Through Style Genie and its services, we do not only sell clothes, but instead offer styling solutions so people can discover their true personal style, become conscious shoppers, and actively support the sustainable fashion movement. On the other hand, our platform offers our partner brands, especially the local ones, a way to sell their products with the use of data-driven technologies and personalized style-matching.”

Established in 2016, StyleGenie now has an active client-base of over 30,000 users and 2500 paying customers. Initially starting in the Philippines, the business seeks to expand to Singapore, Jakarta, and Kuala Lumpur later this year. As a company, they have even bagged a couple of awards along the way – StyleGenie received the title of best e-commerce startup from the Philippines at the 2018 ASEAN RiceBowl Startup Awards and was chosen as one of the top 32 Asian startups at the 2019 Jumpstarter startup competition in Hong Kong.

Seizing every opportunity for growth, this business has been a part of many startup programs. StyleGenie was incubated by the Ideaspace Foundation in 2017, and then the Asian Institute of Management in 2018. It was also accelerated by the 2018 UNCTAD (United Nations Conference of Trade and Development) x Alibaba E-Founder Fellowship Program, as well as the 2019 Simona Accelerator for APAC Women Founders (a collaboration between Digitaraya – a startup accelerator in Jakarta – and Google for startups in Indonesia). Through all these endeavors, Abbie has huge aspirations for StyleGenie: “My vision is to become the first female-founded style tech unicorn from the Philippines.”

GVER

www.gver.net

Established Since: 2017

Founders: Lalaine & Mon Benitez

As climate change and the world’s waste problems come to the fore, businesses that provide sustainable solutions lessening people’s environmental impact become more and more important.  Enter Gver – Your Friendly Marketplace for Sharing.  Founded in 2017 Gver presents a novel mode of consumption built on top of sharing.  With the brand pitch – “get stuff for free, just pay for delivery and give away what you don’t need,” the startup differentiates itself from other marketplaces in that the business model is give and take, not buy, sell or trade.

Founder Lalaine Chu-Benitez shares, “Billions worth of useful goods end up in landfills around the world, while billions more are lying in our closets at home. But while so many of us have too much stuff, more and more are finding it harder to afford things.   By facilitating sharing and removing the pains of the secondhand markets – no selling/negotiating, no meetups and no having to arrange for transport, we give people amazingly cheap, easy and safe access to goods.”

The platform has currently over 4,000 members and has facilitated the give-away of thousands of items ranging from clothes to books, household items, even entire furniture sets.  2018 marks a new milestone as the brand started collaborating on CSR initiatives with companies to give away old furniture, equipment, and materials. Recent corporate partnership projects include the redistribution of over 150 pcs of second-hand hotel furniture worth an estimated AED25,000 from Jebel Ali Resorts and Hotels to the community, and the release of thousands of ceramicware to benefit restaurants across the city.  Such exercises prove that sharing is a win-win situation for both the companies where storage and disposal of old materials are both time-consuming and costly and for the receiving parties that are able to acquire useful goods conveniently delivered to their doorstep at the most minimal costs.

Lalaine adds, “In the future, we see Gver side by side the world’s largest marketplaces, not only because it is a great idea whose time has come, but because the world needs this.  We as humans need this type of business to succeed.”

Read the full edition of Illustrado Work & Play 2019 on www.issuu.com

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www.tangereapp.com 

Established Since: January 1, 2018 

Founder: Martin Xavier Peñaflor

While market data is instrumental to the research and development facet of companies, it is not the most obtainable considering the high price traditional market research companies often charge for it. Undermining this reality is Tangere App. Empowering Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s), Tangere App provides affordable and real-time market research. For companies that can’t afford the typical PhP1-2 million price, one can have access to the results of nationwide studies that include over 1,800 respondents for as low as PhP70,000. They have also invested in the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of Business Intelligence, Tableau Analytics, to deliver interactive data analytics to their customers based on the results of the market research. Founded by Martin Penaflor, Tangere facilitates the collection of data via mobile application. Based on incentives, respondents can earn points by voting for different survey items available in the app, which in turn can be used to win in raffle draws and for points redemption.

