Sulong Negosyo at Market! Market!

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sulong negosyonegosyoMy purpose for attending the Sulong Negosyo at Market! Market! was to meet Lynn, the owner of Crazy Choco. She sells Chocolate Fountain and fondue set and I’ve been meaning to buy the latter. See, I took photos of her Crazy Choco booth in Fil-Negosyo Expo 2006 last month. Fortunately for her, two customers surfed my photo gallery and saw the chocolate fountain photo flowing with Belgian Chocolate. Yum. The good news was these gallery visitors bought from her. I was hoping she’d give me a discount on the fondue set which is priced at 1,200 pesos. So anyway, armed with my digital camera and fresh from my gym workout, I headed towards the exhibits.

sme centerpear2.netThe Sulong Negosyo at Trade Hall A, Bonifacio Global City is sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry. Over 100 exhibitors showed various products from all over the Philippines. When I saw the expo, I totally forgot about my purpose there . I was fascinated with the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME ) EXPO’s barangay/village fiesta concept that simulated a small community with a barangay hall where business name registration, business counseling and advisory services were undertaken. Even supportive banks. There was also a town plaza concept where video programs promoting the services offered by various institutions to SMEs can be viewed. There’s a seminar rooms where skills and managerial briefings useful to would-be and existing entrepreneurs are conducted . And lastly a commercial area (Pamilihan) was setup for participating SMEs to retail their products and/or promote their franchise businesses.

Today, the government is actively supporting our micro entrepreneurs with their One Town One Product (OTOP) .This was merely a concept when I worked for the Small Scale industry in the early 1980s. If you’re interested to start a business one day, one should attend Guide to RA 9178 Barangay Micro Business Enterprises Act of 2002 to be held on Friday , at 5:00 to 6:00 PM. This is a remake of previous laws in the past but the classification of a micro business’ asset has now been raised to 3 million pesos.

Research on small and medium scale enterprises development was my pet project before I settled down to become a mother and home maker in 1987. I can see that there is indeed some progress through the years. We can’t rely solely on overseas employment income to sustain our economy. Together with the development of Information technology sector, agro-industries, and our small and medium and micro-enterprises, our country’s economy will surely boom.

View the photo gallery of the Sulong Negosyo-SME EXPO at Market! Market!

Paypal for the Philippines

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J. Angelo Racoma entry on PayPal: One Great Way to Improve the Philippine Economy makes sense.

If only we had PayPal in the Philippines, then I think we would be able to open to the world better means to access to our pool of talent.

Having PayPal in the country would greatly benefit the following people:

  • Web developers,
  • Designers,
  • Photographers,
  • Writers,
  • Pro-bloggers,

    • and virtually anyone else who can render services remotely while corresponding via the Internet. Their correspondents can pay simply by clicking a few buttons, and that’s it.

    This would be a great opportunity for both sides, as it will open up access to the supply of good talent, and as well as open up access to those who are on the demand-side.

    Some possible reasons that Paypal won’t deal with us are the following :

    1. With regards to anti-Money Laundering, the Philippines is still in the list of non-cooperative countries.
    2. Security issues in our banking system.
    3. Banks asking for a big share in Paypal transactions.

    Having an online business for global markets require a payment gateway. Paypal is known to have the lowest sales transaction but it’s not available in the Philippines. I can’t even get hold of a credit card merchant account in the Philippines’ financial institutions what with the exhorbitant rates and restrictions required. I availed 2checkout.com to resell my services . One can be a vendor with a $49 signup fee.

    Technically, one can get a Paypal account if you have an accomodating relative in a paypal enabled country like the USA to do the paypal transactions for you. The problem is Paypal recognizes the Philippine IP address if you intend to login their Paypal website. This is not a long term soluution to having a paypal account.

    What we can do is :

    lobby for inclusion as a PayPal enabled country with our senators, congressmen or politicians.

    Support Paypal for the Philippines

    Read other related blogs on the Paypal inclusion of the Philippines

    Misadventures of a Photo Blogger: Part 1

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    photoblogger.jpgAside from this blog, I maintain a few websites and blogs for pro-blogging purposes. Don’t get me wrong, I blog for fun and with a goal in mind but if one can make money on the side, it’s an added bonus. ( If you have no idea what a pro-blogging is, read “How Bloggers Make Money Online“.) I became a pro-blogger by accident only this year after reading up on Google adsense and reviving abandoned domains left behind by my daughter. To my amazement, I discovered that my daughter’s Photo Gallery (which she started in 2001) raked in a modest Google Adsense income. The photos in demand are mainly food and Philippine scenery photos. Our lonely overseas Filipinos must be missing our lechon (roast pig) , barbecue and other Filipino dishes. Comments like “I can just taste it” or “How can I order this lechon?” etcetera prompted me to launch a Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Manila’s Daily Grind (sights and sounds). Taking amateurish photos is also a passion which I took after my father. Oh how I remember him saying “kodak . kodak! Picture! Picture!” even if I haven’t even imbibed the breathtaking scenery of wherever we were travelling at that time. And because of the random photos that dad took, I learned to beam a “closeup” smile. A picture is forever so why not give your best smile. Sadly enough, I took after my dad’s obsessive photography and now my daughters do the same… posing their pearly whites in the best smile they can ever emote.

