Aired (September 3, 2023): NegoSHEnte is a program created for Young or Aspiring Entrepreneurs. Weekly segments include Mompreneur, Kwentong Negosyo, and Sagot Kita.
Featuring this week’s guests: President of SPEED Money Transfer Japan K.K., Lita
Watanabe, Founder of Multiple Intelligence International School, Joy Abaquin
and President of ICSB, Eric Caeg.
Featuring this week’s guests: President of SPEED Money Transfer Japan K.K., Lita
Watanabe, Founder of Multiple Intelligence International School, Joy Abaquin
and President of ICSB, Eric Caeg.
Category
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FunTranscript
00:00 Happy Sunday to our Kapwa Negosyente!
00:02 The day really flew by because just like that, it's September already.
00:07 What kind of business will be booming in the Bermond's?
00:10 I am Rhoda Castro Caliwara, your resident Pinay entrepreneur.
00:14 And this is Negosyente!
00:16 [Music]
00:34 Being a mom already comes with its many challenges.
00:37 But what if you're an established career woman?
00:40 Let's listen to the different story of Lita in Mompreneur.
00:44 [Music]
00:47 From Tokyo, Japan to Pampanga, Pampanga to Quezon City,
00:50 we're so grateful and we were invited by our special guest for today.
00:55 But before anything, welcome to our segment of Mompreneur,
00:59 where we invite moms who not only manage their households, but also their business.
01:04 Welcome to the show.
01:05 Our guest for today is very inspiring and her backstory is very exciting.
01:13 Welcome to the show, Ms. Lita Manalastas Watanabe.
01:17 Thank you.
01:18 Maraming maraming salamat.
01:20 Thank you very much.
01:21 Share with us a bit about your family.
01:24 Yes, I have one son.
01:27 I had him as a single mom.
01:31 So I had to be a father and a mother to him, juggling my career at the same time.
01:38 But there were a lot of moments of guilt.
01:44 But children, I think they feel your love.
01:49 So when I read some books, it said there,
01:54 it's not the number of hours you share with your children, but the quality time.
01:59 So my son knows that when I'm not home yet, I'm still working at the office.
02:05 And later on, he wrote me a letter saying, "Now I understand."
02:13 "When you're not around, you're already working for me."
02:18 Sometimes, I was overseas, I gave him money,
02:22 "Son, there's a restaurant on the ground floor and everything. Are you okay?"
02:27 He said, "Yes, Mom." He was probably 12.
02:30 Then when I came back one day earlier, I saw canned goods on the floor.
02:40 I was crying.
02:42 I don't know why this boy didn't like to eat outside or what,
02:48 but he was so skinny until now.
02:50 So he saw that from me, maybe.
02:52 Was that the turning point? Was that why you slowed down?
02:55 In a sense, I had a lot of guilt.
03:01 But you can see that he loves you so much.
03:06 I never socialized. I really didn't have any boyfriends.
03:11 I didn't have any intention to get married.
03:13 No social life?
03:14 Yeah, nothing, nothing. It's all work, work, work.
03:16 And I worked six days a week without pay for the extra day.
03:19 But I liked working, actually.
03:21 But I had to also prove myself. I was very young, and I was a woman in Japan.
03:26 I was a Filipina, that's worse.
03:28 Because during my time, Filipinos, our image is that we work in nightclubs.
03:34 There's nothing wrong with that.
03:36 They really work so hard for their families.
03:39 And there was one Japanese who said, "Oh, you Filipinas, you're all prostitutes."
03:44 I said, "So what? You work in nightclubs. What do you buy from your salary?"
03:50 "We buy brand goods. We feed our families."
03:54 I said, "Who is the better one?"
03:58 Purpose.
04:00 Yeah, purpose. Correct.
04:01 I promised my son that I'm going to spend time with him.
04:05 So I decided I'm going to resign from PNB after my European assignment.
04:12 So I typed a resignation letter.
04:15 And then I sent it to the new president of PNB.
04:19 Suddenly, the screen went black.
04:21 Then I told my friend, a rich businessman,
04:24 "Oh, maybe God doesn't want me to resign."
04:28 He said, "Your computer is just a block."
04:30 Then I went out and prayed again.
