Starting
a business is not for the faint of heart. Entrepreneurship can be challenging
as it takes perseverance and hard work to achieve a high level of success. Whether you already have an enterprise or are looking to open one , it pays to learn from those who have already walked in your shoes and managed to build something amazing out of obscurity.
Socorro
Ramos
For
many Filipinos, the name National Bookstore has become synonymous with
bestsellers and school supplies. The driving force behind this franchise comes
from the humble beginnings of its owner.
Socorro
Ramos was barely 18 when she started working at a Goodwill Bookstore in
Escolta, Manila as a shop assistant. Because of her selling skills, she was
eventually put in charge of the branch. However, it was only after getting
married did her dream of setting up a bookshop finally materialise.
She and
her husband started out with a stall that sold textbooks, GI novels and
supplies. Since they could not afford extra help, Ramos worked not only as a
manager but also as a janitor, purchaser, saleslady and cashier.
When
World War II broke out, their business burned to the ground and they had to
shift trades. After the Japanese occupation, they set up a “barong-barong”
that did fairly well until Typhoon Gene destroyed their shop anew in 1948.
Undaunted, the couple worked harder to regain their losses. They acquired
licences from international publishers and diversified their products, among
other things. Today, National Bookstore has more than
2,500 employees and over 145 branches nationwide.
John
Gokongwei, Jr.
The
head of JG Summit Holdings, Inc. which owns the Philippine Long Distance
Telephone Company (PLDT), Universal Robina Corporation, Robinsons Bank
Corporation, Robinsons Land Corporation and Cebu Pacific Airlines. But from
being the third richest entrepreneur in the Philippines, Gokongwei started
without a peso to his name.
Although
he was born-into a privileged life in Cebu, all their assets were seized by
creditors when his father suddenly passed away in 1939. Unable to keep the
family together, his mother had no choice but to place him under the care of a
relative. When his granduncle could no longer support him, he had to fend for
himself by peddling wares using his bicycle.
As he
was unsatisfied and ambitious, he went to Manila to sell items from Lucena and
Cebu during World War II. Older Chinese traders were so impressed by his
initiative that he got entrusted with a P500,000 loan which he used to open a
cornstarch plant in 1956. Gokongwei has not looked back since then.
Whether
you are a woman or a man, it is not impossible to achieve success when you
delve into entrepreneurship. Though it might be a challenge to look for a serviced office in Makati
or a web hosting service for your online shop, you must never give in! Just
look at the lives of the two Filipinos above and see how they overcame the
hurdles and are now living their dreams.
About the Author
Gina Ballesteros works with Regus, a multinational corporation dedicated to addressing the needs of those who seek serviced offices, training venues, video communication suites and meeting rooms with
more than 1500 commercial spaces worldwide.
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