Chapter 5

Initiative The SMEs : Entrepreneur Idea

Overview Topic

• Background of the SMEs owners in Philippine• How to Initiate the Idea of SMEs ?

3 FILIPINO BUSINESS ICONS

HENRY SY - SM Corporation• It all began after the war in 1945 when

Henry Sy began selling American shoes imported by enterprising soldiers. Soon he opened shoe stores. • His confidence in himself later inspired

him to make these stores into a full-pledged chain of department stores. Today he is the richest Filipino.

Henry Sy - SM Buildings

• In 1945, National Bookstore experienced Japanese soldiers destroying the books they sold and fires that burned the store to the ground. • All these did not stop Ms. Ramos in

continuing the business. Thanks to her positive attitude and sound business sense, it now has 100 branches nationwide.

SOCORRO RAMOS - NATIONAL BOOK STORE

Socorro Ramos -National Book Store

• When Tony Tan Caktiong began to sell more hamburgers than ice cream, he decided to turn his small ice-cream parlor into a burger restaurant named Jollibee. He focused on true Filipino values in his product development. • Tan Caktiong credit his success to “hard

work and determination.” Today, Jollibee has over 600 local and 500 international stores.

TONY TAN CAKTIONG

TONY TAN CAKTIONG-JOLLIBEE CORP.

Joey Concepcion – Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship and RFM President

Joey Concepcion• As a boy, idolized Batman and wore Batman

costume during birthday celebrations.• As a businessman, pitted Selecta and Cosmos

against giants Magnolia and Coke.• Later appointed by the Philippine President

as Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship.• From idolizing Batman, Joey is now helping

fight poverty in the country by helping Filipinos on business.

Julie Gandiongco• Julie did not complete Education degree

having married her husband at age 20.• To help feed the family she did many jobs

but still not enough.• One day while doing her task picking up

bread from bakeshops, a baker suggested that she put up her own bakeshop which she followed. • Today her bakeshop called Julie’s Bakeshop

has over 500 stores

Julie Gandiongco - Julie’s Bakeshop

They Believed!• Poor boy to Harvard University

• Grace Gupana - ABS Herbs

Grace Gupana• At first people did not believe in her bitter

gourd capsules as cure for illness throwing it to the gutter after her lecture.• Grace persevered and established ABS

Gen Herbs in 1999.• Today her bitter gourd capsule is popular

as natural medicine for diabetes and other illnesses and has attracted famous people.

Elena Lim – Solid Group Inc.

• Years ago, Elena Lim brought into the Philippines the still unknown brand of radios called Sony. No one wanted to do business with her because Sony was not yet famous and she is a woman.

• But Elena believed and went to Japan to ask that her company be allowed to manufacture and market in the Philippines the Sony Trinitron TV.

Elena Lim - Solid Group Inc.

Arnel Ignacio • Arnel Ignacio could have just blamed

constantly his genes for his growing baldness. Instead he looked for a solution and stumbled on a German supplier with the right products.• He made it his mission to help people

with thinning hair and established Creative Hair Systems that is now doing well selling wigs, hair extensions, and hairpieces.

Arnel Ignacio – Creative Hair Systems

Dr. Vicki Belo – Belo Medical Group

• Vicki Belo began with a simple dream: for all Filipinos to look beautiful. So she enrolled in courses that taught the most advanced beauty techniques.• Today she has 7 successful clinics and

her clients include movie stars, rich people, and even middle-income customers.

Vicki Belo – Belo Medical Group Clinic

RICHIE CUNA - FIORGELATO• Richie Cuna decided to start an ice cream

business even while working as bank VP because he realized a job ends at retirement,

• Initially he juggled his time between his job and his business but later resigned to focus on business which was succeeding.

• Today, the business has expanded to 4 other brands and has several outlets in the US.

Richie Cuna - Fiorgelato

Tintin Bersola – Precious Memories• TV personality Tintin Bersola put up in

2004 Precious Memories but a former employee copied everything and put up her own business offering lower price.• Instead of getting discouraged she

offered better service and quality and won back her clients. Business problems do not stop her from forming new businesses such as cologne and lotion.

Tintin Bersola – Precious Memories