Aging’s Food Delight produces homemade delicacies with fillings like ube, leche flan, mango, halaya (taro), kalamay, dessicated coconut, and others. For the Christmas season we make suman cake layered with different flavors except mango. I love delicacies wrapped in banana leaf, and I was able to create original ube/leche flan fillings in glutinous rice.
Among our biggest challenges is the poor supply of banana leaves during the rainy season. The best assistance to our business were the the KMWF We Go-Negosyo seminars given on how to handle the product processing, good manufacturing practices, and others.
Our secret to success is patience and having a passion for our pro ducts. We teach our family members how to deal with the consumers and techniques of promoting our products in the market. We need to have confidence in our products and keep introducing new products. Beginner in business should have the passion, talent, and patience tp keep on experimenting so they can introduce new products to consumers. Most importantly, they should handle their income wisely and and make decisions carefully.
Crate Possibilities is an online home store that specializes in wooden crates, boxes and wooden packaging, wooden trays and other home decor products. Through the use of upcycled pinewood that is carefully handcrafted by our skilled artisans,our items are decorative, functional, and eco- friendly. Our products will not only prettify your space, but inspire you everyday. Blending simplicity, beauty, and functionality in every product is what we do best.
We started in 2016 when the owner joined a school fair to sell homebaked products. Using wooden crates and trays to display and highlight her products, people noticed the quality of these upcycled products and asked where to get them.This gave her and her husband the idea to make some to sell online. They saw the opportunity in these products and joining another bazaar made them realize even more the potential of the business. Running a business is never easy. They struggled to create more products to offer the market. Through the Kapatid Mentor Me program, they were able to learn how to innovate. From simple and plain wooden crates and trays, they added prints for a more personal touch. They continuously innovate to always have something new to offer their market.
Bibsy Shop is a fashion accessory store based in Alicia, Isabela. BIBSISITA (est. 2015) is a homegrown brand that turns Filipino-themed artworks into functional, everyday items such as pillows, bags, and t-shirts. For me, life is my big, plain canvas where I brush my vibrant hopes and dreams. My mission is to weave the Filipino narrative into your homes and fill your spaces with warmth.
I unexpectedly joined Monstrosity, a group exhibit with fellow artists after receiving my bachelor’s degree in multimedia arts in 2008. It opened up opportunities, like having my first solo art display, “Lanterns of Love.” A young and free-spirited person, i have gone on to become a full-time digital artist. I decided to take a leap of faith and officially founded “Bibsisita.”
With growing demand for my start-up business, I found it difficult to create dazzling art pieces that would win the approval of my target market. My brave heart, on the other hand, never stopped pounding until I overcame and learned from these challenges. As a businesswoman, I must admit that I’m still learning the ropes; I realize that in order to reach more people with my talent, I need to make it sustainable or functional, and that’s the business side of it.
At a young age, Franco Raneses knew he had a knack for business. He reminisced about buying bottles of beer for 20 cents and selling them for 70 cents to earn his keep. His father, a fisherman, would also assign him to sell fish in the market and would also act as an assistant to his sister whenever the former buys groceries for her small store.
Today, his company joins national fairs organized by the Department of Trade
and Industry (DTI) and is a supplier of handicrafts using different materials,
including natural fibers.
Moonlight Handicrafts focuses on crafts and designs combining different materials such as buri, abaca, jute, raffia, and other fabrics like canvas. “I started when I returned to the Philippines as an OFW and re-opened the business of my parents which had been closed for so long. That business was the main source of income for my family and helped all seven children finish our schooling. I was discovered by DTI at a trade fair where I was one of the exhibitors. They approached me to be one of their MSMEs.
The secret to success is not to give up, just believe in God. Love your family and the people who are working for you. Treat your workers as family.
Finally, never stop trying to create something new. Always experiment. Learn from your mistakes, and never give up. Always be humble and have a grateful heart. Ask for God’s guidance in decision-making.”
Brigilda A. Belisario, an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) with 14 years of experience, had a steadfast plan to reunite with her family and return home permanently. In pursuit of this goal, she embarked on her entrepreneurial journey in 2014. With unwavering support from organizations like DTI and various agencies, her business flourished.
Trixie Dhel’s Loomweaving specializes in crafting a diverse range of products, including blankets, handloom fabrics, shawls, ponchos, table runners, placemats, hand towels, coin purses, long coats, hats, bags, and much more. However, like any other business, Trixie Dhel’s Loomweaving faced significant trials. It endured the challenges of the pandemic, which restricted people’s movements and temporarily halted business operations. Moreover, natural disasters such as floods and typhoons wreaked havoc on their equipment, destroying looms, sewing machines, finished products, fabrics, and threads.
Despite these adversities, Ms. Belisario’s dreams, passion, and unwavering dedication remained intact. She stood firm and confronted each new day with unwavering courage.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns disrupted the world, including Tyrone Reodica, a project-based government worker. With research projects halted and income delayed due to restrictions, Tyrone turned to entrepreneurship. Starting with online sales of frozen and baked goods, he later ventured into offering popular delicacies from Los Baños, Laguna.
As positive feedback and repeat orders rolled in, Tyrone transitioned to Let Eat Go (LEG), a pandemic-inspired online food and beverage business. Initially focused on survival, LEG expanded to offer brewed coffee, innovative coffee-on-the-go, and drip coffee featuring local and flavored blends nationwide. Complementing these beverages, Tyrone introduced snack items like sausages and garlic bread. As LEG gained recognition in San Pedro City, Laguna, and on social media, curated sets perfect for corporate giveaways and gifts were also added to their offerings.
