All business with Dimples Romana, Bobby Yan

CEBU, Philippines - The team of ABS-CBN’s entrepreneurial show Kabuhayang Swak na Swak had a grand time traipsing around Cebu’s hottest spots when they recently hit town for a trade show and to shoot episodes with its hosts Bobby Yan and Dimples Romana. Browsing through the duo’s Twitter posts and photos of their brief Southern adventure (helping themselves to our famous lechon, relaxing in our Mactan resorts, treating their sore muscles to luxury massages and admiring their hotel’s enormous lobby), it is safe to say their entire crew was in unison that “It’s more fun in Cebu!”

Nonetheless, it was also a working trip for the on-cam talents and production staff, as their program mounted a two-day trade show dubbed Pinoytrepreneur held February 3-4 at the SM City Cebu Trade Hall. Aside from the diverse business stalls, well-known speakers and entrepreneurs gave lectures on varied topics including the fundamentals of personal finance, allies and obstacles in wealth generation, perfume making, food preparation, franchising, dealership, etc.

What exactly is this show hosted by Bobby and Dimples?

Produced by Bayan Productions, Inc., Kabuhayang Swak na Swak is a 30-minute weekend morning program that features ways, means and techniques on how to start, set up and maintain a certain business. It also tackles the latest job opportunities here and abroad, the newest and innovative products, stories of ordinary people and celebrities who are now successful entrepreneurs, marketing strategies, branding, good money habits, among other things. If one is already engaged in a particular business, the show also helps them with topics on how to expand or improve their existing money venture.

Kabuhayang Swak na Swak began airing in 2006, and has changed hosts through the years. It currently has the 7am timeslot, every Saturday and Sunday at the Kapamilya network.

After taping their spiels at the SM City Cebu Trade Hall, The FREEMAN sat down with the hosts where they talked about their program that for years has helped many aspiring entrepreneurs.

What brings your team to Cebu?

Dimples: We’re here for Pinoytrepreneur, which we also do in SM Megamall Trade Hall every year. It’s a sort of offering for all those who’ve supported us every now and then. This gives them an opportunity to actually choose which business is affordable for them, kung anong swak sa kanilang puhunan, or anong kapital ang kaya nila. And I’m telling you, at 150 pesos, there’s already one stall where they can afford to start a business. They also brought us here so we can reach out to our Cebuano followers.

Bobby: The show has been doing this for many years now, and this is the biggest that we’ve had. We’re here in Cebu for the first time. This gives exhibitors a chance to let the public know what business they can get into. Here, they have a lot to choose from. It’s a one-stop shop, so that those looking for possible business ideas don’t have to go from here to there and waste all that time and effort. They’re just in one place and are able to choose right there and then.

Tell us about your show, Kabuhayang Swak na Swak.

Bobby: Dimples has been with us for almost a year, while I’m on my third year with the show. But the show has been around for five years now. The original hosts were Chase Tinio and Amy Perez, then it became Amy and Gilbert Remulla, then it became Amy and me, me and Christine Bersola-Babao, until it became me and Dimples. So sana huwag ng pumunta kahit saan si Dimples (laughs).

You’re better known as an actress (last seen in ABS-CBN’s evening soap Ikaw Ang Pag-ibig). How did you become part of a business show?

Dimples: I actually love business. I have a photo studio called Red Digital Studio, located on Better Living which is close to my home in Parañaque. Two years ago, I started collecting cameras as a hobby even if I didn’t have a background on photography. The hobby soon became a full-blown business. I guess that’s how they tapped me to be their host, since they knew I was into business. They featured us and then, eventually, they had to look for a new female host because Christine Bersola-Babao had to move on to bigger projects.

Bobby: And she also actively joins bazaars all the time.

How about Bobby, if Dimples has a photo studio business, do you also have something of your own?

Bobby: I’m trying to get a franchise of a restaurant now.

What is the main goal of your show?

Bobby: To inspire Filipinos to get into business. You can say that our show is sort of a business directory. But, I’d like to emphasize that it’s not only me and Dimples who are inspiring the viewers; it’s the people and their businesses that we feature in the show. So if you watch our episodes, you will definitely come across something that will inspire you.

Dimples: And to also aid the viewers. Aside from inspiring them, we also want them to be able to get into the businesses that they want to engage in, because it is very difficult. We get a lot of questions, such as how they could reach the people that do the kind of businesses they want. We make it accessible for the masses, as well as the higher market. We get all the information for them, all the contact numbers, and the process that they have to go through.

What are the usual false impressions that people have about starting a business?

Bobby: That it’s easy. They think that if you just put money into it, that’s it. You have to put in passion, that even if you fail, you have to keep on going. That’s what all the successful people say. So if they did it, and all of them said the same thing, then that must be the way to do it. You have to work at it and think about it 24/7. If there’s a roadblock, you have to fight through that. Kasi marami diyan, they give up right away.

Dimples: Failure happens in any kind of business every single day. It could be failure in meeting deadlines, failure to pay the rent…but in business, you have to learn how to overcome things like that. At the end of the day, when you make a profit, whether it’s just little or more than you expected, it’s so rewarding. So I think that’s the full process of actually having a business --- you go through failure every single day and rise up to the challenge, until you become good at what you do.

To Dimples, what have you learned since joining the show and how have you applied these to your own business?

Dimples: I’ve been more aware of what is actually out there, and that there are more opportunities for me, hindi lang sa photo business. There are other small-scale businesses pala that I can do.