The birth of the American mall ushered in an era of "windowless" shopping that’s largely still here. The strategy was clever and little details in the planning –- from the no-frills shoebox architecture to potted plants – were carefully thought out. These were cost-saving measures for mall operators that were also designed to influence mallgoers to spend freely. The unnaturally bright artificial lighting strived to create a perpetual daytime environment. This way, mall visitors would stay longer than they had expected to and spent more than they would have wanted to.

Another reason for malls shunning windows did have something to do with the merchandising, Burt Flickinger, retail expert and managing director of retail consultancy Strategic Resource Group told CNN.

Fewer windows and more walls, he said, meant more space for retailers to add shelves and rods to stock their products and maximize sales per square foot in their stores that would otherwise be lost to a dull view of a mall parking lot.

But the sneakiest reason why malls limit windows could be to make shoppers lose track of time.

"Shoppers can’t see the rain storm or snow storm blowing in without windows. Windowless shopping creates an environment of consumption without distractions," Flickinger said. "When people have a sense of timelessness and comfort, families spend more because they can focus just on the stores and the mall experience."

As an added bonus, "it was a lot less expensive for mall developers to not put multiple windows facing on the outside because it would make it cheaper to heat and cool the big-box space,” said Thomas McMillan, director with the Center of Retailing Studies at Texas A and M University’s Mays Business School, in an interview with CNN.

Energy costs typically are the second-highest operating expense for retailers after labor costs. "The sophistication of double-pane energy-efficient windows wasn’t ubiquitous when a lot of the malls were built in America during and after the 1970s energy crisis. So air conditioning could seep through the window panes," said Flickinger.

The mall design inspired another type of store. Other shopping destinations that incorporate a windowless boxy venue are supermarkets.

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One the most important feature a coffee shop owner would like to have in their business is a fast wireless connection that they can offer to their customers. It was suppose to attract clients and make them patronize even expensive products, which is what profit-oriented enterprises are aiming for.

The obvious drawbacks are definitely the long turnovers as customers continue to spend more time even if they ordered only one pastry for a 4-hour stay and promotion of anti-social presence in public places as everyone tries to keep others off.

However, one small Vermont bakery and coffee shop is going against the traditional trend and decided to render all laptops and tablets virtually Wi-Fi free. The owners of August First Bakery and Cafe also prepared for possible wavering support of those who rely on online connection most of their lives.

Jodi Whalen and Phil Merrick, the wife and husband who own the bakery, believed that people who hung out with their laptops spent less money and more time in their establishment.

As they told the Guardian: "When we were dreaming of what August First will be – will it be this place with seven people staring at their screens? Or would it be a place where people come to see people they know, chitchat, laugh?"

Whalen said that she was so nervous about the ban that a bald patch appeared on her head. However, after first instituting a three-hour hiatus at lunchtime, she discovered that the 'unconnectedness' of her establishment was making more profits. She reports a year-on-year average 10 percent increase in sales, twice the previous increase.

On their Facebook page, the owners say they believe they succeeded because they went all the way: "Our story is getting attention because we've made our bakery a place where people can't use laptops and tablets, even without accessing the Internet."

Not everyone is delighted by the policy. "People are generally apologetic and respectful of our policy," Whalen told me. "Occasionally, and understandably, there are people who are disappointed and sometimes angry about the policy, mostly because their plans to work in our space have been thwarted. Fortunately, there's a lovely coffee shop just two blocks away that has plenty of space, Wi-Fi, and outlets. And fantastic coffee too."

Still, slip along to Yelp and you'll read reviews such as: "Their laptop free policy was somewhat haughtily announced to me by a staff member who insisted I pack it away. I felt like I was on an airliner."

Oh, but surely this reviewer at least had more legroom.

This view was countered, however, by another Yelper: "Kudos to August First for its policy of being a 'laptop and tablet free' bakery. My visit was part of my vacation and not being surrounded by the laptop army made my time all the more relaxing."

Once upon a time, certain Starbucks – especially in New York – thought they'd try a similar policy of moving the laptop loungers along by covering up power outlets. Those days seem long gone. Perhaps Starbucks couldn't find a commercial justification and decided to make its coffee shops permanent hotspots for hipsters and hirers.

But for August First, putting humanity and profit first appears to work too.

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Almost everyone right now is using a credit card in their financial transactions. And it is not surprising anymore that instead of praising the seamless innovation, many are complaining about the underhanded way credit card companies charge their clients for various administrative fees.

One man in Russia decided that enough is enough and it is time to turn the tables on the lending institutions. It is time for the banks to pay customers' bills. Or, at least, one might.

