Running your own business is a challenge. Running a business in the Philippines could be tough.

I’d attribute it with how most businesses here are low-ballers and unfair. We’ve known a lot of small to big businesses who get away with dodgy business ethics from client- business approach to business – employees treatment. And the worst part is, most of them get away with it. Heck, even our own government get away with this so why shouldn’t they, right?

But for this Entre Pinay Mompreneuer, I chose to do it right. I’ve had my fair share of blows while doing my business right. I have been treated unfairly and see a lot of competitors being unfair but I stood my ground and still standing tall. I have been copied, my style, my business content and my strategies a thousand times but I always make sure I am one step ahead of any them.

So why? Why do I strive to be a fair micro business amidst this chaotic Philippine business industry?

Because it’s the right thing and the only way I know how. If I don’t start doing it right, who will and when will I?

I wish to inspire a lot more micro businesses to start right and do it right.

I didn’t build my business just to earn. I built it to help individuals who were forgotten by society, individuals who cannot find the right opportunities for them, individuals who want to start over but aren’t given good opportunities. These workers are the most vulnerable employees who are easily abused just because they needed a job to fend for their families.  I want to create a sustainable and stable job for them and their families.

The business process I created does not need high education or talent. My business just needs people who will put their heart into the job, loyalty and hard work. I designed a training process for all those who will join my team.

But as every business, I can only employ (regular employees with minimum wages even if I am BMBE registered) so much as to what the business can handle and pay for.

This is why it breaks my heart hearing news of businesses mistreating employees and also employees mistreating their employer/s.

Engaging B2B – Business to Business Transactions

In my 5 years in doing business locally, I have met large companies who take advantage of small or micro businesses like myself. Delayed payment is the most notorious of them all. Which really ticks me because this happens to companies who are supposedly, “global”. And yet here they are, squeezing every bit from small time businesses.

Let’s take this case of a suppose to be big time construction firm whose employees refuse to sign a written contract for the project only to find out they will do their own invoice so they can milk more money from their company and pay you, the small businessman, a lower rate (because they haggled like crazy from the start). It felt so wrong, we refused to work with them.

Another construction company that builds condos and condotels around the Metro still cannot pay the full payment they owe us (after a year) because…that’s how it works. Imagine that.

I have spoken with a few other businesses who lost a lot of money on projects that didn’t push through just because they’re in the mercy of bigger companies who took advantage.

Honestly, I am happy to report that the Department of Trade & Industry has started to make registrations easy for everyone. I can truly say that there are far more resources for micro to small businesses now than 2-3 years ago.

Why strive to be a fair business?

Because there’s a whole lot of potential to grow even if you are starting small and doing it right.

Grow your business so you can afford to employ more people.