04:32 I always pray for something.
04:34 You also mentioned, Ms. Lita, that you don't want to do business.
04:37 So from employment, you wanted to do business.
04:41 And can you tell us more about the business?
04:43 Yes. Actually, I didn't plan that I would do business.
04:46 As I said, I wanted to retire in the U.S. already.
04:49 Maybe I don't know where I will go or what I'll do.
04:52 So I just set up.
04:53 But I didn't have the money.
04:54 I mean, I was thinking, PNB has a capital of 1.5 million.
04:58 Just 1.5 million. Metro Bank 3.
05:00 Because there are only two banks that can set up in Japan on a reciprocity basis.
05:06 So I was in Europe.
05:07 Our lawyer said, "Why are you Filipinos?
05:10 You're just like your employees.
05:13 Look at the Chinese."
05:15 There are a lot of Chinese in Italy.
05:16 So you were challenged.
05:18 Yes. He said, "Why don't you become business people?"
05:22 I said, "You know, the Chinese, they help each other."
05:25 We Filipinos are still jealous when one person is successful.
05:31 We're not happy.
05:32 I'm very happy if I see someone really get successful.
05:36 And you experienced that?
05:37 Yes. And I said, "What do I do?"
05:40 So I called my lawyer.
05:42 I said, "I want to set up a company.
05:44 I'm going to do remittance."
05:47 And he said, "Go home."
05:50 I said, "No, I promised my son I'll stay here for one month."
05:53 Then he said, "It's not time to set up."
05:55 "No, set it up.
05:56 You use your lawyer, one of them is the owner.
05:58 I'll just buy him out."
05:59 That happened.
06:01 So in other words, you also need to be innovative.
06:04 I had to make a compromise decision.
06:07 I promised my son.
06:09 Then I called my friend here.
06:11 He's one of the 40 richest Filipinos, Filipino businessmen.
06:15 Well, Filipinos in the Philippines.
06:18 I said, "Invest in it, even if it's just a little."
06:22 He said, "What else did you do in Rotterdam?"
06:25 Because I told him.
06:27 "300,000."
06:28 "I'll match it."
06:30 I said, "I have 600,000."
06:31 I said, "It's okay, it's okay."
06:33 Then I thought of involving all the OFWs.
06:36 I was pensive pushing.
06:38 I said, "1,000 of my former PNB employees will follow me, at least 1,000.
06:44 I will not try to get them.
06:46 That's unfair to PNB."
06:47 But I said, "I'm sure they will join me."
06:50 I just saw that I have a relations company.
06:53 Excuse me.
06:54 After that, 1,000 times 100,000, which is easy for them, 100,000, would be a million dollars.
07:00 But everybody follows me.
07:03 Where I set up a branch, for example, in Nagoya, same building, different floor.
07:08 Roppongi near the embassy, it's the same.
07:11 I was followed by Metro Remit.
07:13 You were followed by competition.
07:15 Yes, they thought I was the best.
07:18 They thought.
07:19 Not that I think I wasn't, but I was the first one.
07:22 First Filipino to get that license.
07:25 And I was the only female.
07:27 Ms. Lita, you are a very accomplished and successful businessperson.
07:31 And at the same time, you are also a very responsible and loving mother.
07:36 I'm really inspired.
07:38 And it's hard.
07:40 It's hard, right?
07:41 But what inspires you to keep going?
07:44 Why are you like that?
07:45 Now, really, it's just to return back, especially to our OFWs.
07:51 Because they are the ones who paid me.
07:54 It really turned out well.
07:56 Just as a closing, Ms. Lita, I don't want to bring back the guilt that you felt then.
08:02 But maybe you can share a little letter from your son when he was a kid.
08:09 He said in a letter, "I understand that you are very busy.
08:20 But I remember, even when I met you, you were very patient with me.
08:27 You carried me in the train.
08:29 I was so heavy back then.
08:31 Now I'll be the one to carry you.
08:33 I'll be the one to take care of you."
08:35 And he said, "Whatever it is that you said back then, Ma,
08:39 no, you've done everything and I love you as you are."
08:43 One of the best mompreneurs I have met.
08:46 Ms. Lita Manalastas Watanabe.
08:49 Thank you very much.