Dmitry Alexeev (his surname was changed by the first Russian outlet to publish this story) of Voronezh, Russia is suing a bank for more than 24 million Russian rubles (about US$ 727,000) in compensation over a handcrafted document that was signed and recognized by the bank.

According to Alexeev, he received a credit card application for in 2008 from Tinkoff Credit Systems in his mailbox. It is pretty much like the application form that sales agents hand out to customers or sent through mails coming from Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover (NYSE:DFS). Alexeev filled in the form and returned the signed application, though what he sent back was not exactly the same document the bank had sent him.

Alexeev reported that he changed some parts for his own benefit – most notably, the small print in the form. He opted in for a 0 percent APR and no fees, and added the line that says, “the customer is not obliged to pay any fees and charges imposed by bank tariffs." He also changed the URL of the site where the terms and conditions were published from www.tcsbank.ru to tcsbank.at.ua.

Additionally, he added a special clause that would protect him should the bank break the agreement in a unilateral manner. For each unilateral change in the terms provided in the agreement, the bank would be asked to pay the customer (Alexeev) 3 million rubles (about US$ 91,000), or a cancellation fee of 6 million rubles (US$ 182,000).

Alexeev then sent his updated agreement to the bank, and shortly thereafter received the bank's signed and certified copy, as well as a credit card.

However, after two years of active use, the bank decided to terminate Mr. Alexeev’s credit card. In 2010, he was informed that the termination was made because he was late in paying the minimum required amounts.

In 2012, the bank sued Alexeev for 45,000 roubles (US$ 1,363) – an amount that included the remaining balance, fees, and late payment charges. The court decided that the agreement Alexeev crafted was valid, and required Alexeev to settle only his balance of 19,000 rubles (US$ 575).

Despite the apparent victory, Alexeev continued to fight back. On 1 August 2013, the Kominternovsky District Court of Voronezh launched hearings about Alexeev's countersuit against the bank. As Tinkoff Credit Systems had not honored eight clauses in the agreement, Alexeev now wants the bank to pay amends of 24 million rubles (US$ 727,000) total. The law firm Konsultant, which is representing Alexeev, says that the bank’s decision to terminate the agreement cannot be lawful because his client was not paid 6 million rubles, as per terms of the amended agreement.

The bank has so far said that the case was related to "a nonrecurrent technical issue," and it is willing to have its day in court. The next hearing will be held in September.

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It has been 15 years since Sarah McLachlan launched Lilith Fair as a chance for female musicians to take center stage. The festival lasted three summers (and one revival in 2010) and raised more than US$ 10 million for women's charities.

Mclachlan initially conducted an informal study in the 1990s and found that a "progressive" Seattle radio station only played two women artists' songs in row once in the span of 186 hours. When there was no response to her complaints, she founded Lilith Fair.

Mclachlan's decision was overdue, given the major impact women audiences had made on popular (not just womens' music) in the previous decade. However, popular music reflects the same skewed picture: women are abundant and amazing in this history, but their role is that of a spectacle, or at least that of a 'potential' spectacle.

Looking back at the 3 year period (1997-1999), Lilith Fair was not really promoting feminism as much as an effective venue to launch the careers of budding singers such as Fiona Apple, Alanis Morissette, Lisa Loeb, Sinead O’Connor, Paula Cole, Indigo Girls, Natalie Merchant, Sheryl Crow, Jewel, Nelly Furtado, Christina Aguilera and Erykah Badu. It was really a good business sense at that time because the industry's sexism was an anachronism; in the context of the 1990s, a business flaw.

Also, the success of men's music (the Beatles, etc.) had always depended as much, or more, on women consumers as men; but until Lilith Fair, ironically few had attempted to define women as a market category.

Overall, Lilith Fair was not really a triumph for women, but a triumph for "narrowcasting": guaranteeing business success by pitching aggressively and exclusively to one group.

Promoters who turned away from Mclachlan during the planning stages realize that they committed a big blunder when the event made 150 percent profit per year compared to the post-punk festivals that preceded it like "Lollapalooza" (some say it hastened the demise of Lollapalooza's increasingly corporate image.)

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Jonald's Home and Office Furnishings Enterprises started its business by producing made-to-order sala sets, dining sets, and other furnishings. It was through Pagayaya 1999, a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-organized regional trade fair, that the company was able to widen its business options.

Taking note of the business opportunities that the trade fair brought, the company subsequently joined the NTF 2000 and two other DTI-organized trade fairs. It also ventured into the international market through the Fiera Del Levanle, an international trade fair in Italy in September 2001.

