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HOW I DID IT

How 8 Successful Entrepreneurs Got Started

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Want to be successful in business? Learn how these eight breakthrough entrepreneurs got started By Heinz Bulos The success rate for startups is very, very low. Only 5% survive beyond five years. That’s a startling statistic! And certainly something of a reality check if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur. So how do you increase your chances of not just surviving but achieving a breakthrough in business?

We asked eight massively successful entrepreneurs how they got started, what the turning point was in their business, and what advice they can give to you. The lessons you will learn here are valuable. If you want to be a business success, learn from the best.

Jonathan “Jay” Aldeguer established Island Souvenirs in 1992. The shop deviated from the ethnic-looking designs which were the norm, and showcased the Philippines as a sunny and tropical country. He packaged his products as a totality of the unique experience of a locality, reflecting its dynamic personality. From a single store in Cebu, Island Souvenirs has grown to a network of over a hundred outlets across the Philippines as well as internationally, such as Japan, Macau, the U.S., and Singapore. Jay has also created other tourism-oriented companies that complement Island Souvenirs: Islands Souvenirs International, Franchise Ventures, Islands Pasalubong Center, and Destinations Media.

I went into business when I was 21 with an initial capital of P200,000 sourced from a loan from my parents and savings from small businesses in college when I started Islands Souvenirs. I became an entrepreneur because I had ideas and saw several opportunities. The biggest mistake I made when I was starting was being over eager. What I learned from that mistake was to be more strategic. I got my first break in business during college when I sold

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shirts to my classmates. It took me a couple of weeks from when I started to the point when I knew the business was going to do well.

The three factors I attribute my business success are innovation, determination, and resiliency. My main strength or advantage as an entrepreneur is my ability to evolve. What I learned the hard way as an entrepreneur that they won’t teach you in business school is how volatile and fluid business is today. The reason most businesses fail is they go into it for the wrong reasons. What I would consider the breakthroughs or major milestones in my business are revolutionizing a cottage type industry and transforming the business into a major player not only in the retail industry but in tourism and travel as well. Another is our ability to evolve. The one thing that makes our business model successful is we are nimble and quick. Today, Islands Souvenirs has given birth to Islands Banca Cruises and Islands Stay Hotels, to name a few. If there is one person I would thank for my business success, it would be my parents because early on, they gave me the encouragement to follow my dreams. The best thing about being an entrepreneur is you have the power to make your dreams happen. If I were to do it all over again, I would be more strategic in executing my business.

The best business advice I got was: “Even if you’re on the right track, if you just sit there, you’ll get run over.” The business leaders here or abroad I most admire are Henry Sy, John Gokongwei, and Tony Tan Caktiong in the local front. Internationally, I like Steve Jobs and Richard Branson, mainly because they’ve revolutionized industries and created new ones but most importantly, they continue to evolve and reinvent themselves. The most recent business book that has influenced me the most is Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky. The biggest trend or opportunity in business today for me is in travel and tourism. The best business to get into is one that is BPO- or travel-related. My advice to someone starting in business is start small, think big.

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Enrique Gonzales oversees strategic direction of IPVG Corp., a publicly listed company on the Philippine Stock Exchange engaged in the information technology and communications space. Enrique directly handles all investment-related activities of IPVG including fund-raising, mergers and acquisitions, and exit. He has had a successful track record in the Internet space, having founded a series of Internet start-ups that have been acquired by larger U.S.-based firms (match.ph/itzamatch.com) and has taken IPVG from garage to public.

I went into business when I was 21 with an initial capital of P10 million, sourced from my stock market earnings. I started stock trading at 13, built up a portfolio close to US$1 million and most of it during the Asian crises when I turned 18. I became an entrepreneur because I had a vision and I wanted to turn it into reality. The biggest mistake I made when I was starting was getting stuck on the conceptual stage and not focusing on having a proper plan to execute against. What I learned from that mistake was that good execution is about good planning. Always plan before you make your move. I got my first break in business during 2003 when I took over a listed company and renamed it into IPVG. I was 26 at the time. It took me two years from when I started to the point when I knew the business was going to do well.

