- 9 months ago
- #themanilatimes
- #philippines
- #entrepreneur
Polish tourist turns love for PH into thriving food business
Business Mentor Talks hosted by BuTz Bartolome, meets Maciek Kurjański, a Polish entrepreneur whose love for the Philippines turns into a thriving business. Originally visiting as a tourist in 2016, Maciek fell in love with Palawan’s beauty and the warmth of its people. What began as a passion for authentic Polish sausages (kielbasa) grew into 'Smak Kielbasy'—a successful meat processing business offering high-quality, traditional Polish products like smoked sausages, bacon, and ham. Despite challenges like the pandemic, Maciek and his team pivoted creatively, selling directly to retail customers and expanding from Palawan to Angeles City. Now, with FDA compliance and partnerships with hotels and restaurants, they’re bringing a taste of Poland to the Philippines. Maciek also shares his vision for fostering Polish-Filipino business ties through the upcoming Polish Chamber of Commerce.
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#TheManilaTimes
#philippines
#entrepreneur
Business Mentor Talks hosted by BuTz Bartolome, meets Maciek Kurjański, a Polish entrepreneur whose love for the Philippines turns into a thriving business. Originally visiting as a tourist in 2016, Maciek fell in love with Palawan’s beauty and the warmth of its people. What began as a passion for authentic Polish sausages (kielbasa) grew into 'Smak Kielbasy'—a successful meat processing business offering high-quality, traditional Polish products like smoked sausages, bacon, and ham. Despite challenges like the pandemic, Maciek and his team pivoted creatively, selling directly to retail customers and expanding from Palawan to Angeles City. Now, with FDA compliance and partnerships with hotels and restaurants, they’re bringing a taste of Poland to the Philippines. Maciek also shares his vision for fostering Polish-Filipino business ties through the upcoming Polish Chamber of Commerce.
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Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital
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Check out our Podcasts:
Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify
Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts
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#TheManilaTimes
#philippines
#entrepreneur
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NewsTranscript
00:00Hey, good morning, good evening, good afternoon to you.
00:28This is again Butch Bartolome of the Business Mentor Talks over at Manila Times.
00:34You know, we are already beyond our 50th episodes.
00:38And mind you, today, this morning, this Sunday morning, we're so privileged to interview somebody from Poland.
00:46And I must say, I have to give thanks to Her Excellency Danelle of Poland for referring.
00:58You know, we met during the embassy night, you know, held at Akura Hotel.
01:05So again, let us hear from somebody who has been in the Philippines for about eight years, experiencing pandemic, who started in Palawan.
01:16So let's hear it from Mazik Kurjanski.
01:20Did I pronounce your name, Mazik?
01:24Good enough.
01:24Whenever I hear this version, always I raise my hand because I recognize it's my name.
01:29Yeah, Mazik Kurjanski.
01:31Very Polish.
01:32How do you say good morning in Polish?
01:35Dzień dobry.
01:36Dzień dobry.
01:38Oh, okay.
01:39So tell us, Mazik, you came to the Philippines as what?
01:44Purpose of just touring the Philippines, seeing the beautiful islands?
01:49Absolutely.
01:50That was the first my contact in 2016 even.
01:54I was just traveling around Southeast Asia and then I get to Philippines for one month.
02:02First time, first two weeks was Cebu and Siquijor and other islands and two weeks in Palawan.
02:09And straight away when we get to the Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Port Barton, where I fall in love in this place.
02:17And I knew it already that this place has some magical vibe there and I want to give a chance maybe to even live and do something more than only traveling.
02:28So even being in Coron, El Nido, still Palawan and still Port Barton exactly was the special place for me.
02:37And after some consideration, kind of short, I came back half year later and I stay until now.
02:44Wow. So you, in other words, the Philippines captured your heart, right?
02:50Absolutely. Philippines and Filipinos, actually.
02:53That time, this is an interesting story and I think that makes me start thinking that between those people I want to live.
03:01So please imagine a situation.
