Cool desserts: Pinay finds success in ice cream cakes

MANILA - From ice candy to ice cream cakes.

This is the path of Bake & Churn owner Jasmine Basuil to sweet success.

Basuil learned about the food business at a young age through her parents, who quit their day jobs to start a small business selling ice candy.

Growing up, Basuil developed skills in baking thanks to her mother, and at the same time learned about the business side through her father.

In her free time, Basuil said she created desserts by mixing ice cream and cake. She ended up mastering the recipe for ice cream cakes through trial and error.

“Kailangan kapag cakes eksakto, follow the recipe,” she told "My Puhunan."

Bake & Churn, a named picked by Basuil's father, comes from the process of mixing cake and ice cream.

“Bake & Churn is like a big ice cream sandwich na nilagyan ng frosting at iba’t ibang toppings,” she said.

Basuil said she started the business with P250,000 as capital. In 2007, the business saw a spike in demand, prompting Basuil to open stalls in shopping malls in Metro Manila.

Basuil said the brand now has 20 flavors, including Rocky Road, Nutella, Choco Meringue, Midnight Cookies and Cream, Choco Strawberry Mousse, Mango Madness, Sansrival, and Black Forest Ice Cream Cake.

"Pinoys talaga, we love chocolate. Almost a hundred percent kapag naglabas ka ng chocolate, bibilhin siya,” she said.

Bake & Churn now has 22 branches and three franchises.

"It is nice to be known for something na maganda at masarap, it’s definitely more than a business for us,” Basuil said.

Aside from ice cream cakes, Basuil's business also sells Hern’s Ice Cream Stick, Milko Ice Cream, and Snow Joe Cream Coolers.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Meet Pinay who makes P5-M a month from peanut butter

MANILA – A Filipina entrepreneur is raking in millions of pesos in a simple food business she stumbled upon.

Delia Santos, who was born and raised in Leyte, had no business background and pursued a career as a tailor in Bulacan to make ends meet.

"Halos wala kaming makain noong araw. 'Yung magkasakit nga lang ang mga anak ko, wala kaming pambiling gamot," she told "My Puhunan."

To make extra money, Santos sold candies during her free time and was able to earn P10,000. She then opened a small sari-sari store from her earnings, which eventually grew to rice, vegetables and other food products.

"Halos P12,000 lang 'yung puhunan ng lahat nang nag-umpisa ako. Sa loob ng sampung buwan, naging P60,000," said Santos.

An opportunity knocked on her door one day when one of her customers said their peanut butter-making business was going bankrupt. Santos took over the business, which was then left with five sacks of peanuts and two grinders.

Santos then began dropping samples of Dhel's Peanut Butter to stores, and demand immediately picked up.

However, as business flourished, her relationship with her husband turned sour. Santos said she caught him with another woman, and they decided to part ways.

Santos continued with her peanut butter business, which now produces peanut butter from 250 sacks of peanuts per delivery.

She said the business now earns an estimated P5 million in sales every month.

"Hindi ako nalulungkot ngayon, natutulog akong nakangiti at masaya ako. Nagtagumpay ako at mabibigyan ko ng magandang buhay ang mga anak ko. Sila kasi ang dahilan kaya nagsikap ako, hindi naman ang asawa ko,” she said.

Through "My Puhunan," Santos was able to help Bobby Arguelles, a "kariton" vendor from Sta. Mesa, Manila.

She paid off the debt of Arguelles worth P20,000 and supplied him with more than a hundred bottles of peanut butter to sell.

Santos said that when starting a business, it is better to pay off debt first.

“Manatiling matatag at huwag na huwag sila gagawa ng kasalanan,” she added.

Dhel's Peanut Butter ingredients:

3 kilos of peanuts
1/4 kilo butter milk
Red sugar
Salt

Steps:
1. Mix sugar with peanuts
2. Add butter milk.
3. Add salt
4. Mix ingredients, grind peanuts.

(3 kilos of peanuts can make eight bottles of peanut butter)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Want to start a business in 2015? Read these tips

MANILA – Starting a business in 2015 is a good investment because of the country's growing economy, business expert Randell Tiongson said.

However, Tiongson warned that before entering any business, entrepreneurs should do due diligence to understand the industry.

“Huwag ka papasok sa isang bagay na hindi mo masyadong naiintindihan. Dapat mag-research, interview, observation, alamin mo,” Tiongson told “My Puhunan.”

Tiongson, an expert in banking, mutual funds, insurance, financial planning and management consultancy, also advised against getting a loan for a business start-up.

“Kailangan i-build mo talaga muna ‘yung savings mo. Pwede ka ding mag-partner, kunwari may mga kaibigan o kapamilya ka na may pera tapos wala namang oras mag-negosyo, eh ikaw may idea ka, ibebenta mo ngayon ‘yung idea mo sa kasama mo,” he said, adding that loans are only recommended when the business is already up and running.

Earnings from the business, Tiongson said, should be set aside from personal savings to allow the business to continue to grow.

“Huwag mong isipin na ‘yung capital ng negosyo ay parang personal capital mo, mauubos ‘yun. Dapat bigyan mo ng limit,” he said.

So what are the opportunities for entrepreneurs in 2015?