The three factors I attribute my business success to are acumen, hard work, and luck. My main strength or advantage as an entrepreneur is my ability to spot good opportunities ahead of others. That has evolved into my network of relationships and experience which has become a major advantage. What I learned the hard way as an entrepreneur that they won’t teach you in business school is you have to develop your ‘gut’ or intuitive powers in business. The business case may look good but that’s only one part of the analysis. You have to broaden your thinking to make a complete assessment of the situation. You also have to know how to build and maintain relationships. Relationships open doors and opportunities that can lead you to greater heights. The reasons most businesses fail is poor management or run out of money.

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What I would consider the breakthroughs or major milestones in my business are the listing of IPVG, listing of EGames, and listing of IP-Converge (Cloud). I would also add our JV with PCCW, investment from Philippine Star Group and JV with GMA7. The one thing that makes our business model successful is the fact that it attracts customers, partners, and capital. Our business model is about value creation. It is hard for me to thank just one person as there are many people I need to thank. These are all the people that believed in me and continue to do so. Their support and vote of confidence has made my success possible. If I were to do it all over again, I would take more calculated risks rather than pure strategic plays that can overshadow the risk management part in the decision making process.

The best business advice I got was that business is not just about the profit. Profit is a way to measure its success; it is a way to keep score. But the true purpose of business is to provide for its shareholders, customers, and employees. The business leaders here or abroad I most admire are the founders of Google (Sergey Brin and Larry Page) because they have recreated how we sift through information and data, and they have defined this for generations to come. The business book that has influenced me the most is The GE Way (by Jack Welch). The biggest trend or opportunity in business today is to become a green or environmentally friendly company. We are doing the same in IPVG. Our new data centers (IDCs) will be green carbon neutral IDCs. The best business to get into is one that has a growing market, high margins, a ‘huge’ barrier to entry, and strong repeat purchases. Establish a first mover advantage in this type of industry. As Hank Greenburg said, “All I want in life is an unfair advantage.”

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Joey Gurango founded Gurango Software, a distinguished global provider with competencies across ERP, HCM, CRM, and the core Microsoft technologies. Joey has a solid track record in forming and running successful software companies. Prior to establishing Gurango Software in 2003, Joey founded Match Data Systems (MDS) in the U.S. and served as its President from 1987 to 1991. He then established the Philippine subsidiary of MDS in 1991 and its Australian subsidiary in 1996. In 1999, Joey sold MDS to Great Plains Software, which was eventually acquired by the Microsoft Corporation in 2001. From 1999 to 2001, Joey was Managing Director of the R&D Center of Great Plains Software in the Philippines, and its Managing Director for Asia. From 2001 to 2003, he served as the Asia Pacific Regional Director for Products and Services of Microsoft Business Solutions, before he left to form Gurango Software.

I first went into a real business when I was 24 years old with an initial capital of US$250,000, sourced from my former bosses. That business ended in failure after 18 months when we had to declare bankruptcy after we ran out of cash, despite the fact that we were selling more than US$15,000 worth of products every month.

I became an entrepreneur because I really wanted to be my own boss. Honestly, my lack of a college education made me think that I could not get a very well-paying job, so I decided to go into business for myself to make more money. Boy, was I wrong!

The biggest mistake I made when I was starting was not having a plan to succeed. I went into business because I wanted to be self-employed, but I did not focus on setting up the business for success. What I learned from that mistake was if you do not have a specific plan to succeed, then you have an automatic plan for failure.

I got my first break in business when I realized that what I loved to do (software development) was something people were willing to pay a lot of money for. In 1987, a potential client agreed to pay me US$600 per day to construct a program at a time when I was earning less than $600 PER WEEK at my regular job. That got me hooked!

It took me three years from when I started to the point when I knew the business was going to do well. The three factors I attribute my business success are: (1) I love what I am doing so much that I would do it for the fun of it, (2) I have a specific plan for success, and (3) I work on the

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business based on my success plan. My main strength or advantage as an entrepreneur is my willingness to work harder than anyone else and do whatever it takes to succeed.