03:02I traveled from El Nido on the small motorcycle with my previous partner at that time to Port Barton.
03:09And on the one way, back and forth, we had a six-time flat tire in the motorcycle.
03:15And regardless what time it was, midnight, during the day, there was always someone who had the will to help us without any problem, without any consideration, without anything.
03:26So I said, wow, it's the middle of the night.
03:28People are sleeping.
03:29We had the flat tire and there was always someone to help us.
03:32So I said, it's an amazing country, amazing people.
03:35And I said, yeah, definitely.
03:37Everyone speaks English.
03:38Everyone smiles here.
03:39Everyone is so polite.
03:40Let's come back and give a chance.
03:42And of course, I started like a tourist, thinking what I'm going to do, how it's going to be.
03:47But later opportunities came to me by meeting the friends and having the nice, great group of community in Port Barton.
03:58And first, I helped my friend from Switzerland running his Jeepney food truck.
04:05So that was the biggest food truck in Philippines because we customized from the biggest Jeepney, you know, proper nice food truck.
04:13So, yeah, he had the idea.
04:14I helped him to run it.
04:16And then I met my actual business partner, Christian Datara, who had the farm together with wife in near Puerto Princesa, like 30 minutes away.
04:29He had the pig leader, but he said that he's American, but he still had the Polish roots.
04:36And of course, still remember how the good kielbasa sausage supposed to taste like.
04:42And we met through our friend, Damian, who owns the coffee shop there near Puerto.
04:51And Christian told me that he would like to make some sausages, bacon ham, because that time there was still not available those kind of products in Puerto.
05:00So, the choice and the variety was kind of limited.
05:03And he said, I wish to offer local community and Filipinos those Polish products, which he still remember.
05:13He got it in his mind.
05:14So, there would be just a bigger choice.
05:17And I said, let's do this.
05:18I'm foodie, definitely.
05:20All my life experience in a restaurant, being a manager of the wine bar in Poland, Sweden.
05:28So, I feel good enough with the topic to start with doing this.
05:33So, you have already the skills of making, you know, the Polish sausages, meat processing, right?
05:42Home version that time, yes.
05:43We were doing sausages, such an important product for us, Polish, in our country.
05:51We eat it for the breakfast, sometimes for the dinner, lunch.
05:54We know how to use all the kind of sausages and what to do with that.
05:59So, not only sausages, bacon, ham, different charcuterie and cold cuts.
06:04So, definitely, I feel like we will try it and we're going to, you know, by practicing, upgrade our skills.
06:13And this is how we start in his kitchen and his apartment, using the manual equipment, grinders, manual stuffing.
06:21Having the local meat and slowly, slowly.
06:26And then, pandemic happened.
06:28And then, we stuck with the, you know, 100.
06:31You know, like, Masik, you're all set to go.
06:35And all of a sudden, the pandemic hit you.
06:38So, what entered your mind, Masik?
06:42I mean, and your partners, I mean.
06:45That was a shock for us because we stuck with the 150 kilos in the freezers, ready products to go.
06:51We had some agreements with the local restaurants and the hotels.
06:56We appreciate the products.
06:57They closed.
06:58We didn't know what to do.
06:59Then, I was thinking we have to close the business.
07:02But then, after some, you know, brainstorming, we said, okay, we don't need to close it.
07:09Filipino, maybe, can try it.
07:11Instead of five kilo minimum order, we can do one pack, 500 grams, one kilo.
07:16And let's start supplying retail.
07:18So, at that time, even SML Robinson was close.
07:21So, I made the first Facebook account at that time.
07:26We started boosting the advertisement.
07:30And in 30 minutes, I sold out 150 kilos.
07:35So, we were super happy.
07:36And then, we realized what it doesn't mean and what we can do with it.
07:40So, we continued through all the pandemic.
07:44So, what are the products that you are really, you know, you have concentrated?
07:50How many products have you used?
07:51We started slow and we decided to not to make too many products at the beginning.
08:00Just to check how the market is going to like our products.