08:51 I hope you won't be discouraged.
08:54 Just continue and pray.
08:56 Thank you.
08:58 As mothers, we have our fair share of regrets.
09:01 That's normal.
09:02 What's important is that we give all that we can for our children.
09:08 More than 25 years running in the Philippines,
09:11 Dr. Joy Abaquil has built a new education.
09:18 Hi, I'm Dr. Joy Canon Abaquil.
09:21 I'm fondly known as Teacher Joy.
09:24 I am the founding director of the Multiple Intelligence International School.
09:29 We have educational services for children from 2 years old all the way up to senior high school.
09:38 So what is the Multiple Intelligence Theory?
09:41 It's basically a cognitive theory that believes that all people,
09:47 in fact, all children are smart.
09:50 So, you know, growing up in an environment where only the top 10% of a class is normally called intelligent or smart,
09:58 the Multiple Intelligence Theory actually is such an empowering theory
10:03 for parents and educators to believe that every child has their own unique set of intelligences
10:10 and that they all have their unique strengths and potential.
10:15 So you might be wondering, "Ano-ano ba ang eight smarts na ito?"
10:20 Okay, they are word smart or linguistic intelligence, logical math or number smart.
10:27 These two intelligences are typically the ones that are celebrated and really developed in traditional schools.
10:35 But there are six other intelligences that are equally important to make children future ready.
10:41 And what are these other intelligences?
10:43 So there is picture smart or spatial intelligence.
10:48 So these are the future architects.
10:50 There is nature smart, which are the future scientists.
10:55 There is body smart, our people in theater, performing arts and sports.
11:01 There is music smart, of course, people in the music industry.
11:08 And my two favorite intelligences are what we call the personal intelligences,
11:13 which is the interpersonal intelligence or the people smart.
11:17 I think we really, really need to develop a lot of people to be leaders.
11:21 And the last is the intrapersonal intelligence or self smart,
11:28 so that we can develop future psychologists, philosophers, and people who really are very much self aware.
11:38 Kasi lalo na now, the world is very specialized and we want our kids to grow up to be globally competitive.
11:47 And if you think about it, each child will be happiest when they are fulfilling their purpose
11:53 by finding out what their real strengths are, encouraging our children to learn about social issues that they want to solve.
12:02 We want them to learn about being a global citizen.
12:05 We want them to learn about the sustainability, the environment.
12:09 These are issues that more than just memorizing something in the textbook, right, and do an A on in the test,
12:18 of course, they can do that.
12:20 They will have the rigor for that.
12:21 Pero yung why? Bakit? Para saan?
12:25 These are key questions that we ask ourselves as teachers every day.
12:29 I ask myself every day.
12:31 Of course, I had to shift from just being a teacher to a school owner.
12:37 So, owning a business, well, school is technically not really a typical business,
12:46 but at the end of the day, you will really need to be able to establish it as a very good organization with a very good culture.
12:57 So, I think yung very first start, there are two heads that you need to wear.
13:03 The first is the business owner head.
13:05 So, you need to be able to make sure that you have the proper licenses,
13:10 that you are properly registered, that you comply with the Department of Education.
13:16 So, multiple intelligence, international school, aside from the DepEd, we are part of the Council of International Schools.
13:24 So, I have compliance for that as well.
13:26 Then, of course, you identify your place where you want, what is your target population.
13:33 But more than the four piece of business, the most important thing is your why.
13:42 You have to have a very clear mission and vision.
13:45 So, to anyone who really wants to establish a school, it is very important because it is the life of a child.
13:52 So, it is something that will impact the child for the rest of their life.
13:57 Lalo na po, I'm an early childhood educator and I know that 90% of the brain is established by five.
14:06 So, imagine ikaw yung preschool teacher.
14:08 So, what you do in the classroom matters.
14:10 So, very important that who wants to start a school has a very clear mission and vision.
14:15 Like in our way, we really wanted to celebrate that, "Nako, walang bobo sa MI, lahat ng bata matalino."
14:22 And we really had to live that out as a vision.
14:25 And then, aside from your vision, you have to have your stakeholders.
14:29 You have to have teachers who believe in the same vision.
14:32 That they will also celebrate these children every day with kindness and patience in the classroom.
