Armando O. Bartolome

Feb 222018
 

One of the reasons why some people are reluctant to start their own business is the lack of capital. It can be intimidating to get into a business that requires you to shell a lot.

However, you always have the option of starting small. Here are a few ideas on businesses that don’t require a lot of money.

  1. Snack Chips – When people went crazy over salted egg chips, many enterprising individuals started making their own version of this great-tasting snack. Filipinos love munching on chips. For less than Php1,000 you can start your own chips business.
  2. Perfumes – You can try making colognes and perfumes with a starter kit that costs just P3,000 to P5,000. The profit margin can also go as high as 300 percent.
  3. Online Selling – Most online sellers just post photos of items from their suppliers. They don’t even need to shell out money because they demand payment from their customers prior to buying the item from their suppliers.
  4. Chocolates/Candies – These never go out of season. You can even be creative and use different molds and fancy wrapping to make your candies more enticing. You don’t need to spend a lot to start a business like this either.
  5. Home-cooked meal delivery – A lot of people are too busy to cook their own meals. Why not cook and deliver food to them?
  6. Food Cart – If you can’t afford a franchised food cart, start your own. Start with familiar favorites, but give them a twist to make your food cart stand out.
  7. Photography and videography – If you have a talent for taking photos or shooting video, put them to good use and earn money at the same time. Build a great portfolio and become a professional photographer or videographer.
  8. Event organizing and management – If you have a knack for organizing events, build a business around it.

There are other small businesses that you can start with just a bit of money. But you need to have the right mindset. If you want to venture into a new business, make sure that you know enough about it.

Some aspiring entrepreneurs choose a shorter way to building their business through franchising. As I have often mentioned in my past articles, there are many businesses that are up for franchise.

But you need to be careful about the franchise you choose. Check the reputation of the franchise business by talking to current franchisees if the franchisors provide them enough support.

Don’t be afraid to start your own business. Think of the benefits of being your own boss. It may be a rough road at the start, but with a little patience, your small business might grow into something bigger.

Get The Business Mentor’s latest book “35 Tips On Business” available on E-book and paperback at www.amazon.com

(Armando Bartolome is known as the Philippines’ Franchise Guru, a mentor to numerous micro entrepreneurs who are now themselves big names in the industry. This article is reposted with the author’s permission and was previously published on The Business Mentor column posted by ABSCBN News. For questions and more information, you may contact Armando “Butz” Bartolome by email: philfranchiseguru@gmail.com or on Twitter @philfranguru. His website is https://www.gmbmsglobal.com/ )

Feb 142018
 
3 Simple Steps for Social Media Advertising

The core of any business revolves around the right marketing strategy to gain leverage over competitors. And knowing how much time, effort and money are spent making a sustainable business, choosing to use social media as one of the vehicles in expanding any company’s reach is no longer ignored these days. Social media, however, is […]

Dec 292017
 
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There is no one in this world that has been spared from having to face challenges in life. But these are not given to us to make us weak and be disheartened. These challenges that we need to go through are stepping stones on how we can slowly reach our goals.   Whether they are […]

Dec 142017
 

My previous article was about growing your business through franchising. Some of you may have finally considered taking that leap. Good for you! However, others may still be hesitating in taking that step. So what could be stopping them? Entrepreneurs come up with a lot of ideas on growing their business. But sometimes they put the brakes on these ideas because they have doubts that they can pull it off. They may feel that there aren’t enough good people to hire, or worry that expanding the business may mean spending less time with the family. The list goes on. But they should recognize these thoughts for what they are: Excuses! Being afraid is natural. Fear is part of the process. Learn to get past it and move on. Entrepreneurs may also come across unexpected obstacles. For example, you may have spent weeks trying to get the client’s approval, but at the last minute, he cancels and says that another company gave him a better offer. Or your most trusted employee suddenly quits and puts up his own firm that offers the same products or services you sell. OVERCOMING OBSTACLES Before you give up your dreams of expansion, or your business itself, think back on why you started the business in the first place. Look at how much time and money you have spent to get this far. Think back on this and you will realize that it’s not worth giving up just because things don’t seem to be going as Read More …

Dec 072017
 
Former OFW couple returns as entrepreneurs

Armando Bartolome Everybody wants a brighter future for their families. This is the reason why some of our kababayans choose to work abroad. However, there is another option. I met a Filipino couple in Dubai, who used to be overseas Filipino workers but are now entrepreneurs. They are Josef and Lilian Marquez, who are the proud owners of Caffé Nativo in Tagaytay. Both Josef and Lilian used to work in Dubai for a company named Caffe Nero. However, they worked at different stores. They met at a big event at Dubai and needless to say, it was the start of their life together. Read Related Story: Secrets of Successful Chinoy Entrepreneurs After a few months, they decided to move in together and talked about starting their own business. They got inspired after seeing many Filipinos running their own small shops at Karama, a popular shopping district in Dubai. Lilian was 8 months pregnant then and was working as a manager-in-training, while Josef worked as a supervisor. It was a struggle for them, and in 2015 they finally decided to come back home to the Philippines with their modest savings. They had a lot of plans, but putting up their own café was not one of them. Both of them decided to continue their studies at the Adventist University of the Philippines and took up Business Management. Read Related Story: 7 Sacrifices Successful Entrepreneurs Make Today for Financial Freedom Tomorrow It was Josef’s mother who suggested they set up a café, Read More …