08:03If our kubasa, our homemade recipe is going to make us kind of give us the customers, the good feedback.
08:12So, we started with the three sausages.
08:14Smoked kubasa sausage, traditional Polish sausage.
08:19And that time, I think we started trading with Hungarian because we realized how Hungarian is popular here in Philippines.
08:26So, we made it spicy using cooperating with a local amazing, beautiful soul producer of the spicy sauces, Maldida, the company.
08:38She's doing spicy, different hot sauce.
08:43Plus, she has also access to the Carolina Reaper peppers.
08:46So, using the Carolina Reaper, we said, let's kick it and make the hot really version of this Hungarian sausage.
08:52So, that was actually very popular and we really like it.
08:57Plus, additionally, we were doing, and all the time we are doing, smoke, ham and bacon.
09:03So, those five products.
09:06And we start with that and we start offering everywhere we could.
09:11We open a small store in SMO, like a pop-up, you know, table.
09:15Yeah, pop-up store, yeah.
09:17Exactly, with small chillers.
09:19We continue supplying the restaurants, Port Barton, of course, El Nido, hotels and so on.
09:27And then we get to the moment after a couple of years and pandemic's gone that our products become more and more popular.
09:34And we face the issue, which is actually good, which was good for us, issue opportunity, you know, what to do next.
09:41We need to do the FDA, which is requirements, which can open your door to the wider group of customers.
09:51And what to do if we stay in Palawan or we face a big market in Luzon and whole Philippines, maybe.
10:01And, yeah, so thanks to Christian and his wife, possibilities to invest more money.
10:11Yes, absolutely.
10:12We decided to go wild and we decided if we have some good feedbacks already.
10:17And at that time also we met friends and now friends also and support and people from Polish Embassy.
10:27And Ksak Daner plus Tomasz Daner, Vice-Consul plus Bartek Wasiewski from Polish Foreign Investors Group.
10:40So we decided, thanks to their support and social networking, we decided to go wild.
10:49How many people did you start in Palawan?
10:52How many people really helped you?
10:54I started in the beginning only me and Christian doing the trial.
10:57But when we opened the company, then, of course, with the family, it became family business.
11:02So our partners automatically, they become our partners in the physical daily routines and actions.
11:11So Christian's wife, me and Christian plus, we hire two local people from Port Barton.
11:21They move out from Port Barton to Puerto Princesa.
11:24And now when we move out to Angeles City, Pampanga, they travel with us.
11:33They live their lives.
11:34They become our part of the family.
11:38So we were working in the end together with them.
11:42Also, we train them so well that they become our main core of this.
11:47So four people in Port Barton, now in Pampanga also four because they move out from Palawan to open to support us here in Pampanga.
11:58So four, and now we are hitting to six, seven people in Pampanga having the full operational production because we already are here two years almost.
12:10Okay.
12:10So where is the market?
12:13How do you market now your products, Mazek?
12:16You're in Angeles City, right?
12:19Yes.
12:20We set our production in Angeles City, Pampanga.
12:25After compliance with all the permits and FDA, license to operate, doing some market research.
12:35Our offer is mainly for the restaurants, hotels, high profile customers.
12:41Also doing retail, we have online store, e-commerce platform.
12:46You can purchase our products through our platform.
12:50Of course, we have, of course, a Facebook and all the social network channels where we accept the orders, but we encourage people to place the order through the website.
13:01We have this, our logistic hub in Manila.
13:07And now, actually, we are in the moment when we are through our distributors and partners.
13:12We are coming to the presentations.
13:15We are going to present our products in Manila with the future customers, hotels, restaurants, distributors of the high-quality deli products.
13:28Absolutely.
13:29We are in the deli stores.
13:31Yeah, it's safely to say, Mazik, that this is made authentic Polish, Polish sausages, right?
13:39Absolutely.
13:40I mean, how close to home are the products?
13:43That was our goal from the beginning.