What I learned the hard way as an entrepreneur that they won’t teach you in business school is that you can’t underestimate the importance of sheer luck as a determinant for success. Some things just can’t be planned for. The reason most businesses fail is there is no specific plan for success, much less a specific definition for success in their business.

What I would consider the breakthroughs or major milestones in my business are the realizations that my success as an entrepreneur is predicated on the success of those I work with, and that the most successful entrepreneurs work ON their business, and not IN their business. The one thing that makes our business model successful is being located in the Philippines.

The best thing about being an entrepreneur is you can create your own future. If there is one person I would thank for my business success, it would be Bill Gates because he proved that software was more valuable than hardware when everyone else said just the opposite.

If I were to do it all over again, I would do it sooner, do it faster, and do it smarter.

The best business advice I got was to constantly look for ways to grow your revenues while you shrink the cost of generating them. The business leader abroad I most admire is Lee Kuan Yew, because he has proven that it is possible to run a country like a successful business. The business book that has influenced me the most is The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber.

The biggest trend or opportunity in business today is using Internet-based technologies to improve lives globally. The best business to get into is one that is based on intellectual property assets.

My advice to someone starting in business is to be prepared for the worst journey while working very hard toward your ideal destination.

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Chit Juan is an owner of ECHOstore sustainable lifestyle at Serendra and The Podium. She also promotes Philippine Coffee as president and co-chairman of the Philippine Coffee Board Inc. She also heads the Women’s Business Council of the Philippines to empower women through business. She often speaks to the youth and corporate groups on her various advocacies: Sustainability, Women Entrepreneurship, and Leadership.

I went into business many times so I am known as a “serial entrepreneur,” usually with an initial capital of below a million pesos sourced from my savings from other investments. I became an entrepreneur because we were encouraged by my father to create jobs or be job creators rather than job seekers. The biggest mistake I made when I was starting was the choice of partners. What I learned from that mistake was to choose partners well, not for the money they will bring in, but for what talents or skills they have that I do not possess. I got my first break in business by myself after college. I put up several businesses with college friends. It took me two years from when I started to the point when I knew the business was going to do well.

The three factors I attribute my business success are: I am a hands on entrepreneur. It takes me a while to delegate. I am a self-confessed workaholic. I like to start early and retire late because I love what I do. I don’t give up easily. I try to look for creative ways to solve challenges. My main strength or advantage as an entrepreneur is my network. I have made many friends over the years, whether they could help me in business or not. What I learned the hard way as an entrepreneur that they won’t teach you in business school is you could lose a business overnight. The reason most businesses fail is the operator does not look into the details. Like they say: the devil is in the details. What I would consider the breakthroughs or major milestones in my business are when I founded Figaro Coffee Company. It changed the landscape of coffee retail way before the

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foreign brands came in. (Editor’s note: Ms. Juan resigned from Figaro in 2008 after a hostile board takeover.) The one thing that makes our business model successful is the consistency of the brand and the brand equity. I have since co-founded ECHOstore sustainable lifestyle, which is building a brand as well. If there are persons I would thank for my business success, it would be my partners Reena Francisco and Jeannie Javelosa because they know what I can do well and they know what I would rather not do. The best thing about being an entrepreneur is you own your time, and you reap what you sow. If I were to do it all over again, I would still do what I have done.

The best business advice I got was “always face your creditors” and never hide from responsibility. The business leader here or abroad I most admire is Steve Jobs because he is creative and pays attention to detail and he knows how to take care of his brand. The business book that has influenced me the most is Competing for the Future (by Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad). The biggest trend or opportunity in business today is sustainable business or social enterprises. The best business to get into is one that is a global trend, like sustainable enterprises that go green and advocate fair trade, just like ECHOStore sustainable lifestyle. My advice to someone starting in business is get into a business selling a service or product that you love. Otherwise, it will seem like hard work. If you love what you do, it’s like you never have to work the rest of your life.

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Dr. Rolando Hortaleza, is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the publicly-listed company, Splash Corporation. Founded in 1985, Splash was able to grow from a P12,000 backyard business into a P4 billion enterprise through the vision, innovation, and commitment of its founders, Dr. Rolando B. Hortaleza and Dr. Rosalinda A. Hortaleza. Being consistently in the Top 300 corporations in the Philippines since 1998, Splash has established its reputation as one of the formidable players in the Philippine personal care industry. Splash carries the brands Extraderm, Maxi-Peel, and Skin White. It also carries Biolink, one of the fastest growing skin care brands in the Philippines.

