Rediscover homepreneurship through diskarte

Ordering online has become the norm and home-based businesses are booming, led mostly by resourceful mothers who are taking opportunities to earn extra income while they take care of their families. All it takes is a strong connection via a reliable internet provider and a willingness to work hard from home.

Two inventive yet practical or madiskarte moms are harnessing the power of strong connections: Vanna Reyes, an entrepreneur and online influencer who also helps other businesses boost their sales, and Vania Edralin, a talent manager who launched her baking business during the community quarantine.

“The pandemic has had a big impact on mommies,” Vanna notes. Aside from the fact that they now have to contend with their children’s online classes on top of managing the household, there is also uncertainty over the future as many households are affected by the loss of income. This is why Vanna supports many moms in the community that she joins.

Among the items Vanna sells online are face masks, salt lamps, designer bags and children’s toys. “My story with the children’s toys is a funny one. A friend with a physical store in Divisoria told me that their stocks weren’t moving. To help out, I started posting their items online and they made huge sales.”

Vania, meanwhile, had baking as a hobby before the pandemic hit. “My sister was the one who was really into baking, using our mom’s recipe for cinnamon buns. I tweaked that recipe to make smaller Cinnabites, and gave it away to family and friends until I realized that there was no one doing the same thing. I offered it on an online selling group and it really took off,” she shares. From an initial capital of P10,000 that went to bulk procurement of ingredients, she was able to recover her investment within two months from baking only three times a week.

Online advantages

Vanna and Vania attest that there are many side hustle opportunities even during the pandemic. “There may be other sellers out there, offering the same thing or something similar to what you have, but there are also so many customers out there,” Vanna encourages. “The main differentiation would be how you reach your market. Some moms will have live selling programs. Some will offer their products on different platforms. What is important is that you find your niche.”

Vania, who tried selling clothes at a bazaar, notes the difference. “You don’t need to spend so much on space, and there is no need to transport all your goods to a certain location. It is easier to do business online. You can even target your audience by choosing a location for your ads or by simply joining a neighborhood group.” She likewise encourages budding homepreneurs to learn new skills such as making videos or editing photos and making ad layouts that would attract more customers.

To support all these transactions, one should have a stable internet connection such as PLDT Home. Both moms say this is crucial and enables businesses to provide good customer service, responding to queries and making transactions easy for customers, and having reliable payment and delivery options. “If you don’t answer inquiries right away, that would mean loss of business,” Vanna advises. 

It all boils down to “sipag at tiyaga” (diligence and perseverance), both moms say. Vania adds, “If you’re a mom, you’ll do anything and everything for your family. That is the driving force of madiskarte moms—love for their family.”

With a reliable and powerful internet connection at home, homepreneurs can take their business goals to the next level. Know more about how you can rediscover opportunities in home-based business, watch this video from PLDT Home:

Editor’s Note: The article was provided by PLDT Home.