13:46So, knowing the local offer, what is already on the market, we said, wow, it's a lot of very nice products, mostly American, German style.
13:56We appreciate them, and we said, Polish sausage deserves also to take a big part of this place in the Filipinos market.
14:06We know how Filipinos love the sausages.
14:09So, based on this fact, we said, and we know exactly how the sausage, and especially kielbasa, which actually means sausage word and variety of the kielbasa, it's so popular in Poland.
14:21We decided to bring it here and promote those versions, a high-quality, different flavors of kielbasa, and give those offers to the Filipinos and everyone who might be willing to try it and give us a chance.
14:37Absolutely.
14:38Right, right, right.
14:39So, do you really see now a big opportunity in the Philippines, is it, especially for retail business?
14:45For the retail, for the wholesale, I know what is our competitors, I know how is the flavoring here, I know how big impact has an American way of sausages as well, and I know with what we are competing, we are giving also opportunity to try different flavors in the kielbasa, different spices.
15:12We are using the freshly ground spices, we are doing high protein, high meat content in the sausages, we don't do the shortcut, we try to show the customers, future of the kielbasa might be loaded with the meat, high meat content, don't need to be very low quality.
15:35Yeah, right.
15:36So, we want to show this kind of profile of the sausages here.
15:40That's good, that's good.
15:42So, yeah, so Filipinos don't need to travel to Poland to taste.
15:46To taste the Poland, absolutely.
15:48We want to give this chance.
15:49I still remember, and I'm going every year to Poland, I still remember how the good kielbasa is supposed to taste like, and I said, I won't give Filipinos and everyone who want to try those sausages here, to just give, you know, local offer more attractive.
16:06You can have just, you know, a variety of different flavors.
16:11Why not?
16:12Yeah.
16:13Yeah, right, right.
16:14Yeah, because Filipinos are very, you know, they like to discover more delis.
16:21The delis, you know, that's the reason why we have, we have various, like German, Swiss, Austrian.
16:27And I know of one, a retired Austrian who started having pepperoni, just pepperoni.
16:34Absolutely.
16:35And he was very successful because then the pizza business started to flourish.
16:41People were running after his product, you know.
16:45And I guess, I guess, a lot of entrepreneurs watching now this show may want to try and find out if they can put this as part of their topping, you know.
16:56Absolutely.
16:58Yes, especially I see the success of those ones where the tradition is long, long, many generations.
17:06Austria, Germany, Swiss, Poland, and our East European countries.
17:11This is long, long, long, long traditions of preparing the meat, curing the meat, France, Spain.
17:20Of course, different flavors, different style.
17:23But definitely now I see the more it will be here, the more it will be attractive for local markets.
17:31And you have to also remember and pay attention to this, that everything, most of those products that you have in the United States, or the chorizos, or the Italian, Hungarian, Polish, Kielbasa, mostly everything has roots in Europe.
17:46Because German, Poland, Italian, all these immigrations, 19th century, beginning of the 20th, 21st century in the United States, they established their business there.
18:01And Filipinos now traveling already many, many years to the United States.
18:07They are going to go there, they see the shops, in the shops, so they are bringing those ideas from there.
18:15So we make this kind of, you know, it goes around.
18:17And now I just do the shortcuts, straight away from the Poland to the Philippines, seeing what sausages we have here.
18:27I said, okay, I know what is this.
18:31This is still more American way of hot dogs, even, or the sausage.
18:37So let's do it a little bit different and more like authentic way from Poland straight away.
18:44Correct, correct.
18:45So that's something that people are looking after, something authentic, you know.
18:49Not really too commercial, because a lot of them would say, you know, if there is a Polish entrepreneur, they expect a Polish product, right?
19:01I mean, the authentic one, right?
19:04This is already what market proved me and showed me.
19:07We establish ourselves.
19:09We attend many markets, local markets, Palawan markets in Manila as well.
19:14And this is what we realized, talking with people and doing those markets, that people are looking for this kind of niche.
19:21So we don't want to compete with everyone.