I went into business when I was 25. My wife and I started the business during our fourth year in medical school with an initial capital of P12,000 part of the “ampaos” we received as wedding gifts. I became an entrepreneur first because I think it ran in the blood. I was exposed to doing business even as a young boy. Summers were spent helping in the family business. My wife also came from an entrepreneurial family. The biggest mistake I made when I was starting was being impulsive perhaps because I was relatively young and aggressive. As I gained experience and wisdom, I learned to be more prudent but still take calculated risk without compromising speed to market. I got my first break in business two years after founding Splash when we generated good sales from hair spray during the “big hair” phenomenon. It took me two years from the time we started the business to realize with certainty that the business was going to do well.

The three factors I attribute my business success are: knowledge of the market, having the right people, and passion in execution. My main strength or advantage as an entrepreneur is being able to quickly study the market, find the gaps, ensuring that I have the capabilities to execute, and act fast. What I learned the hard way as an entrepreneur is that there are things that they don’t teach you in business school. There are no business theories that will be relevant to all organizations, that it’s not one size that fits all. For instance, most of the cases in business schools are cases of

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big companies in different competitive environments. Learnings cannot simply be applied to small or medium-sized companies. The reasons most businesses fail are the misalignment of objectives to execution, the failure to accurately “read” the market, and anticipate the response of competitors. What I would consider the breakthroughs or major milestones in my business are the transformation from entrepreneurship to professional organization, placement of systems and structures, and finding the right people for sustainability. The one thing that makes our business model successful is everybody is knowledgeable about our business model’s context so that organizational alignment is achieved. The biggest opportunity for our business today is to go international. Going global gives the business insulation from domestic downturns. It also spreads the risks. If there is one person I would thank for my business success, it would be my co-founder, Dra. Rosalinda Ang-Hortaleza, because we shared the same vision, passion, and dedication. We complement each other such that our strengths are optimized while our weaknesses are moderated. The best thing about being an entrepreneur is you can inspire people to be entrepreneurs themselves; help create jobs; and on a larger, nobler scale help in our country’s economic development. If I were to do it all over again, I think I would manage well the transformation of the organization from personal entrepreneurship into professional one, ensuring that changes are effectively managed and that stability is achieved expeditiously.

The best business advice I got was to concentrate on your core, focus on your innate strengths. The business leader I most admire is Mr. Carlos Chan of Liwayway Marketing because he has character and competency of a true leader. He remains a low key businessman in spite his resounding success especially in the international market. The business book that has influenced me the most is Built to Last (by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras). It showed me how a strong corporate culture and complete organizational alignment can push the organization to greatness and pass the test of time. The best business to get into is one that you know or have an intimate knowledge of the market and where you have the internal capabilities to execute your objectives. My advice to someone starting in business is study the market you are interested in; find some gaps based on your internal capabilities (resources and technical competency); and decide to do it with zeal and passion.

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Paulo Tibig is a full-fledged entrepreneur, a passionate business mentor and “negosyo” advocate, and a professional speaker on entrepreneurship, customer service, and marketing. He is president of Vcargo Worldwide (formerly Vintel Logistics), one of the country’s largest logistics and cargo companies today. The company prides itself for being big enough to have the efficiencies of a multinational cargo corporation, yet small enough to be flexible for its clients’ demanding needs. Paulo is also the president of the SME Business Council of Bataan and the Association of Filipino Franchisers, Inc.

