CCT Nanays Attend Convention -- All Expenses Paid

CCT micro entrepreneurs at the Pinoy Me convention
 in March  2013 (left to right): Myrna Gumogda,
 lechon manok business owner;
 Linda Rondina, panciteria owner; Analyn Estrella, bakery owner.

Analyn Estrella, Linda Rondina, and Myrna Gumogda, businesswomen in the food sector, had the privilege of attending a two-day convention for free, along with some 100 other successful micro entrepreneurs from all over the Philippines.  The convention was organized by the Pinoy ME Foundation.    

The three micro entrepreneurs, recipients of micro finance assistance from the Center for Community Transformation Savings and Credit Cooperative, said they gained much new knowledge on growing their enterprises, were inspired by the success stories shared, and learned of several other business options available to them. 

Analyn Estrella, who opens a third bakery outlet soon, said one of the most important lessons she brought home  from the convention is about responding to competition through innovation.  “Di ka dapat matakot sa kakumpetensiya. Ayusin mo kung ano yung kulang sa produkto mo.”

Myrna Gumogda picked up some tips from Rommel Juan, CEO of the Binalot chain of restaurants. Among these were: “Dapat may variety ang menu mo.  Yung paggamit ng dahon ng saging, nakakatulong sa environment natin,” she said. Myrna, who is interested in opening her lechon manok business for franchising, said “Dapat hindi malaman ng iba yung sarili mong recipe kung magfa-franchise ka, sabi ni Jorge Noel Weineke [PLDT KaAsenso ambassador]. ”

“Hindi ako madalas mag Facebook,” said Linda Rondina, owner of five panciterias. “Importante din pala yung makapagFacebook ka,  yung makuha mo ang mga contact number ng customer mo, makapag-email ka. Gasino na lang yung gastos mo sa pagtext kung ang laki naman ng halaga ng ioorder nila?”

Analyn added that she was keen on having her breads and pizza sold in supermarkets. She learned that, “May proseso pala ‘yon.  Madami palang dokumentong kailangan ayusin.  Mabuti nalaman ko ‘yon kasi kung pinilit kong nasa supermarket ang products ko, baka madiscourage lang ako kasi hindi pa ako ready.”

Topics covered included sealing a deal in minutes, sustaining business growth amidst growing competition, finding the right market for one's products, and product design and packaging.   Speakers other than those already mentioned included Patricia Paterno of Papemelroti,  Steve Cua of Philippine Amalgamated Supermarket Association, Patrick Tang of PLDT, Myrna Sunico of Product Development and Design Center, and Grace Noceja of DOST.

Analyn, Linda, and Myrna are thankful for the blessing of having been chosen from among thousands of CCT microfinance recipients to join the convention. Criteria from PinoyME specified micro entrepreneurs having an enterprise with asset size of no more than P 3M and which should have grown  in asset and capitalization in the last two years.  Participants were required to  have an excellent loan repayment record,  should have increased loan size in last three years, and should have  provided employment to at least two people. Other criteria were having growth plans for coming years, and the ability to speak about their business experiences and engage in dialogue with other participants. 

The Me Naman Na Naman! Pinoy Microentrepreneurs' Convention was held at the Landbank Plaza in Malate, Manila on March 7 and 8, 2013. 

Side Story:

Linda Rondina who now lives in Rizal and Analyn Estrella who has lived in Quezon City for years met for the first time during the PinoyMe Convention.  They discovered, to their pleasant surprise, that they both spent their childhood years in the same small village of Arminia in the town of Uson in the province Masbate, and are actually distant relatives!