19:24We want to give those people who are willing to try authentic flavors and quality, those opportunities to be able to try it.
19:35So you have any plans of putting up your own restaurant, an outlet?
19:41More like partnering with someone, yes.
19:44We are looking for someone who's going to understand this product, is willing to do something.
19:50We are open for cooperation.
19:52We might customize the product.
19:53We might do for you your private label.
19:55We might do your private sausages, of course, with the minimum quantity order.
20:00But we feel comfortable with the new flavors and products.
20:05If you are interested, if you have a restaurant and you have some business and you are looking for some interesting products based on our possibilities, then here you go.
20:16Our production is open to show the people.
20:20We have nothing to hide.
20:21We believe that also let people to understand how to proceed in a high standard facility, good quality products.
20:33We are reaching the goals to have the ISO 22000, HatsApp recommendations.
20:40We are already after some audit from five stars hotel in BGC.
20:45So we feel comfortable with this and high standard products.
20:50But behind this, the high standard product needs to be procedure also.
20:53So that's our mindset.
20:56That's our goal in this.
21:00Yeah, I can really see now after viewing this, a lot of people will probably get in touch with you and probably, you know, start your collaboration and really spreading.
21:12What is the name of the company that you are now carrying?
21:15So before we were Palawan smokers because we grown and create in Palawan now to get to the wider audience and the customers, we name after some suggestion of our distributor, typical Polish name.
21:30So we are Smak Kielbasy.
21:33Smak means taste, kielbasy means sausage.
21:36And this is Smak Kielbasy.
21:38And we have a website with fan page.
21:41We have Instagram.
21:42So please, you can follow us there.
21:44Give us some thoughts, what you think about our product, any suggestions.
21:49We are on the beginning of our journey.
21:51We are giving some new product option on the local market.
21:57Happy to cooperate with a restaurant, hotel.
22:01If you have some, your chain store, you want to cooperate with us, even smaller store.
22:08Yes, we are on the beginning.
22:10Yeah, right, right.
22:10We have all the requirements.
22:12Yeah, you're giving a lot of Filipinos an opportunity to even start a sausage pop-up store during events or probably in the schools.
22:25You know, something like, you know, for them, instead of the regular hot dog stand, you have now the Polish sausage stand.
22:33You can make your barbecue station, Polish station, you know, absolutely.
22:37Listen, this is so beautiful in a wild country with a lot of possibilities.
22:41That's why we see ourselves comfortable here because we still know how many products is not yet here, how many products will be soon here, what kind of service also.
22:53And the young generation is so beautifully open for the new options.
22:57Now they know how to use the internet and Facebook for something more than only making the selfies.
23:03They started looking because of the traveling, because of the trends on TikTok, what new options they might have to open the small business event.
23:15And I see the big future for the young entrepreneurs here making the very interesting collaborations as well.
23:24Many new places open in the place where I live, new coffee shops, new ideas in Clark, in Angeles.
23:31A lot of young generation is doing this.
23:33So I'm happily looking for this, for the future to collaborate with them.
23:38So are you, are you encouraging your fellow Polish in Poland to come and explore the Philippines as well?
23:46Absolutely.
23:47You have set your footprint here.
23:49This is a very good question.
23:51Absolutely.
23:52Yeah.
23:52So since we are partner as well, and we are friends with the Polish embassy and investors and trade office, we have meetings with Polish community.
24:03We have meetings with Polish community, which is looking for the opportunity to invest money here.
24:11We are on the beginning now also of creating a very soon to be established Polish Chamber of Commerce in Philippines, which, by the way, I'm vice chairman as well.
24:21So this is our goal here to connect this world.
24:26And Polish who want to invest money here, Philippines who want to invest in Poland and those to let them and help them with all this procedure of opening the business both ways.
24:38And there's a lot of amazing products in the Philippines, which definitely deserve to be shipped and sent and promoted in Europe, in Poland.
24:47And we are on the beginning of this journey and developing this project as well.