I went into entrepreneurship when I was in college to augment my college education by trading t-shirts, with a minimal amount of capital from my daily savings. I became an entrepreneur because my siblings and I were brought in an enterprising environment. My father used to be an OCW (overseas contract worker) in the Middle East in the mid-80’s. After a few years, he decided to stay in the country and started venturing into many small businesses – selling siopao, trading ceramics, and household products and eventually retailing of lubes and LPG. The biggest mistake I made when I was starting was when a few years ago, I developed a restaurant concept. Because of the difficulty getting lease space in malls, I accepted all lease spaces offered to me without studying carefully. The result was that in three months, we closed the business and a cool big amount of money was gone. I lost P1 million in three months for a wrong location. After venturing in so many businesses during college, my big break came during the 1997 El Niño crisis, when I and my girlfriend then (wife now) identified that the water shortage/crisis was a business opportunity and we ventured into the laundry business. It took me just a few months from where I stopped when I knew that the laundry business was going to do well.

The success of our flagship business, Vcargo Worldwide, can be attributed to three factors: the business model must be sustainable, the concept is an integral part of the value chain of any business, and there must be a key differentiator. My main strength or advantage as an entrepreneur is my ability to spot business opportunities, which has led to several complementing business. Do it and make it happen. What I learned the

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hard way as an entrepreneur that they won’t teach you in business school is that businesses fail when they stop innovating their products or services. What I would consider the breakthroughs or major milestones in my business was when we realized that our service differentiator is working and accepted by our target segment. The business started evolving from its initial service portfolio to international expansion and development of strategic business ventures, anchored on our flagship brand. If there is one person I would thank for my business success, it would be my wife who serves as the neutralizer in all our businesses. She has contributed a lot in major decisions and in our financial investments. The best things about being an entrepreneur are the joy and rewards that it brings, the chance to shape other people’s character and potential, your way to help fulfill needs and requirements, and the opportunity to spread the beauty of entrepreneurship. If I were to do it all over again, I would ensure to strike a balance between business and my personal life.

The best business advice I got was: “Your competitor will always fuel and bring out the best in you.” There are so many successful entrepreneurs that I really admire, each have their distinct business wisdom, strategies, and way of doing business. The business books that have influenced me the most are mostly stories of successful Filipino entrepreneurs, though I have a lot of foreign business books as source. What’s important is learn from it, and do it better. The biggest trends or opportunities in business today are health and wellness, franchising, outsourcing, and online businesses. The best business to get into is a business concept that is sustainable. My advice to someone starting in business is one must have the following: C- ommitment (do away with the “ningas cogon” attitude) H –ardwork (there’s no substitute for this) A – ttitude (right entrepreneurial mindset) M – otivation (along the way, there will be challenges, so you need to be motivated all the time, with divine intervention, nothing is impossible) These are the values of a Champion Entrepreneur.

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Dr. Conchita Manabat, or “Chit,” as she is affectionately known, is the chairperson and managing partner of the Deloitte Philippines practice. A CPA, MBA, and Ph.D, Chit studied at the University of the Philippines, the Ateneo de Manila University, and the Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute. She pursued executive programs at Harvard Business School and Pennsylvania State University. Success to her is the consequence of owning a vision and possessing the discipline, courage, discernment, and passion to transform that vision into reality. Robert A. Campbell, the former CEO and managing partner of Deloitte Asia Pacific, once said, “Chit has given a new meaning to the term ‘DTT’ — determined, tenacious, and tough.”

I went into business when I left my employment as Chief Finance Officer of a conglomerate with an initial capital of P1,000,000, sourced from savings. I became an entrepreneur because I would like to practice my profession.

The biggest mistake I made when I was starting was to be trusting. What I learned from that mistake was to be careful. I got my first break in business when my former employer became my first client. At the outset, my business gained stability.

The three factors I attribute my business success are professional conduct, good networking, and meeting if not exceeding expectations of clients. My main strengths or advantages as an entrepreneur are my experience and network.

What I learned the hard way as an entrepreneur that they won’t teach you in business school is co-existing with the competition and surviving it. The reasons most businesses fail is lack of experience and know-how as well as sensitivity to clients’ expectations without losing independence.

What I would consider the breakthroughs or major milestones in my business are getting significant foreign representation and gaining major multinational companies as clients. The key things that make our business model successful are professionalism and sensitivity to clients’ expectations.

If there is one person I would thank for my business success, it would be my mother because she always believed in me and she encouraged me in my undertakings.

The best thing about being an entrepreneur is you decide your own destiny. If I were to do it all over again, I would do it the same way.

