Building a successful business online
Davao-based Shopee sellers Shiela Reyes-Lao and Lou Putian prove that anyone can start and succeed in online business.
In a recent face-to-face event held by Shopee, both sellers shared how easy it was to join and grow their businesses on the platform, even in the face of economic uncertainty.
Tip number one is for business to just go online and digitize operations.
Putian said in just two months after creating an account and learning how to market her products through Shopee, her sales greatly increased.
Lao, who joined Shopee in 2017 , said her sales grew 7x since her leap to e-commerce.
Tip number two is to maximize Shopee’s convenience, seller tools, and nationwide logistics network
Shopee offers tools like insights and marketing solutions to help sellers further their business growth and visibility.Shopee’s continuous logistics expansion nationwide also allows sellers to reach more customers.
Enstack , DTI empower MSMEs to go digital
Southeast Asia’s first SME Superapp, Enstack said it will be working together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through the Negosyo Centers to develop programs that will boost the digitization of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.
Enstack will be providing MSMEs with free mentorship and digital skills training, including education on its SME Superapp.
“By merging DTI’s local expertise and Enstack’s digital tools, we hope to equip these MSMEs with all the free resources they need to grow sustainably,” said Macy Castillo, co-founder and CEO of Enstack.
Through the Negosyo Centers, Enstack will be holding events on how to start, run and grow a business using the Enstack SME Superapp. MSMEs will learn how day-to-day processes such as basic accounting, order and inventory management, and logistics .
Enstack will also host caravans in different cities.
STI ESG new academic center
STI Education Services Group Inc. (STI ESG) inaugurated STI Academic Center Legazpi recently.
Occupying 4,149 square meters on Rizal street, Cabagñan East, the campus valued at about P350 million first opened its blue and yellow walls to students in August 2021.
The new academic center, designed to accommodate up to 2,500 senior high school and college students, is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and simulation laboratories for hands-on learning such as commercial kitchen, a mock hotel suite, travel and tours front desk, bar and dining hall, computer laboratories, air-conditioned classrooms with flat screen TVs, a basketball court, and student activity areas with internet connection, among others.
The campus offers in-demand collegiate programs such as Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Business Administration, Accounting Information System, and Hospitality Management, while the Retail Technology and Consumer Science and Tourism Management programs are still subject for application.
For senior high school, STI College Legazpi offers Academic tracks namely Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM); Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS); and General Academic. Moreover, it offers IT in Mobile App and Web Development, Tourism Operations, and Culinary Arts in the Technical-Vocational track.
The campus also welcomes Grade 7 students in Junior High School starting the school year 2022-2023.
Filipino student receives US President’s Award
Fernando Tarriela Valderrama was given the Gold President’s Honor Roll Award in May 2022 for Outstanding Academic Excellence.
Conferred by the President’s Education Awards Program in the United States, this award is the highest recognition given to graduating elementary, middle, and high school students for their outstanding efforts to meet challenging standards of excellence.
Valderrama, an incoming ninth grader at Harvest Christian Academy in Guam, is part of the school’s National Junior Honor Society that encourages high academics along with strong character and leadership.
Forum on inclusivity
More than 50 percent of Filipino job seekers will refuse to work for employers that do not align with their beliefs, according to JobStreet’s Global Talent Survey.
In the recent Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce Philippines forum, JobStreet Philippines country manager Philip Gioca tackled the importance of genuineness and inclusivity at work. JobStreet encourages companies to conduct inclusive hiring practices to retain quality talents and boost productivity.
JobStreet also advised hirers to take employee differences into consideration when implementing inclusivity, as there can be activities or gestures that can be normal to one candidate but are offensive to another.
To manage this, employers are encouraged to conduct sensitivity trainings, especially for those who actively hire candidates that are from another race, with different gender identities, have disabilities, working moms, among others.
Best asset & fund manager
BPI Asset Management and Trust Corp. (BPI Trust), the wealth management arm of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), bagged three major awards at the recently concluded 13th Annual Alpha Southeast Asia Fund Management Awards 2022, continuing a winning streak.