As the chief architect of Tangere App, Martin was an internationally certified business process consultant for SME’s and Large Enterprises from multiple industries before starting the company together with friends from the Market Research and Data Analytics industries. “Our main goal as a company is to provide the same competitive advantage, formerly enjoyed by large enterprises to SME’s. For our Tangere community, providing an alternative platform for them to express their opinions on key issues in the Philippines and at the same time giving them the chance to win items and redeem points is our main priority,” Martin expresses.

Officially launched via Google Play Store in May of 2018, Tangere App has grown immensely. The company currently has 70,000 subscribers purely by word of mouth and has graced the number one spot multiple times on the Google Play trending list. Moreover, they have closed deals with various SME’s in the food and manufacturing industries in the Philippines – namely Gerry’s Grill and Pampanga’s Best – and their survey results have been presented all over mainstream media including CNN, Philippines Star, and ABS-CBN news.

TRIPZEEKER

www.tripzeeker.com

Established Since: 2017 

Founder: Kim Co Lim

These days, finding smart ways to save money has never been easier, thanks to platforms like TripZeeker. This online meta-search engine allows travelers to compare the prices of numerous tours, activities, and attraction passes for where they’re going. When using TripZeeker, all you have to do is search for tours on the website. You’ll then be given a list of all the available tours with prices from the partner websites based on the keyword typed – it’s that simple. Currently, TripZeeker has aggregated over 85,000+ tours from across the globe. The startup was also featured on regional and local media platforms like CNN Philippines, INC. Southeast Asia, Vietnam Finance, TechShake Asia, Today Singapore, and Entrepreneur Asia Pacific.

Founder of TripZeeker, Kim Co Lim was a former stockbroker at Maybank ATR Kim Eng Securities, and RCBC Securities, Inc. She holds a BS in Management Accounting and has a diploma from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business – having completed a Certified Securities Specialist Course. She is also an Ambassador for the Philippines in the Asia Pacific MSME Trade Coalition (AMTC), and in an NGO based in Singapore. Aside from Kim’s comprehensive background in business, she is a travel aficionado at heart – and with this passion, aims to make TripZeeker the leading travel website in the Philippines and the most significant international tour comparison platform.

Elaborating on her aspirations as a founder, Kim shares: “I aspire to create a travel-based marketplace that enables travelers to browse, compare and book from millions of travel options related to tours, activities, and packages. And to have the opportunity to reshape harmony in the global travel ecosystem by helping travelers to discover the best travel deals and help local tour operators to have more reach online. Being one of the best travel destinations in Southeast Asia, the Philippines is truly world-class, and we should have our own leading travel website. With the help of people who believe in our vision, it’s not far-fetched.”

Read the full edition of Illustrado Work & Play 2019 on www.issuu.com

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www.burket.ph

Established Since: June 2018

FounderS: Herbert Joei Bactong, Roy Benedict Julian, Jeff Clarenz Turla, Alexander Soriano, Benedicto Manreza, Juan Celso Flores

Burket.Ph is a business to business social network, marketplace, and SaaS (software-as-a-service) all rolled into a single platform called a Market Network. With ambitions of becoming the next LinkedIn or Facebook for businesses, Burket aids Filipino businesses in discovering more local opportunities through products and services matching – that integrates artificial intelligence, and an easy to use social network interface. “This gives potential buyers a way to look for, and manage new suppliers without going through or searching cluttered directories. As well as this, suppliers will be easily discoverable,” its founders attest. Burket is currently a free service but offers additional features through a fixed monthly subscription. If you are a supplier and deals with other businesses or a buyer and needs new suppliers, Burket is precisely the tool for you.

