More and more Filipinos are starting to venture into micro, small and medium enterprises nowadays.
With technology, anyone can be an entrepreneur and it has
served as one of the personal goals for a lot of us – from fresh grads to
millennials to retirees. However, starting your own online business may be a daunting
task but with the right support, succeeding in it is not a far fetched dream.
In
its effort to empower online business owners, leading logistics company LBC
Express Inc. held the first-ever So Shop! social sellers bazaar last October 5
at Function Room 4, SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City. The bazaar
brought together over 100 online business owners, thousands of shoppers,
industry speakers, and influencers in one venue, making it both a shopping and
learning experience in one. It also gave social sellers the opportunity to meet
and connect with their customers in person, showcase their products, and
transact using LBC’s Cash on Pick-up (COP) and Cash on Delivery (COD) services.
“With more and more Filipinos setting up their businesses online,
we at LBC, believe that it’s high time to bring online businesses together, in
one venue, and get to interact with their buyers live. So Shop! is our
commitment to empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises in the country,”
said Oliver L. Valentin, Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer for Philippine Branch Operations of LBC Express Inc. LBC’s
COP and COD services are designed to make online purchasing easier and more convenient
for shoppers. With COP, LBC’s over 1,400 branches can serve as pick-up points
for buyers to get the products they bought online while COD allows them to get
it right at their doorstep.
So!
Shop for all your lifestyle must-haves
Featuring
diverse products from over a hundred booths, So Shop! became a haven for a
weekend to shopping enthusiasts and people with various interests.
For
techies and gadget lovers, online gadget stores such as Kimstore,
Juan Gadget, Droid Hero, and JBL Store PH provided exclusive deals and
discounts. Beauty and makeup fans went gaga over the various shops: from Korean
and Japanese beauty brands to sustainable beauty products. Those who love
customized lifestyle pieces were also able to see their favorite online shops,
making it a perfect venue to shop for personalized gifts including travel sets,
accessories, and even kitchen wares. Moms who were on the lookout for early
Christmas gifts brought home items that are perfect for the whole family.
So
Shop! also treated the shoppers to a host of surprises including Mystery Box
gifts from participating social sellers and gadgets raffled off by LBC.
Growing one’s online
business
Aside
from the shopping experience, business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs also
learned from a lineup of industry speakers, business owners, and influencers
who gave talks on topics relevant to growing their business.
Photo 3: “Don’t be afraid to share your business story on it [Facebook] because people love a great story,” shares Facebook Philippines Head of Agency Liam Capati.
Gladys Lacorte
Rachell Araja-De
Luna Carlo Ople
Speakers from PLDT (Photo 6), Creative Boss
(Photo 5), and Canva (Photo 4) shared tips on how online entrepreneurs can
leverage the power of digital to succeed in their businesses
Not
only was So Shop! a learning-filled experience, it was inspiring too with panel
discussions and success stories that moved the audience. Celebrity mom, wife,
and entrepreneur Neri
Miranda talked about her businesses and her role as a homemaker. Miranda,
owning multiple businesses including Neri’s
Gourmet Tuyo,
online bedding and accessories store Very Neri,
and an events place in Tagaytay called Neri’s
Not So Secret Garden, gave mompreneurs
tips on how to juggle it all.
Photo 7: Neri Miranda Photo 8: Wil Dasovich
Neri Miranda gives mompreneurs on how to juggle being a mom and a business owner at the
same time while Wil Dasovich shares his story as a content creator to
excited fans.
A
panel discussion on the social impact of online businesses featured Jamico Jamlang,
founder of sustainable businesses The Bamboo Company and Chesca
De Mesa, co-founder and managing director of Refuse PH. Joining them was Havas
Media Ortega Head of Data and Analytics Phil Tiongson who gave the audience a
glimpse of Havas’ global study centering around consumers’ mindful consumption.
Photo 9: Kim Lato Photo 10: Alyssa Gibbs Photo 11: Aira Medina
Kimstore Founder Kim
Lato (Photo 9) and Neon Island Founders Alyssa Gibbs and Aira Medina (Photos
10 and 11) share what it is like to become women founders of their own company.
Women
entrepreneurs also took center stage with Kimstore
Founder Kim Lato and Neon Island Founders Alyssa Gibbs and Aira
Medina. They shared what it’s like starting and growing a business, as women,
and how they overcame the challenges that came with it.
Hosted
by 101.1 Yes FM DJ Rico Panyero
and Love Radio DJ Raqi Terra, So Shop! was not just a star-studded bazaar but
one that has taught online business owners new techniques to move their
businesses forward.
Javier
Mantecon, Chief Marketing Officer
of LBC Express-Global Marketing, reiterated the company’s commitment to move
lives, including those of the social sellers. “As the e-commerce community
continues to grow, LBC remains your partner. We hope that this is just the beginning
of our long partnership. We want to help you take that move, wherever that may
be.”
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