Nov 272017
 
Story of Success of an Unexpected Entrepreneur

Armando Bartolome Many of us go to school, finish college, and have a fairly clear idea of what profession we want to take. But such was not the case with a young lady I met from Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. She is a full-time artist and a budding entrepreneur. I thought of sharing you her story to help inspire those who wish to become entrepreneurs and those who may be feeling hopeless at this point in their lives. Read Related Story: 7 How To Get Rich Tips from Successful People Unlike most of us, she was homeschooled from grade school to high school. She did not take the usual college courses either. Denise Vergel de Dios Cacanando’s story is truly inspiring. She once wanted to graduate with a degree from a regular school. But her dad suggested she take a break so she could think about what course she should pursue. Her dad arranged for her to try several jobs in Manila. She worked as a waitress in a restaurant owned by a family friend. A couple of months later, she tried a clerical job in an office owned by another family friend. These experiences helped her understand herself better. What she realized was that living in the city was not for her. She also took inspiration from her bosses. She realized that she was more interested in becoming an entrepreneur instead of an employee. She decided to come back to Bukidnon and share her thoughts to her parents. Her dad Read More …

Nov 162017
 
7 Indicators Your Business Is Ready for Expansion

Armando Bartolome There’s no way to go but up, if you are an entrepreneur. You may meet challenges in a business, but if you’ve got the right attitude, skills and people, you can overcome them. But once your business has become established, what is your next move? Expansion, of course. Taking your business to the next level is not any different from launching it. Every stage of growth needs a bit of faith and guts. But how do you know you’re ready for expansion? Here are a few indicators to help you determine if you are ready to take that leap: 1. You have built a strong team for your company. A business is not run by a single person. Though you may want to do everything for your business, you only can do so much. This is why you needed to look for the right people to help you. A strong team will let you take the next step. 2. You have a strong base of customers. When more people patronize your products or services, you may need to expand to keep up with the demand. 3. People are asking you to open a branch in their location. You must be doing something right if people who live far from your store still patronize your business. When customers ask you to open a branch near their place, you should seriously consider it. 4. You have a steady cash flow. When daily sales surpass your expectations and you’ve already paid Read More …

Nov 072017
 
Is Non-Food Franchising for you?

Armando Bartolome There was a time when the franchising business almost always involved food. Famous brands like Mang Inasal, Fiorgelato, Lotsa Pizza, and Rice In A Box were then the darlings of the franchising world. But soon enough, non-food franchising businesses such as pharmacies, nail salons, pawnshops, travel agencies and other businesses took off. Today, some of the most promising non-food franchising businesses are: Tutorial Centers Ink Refilling Stations Fragrance Shops Nail Salons and Spas Laundry Shops By next year, there will be more non-food businesses opening up. The capital needed to launch these businesses may range from P200,000 to P3 million. Read Related Advice: How to choose the right franchise At the recent Franchise Expo held last July 23 at the SMX in Pasay, there were more than 600 brands that joined. One of the non-food businesses that caught my eye was a company that sells “pre-loved” luxury items like bags. This only goes to show that there are lots of possibilities on what kind of business you can start. You just need to squeeze your creative juices to come up with something unique that can get the attention of consumers. Read Related Advice: Currently Employed and Franchisee At The Same Time? IS FRANCHISING FOR YOU? A few years ago, I wrote: “Is Franchising For You?” a book meant to serve as a guide for entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs alike. Some of the points I raised in the book are: Starting a franchise business means signing an agreement with Read More …

Nov 012017
 
Now is the Time to Start and Grow a Business

Armando Bartolome A lot of people these days want to start their own business, but few actually do. Many of them have doubts that they can do it. But if not now then when? Entrepreneurs need to take out all the negative thoughts that stop them from doing what they think is right. If you must, seek people who can inspire you to get started. We have so many opportunities around us. To start a business, no matter how big or small, one needs to have the right mindset. You also need to gather a lot of information about the market and where to set up shop. And finally there’s finance. If you’re short on money you can choose another kind of business that does not require a huge investment, or stick with your plans and consider getting a loan from a friend, a bank or investors. MAKING YOUR BUSINESS GROW When you’ve already started your business, you may need to borrow money again to expand your business. But you also need a clear plan on how you will use the money. Is it going to be used for the expansion or renovation of the office/store? Are you adding a new location? Are you buying new equipment? Will it be used for marketing? Do you plan to introduce new products? Are you building a website? MINIMIZING EXPENSES DURING EXPANSION You may have big plans for making your business grow. But growing doesn’t always mean having to spend more. Here are Read More …