Doors to opportunities continued to open and the company's participation in trade fairs enabled it to appreciate the bigger market opportunities outside the province. Armed with DTI's assistance in product development, skills enhancement and network linkages with government agencies, the company knew that it had the potential to address the market's needs.

The company's trade fair exposures both in the local and international markets have contributed to the growth of the business. From an asset size of PhP 2 million (US$ 36,000) in 2002, the firm has grown into a PhP 5 million (US$ 91,000) enterprise four years years later. Sales have doubled from PhP 2.2 million (US$ 40,000) in 2002 to PhP 4.5 million (US$ 82,000) in 2006. It plans to join other international trade fairs, particularly in Canada and Italy, to promote not only its products but the region's as well.

The company has also committed itself to taking the lead in the establishment of a Provincial Trade House in Manila to promote Isabela's indigenous products, thus providing better access to export traders and foreign buyers.

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For a family who have seen their business grow from nothing into something big, it is a challenge when they now faced the dilemma of remaining committed to the vision of the founders, while carrying the pressure of making the business flourish through the infusion of new ideas and management style.

For the Fonteleras and Buhains - the family behind the country's leading publishing conglomerate Rex Book Store (RSBI) - the transition to the next generation family management team came with very rewarding results.

"I have always been inspired by the very good example set by my parents. Their passion for work, integrity, and sterling ethics are the very principles that helped me succeed in business," says lawyer Dominador Buhain, president of the Rex Group of Companies. His siblings - Rogelio Fontelera and his wife Rose Ann, Teresita Fontelera-Carpio, and Mario Buhain and his wife Peaches - share this sentiment as they look back at their collective efforts over the past four decades that brought the company to where it is today.

Armed with college degrees and having grown up with a working knowledge of the business, the Fonteleras and Buhains assumed their various positions with acumen. After a fire razed their then-fledgling store in the late ’60s, Buhain took on the selling function as his personal mission to help resurrect the business. Promoting Rex’s products brought him to every corner of the country. Later on, with a Law degree from Ateneo, he set about developing the company’s rules and regulations, which has since become the framework for managing the corporation.

Mario, on the other hand, started Rex Printing with their father Juanito in the early 1970s, after graduating from college. He also spearheaded Rex Commercial, where he assumed the position of general manager, and handled government orders for RBSI. His wife, Peaches, was later on persuaded to leave her career in the banking industry to help in the management of Rex branches.

Rogelio, who now serves as vice president-corporate secretary, mastered the printing process and carved his niche in local publications that he introduced in the 1980s. His wife, Rose Ann, who initiated the Cabanatuan branch that helped widen the company’s reach in Central and Northern Luzon, now heads Rex’s legal materials department.

To Teresita, an educational materials sales advisor, her early experience selling books at the Morayta branch while she was still in school, served her well when she was assigned as sales manager for Rex's first provincial store in Cebu. This exposure helped her build business relationships with various schools and congregations, which in turn contributed to the growth of the business in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

As Rex Book Store soars past its 60-year mark with flying colors, the Buhains and Fonteleras continue to stand united in their vision for the business. "After several decades in the publishing industry, we remain steadfast in our commitment to the company. With the constant support of the family and our professional team, we will take RBSI to even greater heights - not only by strengthening our foothold on the local market, but also establishing our presence in other countries," Atty. Buhain, who concurrently sits as chairman of the Rex Group of Companies, declares.

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According to The Philippine Star, the fairer yet very formidable sex in this part of the world has long been smashing glass ceilings in the Philippine political, social and cultural arenas. Across the male-dominated business industry, legendary matriarchs, from the late Doña Engracia "Aling Asyang" Reyes of Aristocrat Restaurant and Gliceria Tantoco of Rustan's Commercial Corporation, to the present-day Socorro Ramos of National Book Store, have proudly carried the torch of female empowerment.

Some of the leading ladies of domestic franchising seem to be following in the footsteps of these pioneering Filipinas who have adeptly juggled a business career and family life.

Franchisers Siu Ping Par of PR Gaz Haus, Rebecca Bucad of K2 Drug Inc., and Mary Simisim of Blue Water Day Spa share their perspectives, philosophies and principles on business and homemaking. It comes as no surprise that the three entrepreneurs profess admiration for all women who have found success in business.

Women of Success

Par, the chief operating officer of the subsidiary company of PR Gaz Franchising Corporation, says that "successful women entrepreneurs can be found in every country and under all circumstances." A member of the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) Board, she says that "women of today have the equal opportunity to make a difference in the business community and in society, unlike decades ago when they had to fight for the right to self-determination."

To which Simisim, president of Blue Water Day Spa, concurs. This economics graduate of the University of Santo Tomas applauds courageous women who take risks in their chosen ventures and are rewarded accordingly. "Their success is admirable since we live in a society where men dominate most industries, of course, with the exception of the beauty and wellness field."