Beating the largest fund houses in the Philippines, BPI Trust brought home its sixth trophy as the Best Overall Asset & Fund Manager in the Philippines. The company was also hailed as the Best Asset Manager for Money Market Funds, and Best Asset Manager for Equity and Fixed Income Funds. These awards come after it received recognition from the International Finance Awards as the Best Asset Manager in the Philippines.
“These recognitions are a testament to BPI Trust’s strength and position in the investment space in the Philippines today. Amid a challenging investment landscape, these accolades inspire us to continue to do more by serving the investing public with the most innovative products, tools, and investment solutions to help them grow their wealth,” said Maria Theresa Marcial, BPI Trust president and CEO.
Viber pushes MSMEs forward
Viber has launched a program for small online entrepreneurs subscribed to its top Channels, RaketPH and FoodPH.
Dubbed as Pinoy Dream Negosyo by Rakuten Viber, the program aims to empower Pinoy micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to launch a business or scale their side hustles up.
As a kickstarter, Pinoy Dream Negosyo opens bigger opportunities for entrepreneurs to share their journey and at the same time acquire the right knowledge and tools to make their business goals a reality. Up for grabs for the Raketeer and Bestie Grand Winners are cash prizes worth P80,000, special plaques, merch items, plus the chance to appear in an online TV show and Instagram live of popular influencers.
Pinoy Dream Negosyo has two categories, Raket Mo ‘To for Raketeers and Da Best of FoodPH for Besties.
Special prizes from Viber and partner brands are also at stake for those who would not be crowned the ultimate Viber Raketeer and Bestie and for Channel members who have shown unwavering support for the participants.
Uplifting the bakery industry
Tinapayan Festival, a local bakeshop in Manila for over 40 years, has made its commitment to uplift the bakery industry in the country by introducing and innovating local products that give value to its customers and at the same time, support the local economy.
One way to further uplift the pandesal and provide value to customers is by utilizing locally-grown agricultural products that can help support not only the local bakery industry but the agricultural industry as well.
These include malunggay, kamote, squash, and potato.
“With the rise of prices of our raw materials and baked products like bread, there is a threat of shortage in the country, so at Tinapayan Festival, we are further rallying the use of agricultural products as part of the local bakeries’ recipes and have put this movement at the forefront of what we do,” said Lucito Chavez, founder and general manager, Tinapayan Festival.
Schneider Electric new GM
Schneider Electric recently named Ireen Catane as the new country president for the Philippines. Catane will also be involved in Schneider Electric’s East Asia and Japan management team.
As the first female to head Schneider Electric Philippines, Schneider reinforces its commitment to diversity and inclusion. Catane brings with her an extensive leadership experience and strong track record in managing key end-user and channel sales, marketing, and IT businesses.
Over the past three decades, she has held management positions with IBM Philippines, Microsoft Philippines, and Samsung Electronics Philippines, among others. Most recently, she served as the Chief Executive Officer of NTT Ltd. Philippines.
McDonald’s wins big in Tambuli Awards
McDonald’s Philippines recently won several awards at the recently concluded APAC Tambuli Awards.
McDonald’s corporate campaign “Serving communities with good food and kindness” won in the Corporate Purpose category, Hunger and Poverty.
The Voter Registration Countdown took the Bronze in the Humanity and Culture Category for Responsible Citizenship. This campaign encouraged citizens to exercise their right to vote by offering a generous discount voucher on McDonald’s meals.
Also recognized was the Share the Light campaign, McDonald’s omnibus holiday campaign, which took customers on a Ride-Thru Christmas Lights Show experience; brought community cheer through Share-A-Meal; and delighted customers with holiday desserts and Coke aluminum cup collectibles. The campaign garnered a Bronze in the Media category – Brand Experience and Activation for the Drive-Thru Light show and was a finalist for the digital, social, and e-commerce category.
McDonald’s tribute to mothers on Mother’s Day, in the form of a video ‘A Mother’s Slumber’ became a finalist in the Creative Category for Brand Storytelling.
McDonald’s Marketing Manager Ashley Santillan was named one of the two Young Marketing Leaders of the Year.
