MANILA, Philippines —Any young entrepreneur need all the help they can get, where they can get it. This time around, some of the country’s industry leaders are providing the boost and exposure these entrepreneurs need.
Until June 28, entrepreneurial hopefuls can pitch their ideas to participate in a one-of-a-kind competition that gives them a chance to build successful startup businesses.
Bring your ideas to life
Just how many Filipinos want a shot at making it big in business? With all the passion, talent, skills, determination abound—there are many. They just need a proper push to get a head start in the right direction.
Well, guess what? It’s an auspicious time because they are about to get closer to their dreams with Greenhills and Mercato Centrale’s search for the next “EntrePinoy.”
Through this, aspiring entrepreneurs will get a chance to showcase their businesses right at the metro’s shopping mecca, VMall Greenhills. For years and years, VMall has been where young businesses were fostered to become big names that they are today.
The launch of the EntrePinoy search was held in Greenhills. Photo Release
"Over the years, Greenhills has served as a business incubator and we are proud to see so many businesses take off. Certainly, we want to see more success stories and we believe that we can help aspiring entrepreneurs learn new ideas and the rudiments of operations, finance, marketing and everything else that will get their businesses off to a strong start,” said Jaime Ysmael, president of Ortigas & Company, at the launch of EntrePinoy last June 13 at Greenhills.
All interested applicants can pitch their ideas by submitting entries via a QR code that can be found on Greenhills' social media pages or they can go to this link. On July 5, 24 finalists will be selected by a team of industry experts, and will then undergo training as they test drive their ideas right at VMall Greenhills from July to September. The dates when the finalists will be able to showcase and sell their products are as follows:
- July 11 - 14, 2019
- August 14 - 18, 2019
- September 11 - 15, 2019
"EntrePinoy gives life to our vision to provide support to Filipino entrepreneurs… Through these new businesses, consumers will also be able to experience new offerings and concepts in Greenhills and beef up our roster of stores," Ysmael said.
Jaime Ysmael and guest speakers discuss business insights and trends onstage. Photo Release
Strengthening Greenhills’ community of current and aspiring entrepreneurs, a series of talks and workshops by industry professionals are lined up and everyone is welcome to join! Here are the following schedules:
- July 11: Jonathan Petalver — Business Model Canvass and Operations Management
- August 15: Filip Wycoco — Entrepreneurial Accounting and Financial Management
- September 12: Edgar Caper — Marketing Mindset- strategic branding and consumer marketing.
- August 20-22: DTI, Taxumo, Go Negosyo, and more — One-stop shop business assistance
Made up your mind? Pick up the pace and register now!
Crib sheet for budding enterprisers
No business wants to go in blind. In this day and age, the most important thing is to have a good sense of where one is in their business goals and at the same time be prepared.
To help you get started, here are important things to remember:
1. Profitable industries
An important precursor for anyone wanting to start their own business is having a good feel for which businesses work and which don’t. Their immediate neighborhood is a good place to start, especially if they’re living close to a bustling one or in proximity to a busy city. Observation is key.
Then, figure out what’s the nature of one’s business is going to be, that is if they’re steering towards either service (Do they want to build up on and sell certain expertise or provide services in demand?), merchandising (Do they want to buy and sell goods?), or manufacturing (Do they want to combine raw materials and create goods?).
2. Capital, assets, logistics
Needless to say, getting a business to start and operate requires a certain amount of resources—this is usually cash, but can be non-cash, depending on your circumstances.
A great way to gauge how much capital you need is to take note of all the spending you’re going to be making based on what assets you need (e.g., hardware that’s both good quality for the best value), as well as lease (Will you be renting a space for your business and are there improvements that need to be made there?) and operation payments (salary for your employees, cost of utilities), to name a few.
3. Latest trends and target market
Taking the pulse of the land a.k.a. being in the know is certainly a plus factor in refining your business plans.
A good complement to observing your immediate environment is to take note of lifestyle trends in the media, as well as buzz on the internet that’s related to your desired industry. Being on top of things also makes you more discerning of not only what draws in people, but also what they avoid. This ultimately gives you a better understanding of your target market.
4. Ideals and values
Your empirical capacity to start a business alone isn’t sufficient. Your ideals and values also play a part in order to venture in a well-rounded manner that will eventually translate to generating profit sustainably.
Are your passion and self-discipline in check? Are you amenable to change? Do you know how to listen and read a room? These, as well as character, flexibility, and grit, are just some of the things that will help keep you going should you decide on starting a business.
Make sure that growth isn’t only guaranteed for business, but also for yourself.
5. Registration and permits
Your preparation and planning ultimately culminate in formalizing the start of your business, which is where securing registration and permits come in.
Secure all the required documentation that will protect your business. They are the tangible proofs of the legality of your business. Good places to start checking for requirements? Your barangay for clearance, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
To know more about the competition, visit and subscribe to the newsletter at www.ortigasmalls.com or follow www.facebook.com/GreenhillsOfficial and instagram.com/greenhillsph.