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The best business advice I got was to keep my integrity intact. The business leader here or abroad I most admire is Warren Buffet because he has remained to be prudent and simple in his personal life.

The biggest trend or opportunity in business today is outsourcing. The best business to get into is one that is labor-intensive. My advice to someone starting in business is to be certain of commitment to invest, work hard, and be fair with all the publics he or she will deal with.

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Myrna Tang-Yao is a businesswoman, leader, innovator, and chairperson of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW). She is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Richwell Trading Corporation, one of the biggest toy distributors in the Philippines. She is the woman brought the iconic Barbie doll into the country in 1982. From being the exclusive distributor of Mattel Toys, Richwell became the sole distributor of Pigeon baby products and brands such as HotWheels, Shelcore, Cosco Juvenile, Chicco, MegaBloks, Vtec, etc. Given its expertise in the children’s market, Richwell has diversified successfully into shoes, mainly children and teens, and now holds the biggest market share.

I went into business when I was 20 years old with an initial capital of P5,000, sourced from my own savings. I became an entrepreneur because I was born into a family of entrepreneurs.

The biggest mistake I made when I was starting was to trust a family member in accounting and finance without giving the benefit of the doubt. It is however a big lesson that even if it is your own family, you still need to put a system of check and balance especially in finance and accounting.

I got my first break in business during my student days through the buy and sell of earrings and accessories to my classmates. As for a formal business venture, I started in 1974 in commodity trading for the business of my father.

It took me one year from when I started to the point when I knew the business was going to do well.

The three factors I attribute my business success are hard work, patience, and direction. My main strength or advantage as an entrepreneur is my vision and creativity. What I learned the hard way as an entrepreneur that they won’t teach you in business school is determination and foresight. The reasons most businesses fail are wrong calculation and acceptance of failure.

What I would consider the breakthroughs or major milestones in my business is being able to successfully introduce high value products for children with the right brands. The one thing that makes our business model successful is being able to grow the company with the complete

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products for children – toys, shoes, apparel, nursery products, juvenile, cosmetics, and accessories, except food.

If there is one person I would thank for my business success, it would be God and my daughters because God has been my companion and guiding light through the years of trials and tribulations.

The best thing about being an entrepreneur is being able to do what you want using your own talent and creativity. If I were to do it all over again, I would not trust a person without setting check and balance.

The best business advice I got was TRUST IN HIM and “humility is Godliness.” The business leader here or abroad I most admire is Warren Buffet because of his foresight, articulation, and humility. The business book that has influenced me the most is The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

The biggest trend or opportunity in business today is the outsourcing business. The best business to get into is one that is less traveled by. My advice to someone starting in business is to have a clear direction with hard work and perseverance.”

How I Did It By Heinz Bulos From the March-April 2011 issue of MoneySense (note: this excerpt does not reflect any changes, if any, in data or information about the featured entrepreneurs) For more information about MoneySense, visit www.moneysense.com.ph

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Business Startup Conference is a 2-day conference on business and entrepreneurship aimed at startup founders, small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.

In this conference, you will learn business tips, skills, and strategies on how to start and run a business and succeed as an entrepreneur. You will learn from top sales, marketing, and business experts as well as successful entrepreneurs.

It is one of the major events of Global Entrepreneurship Week Philippines for the year. Global Entrepreneurship Week is the world’s largest celebration and promotion of entrepreneurship that happens across 140 countries.

This 2-day conference happens on May 9-10, 2014, 10:30am-7:00pm, at Megatrade Hall, Bldg. B., SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

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If you are startup founder, small business owner, or aspiring entrepreneur, you face issues, problems, and challenges common to many entrepreneurs, such as:

how to get more customers

how to manage your cash flow

how to fund your business

where to find the right employees, contractors, and freelancers

how to set up systems to manage the business

how to dominate your market niche

how to ramp up your business

how to outsource work

where to find the affordable office space

how to make a business plan that works

how to price your products and services

how to promote your business without costing too much

how to find work-life balance

how to find the right location

how to minimize your business taxes

how to choose between an incubator or accelerator

using technology to increase productivity

using the Internet for marketing

how to attract top talent with a limited budget

where to find hidden profits in your business

Business Startup Conference will help you find the right answers from our business gurus and successful entrepreneurs during this 2-day conference.