Tiongson said because of the booming economy, businesses that are tourism-oriented are expected to find success.

“Napansin mo ang mga Pilipino mas mabakasyon na ngayon kaysa, let’s say, 10 years ago,” he said.

He said the food industry is also flourishing because of the refined taste of Filipinos.

“Naghahanap na ang mga Pilipino ng kakaiba, gusto niya ‘yung mas specialized na,” said Tiongson.

Aside from being knowledgeable and teachable in a businessman’s chosen industry, Tiongson said entrepreneurs should also be willing to take risks and accept the consequences that come with it.

“Kailangan ng lakas ng loob, huwag matakot at haluan ito lagi ng dasal,” he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How Pinoy became an award-winning hairdresser

MANILA - Succeeding in putting up one's own hair salon can be attained by following a few crucial tips, a business owner said.

Award-winning hair expert Nikki Bacay shared that he didn't expect that he will succeed with his salon in the beginning.

"At first, hindi ko pinlano lahat," he said on "My Puhunan." "Parang, lahat dumarating lang and then lahat ng opportunity, ginrab ko lang talaga."

Bacay shared that his career in hairdressing began when he started helping out as an apprentice in a salon in Olongapo.

"That time hindi pa [ako hasa] kasi kung baga, parang kinuha lang niya 'ko, apprentice lang talaga."

 This is when he realized that he was enjoying his job, and was gaining favor of customers in that salon.

It was when a client opened the idea of working in a high-end salon that pushed him to explore more opportunities in Manila.

"Sabi niya sa kin, 'Gusto mo magtrabaho sa high-end salon, kasi parang hindi ka naman mag-grow dito," he said. "So, sumama ako."

After a year of working under a new boss, Bacay was offered to attend training seminars in another country.

From there, continuous positive developments came his way: Bacay won a hairdressing competition, he was able to put up his own salon, and later gained high-profile clients as a result.

"After a year, nakitaan din ako ng boss ko na may potential... sobrang tuwang-tuwa ako."

"Eto pala, ang sarap pala ng ganitong buhay," he added.

Tips for aspiring salon owners

Bacay currently owns a 13-seater station salon with three hairdressers working under his wing.

He gave two important tips for those interested to put up and succeeded in having their own salon businesses.

First, Bacay said that it's important to study the lifestyle and shape of the face of the client.

This is to determine which hairstyle would fit the customer best.

"Hindi naman kailangan is 'yung basta igugupit mo lang yung buhok," he said.

"Una muna you have to check the lifestyle of the customer, at the same time, [is yung] shape of the face."

Second, he said the quality, alongside giving enough time for the service, are key to having returning clients.

"You have to give the client [time] para maging masaya sila," Bacay shared.

He added that the customers are also one of the prime considerations in putting up a salon.

Giving good service to clients goes hand-in-hand in doing good business.

"Kasi 'yung kliyente ko, since nandoon ako sa malaking kumpanyang salon na pinanggalingan ko, until now kasama ko pa rin sila dito ngayon."

"Sila rin 'yung nakatulong sa pagiging [successful] ko sa buhay," Bacay said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How Pinay found success making furniture

MANILA, Philippines – Starting from the ground up, furniture-maker Anita Taruc built on her success through a combination of hard work and prayers.

Taruc, the owner of St. Louis Furniture in Bulacan, grew up poor in Pampanga but took inspiration from her carpenter father.

She said despite not having enough money, her father was able to support her and her siblings.

“Mayroon siyang dalang isda, siya pa ang magluluto. Nakahiga kami sa isang kulambo para kaming mga biik. Pagkatapos ay gigisingin niya kami at papakainin niya kami,” she told “My Puhunan.”

However, there was one thing her father could not provide for them: education.

Taruc said she knew then that going to school will help her find success later in life, and she strove to support herself so she could finish college.

“Sinabihan ko ‘yung tatay ko na kahit wala akong baon, kahit maglakad lang ako papunta at pauwi. ‘Yung mga kapitbahay namin, pinag-iigib ko noon, P2, P5, masaya na ko doon kasi kahit papano may baon ako,” she said.

After graduating, Taruc helped her father in carpentry instead of looking for a job.

Time came when Taruc had to leave her home and start her own family, and eventually, her own business.

She opened up a furniture shop in Bulacan with her husband, but bad luck struck their business which forced them to shut it down.

“May tumawag sa amin na nasusunog ‘yung pwesto namin. Ngayon, parang katapusan na ng mundo ng mister ko kasi hindi siya sanay na ang naipundar mo ay biglang mawawala,” she said.

While Taruc struggled to recover from the losses, her husband worked in Italy.

Through a loan of P5,000, Taruc re-opened the furniture shop and found success making hand-crafted furniture.

Taruc’s husband returned to the Philippines and focused on St. Louis Furniture, which now supplies furniture to a number of mansions, restaurants, and hotels in the country.

Taruc’s creations are also being used in the newly-built Philippine Arena in Bulacan.

“Sinasabi nga nila, nasa tao ang gawa, nasa Diyos ang awa. Kailangan kumilos ka, huwag ka dumepende. Dumiskarte ka, kayanin mo kahit hindi mo kaya kailangan katabi mo si Lord,” she said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com