Burket’s founders – Herbert Joei Bactong, Roy Benedict Julian, Jeff Clarenz Turla, Alexander Soriano, Benedicto Manreza, Juan Celso Flores – come from various multinational companies including Bank of America, Henkel, BPI, Smart, Hyundai, DB Shenker.  The team members have experience in roles such as technology, marketing, operations, and business management, among others. CEO Herbert was previously the CTO of BPI Securities and President of an IT subsidiary of a group of companies in the Philippines. Their CTO Jeff graduated Magna Cum Laude in Computer Engineering and held many technology and digital marketing roles in Hyundai, while COO Roy held operations and human resource roles from Henkel.

Despite starting development only last July 2018, and recently launching their Alpha version mid-March 2019, Burket has shown such promising growth. From the first two months, they were able to aggregate 200+ unique companies and over 800 products and services. Coupled with this, their week over week user signups grow at about 12.5%, and an increase of 95% in their site visits is seen monthly. Furthermore, Burket was part of the KMC/Impact Hub Space for Ingenious incubation program in the Philippines and will be an Alpha exhibitor this upcoming RISE conference in Hong Kong.

Regarding their ultimate aspiration as a business, the founders share: “Our vision is to see Burket become the go-to platform if not the only platform that allows companies to connect and do business in the Philippines. We want to help MSMEs become more discoverable and have more opportunities.”

COWORKING ALL ACCESS

www.allaccess.work

Established Since: March 2019

 Founder: Brandon Joseph 

Coming on the heels of the rising co-working industry in the UAE is Coworking All Access, a membership-based platform which gives entrepreneurs and freelancers access to various co-working spaces and business centers around the UAE.  “We understand that most entrepreneurs can’t afford to explore all co-working communities and enjoy their personal life beyond work. Hence, we are giving our community access to the best spaces and personal services so they can work hard and build their network while enjoying a much healthier lifestyle,” shares founder Brandon Joseph. The startup expands beyond the idea of typical coworking space services by offering networking and lifestyle perks including access to mentors, curated events, restaurant deals, complimentary gym and yoga classes, salon and spa deals, as well as time off by the pool at 5-star hotels around the city.

Since launching the website in March, the company has already generated close to 400 signups, as well as a lot of interest from coworking space operators.  Aiming to further differentiate their offering, they are also planning to publish Cowork Magazine ME in August 2019.

Brandon, who has a robust background on the startup and coworking industry in the region brings with him technical, creative and management skills as well as his network developed through running FUNDXB a series of events popular with Dubai’s young entrepreneur set.  He shares, “We would like to see All Access as a platform that is vital for freelancers, startup entrepreneurs or mobile workers that can provide true work and life harmony.  We envision it to be present not only here in the UAE, but also around the Middle East and in major cities across the globe someday, leveraging on the strong partnerships and supporters of our humble project.”

Read the full edition of Illustrado Work & Play on www.issuu.com

Previous article: Filipino – Founded Startups: Agriculture Technology

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www.play-mebc.ae

Since: 2015

Founder: Edwin Duria

Managing over 250 high profile clients including Samsung, Pearson Education and JC Bamford Excavators Ltd, Play Middle East has maintained an excellent track record in its four years of Business Consultancy. Through founder Edwin Duria, the company has devoted its cause to assisting individuals and entire companies in their licensing ventures – providing registration, renewal, cancellation and amendment services. The company has been accredited through various government organizations in the UAE (DWC, DMCC, RAKEZ and Ajman Free Zone) and across the world – striking business partnerships within the UK, Gibraltar, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand.

DAGAZ MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY

www.dagazhr.harrisonassessments.eu

Since: 2011

Founder: Cristina Calaguian

Spearheaded by Cristina Calaguian, Dagaz Management Consultancy excels in providing Human Resources consultancy, general business management consultancy, recruitment, events management, publishing and education training services within the MENA region. Through the years, Dagaz has functioned as a gateway for talent into the career world – a devoted supporter of career development and job opportunity, having lent its helping hand to commercial and governmental organizations, along with a handful of individuals and people with determination.