For her part, Bucad says women are great business owners because “apart from being excellent organizers, we treat our staff like family. We also have a special way of listening to and addressing business-related concerns.” The president and CEO of K2 Drug adds that while women are still a minority in the franchise business
worldwide, their number as well as influence are growing, most notably Indra Nooyi of Pepsi and Cathy Hughes of Radio One.

PR Gaz Haus

Describing herself as foremost a wife and a mother, Par keeps a very simple and straightforward business philosophy: "My father has taught me that hard work, perseverance and discipline are the keys to achieving success. Careful, efficient and long-term planning and strategizing are important, too."

According to Par, who also sits on the board of the PR Gaz Haus Group of Companies, a good management style should not be grounded on skills alone. "One must have the heart and passion for running a business," she states. "The challenges and demands of being an entrepreneur can be multi-dimensional and women, because of the various roles we play in society — daughter, wife, mother, sister, teacher, or friend — are uniquely equipped for this."

For her part, Bucad says women are great business owners because "apart from being excellent organizers, we treat our staff like family. We also have a special way of listening to and addressing business-related concerns." The president and CEO of K2 Drug adds that while women are still a minority in the franchise business
worldwide, their number as well as influence are growing, most notably Indra Nooyi of Pepsi and Cathy Hughes of Radio One.

PR Gaz Haus

Describing herself as foremost a wife and a mother, Par keeps a very simple and straightforward business philosophy: "My father has taught me that hard work, perseverance and discipline are the keys to achieving success. Careful, efficient and long-term planning and strategizing are important, too."

According to Par, who also sits on the board of the PR Gaz Haus Group of Companies, a good management style should not be grounded on skills alone. "One must have the heart and passion for running a business," she states. "The challenges and demands of being an entrepreneur can be multi-dimensional and women, because of the various roles we play in society — daughter, wife, mother, sister, teacher, or friend — are uniquely equipped for this."

Thus, when faced with challenges Par reveals that she not only draws support from her team, "I also get an overflowing dose of inspiration and encouragement from family and close friends." Married to Nelson Par and a mother of four, Par prioritizes family life. "Pages of my office note planner bear important school dates of my children, family events or functions, to ensure that I don't miss out on anything. Likewise, technology has made the job for busy moms like me a lot easier. I am always a phone call away."

On weekends, Par and her family go on short, out-of-town trips because she says the change of scenery is sure to charge one’s spent "batteries." "Watching movies with my husband and kids is a great stress-buster, too," she confides. "And to keep fit, I attend a boot-camp class once a week and play badminton as often as I can."

Par recounts that she was a full hands-on manager during the initial stages of their family business. That was in 2000, when the company she helped grow with her husband set up refilling plants in Metro Manila, Cavite and Zambales. A year later, the company began putting up its own retail outlets, called PR Gaz Haus — the first LPG convenience store in the country. "But now we have a different organizational setup and I am able to focus on the bigger, more important requirements of my division."

A Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) graduate of the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives (run by the US-based International Franchise Association), Par relates how she and her husband got into franchising in 2004. "We needed a proven way to extend our reach and franchising provided us the means to do this. So we tried to learn as much as we could about the concept and we found that many popular brands employed franchising to grow their business. We also attended franchise shows like the Philippine International Franchise Conference and Expo (PIFCE) to get more information. In 2005, our first franchised store opened in Cavite. Less than two years later, we had a total of 34 franchises in our chain."

Par attributes the growth of their franchising business to having the right program, people and processes. "You must constantly employ innovations in business and update yourself on developments in the industry. It is also a good move to link with peers in the franchising sector and tap the benefits of being in a franchising association such as the PFA."

She adds that it is vital for franchisers to always be connected with franchisees. "We hold conferences with our various franchisees to update them on company developments and discuss concerns. We also have good relations with our franchisees even on an individual level. We consider our franchisees active partners in growing the business."

To date, PR Gaz Haus has over a hundred outlets operating in Luzon. This figure is expected to grow by at least 60 more stores before yearend. "This is part of our company’s "500-in-5" vision, in which we aim to set up 500 stores by 2015," Par says.

Blue Water Day Spa

A proud wife and mother of three, Simisim says she leads by example. "Basically, how I behave and act when I am at work is how I want my employees to behave and act as well. For instance, I usually come half hour to an hour earlier for meetings because I want my employees to see how much I value time. Likewise, I want them to also be on time during meetings as it highly reflects their professionalism."