24:53Oh, I'll be interested, you know, to keep me abreast of what's the update, especially in the future.
24:57We are very active about it.
25:02We are like to push this project forward.
25:05So, yes, there will be more and more Polish food here, like an option.
25:12And as well, both ways, Philippines investors and entrepreneurs are willing to, of course, export their services, their offer to Poland.
25:22And we're going to help them with that.
25:24Correct.
25:25Wow.
25:25So it's going to be a good year, huh?
25:27I mean, for onwards.
25:30Very, very busy.
25:31Very, very busy, huh?
25:32And think about it.
25:34Even when you were struck by pandemic, you saw an opportunity.
25:39Despite the lockdown, you're able to see the other side of the coin, right?
25:44This is the thing.
25:45I believe many people discover some new opportunities.
25:48That was a very sad period in the history of civilization.
25:52Necessary, not necessary.
25:54It's not me to judge.
25:56However, after that, I see how many business opportunities boom, how many options now we have, how people get the courage to do something else.
26:05And, yeah, I hope this part is behind us.
26:09And now we are looking and focusing on the goals in the future.
26:13You know, Masik, probably I may suggest you might want to write a book about your journey.
26:17A tourist captured by Philippines, you know, by becoming an entrepreneur, right?
26:25I mean, that's a good book.
26:27I already know many people.
26:28It's like, thank you for this, giving me this idea.
26:31Maybe one day, why not?
26:32Maybe I started recording everything.
26:35Yeah, right.
26:36And altogether, later, AI will connect in a nice few chapters at least.
26:40Especially since last time when I met, people are doing this already.
26:47You know, some Polish having such a great life here, having impact on the local society.
26:56There is bigger and smaller also a few guys who are doing this smoking for themselves, for their friends on a few islands.
27:04I know them already, following what they are doing on Facebook.
27:09So, it's not only me who is doing this.
27:11However, we are trying now to, you know, be more accessible for everyone and give more Filipinos those kind of products, definitely.
27:22But, yeah, it starts from the North to Philippines, and this is how it starts.
27:26And then, that was not from the perspective of being an entrepreneur here, but from love to the beautiful countries, and we start seeing these opportunities.
27:43And when you are open enough for the new challenges and new life, the situations happen and you attract good people.
27:52This is how we met with Christian.
27:54Right.
27:55One thing that struck me was that you almost wanted to close the business, but you said, wait, you know, wait.
28:02There is also an opportunity, right?
28:04I mean, you were at the verge of, you know, you have this X number of kilos doing nothing.
28:09What happens, you know?
28:11You're looking at the negative side rather than the positive side.
28:15Definitely.
28:15We had to.
28:16I mean, in the end, that was for me only that time, that one thing I said I cannot imagine.
28:23So, the creativity and ideas and, you know, the situation created and made it.
28:31So, yeah, absolutely.
28:33And later, just being determined on the pursuit of success pushed us to the moment where we are now.
28:42For a very long time, we are focusing only on the Palawan, but people give us this good feedback as well.
28:50And they push us.
28:52We start listening to the people more and more.
28:55So, you know, also the Anya and Tomek from Polish Embassy, when they visit us and the Bartek in Palawan, they visit our food truck.
29:03Because we had a food truck.
29:05Oh.
29:05Our hot dogs are doing pierogies and so on.
29:08I'd like to see a picture of that.
29:11And if you have some video, send me that.
29:14I was saying, along the highway in Puerto Princesa, we had this food truck.
29:18And then they said, Maciej, you should go to Manila.
29:21You should do something there.
29:22People in Manila for sure like it.
29:24So, slowly, slowly, then we attend with them.
29:29They invite us to attend the National Day organized by Polish Embassy.
29:34And we were able to promote our gift, our products.
29:39And many people we met at that time.
29:41And they said, Maciej, please, let's do something here.
29:43You should do this.
29:45So, that was this park when we really sit and we really made a brainstorm and a plan.
29:53We plan everything and that's why we opened this production.