14:39 And they want all of the children to bloom.
14:41 So, you have to have your teachers.
14:43 And then, of course, you want to have a sustainable model.
14:48 Kasi you want to be able to keep your promise.
14:52 Ako talaga, I walk, importante yun.
14:55 To be able to walk your talk, to be able to make sure that your promise in your mission and vision, you actually do.
15:04 Sa kanyang desisyon na magtayo ng Innovative School, marami ng buhay at pamilya ang natulungan ni Dr. Joy.
15:12 So inspiring, 'di ba?
15:14 May mga tanong ka ba tungkol sa pagsisimula ng negosyo?
15:18 Mga eksperto ang tutulong at sasagot sa'yo.
15:21 Dito sa negosyante, sagot kita.
15:24 Ang paglago ng mga negosyo sa ating bansa'y hindi lamang merong sapat na kapital at magaling ang mga entrepreneurs.
15:33 Kundi dahil din sa pinagsama-sama at pinagbuklud-buklud na suporta ng mga ibang-ibang sektor na tumutulong sa ating mga negosyante.
15:43 Naku, buti na lang merong isang organizasyon na siyang nagbuklud, pinagsama-sama ang mga educators, mga business practitioners, government policy makers, o kaya mga mabatas, at mga researchers or consultants.
15:57 Kasama natin sa araw na ito, ang Clinical Professor ng AIM at Presidente ng ICSB or International Council for Small Businesses.
16:08 Eric, welcome sa ating segment na sagot kita. Ano nga ba ang primary objective ng International Council for Small Businesses at paano ito nakakatulong sa ating mga maliliit na negosyo?
16:22 Meron ba mentorship na nangyayari? Accessible ba ito sa kahit kanino?
16:27 Magandang araw sis Rhonda at maraming salamat sa pag-aniaya sa akin dito sa iyong programang negosyante.
16:34 Meron ba nangyayari sa kanilarangan ng pagninegosyo? So, yung iba-ibang sangay ng ating negosyo gaya sa finance, sa marketing, sa HR.
16:45 Meron tayong mga subject matter experts or mentor na maaaring gumabay sa ating mga tagapakilig o sa ating mga entrepreneur.
16:54 ICSB ay international council for small business. So ang mga member dito hindi lamang small businesses, ngunit tinatawag nating big brothers and sisters.
17:07 Ngayon, bubuksa natin ang pinto sa pangalawang anniversary ng ICSB para sa ating mga kakapwa-entrepreneurs.
17:15 Marami silang aabangan sa mga coming weeks. Alam nyo ba dahil maraming members ang ICSB mga experts kung baga tungkol sa pagninegosyo.
17:25 Prof. Eric, your chance to invite every single entrepreneur to join the advocacy na meron ang International Council for Small Businesses.
17:35 Tama-tama sis. So inaniyayang ko lahat ng nanonood at tagapakilig ng negosyente program. Abangan nyo ang susunod na episodes.
17:45 Darating dito sa programang ito ating mga kasamahan sa ICSB na magbibigay ng leksyon patungo sa number one, opportunity scanning.
17:57 So mga entrepreneur may maraming idea pero kailangan malaman nila ano ba yung tamang idea na pwede nilang pasukin.
18:04 Pangalawa, ano yung produktong bagay sa merkado? So mayroong magsasalta tungkol sa product development.
18:10 Mayroong magsasalta tungkol sa marketing. Ano ba yung marketing? Para ipakilala ang produkto sa mga mabimitre.
18:18 Mayroong din tayong magtuturo tungkol sa estrategia or strategy. Ano yung simple steps para maparating natin na maayos ang ating produkto sa mga maaminili.
18:29 At mayroong din magtuturo sis tungkol sa operations. Yung mga magtatayo ng tindahan, muna opening to closing.
18:36 Paano ba mga babantayan ninyo habang bubukas ang inyong mga tauhan at bago din magsara? Araw-araw.
18:43 Mayroong din tayong tagapagsalita patungkol sa human resources. Bibigyan kayo ng snapshot idea.
18:50 Paano ba pangunuan ang inyong mga tao sa inyong negosyo?
18:54 At isa sa pinaka-importante, ang accounting at ang finance.