Simisim's firm belief in and adherence to time management even extends to her personal life in order for her to be effective in her different roles as a mom, wife, and entrepreneur. Family is very important to Simisim as it is her primary source of inspiration. "I want to provide my family with a promising future, so I work really hard," she emphasizes.

"On a typical weekend, I go away from the city with my family to visit magnificent places like Tagaytay, Cebu and so on," Simisim discloses. "My one great love is traveling for business and pleasure as it allows me to explore different places and countries including their people, food, arts, and cultures. It also helps me keep up with new trends and technologies in the business world."

Simisim, who says one of the greatest advantages of owning a spa business is that unwinding becomes very convenient for her, recounts how she became an entrepreneur. "Upon getting married, I moved to my husband's family business that is focused on export and trading. I have since then been managing the business with my husband up to the present. Seven years ago, I opened a facial center with a partner, under a Malaysian franchised brand. That experience was really a learning process for me," she recalls.

"Moving from trading to the beauty business took a lot of risks and hard work, due to the unrelated nature of both businesses. In 2005, I finally began my own spa and facial business, which is today known as Blue Water Day Spa," she continues. The spa offers quality services comparable to high-end spas and hotels but at a reasonable cost. Its wide range of services includes massage techniques specially created for the spa. Each year, the spa introduces two new services into the market that are unique and have health benefits.

In 2006, she started franchising the business. From the outset, Simisim made it a point that the spa business she set up was running well and smoothly before she decided to jump on the franchising wagon. "After all, when a potential franchisee invests in your brand name, they deserve to have all the support and assistance from the franchiser," she remarks.

That is why Simisim enjoys a good relationship with her franchisees. She makes sure that their concerns related to marketing, advertising, training support and the like are taken care of even if they have been a franchisee for years. "I believe that franchisers must establish a good rapport with their franchisees in order for their business to grow and so that they will also look after Blue Water Day Spa as if it were their own."

Currently, the spa has two company-owned branches in Ortigas and Makati as well as three franchisees in Capitol Hills, Eastwood City and Tomas Morato. "For this year, Blue Water Day Spa plans on expanding the business in terms of having more franchisees nationwide, introducing more innovative treatments and maintaining the quality service that we are proud of," Simisim declares.

K2 Drug, Inc.

Emphatic that her business life and lifestyle are one, Bucad follows personal maxims that guide the way she conducts her career and family affairs. The newly designated Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) subscribes to the belief that business can reap benefits from a solid family lifestyle and a solid family lifestyle is the reward of a solid business. "So, never make your children the reasons why you do not, but every reason you do."

A master opportunity-seizer, especially if the opportunity matches her values and vision, Bucad maintains, "We should learn to live within the laws of life and business. Both essentially need attention, time, nurturing, planning, goals, and supervision."

Ergo, Bucad highly recommends integrating one's lifestyle, relationships and business into one since they are all symbiotic. "My beloved family, including my youngest child, is involved in K2 Drug," she shares. "My eldest two are directly involved in management and operations. So every business discussion among us has never been a stressor. In fact, we consider it the common thread that strongly binds us. As we bond, the business becomes stronger."

Leisure for this Asian Institute of Management alumnus is unsurprisingly another family affair. Says Bucad, "We infuse a sense of democracy into our family activities, where everyone has a say in what they want to do. The focus is always placed on what works for everyone, whether it means staying at home, cooking a simple favorite dish or having a karaoke session. The important thing is the activity must be safe, there is constant communication, and that it strengthens the family fabric."

Believing that Pinays will always do well as entrepreneurs because family is their single greatest motivator, Bucad grew her current business to what is it is now based on making the right choices. Her first store was originally owned and run by a former client. The client, believing that she was already advanced in years and seeing that none of her children were interested in inheriting the business, gave Bucad the store, trusting the latter would turn the fledgling company around. That was 1998 when Bucad was moonlighting as a distributor of generic medicines.

Later the company was developed by Francorp Philippines for franchising. K2 Drug was incorporated in February 2007. The lady entrepreneur says franchising is a way to share a winning business plan, which makes sound business sense.

"As to how I deal with potential and even current franchisees, I always try to stress the infinite value of capitalization and aptitude. Not all people can have a franchise. Their expectations must be tempered by realizations that in all businesses there is a risk factor," she states. "The secret is making that risk factor a calculated risk. And the beauty of a franchise with K2 Drug and many successful franchises is that it is no longer a trial-and-error process. It is more like a find-and-refine process."

K2 Drug has 16 company-owned drugstores in Metro Manila, Angeles City, Olongapo City and San Pablo City. It has two franchises, one of which belongs to a group of Japanese investors. According to Bucad, the goal is to expand the business by two to five stores a year.