29:56So, actually, from 700 kilos of production in Palawan, now we are able to make 700 kilo a day.
30:05And we were doing 700 kilo a month.
30:08So, this is our volume now.
30:10We can perhaps even make more.
30:13But, yeah, that jump was very big for us.
30:18Yeah.
30:18The business is actually helping the community as well.
30:20I mean, you have the piggery.
30:22You're helping the locals and uplifting their standards, right?
30:27We cooperate with locals, absolutely.
30:29So, I believe like this, we give only some idea and we, you know, we cooperate and we buy the local products.
30:39We support the local community.
30:41We have many different also activities with the local community here in Pampanga.
30:46So, I believe this is all about.
30:50Yeah, right, right.
30:51Especially during the holidays.
30:54I'm sure you were really swamped by demands for the ham, right?
30:58And bacon.
30:59Yes and no.
31:00Bacon and sausages, yes.
31:02But, I must say, during the Christmas holiday, it's very popular, this sweet version of the ham.
31:09Yes.
31:09And we are not doing this yet and with purpose.
31:13We are not using sugar in our products, you know.
31:18Okay.
31:18And this Polish ham, it's a little bit different than what you know.
31:22So, this is already smoked and cooked, which is great for the sandwich with cheese and ham.
31:29And we don't recommend to reheat it.
31:32It's pure pigi, pigi, pigi, pure ham, one mussel.
31:37And it's the best to cook like on the meat platter, you know, like itself because it's cooked already.
31:47So, we don't recommend to fry it on the pan.
31:50This actually ham is better to use in another way than glaze, sweet glaze and frying.
31:58Yes, yes.
31:58So, it's a different, you know, different approach.
32:02Yeah.
32:02But, Mazik, really, what can you advise for entrepreneurs?
32:07I mean, you are young, you're a foreigner, and you have settled your footprint in the Philippines.
32:14I mean, what advices can you give for people who want to start a business?
32:22Are there anything that you can give them advice?
32:25Sure.
32:26I hope so.
32:27I mean, we are learning this process.
32:30And in the beginning, when we start, we didn't know exactly what we are doing and how.
32:34But because of we are trying, because we had some vision and dreams, we just follow it.
32:40So, hardly believing in success.
32:42And people give us this courage.
32:44So, definitely.
32:46Before, you know, I was afraid.
32:48I wasn't doing nothing.
32:49Now, I'm afraid and I'm doing.
32:51And just, it's normal.
32:52It's process.
32:53So, you should be afraid of this.
32:57Even if you're afraid.
32:58I mean, anyway, you pursue this.
33:00Yeah.
33:00You know, so, many things will be new, but definitely try.
33:04Definitely go with it.
33:06You never become more stupid after trying than not trying.
33:11So, you're not going to learn anything new by sitting at home and complaining.
33:16You just have to try, fail, try, and until you make it, and until, you know, you'll be success.
33:22So, try and go and just be open for the people.
33:28Don't be the smartest one in the room.
33:30Listen to what people tell you.
33:32And try.
33:34All the time, try, try, try.
33:36No harm in trying.
33:37I mean.
33:39Especially for me lately, all these years, it's one big study and learning new things.
33:45And even if I believe that I learned already, it's good, then make the improvement of this, what you learned, make some changes, adjustment, and be positive.
33:58That's it.
33:59And considering that, you know, you're in a foreign country, you have to have that open-mindedness to see what's good in the country that you are in, right?
34:09Rather than try to fit in, yeah, fit in what you are in your country to the country that you are settling, right?
34:16You cannot.
34:16Get it like it is.
34:18Don't try to change everyone.
34:20Have some small impact and help people to learn something new from you, but also with understanding what they want to tell you as well.
34:29Don't think that your way is the best way.
34:31Don't try to change how people drive, how people think, because maybe not your way is the best.
34:37Of course, there is a lot of improvements which you can make, but make them along with the understanding also from where people are coming here, what makes them the way how it is.
34:51So then with those understanding, local culture, local thinking, you can make a lot of good things.
