Make it work

Here are tips on how to start a business and find the time to be both a mom and an entrepreneur.

by Nickky Faustine De Guzman
February 21, 2015

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Everything starts with a want. Eileen Juan wanted to capture her growing kids’ photos and save them as mementos. But back then, 13 years ago, there wasn’t any photo studio that offered what she wanted. Fast forward to today. Eileen is now the successful founder and CEO of The Picture Company, a studio that specializes in baby and kid photography.

Model and mom Rissa Mananquil Trillo had the same dilemma. She wanted to look good (who doesn’t?) but makeup caused her skin to break out. She and Jacqe Yuengtian Gutierrez thought of coming up with a makeup brand, Happy Skin, that makes women look pretty and their skin happy. What started with five counters in 2013 has now grown to 50 counters.

Mutya Laxa Buensuceso

Jacqe Yuengtian Gutierrez

At this year’s Mompreneur Summit at the Edades Tower in Rockwell, entrepreneur moms revealed secrets to putting up a business, keeping it successful, and finding that elusive work-life balance.

Rissa Mananquil Trillo

SECRET TO SUCCESS

So what’s the secret to finally starting a business and keeping it successful? “Find your magic. Ask yourself, what is the ‘why’ of my business?” says Eileen. She says this will separate you from competitors. For Rissa and Jacqe, following the six Ps (proposition, product, packaging, price, place, and promotion) helps you differentiate your brand. Having a defined set of values, no bending them, helps, too. According to the partners, they can easily make Happy Skin available to the mass market. While this is more income generating, they opted to choose key locations only. “Our goal is to make it at par with international, world class makeup brands. So we have to stick with our branding,” Rissa says.

For Jill Gorodias Borja, CEO and president of Manang’s Chicken, a Pinoy chicken brand, your idea for a business does not have to be unique. It just needs to be better. The Philippines has a plethora of chicken and its different permutations: deep fried, infused with flavors, roasted, and smoked. But Jill says that Manang’s is better because although it’s not original, it has a story. Manang’s Chicken started from her manang’s (househelp) chicken recipe. The family couldn’t get enough of it that they wanted the rest of the foodies to taste it.

“We have a lot of established competitors but what sets us apart is we’re offering something better. Starting a food business is more than just serving good food. You also need to ensure quality, provide consistency, and give good customer service,” says Jill.

Jill Gorodias Borja

Eileen Juan

KEEPING IT ALL TOGETHER

But here’s another dilemma: As the business you’ve started (congrats!) is growing, so are your kids. Just what is the secret to making both a business and a family work?

Here are tips on how to achieve a balance from Mutya Laxa Buensuceso, country manager of Luxasia Philippines, founder of Spinkie, and a mom of two.

1. Eliminate the guilt of pursuing your career.

2. Get a support system.

3. Have an established work system and stick to it.

4. Separate work and family.

5. Quality work is better than quantity.

6. Start the pursuit of happiness now.