Franchise 2010

For Siu Ping Par, Rebecca Bucad, and Mary Simisim, joining the prestigious PIFCE is very rewarding. Otherwise known as Franchise 2010, the annual event is one of Asia’s most-attended and longest-running franchise shows.

Par says, "Joining the event affords a franchise brand a captive audience and a good lead-generation strategy. With new government leaders in place by the time of the holding of Franchise 2010, people will hopefully be in a positive mood and actively on the lookout for investment opportunities. We hope to surpass last year’s results in terms of number of leads generated and actual franchisees signed up."

Bucad, meanwhile, says, "I encourage the public to join and participate in the upcoming PIFCE. The opportunity to tap prime business options, acquire new knowledge, and learn best international practices in franchising is priceless. When I first joined my primary expectations were to learn how to survive and succeed in this competitive world. I feel that I have achieved both."

For her part, Simisim remarks, "PIFCE provides the perfect avenue for all kinds of entrepreneurs to learn from world-class experts and practitioners how brands and concepts can expand faster while providing people with the opportunity to profit from it."

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They say nothing really beats hardwork. One example of this is when one town's 'Puto King' was reported to have literally struck 'white gold' with the their famous puto.

Rufo de la Cruz, 66, and his wife Leonora of Barangay Dinalaoan, Calasiao, Pangasinan began selling their white, marshmallow soft, bite-size puto (rice cake) in the 1970s during town fiestas and carnivals.

"We literally started from nothing. But thanks to God for giving us puto which is a great blessing," he told The Philippine STAR during the town’s recent puto festival.

Rudy and Leonor borrowed PhP 70 to start their puto business. They bought two gantas of rice plus sugar and made about 1,200 pieces of puto.

Aling Leonora occupied a small space where their puto was displayed, while Mang Rudy went around during fiestas to sell their product. There were times when the couple stayed up nights to cook the puto, the recipes of which they learned from their mothers, who were also puto makers.

They put up a stall near the shrine of the Señor Divino Tesoro here and near the Sts. Peter and Paul Parish Church, selling their puto under the brand Bella’s Puto, the name of their eldest child.

From their sweat, industry, persistence and determination, the couple were able to save and build a beautiful two-storey house, and bought several vehicles and invested in real estate, all thanks to puto. But their greatest pride is having sent their six children to school and all have earned college degrees.

It is indeed a far cry and a long journey from the days when they would only have bagoong (shrimp paste) and rice to eat, and he would split wood with a hatchet earning PhP 2 a day and grate coconut to earn extra money.

"It's God to whom we give glory for what we have reached in life," he said, adding that he is sharing their blessings by helping other less fortunate people.

"We won't stop producing puto because maybe this is God's plan for us so we can also help others," he added.

Bella’s Puto starts making puto at 10:00 P.M. and finishes at 4:00 A.M. with an average production of 48,000 pieces a day.

Restaurant owners from as far as Metro Manila come to their stall here to pick up about 30 to 40 kilos of puto a day. Bella's Puto also has stalls in major malls in Central and Northern Luzon.

And what is the secret of their melts-in-the mouth puto? Mang Rudy says it’s the kind of water, rice, and sugar they use – plus the passion they put in to produce the best tasting puto in town.

Bella's Puto has a shelf life of three days, up to six days when refrigerated. Aside from their white puto, they also sell bite-size kutsinta and other colorful and flavored puto like pandan (green), cheese (yellow), strawberry (red) and ube (violet), mostly on order for special occasions. A kilo of puto sells for P70.

Bella's Puto has joined several trade fairs held in big malls and other festivals in many parts of the country, including malls in Metro Manila, to market Pangasinan's pride. It has earned several awards and their success story was named provincial winner in the Sipag at Tiyaga contest last year, earning them PhP 120,000. They also won an award from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the national level for their inspiring story.

Mang Rudy is thankful to government agencies like the DTI, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Tourism, the provincial and municipal governments for opening many doors of opportunity to make their product known.

Mang Rudy is the president of the Calasiao Puto Producers Association composed of more than 50 members occupying 40 stalls in front of the town hall.

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By Therese J. Camet
The Manila Bulletin Online, 12 February 2005

Thanks to Lyndon Tan, one of the 2003 Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardees, the Philippines no longer has to import lettuce!

For many years, the Philippines was always dependent on other countries for its supply of lettuces, particularly Australia and the United States.

With an average of 400,000 kilos imported every year, these leafy vegetables were among the most expensive items sold in the supermarkets.