The Business Startup Conference is designed for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs as well as other stakeholders.

Business owners

Startup founders

Social entrepreneurs

Aspiring entrepreneurs

C-level executives

Business and entrepreneurship students

Media reporters and analysts

Government policy makers

Venture capitalists

Bankers and loan officers

Policy makers, decision-makers

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If you just want to be inspired, attend “negosyo” events. But if you want to get ideas, tips, and strategies on how to run and grow your business, attend Business Startup Conference.

The Business Startup Conference is unlike other conferences on entrepreneurship in that it offers practical, actionable business advice, not just inspiring stories. It is also not limited to a narrow sector like franchising. So if you are in the retail, manufacturing, service, tourism, technology, food, or agriculture market, Business Startup Conference is for you!

Here are some benefits you will get from attending the Business Startup Conference:

Learn from some of the country’s top management, sales, marketing, finance, technology, and HR experts who will teach practical strategies and skills so you can immediately apply them to your business right after the conference.

Gain valuable insights from thought leaders and business coaches who will share strategies to help you start a business and succeed in business.

Apply business principles and strategies that are relevant to whatever business you are in. You don’t have to be a tech startup or a franchisee!

Meet and network with like-minded delegates who can be future partners and collaborators as well as incubators, funders, and investors who can help you expand your business.

The Business Startup Conference 2014 features a mix of practical topics that will help you start or grow your business:

Top 10 Business Startup Trends in 2014

Crowdfunding Your Business

Competing With the Big Players in Your Market

Guerrilla Marketing for SMEs

Lean Startup Methodology

Creating a Business Plan That Actually Works

Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs

Setting Up Systems to Run Your Business

Talent Management for Startups and SMEs

Managing Your Cash Flow in Lean Months

Choosing the Right Office Space or Retail Location

Internet Marketing for Startups

Pricing Psychology for Maximum Profits

Using Technology to Improve Productivity

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The Business Startup Conference 2014 boasts of some of the country’s experts on business, startups, and entrepreneurship:

Jojy Azurin, Regional Director of Freelancer.com and Serial Entrepreneur

Jojy Azurin founded BusinessSummaries.com and created it into one of the world’s top online executive book summary services with over 300,000 reader base. He eventually sold the company in 2010 to EBSCO Publishing, one of the world’s leading provider of business content.

Jojy founded a number of start-ups since then, including Printers2Go, GawaKo, Centurology, Opus Leaf, FuelSpot, Exams.ph and SparePartsAsia. He is a consultant for several eCommerce sites and other startups. He speaks

at several workshops and conferences.

He is also concurrently the Regional Director for Continental Asia (formerly Philippines Country Manager) for Freelancer.com, the world’s largest online marketplace for outsourcing. Over $1B in projects have already been posted with over 8.4M registered users, over 4.4M projects awarded and with over 300,000 Filipino members.

Christian Besler, Co-Founder of Kickstart Ventures and Manila Angels and Lean Startup Specialist

Christian Besler, a world citizen living in Makati, is VP and Head of Community Engagement for Kickstart Ventures, the country’s premier seed fund, funded by innovation leader Globe Telecom and backed by global powerhouses SingTel and Ayala Corporation.

He is also Co-Founder at ManilaAngels, a Manila-based private network of angel investors, connecting people, ideas and capital in one of the world’s fastest growing markets.

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Peter Cauton, JuanGreatLeap.com Founder

Peter Cauton is a career HR practitioner turned serial entrepreneur.

He started his first company, STORM Consulting back in 2006, which has now grown by leaps and bounds and is now called STORM Rewards – it is the Philippine market leader in Flexible Benefits, serving thousands of employees across dozens of companies such as Nestle, Ayala, L’oreal, Telus, Pointwest Technologies, Serco, Boehringer Ingelheim, and many more.

Since then, Peter has founded other startups, including explainer video studio Stream Engine

Studios, competency technology firm Strata, and mobile development training school Mobile Academy. He is the blogger behind Juan Great Leap.