35:00Yeah.
35:00But that was also painful less for me because it caused me a lot of stress, maybe also because how people drive, how people think and so on.
35:09Also, I was a little bit too arrogant, so I have to admit it.
35:12But now I hope I made already those changes in my head and I find my peace here.
35:19So when you drive back in Poland, you drive like a Filipino, right?
35:24Oh, no.
35:25Actually, I learned how to drive here and still I remember how to drive.
35:29So I can tell you that because everything is more organized in Europe, I feel sometimes not safe for the first couple of minutes.
35:38But later, I remind myself how it is to drive there.
35:41No, I feel comfortable driving here.
35:43It's like a river.
35:44You just have to have your eyes all around because the unexpected situation happened all over you.
35:52But I'm okay here.
35:54I'm okay here driving.
35:55I believe I'm not making any risk on the road.
35:59It's okay.
36:00Right, right.
36:01Anyway, Masek, I'm sure they will be watching and they will be going over your website.
36:08We will post this in the comment section and also your Facebook.
36:15Hopefully, we want to give a lot of entrepreneurs the opportunity to check out your company and establish a good collaboration.
36:25A good start, especially between the Polish embassy and the Philippines, the entrepreneurs.
36:33Definitely.
36:34I mean, yeah, like I said, I invite everyone to message me to let us know and don't be shy.
36:41If you have some ideas, let's develop these ideas together.
36:45I'm available for some new collaborations.
36:47We have the vision to give some new quality products offered in the market together with the local entrepreneurs.
36:56So what else?
36:58Absolutely.
36:59Give us some heads up.
37:00Are you now capable of producing and establishing in our different islands, the whole country?
37:08Are you looking at that right now?
37:10This is the next step.
37:12I believe this is the next step.
37:13So once we get to the limits of our production here, having nice collaboration and partners, which we are on the beginning of our road, then definitely, yes, we have the plan later on.
37:25Maybe still we stay in Luzon because I live here.
37:29I have family here.
37:30And so far, I see myself here.
37:34So maybe next factory also will be here.
37:36But for now, we will be able to have our stores and hub all over Philippines and the partners.
37:45But I believe the next production will be here as well in Luzon.
37:49Right, right.
37:50Anyway, it's a good Sunday morning talk with you, Mazik.
37:55And really, I'm so happy that, you know, finally, what Ambassador Danelle was talking about came into reality.
38:05Because really, after she described it and she was all over excited about how you did it from Palawan to Angeles.
38:14Wow, that's fantastic.
38:16I'm happy since I met them and I feel their support.
38:20I'm happy to bring in new and new flavors products.
38:23We are also growing together with them and some suggestions, this and that.
38:27Because I remember how our products were on the beginning when we start, what we are doing right now.
38:34They support us.
38:35They become our friends.
38:36So I'm more than happy with that.
38:40And, yeah, this great opportunities.
38:43Thanks to them, we met a lot of also local business partners.
38:46And they give us this support, which is very important in the business, social network.
38:54And meeting new people, it's all about.
38:58Because if you meet someone, maybe you cannot make something today because this is not the right time.
39:03But definitely, in the future, you might come back and this is all about to be open, not be afraid.
39:10Meet the new people.
39:11Introduce what you are doing.
39:13And sooner or later, your path will find each other.
39:19Correct.
39:19Correct.
39:20Anyway, how do you say thank you in Polish?
39:27I'm sure you also know some kapangpangan words already.
39:30So in English, kapangpangan, no, Tagalog, Siempre.
39:36Okay.
39:37Again, thank you very much, Masek, for this opportunity.
39:41All the best.
39:42All the best in your product.
39:44And keep it up.
39:45Okay.
39:46Thank you very much.
39:46Thank you so much, Armando.
39:47Have a nice Sunday.
39:48And we keep in touch.
39:51Thank you, Armando.
39:52Thank you so much.
39:52Bye-bye.
39:53Bye-bye.
40:00Bye-bye.
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