One kilogram of imported lettuce was usually sold at PhP 200 until in the late 1990's, prices dropped to PhP 60 to PhP 90. This was about the time that Lyndon Tan came up with Basic Necessity, a vegetable farm in Silang, Cavite, which was intended to provide a "basic necessity" vegetables.

Established in June 1997, the sprawling eight-hectare farm initially grew a wide variety of produce such as tomatoes, different kinds of herbs, capsicum and bell peppers, lettuces, broccoli, alfalfa, and eggplants, among others.

However, two years later, Tan decided to concentrate on growing lettuces.

"I put up my own farm because I've always had the passion for agriculture since my family owns a rice mill in Naga City. One of the primary reasons I decided to focus on lettuce farming was because I wanted to stop or at least reduce our lettuce importations," explained Tan.

"I realized that if we could only grow enough lettuces to meet the demands of our people, then we wouldn't have to import them anymore. Not only that, we would be helping the Filipino farmers and the agriculture industry too," he continued.

Aware that the Philippines' tropical climate and soil were inadequate to grow lettuces all-year-round, Tan was challenged to seek ways to resolve the problem. And so, he discovered the wonders of "hydroponic" growing or soil-less farming.

Raised and educated in Naga City, Bicol, he earned his master's degree from the Asian Institute of Management in Makati in 2000.

To gain a thorough understanding on hydroponic farming, Tan conducted further research and attended agricultural training in Australia and the United States. He would later apply all these in his Basic Necessity.

Growing lettuce hydroponically is not a new science, but it is relatively new to the Philippines, he said.

"Hydroponics" is derived from the Latin word which means "working water."

Used by scientists to study the inorganic nutrition of plants in the 1930s, hydroponics is a very advanced method of growing plants that uses other medium such as cocopeat (coconut fiber and palay husk), instead of soil, enabling the plant to produce more vegetation, larger fruits and flowers.

What's more, the hydroponic technique uses computer software to control lighting, environmental conditions, nutrient balance, water Ph, and other parameters to create optimal lettuce-growing conditions.

"The computer runs everything in the farm," noted Tan.

"There are 14 green houses in the entire farm but I only have 30 workers to supervise them because we practically don't need to do anything - the computer does all the work for us. The workers are just there for the transplant and harvest," he explained.

With the efficiency of hyroponics, Basic Necessity is able to harvest around 1,500 kilos of lettuces everyday which supplies the hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and other establishments nationwide.

"Because of this technology, the Philippines doesn't import lettuces anymore because we have enough lettuces to supply our consumers' demands. We distribute all over the country as far as Amanpulo in Palawan and Cebu," he enthused.

Basic Necessity grows different varieties of lettuces such as lollo rossa, red and green romaine, red corals, red and green oakleaf, frellise and urugula, which are a great aid for weight lost according to Tan.

"Actually the demand for lettuces is increasing these days as more and more people are becoming more conscious about their health and figure especially when all these diets came out such the South Beach and Atkins diets," shared Tan.

Immediately after actor Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ) died of a stroke, orders for Basic Necessity tripled. "I think people suddenly became health conscious - they just wanted to eat salads," Tan related chuckling.

Aside from lettuces, cherry tomatoes are also grown in one of these high-tech greenhouses affording Basic Necessity a bountiful harvest of 100 kilos everyday.

Not to mention the alfalfa sprouts which are processed in the sprouting equipment that he bought from the United States making him "the first commercial sprouts grower in the country."

Although hydroponically outfitted and assured of a successful harvest all-year-round (being unaffected by sudden changes in weather), Basic Necessity does experience farm-related problems every now and then.

"Our biggest challenge is the 'quality control' because lettuce is a kind of vegetable that has no boiling point, meaning you don't cook it. Therefore we have to make sure it is always fresh and clean," related Tan.

At any rate, customers are assured that Basic Necessity only provides the freshest vegetables because it is HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) certified.

As a treat to salad and vegetable enthusiasts, Basic Necessity came up with "Salad Time" - a ready-to-eat salad in a bag - which was introduced mid last year.

"Salad Time was designed for those people who want to enjoy a fresh salad but don�t have enough time to prepare one," said Tan.

A bag of Salad Time is good for 2 to 4 servings and can be eaten right straight from the bag because it is 'tripled washed' and contains no preservatives.

Salad Time is available at leading supermarkets nationwide and is available in salads of spinach, urugula & mixed greens, cherry tomatoes with alfalfa sprouts & Ceasar romaine, and cherry tomatoes with alfalfa sprouts & mix greens.

This is one "basic necessity" of a delicious, wholesome meal, says the "lettuce king" Lyndon Tan.