PRIME GROUP UAE

www.primegroup.ae

Since: 2016

Founders: Abdul Latif Al Gargawi, Salah Ameen Al Awadi, Abdul Majeed Malek, Mary Jane Alvero-Al Mahdi

Founded in 2016 through the collaboration of various industry talents, Prime Group has evolved into a leading authority in quality and compliance solutions providing across Asia and the MENA region. Having over 400 staff members across its group of companies across the Middle East, Prime boasts a highly experienced team of multi-talented individuals capable of managing its wide range of services within the fields of testing, inspection, certification and training.

Focusing on certification, the group has had a profound impact on the halal food industry, acting as a catalyst and gateway for international halal food to the UAE. “We aim to raise the awareness of exporters on the opportunities within the Halal sector, both regionally and globally and to educate them on the halal system in the UAE.” Co-founder Mary Jane Alvero-Al Mahdi says.

Since its official launching, Prime has certified over a hundred Philippine exporting companies not only to the UAE, but also the Middle East, Africa, Europe and America – and has worked in tandem with well renown brands across the world such as the San Miguel Food Group, Unilever, Nestle, Goldilocks and even Jollibee.

Prime’s defining characteristic behind their reputation lies within their exacting service standards, further backed up by their technical expertise and knowledge of the market. The company has been recognized as one of the most outstanding certification bodies by the UAE government through the Sheikh Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development. “Our reputation is based on a consistent track record of punctual and meticulous service delivery; extremely cost-effective services; a very high level of technical expertise in giving customized solutions; and multiple awards won locally and internationally.” Mary Jane shares. “The end goal of all our businesses is to ensure alignment with the best international standard practices. In doing so, we create an environment of trust.”

Read the full edition of Illustrado Work & Play 2019 on www.issuu.com

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Filipino Businesses in the Middle East and Beyond: Illustrado – Creo, Ape Creative, Jungle Beige, Almost Impossible Agency

Filipino – Founded Startups: Denarii Cash, Acudeen and Beamandgo

The post Filipino Businesses in the Middle East and Beyond: Play Middle East, Dagaz Management Consultancy & Prime Group UAE appeared first on Illustrado Magazine - Filipino Abroad.

Country: (UAE and Philippines)
Entrepreneur: (Lawrence Anthony Ignacio – General Manager
Helen Andrade – Operations and Events Manager
Brian Carl Campos – Department Head- Photography)
Company Name: Timeless Elegance Event Managemen
Website: www.timelesseleganceae.com
Business Sector: Events Management

Founded with the Filipino community at heart, Timeless Elegance Event Management (TEEM) has over the years broadened its services to meet the demands of clients from all walks of life in and outside the UAE.

From weddings, parties, corporate events and much more – the company cover all aspects of event management not limited to photography, videography and styling.

It was in 2015 when ambitious individuals namely Anton, Helen Andrade and Brian Carl Campos from diverse backgrounds, decided to merge their talents together to become a one-stop resource for personalised events needs.

To date, TEEM has had the pleasure of being part of celebrations of individuals including destinations shoots in Hong Kong, Singapore and Europe, as well as that of government and private entities, helping make these special occasions all the more memorable.

Likewise, the company has never forgotten to give back to the community by staging and participating in various programmes that promote the spirit of altruism and events that put forward Filipino culture and artistry.

Moving forward, TEEM is looking to boost even more its presence in the scene to give clients the best possible experience that will last a lifetime.

Formula to Success

Like most of us Pinoy expats, we dream about having our own business.

It’s just a matter of getting out of your comfort zone and facing the challenges. Once you get started, and like what I’ve said, opportunities are limitless. You just have to maintain focus, take advantage of the continuous learning process, and laugh it off while learning from your mistakes (and there will be plenty).

The very first time we presented a project in front of a CEO and his team of managers, we were sweating in buckets. But we managed to pull it off and the feeling was exhilarating!

Just continue your focus and stay positive .

Read more on Pinoy entrepreneurs:

Pinoy Entrepreneurs: Fourté

FEME branding forum for Filipino entrepreneurs

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