    You will always see me armed with my Canon Powershot and my cellphone camera ready to take photos that amuse or entertain me. My photos have inside stories that I’d like to share. I am also curious if my fellow photo bloggers encounter the same experiences like me.

    entrepreneur
    (enlarge)
    At the Fil-negosyo expo, the owner (partly shown above) of the booth asks:

    “What is the photo for?”

    “Oh, this is for my blog.”

    “What is a blog?”

    “I write about things on the internet. It’s like a website.”
    (How do I explain it in layman terms?)

    “Oh, you’re a columnist”

    “Sort of. I write in my blog.” (Stumped. Lost in explanation)

    Lesson: Not many people know what blog means. So don’t try.

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    Bayantel ad now shows a satisfied kid

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    bayantel_billboard.jpgRemember that tasteless Bayantel billboard ad photo which I blogged early June ? Surprise! The new Bayantel ad now shows a cute kid happily eating ice cream. Very wholesome ad that touches any mother’s heart. Awwww… It was my daughter who pointed the new billboard. I never notice billboards because I drive and they just distract me.It’s good that the Bayantel and their ad agency changed the billboard to a more PG rating ad. I know Bayantel read this entry because I had an informal talk with one of the brand managers a week ago during the VOIP convention. Whether the ad campaign was effective or not, I told them it doesn’t sit well with parents like me who are their likely customers. They called me early this week to try their Bayantel internet service but I told them I am moving out of Makati . Besides I have two internet providers already :Smart Bro and Destiny cable. Maybe I will try it out one day when I move to my new place.

    See the difference from the previous ad?

    BEFORE (June 2006)
    old bayantel ad

    NOW (July 8, 2006)
    bayantel

    Accidental Tech Entrepreneurs Turn Their Hobbies Into Livelihoods

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    In my previous job as a researcher and consultant to small and medium businesses, I knew that most of the entrepreneurs’ business orginated from a hobby. Much as I wanted to be an entrepreneur, I didn’t have the guts or the hobby. Sure, I had the management skills. Ten years ago, I discovered the internet and web design. It was a whole new world and I got obsessed with it. Reading this article Accidental Tech Entrepreneurs Turn Their Hobbies Into Livelihoods made me smile. Basically, the article reveals some of the common features from its interview of 5 accidental tech Enterpreneurs:

    1. They all possess [tag]Information Technology[/tag] backgrounds
    2. They all were in the right place at the right time with the right product/service
    3 They have supportive people around them (i.e. life and business partners)
    4 They all faced a moment of truth, when they had to screw up courage and stake their financial futures on their new businesses.
    5. They all are a little obsessed

    The 5 common traits are so true. I don’t earn as much as these interviewed tech pros but being an accidental [tag]Tech enterpreneur[/tag] has given me financial freedom. At the age of 45, I wanted to enter back in the corporate world. Alas, I was not in touch with the latest economic policies. Of course, I didn’t expect a high starting salary but the offers were just a pittance. Sales is not my cup of tea either. So I was left with ways on how to start a business. But what? I’ve already told you how I entered into the IT business. I’d just like to list down how the 5 common traits of the Tech Entrepreneur applies to me:

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    Chatting with Bayantel guys

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    I’m right now at the VOIP conference having a lunch break. Remember that entry I wrote about the Bayantel ad? I visited their Bayantel booth to check out their Sky Internet VOIP services. For their cheapest subscription fee of 499 pesos a month with a 2900 pesos installation fee, one can get clear voice calls for as low as 5 pesos per minute and 100 minutes free voice calls. Then I met Ricky, the associate brand manager and I couldn’t help asking him “What is that satisfaction guarantee?“. I introduced myself as the blogger who wrote that entry. “Ah so you are the one who wrote that? I finally meet the writer. “, he laughed. Apparently, their satisfaction guarantee is a 15 day money back guarantee. So why couldn’t the ad agency or their marketing guys promote the “15 days money back guarantee” instead of that tasteless ad? I wanted to test their Sky Internet VOIP services but my sister in San Francisco barred incoming calls. The satisfaction guarantee has yet to be tested . If and I ever get satisfied, I don’t intend to look like that model in their tasteless billboard ad. Anyway, I am looking forward to talk to the Brand Manager later for other business questions.