Patch Dulay, Founder of The Spark Project

Patch Dulay is the Founder of The Spark Project, a community that aims to showcase Filipino talent and ingenuity through an online crowdfunding platform where they can campaign to fund their creative, innovative, and passion-driven projects.

Patch is also a startup consultant, crowdfunding Consultant, IT consultant, educator, resource speaker, and life coach.

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James Fantone, CEO of NXT Level Training & Consulting and Certified E-Myth Trainer

James Osorio Fantone, Chief Trainer and CEO of NXT Level Training and Consultancy, is the FIRST and ONLY Filipino trained and certified by Michael Gerber himself -author of the famous book E-Myth and regarded as the world’s number 1 business guru by Inc. Magazine – in San Diego, California, USA to become the pioneering facilitator of Gerber’s training programs in the Philippines.

James’ extensive background includes being the Sales and Training Director of Morinda International before becoming its first Filipino

Country Manager in 1999. He was also World Executive’s Digest’s Advertising Sales Manager and Superbrand’s first Sales Director and had been passionately engaged in the exciting world of training and sales for almost two decades now. James is also the Executive Director of The Academy for Creating Enterprise, a non-profit foundation that educates entrepreneurs on the basics as well as the complexities of enterprise creation.

Emi Pascual, IDEATE Co-Founder and Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach

Emerito Pascual, or Emi, as he is more fondly known in the industry, is a 30-year veteran of Philippine marketing communication wars. His experience covers an enviable portfolio of products and services that cover a broad spectrum of consumers, and product propositions.

Emi is a Guerilla Marketing Licensed Coach. He heads IDEATE a consultancy group he and his wife formed to provide guerrilla marketing coaching and training, brand and communications planning, creative services,

consumer insighting research to both local and multinational clients here and abroad.

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Eric Robles, Country Manager of Strategic Pricing Management Group (SPMG)

Eric Robles is currently the Country Manager of Canadian-based pricing consultancy firm Strategic Pricing Management Group (SPMG) and the Head Organizer of SPMG’s The Price Class.

He is the country’s pioneering and leading professional in the field of value-based pricing and an evangelist of ‘value creation’. With diverse experience covering business analysis, data analytics, market research (retail audit), and competitive intelligence.

Prior to joining SPMG Eric was Retail Director at social commerce and daily deals site, LivingSocial. And also held key pricing roles at Rocket Internet-backed Lazada, Goodyear, Merck Chemicals and got involved with retail audit research at GfK Retail & Technology.

Boom San Agustin, Our-Knowledge Asia Consulting Services Managing Director and LinkedIn Expert

Boom San Agustin, is a professional and motivational speaker, business writer, and corporate trainer. He is the Managing Director of Our-Knowledge Asia Consulting Services and is widely known as an expert on LinkedIn marketing.

Being one of the main proponents in the creation, development, and implementation of the B.E.S.T. Workshop (which has gained the reputation as one of the country’s best entrepreneurial workshops), some of his

specialties are “entrepreneurship” and “entrepreneurial mind-setting.” Boom is also the host of the “SME Forum,” a TV talk show on entrepreneurship in the Philippines, aired on the Global News Network (GNN).

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Paulo Tibig, CEO of VCargo Worldwide and The Entrep Champ

Paulo Tibig is the president and CEO of Vcargo group, with different business units in transport, energy and logistics.

One of the sought after professional speakers today, Paulo earned the moniker of “THE ENTREP CHAMP” in the entrepreneurship community because of his business savvy and wisdom. He was named one of the Top 10 Entrepreneurs in the Philippines in 2005 by Entrepreneur Philippines magazine.

Tommy Tiu, Business Professor at Ateneo GSB and UST and Certified Financial Consultant

Prof. Tommy Tiu is a faculty member of two reputable graduate schools in Manila, the Ateneo Graduate School of Business and the University of Sto. Tomas, teaching investment analysis course on equities and fixed income analysis and valuation.

A Certified Financial Consultant (CFC®) of the Institute of Financial Consultants (IFC)-Philippines, he is the main resource trainer for its Cashflow & Working Capital Management Program.

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