18:59 Siyempre sis, ang pera, importante. Kailangan maturuan natin sila kung paano ang kahalagahan ng tamang pag-ingat ng pera sa negosyo.
19:10 At mayroon din kakabit ng finance, yung buwis.
19:14 Alam ko masakit sa tenga yung tax pero alam nyo tungkulin natin yan bilang maamayan.
19:20 So mayroon din tayong magtuturo tungkol sa taxation.
19:24 So isang pakete sis ang hatid sa inyo ng mga membro ng ICSB. Abangan po ninyo at malapit na parating na po ating mga kasama.
19:34 Ang ibig sabihin nun, sa ilang weeks pa lang, tapos nyo ang master degree ng entrepreneurship.
19:41 Maraming maraming salamat sa 'yo, Professor Eric Caig. Thank you for your time at maraming salamat sa 'yo. God bless you.
19:48 Maraming salamat si Sroda at mabuhay ang negosyente.
19:52 Sa bawat negosyo, may buhay na nababago. Yan ang mapapanood ninyo sa The Good Stories brought to you by SM Supermalls.
20:03 Ang bahagin ito ay hatid sa inyo ng SM Supermalls.
20:08 Nandito tayo ngayon sa Iloilo City para kilalanin ang ilan sa mga small but successful business owners dito rin sa SM.
20:16 At kasama ko ngayon dito sa SM City, Iloilo, si Ted Valderrama Jr. ang may-ari ng Nicolette's Bakery and Cafe.
20:24 Hi Ted!
20:25 Hi Sonja! Hello!
20:26 Okay, so Nicolette, it's amazing we've had your food. It's great. Can you tell us how Nicolette got started, the story behind Nicolette's?
20:35 So Nicolette is really a product of circumstance.
20:39 When this wing of the mall was still being built, I accompanied an aunt who used to be the manager of the branch here.
20:47 And on the way out, I bumped into the leasing manager of SM and she made a pitch to open a place here.
20:58 And to be honest, I didn't know what to open. I didn't even know what to sell.
21:02 My wife, Nicolette, didn't have anything to do here yet.
21:06 So I figured, why don't we start something for her on a business, especially a real estate business.
21:14 Maybe with SM because I think they have the vision. So they would be the right partner to open a concept because they have the traffic, they have the vision, the look, everything.
21:24 How did this come about after that whole "anong gagawin ko" business?
21:31 So the first three months, when we opened this business, to be really honest, it was really like a coffee shop.
21:38 And it really failed as a coffee shop. As a matter of fact, we were just simply breaking even.
21:45 So I would go to work and then I realized, who else would know what they want except my customers.
21:53 There were some people who said, "You have pasta, it's so weird. You don't have pizza. You don't have rice."
21:58 So on the fly, I developed a pizza crust. We're known to have a really good pizza crust here.
22:03 We use a baguette crust. So it comes out really crunchy, crusty, and it gives a different feel, experience to the pizza.
22:10 And I think that's one of our unique selling points. And slowly, we really thrived.
22:15 As a matter of fact, my best seller here for the pasta is the seafood marinara.
22:21 It was a customer who pitched that idea to me.
22:24 And then on the fly, also, I created three different recipes with their feedback.
22:28 She used to be a flight stewardess for the Emirates and now it's my best-selling product here.
22:34 I love it. So listening to the customers allowed you to expand your menu and save the failed cafe in the past.
22:43 You're so good.
22:44 You know, Ted, a lot of small business owners are actually watching right now.
22:49 And I guess, what advice would you give them? Let's say a key to having a successful business.
22:57 Listen to your customers, but also try to be different.
23:02 Because I noticed a lot of people, when they get into business, they have a point of reference.
23:09 They see an idea become successful and they kind of want to do the same thing.
23:13 Try to sell a product that's good and different. So you have to have some differentiation also.
23:18 Good and different. Thank you so much, Ted, for sharing that.
23:22 Would you like to invite our viewers to come check out Nicolette's?
23:25 Oh, when you guys are in Iloilo, feel free to visit Nicolette Bakery Cafe here in SM City, Iloilo. See you!
23:33 This part was brought to you by SM Supermarts.
23:45 [Narrated in Filipino]