    VoIP Conference 2006

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    VOIPJust came from the First International VoIP Conference in the Philippines at the World Trade Center. The conference is timely because the House of Representatives just recently approved the VoIP deregulation bill on June 5, 2006. The Senate has yet to approve it. [tag]Voice Over Internet Protocol[/tag] ([tag]VOIP[/tag]) is a transmission technology that uses the internet to send voice and image in real time. Bah, I’m tired to talk about it so just browse the photo gallery

    Vacation Ownership

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    Read Danvil Plans, Crown Regency, Nuskin and other Scams

    crown regency“You have just won a FREE 4 days 3 night package for two including 2 children from Crown Regency Hotel.“, the caller congratulated me. I know there is always a catch to freebies. They got my name from a “raffle stub” that I dropped at the Fil-Negosyo Expo 2006. The lady sounded a bit defensive “There is no catch. The gift certificate is valid for 6 months and you have the choice of staying in our Mactan or Davao Hotel. All you need to bring is a valid ID. You don’t even have to bring cash, credit card or a checkbook“. Something about the “too-good-to-be-true” call piqued my curiosity. This must be a new marketing gimmick which I needed to experience. When I relayed the news to my husband, he immediately thought of a time sharing scheme. When we arrived at the reception area, we found out that we could only get the gift certificate after listening to a 90 minute audio visual presentation. I couldn’t imagine why it would take that long to view the hotel features.

    So the catch is this. No, it’s not time sharing. It’s a club membership of sorts. The guy introduces the concept of a dream vacation and the expenses it entails. But with an investment on a lifetime Club Ultima membership, your vacation expenses are not lost forever. One can avail of discounted hotel rates around the world including the Philippines. Their partnership with Interval International is very appealing.

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    Pinoy Entrepreneurship: Fil-Negosyo Expo 2006

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    fil negosyolectureI had a lot of time to kill before picking up my daughters at their dorm yesterday. I knew about the Fil Negosyo Expo 2006 at the 5th floor Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall starting on June 23 till July 2, 2006 . My curiosity got the better of me. What are the latest small business ventures that one can enter to these days? I wanted to see if some existing businesses could complement my ecommerce plans. A quick glance at the booths showed that most of the business ventures didn’t need a lot of capital.

    pinoy expofil-negosyo

    enegosyodloads

    A number of e-load dealers touting “1 SIM Load all” in the expo proved that the e-load retailing is a multi-billion industry. There was the eNegosyo, d-loads, Load Xtreme and Megaload. One thing in common with this business is networking opportunity and low capital requirement . For instance the capital for the retailing with networking business is 500 pesos ($9.40) enegosyo , 800 pesos ($15.00) for d-loads , and 16,000 pesos ($301) for Load Xtreme. Megaload claims it has no networking so its capital outlay is only 299 pesos ($5.60). It looks like Load Xtreme makes a killing just on networking model.

    Visit my Pinoy Travel Booking Engine and take that romantic vacation to the Islands of the Philippines. Compare our Cheap Airplane Fares.

    megaloadLoad XtremeSince I already had an eLoad retailing at home, I invested 500 pesos at eNegosyo to complement my existing eload services. Why enegosyo? Though they are relatively new, they had a professional demonstration at their booth. Well, it’s also because their financial goals seemed more realistic. It remains to be seen if they are really reliable but hey, 500 pesos isn’t going to kill me. Take risks, right! (Add me as your sponsor if you’re joining eNegosyo )

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    Apple MacBook, a birthday gift to myself

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    Edit (November 27, 2007)- I bought a new Apple MacBook – black (Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz, Mac OSX 10.5 Leopard). View latest Macbook and their prices

    apple macbookgloriettaWhenever I buy something expensive, I feel guilty . Never mind if I validate it by saying that it is an early birthday gift or a fixed cost for my online business. Excuses , excuses! I strolled Glorietta Mall this afternoon just to check out the BPI Express Credit Card Madness which runs from June 7 to 18. Note, I had no intention of buying anything today. *sigh* At the Power Mac Apple Center, I caught myself staring at the 1.83 GHz, 13-inch white Apple MacBook. The svelte 1.08 inches thin Macbook with the 13 inch widescreen and pretty icons caught my attention. Not to mention my face…haha..Clickety!

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