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Ministop started 2008 with a bang with the opening of its 200th store at The Columns, Makati. Racing past 200 in 8 years, Robinsons Convenience Stores, Inc. (RCSI) has risen to become one of the country’s fastest-growing businesses, and has come a long way since opening the very first Ministop in 2000.“Ministop has quickly grown in both presence and sales over the past eight years. We bring convenience to the Filipino neighborhood, and will continue to do so in the years to come. We always strive to meet the people’s need for readily available top-quality grocery and fastfood products, coupled with superior customer service,” said RCSI President Johnson Robert Go Jr.

The 200th Ministop store was unwrapped in a special ceremony headed by Mr. Go, together with RCSI Vice President Kino Yoshihara, RCSI Merchandising Division Head Ms. Faith Gokongwei-Lim, Robinsons Retail Group Senior Vice President and Group General Manager Ms. Robina Gokongwei-Pe, and Mitsubishi Corporation General Manager – Manila Branch Mr. Toshifumi Inami. A historical marker commemorating the landmark event was unveiled by Mr. Go and Mr. Yoshihara, joined by Ayala Malls Operations Manager Amir Priscilla.

Joining in the celebration were beneficiaries of Ministop’s Corporate Social Responsibility project, World Vision Incorporated. Since partnering with World Vision in 2006, Ministop has raised over PhP480,000 through its Ministop-World Vision coinbank campaign and brought over 140 new World Vision sponsors through its Ministop-World Vision brochure display project. “This cause is something very close to us. We are giving these children a chance to stand on equal footing alongside children from well-off families by sending them to school to get ahead in the real world,” Mr. Go said.

The Makati skyline was dotted with 200 blue and yellow balloons, released in unison by the guests and the World Vision children in honor of Ministop’s rising success. “We hope that being the 200th Ministop store will serve as a sign of good luck as we carry over Ministop’s hallmarks of product quality and excellent customer service. We’re blessed to be a part of the growing Ministop family,” said Mr. Nadel Naños Navia, Ministop The Columns business partner.

Ministop marked the beginning of this milestone by offering great freebies during the first month of the year across all their stores. Customers were able to get a free Hello Kitty commemorative porcelain plate for any minimum P100 single-receipt purchase of participating Ministop products. Commemorative ice cream spoons for purchases of any flavor of Selecta Ice Cream were likewise given away. For inquiries on acquiring a Ministop business, contact the Ministop Business Development

Group at 672-2279, 0922-8780628, 0922-8780629, or e-mail email:business@ministop.com.ph. You may also visit the Ministop website, http://www.ministop.com.ph/index.htm.

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A quest that started in Cebu 11 years ago continues to this day...abroad.

By Veronica C. Silva

BusinessWorld, 15 December 2003

While backpacking in Europe back in 1992, fresh college graduate Jonathan Jay P. Aldeguer noted the absence of a recognizable brand for the souvenir collection hobby anywhere he went. "My backpacking travel in Europe...and the Philippines confirmed my observation that the souvenir industry, not only in the Philippines but even internationally, is perceived as a cottage-type industry. It hasn’t evolved into anything," he said.

It was this void that drove Mr. Aldeguer, a thirty-something young entrepreneur, to conceptualize a one-stop store for tourists’ souvenir needs: from T-shirts to mugs and other travel items.

At age 21, with an initial capitalization of PhP 200,000 that he got from his earnings in college and from his parents, Island Souvenirs was established in 1992. With a PhP 1500 bamboo cart, Aldeguer began selling shirts at the White Gold department store in Cebu.

Applying a dash of tropical taste to this initial idea, Mr. Aldeguer now has shops all over the Philippines and in other tropical-inspired tourist spots worldwide.

"What’s driving me to even reach further is the fact that the souvenir industry is a multimillion-dollar industry. But there is no one brand that even exists," he noted.

In search of a brand, Mr. Aldeguer finally settled on "Islands Souvenirs," a brand that started in the Philippines which aims to offer quality souvenirs to both domestic and foreign tourists.

"To a certain extent, people want to see something familiar...What we’re trying to do is develop a souvenir brand that projects a unique characteristic about the place," said Mr. Aldeguer.

The brand that aims to make it big in the multimillion-dollar business started in Cebu, located in Central Visayas and dubbed as the Queen City of the South. From Cebu, the company expanded all over the Philippines, focusing on key tourists destinations, including new ones like Siargao in northern Mindanao.

After putting up more than 100 stores in the Philippines, Islands Souvenirs is setting its sights on other tropical locations outside the country.

The company’s strategy to expand outside the Philippines is through franchising and joint ventures. Franchising was admittedly an afterthought for Mr. Aldeguer, although international expansion has always been the goal.

"The goal is to go global; that’s what we really wanted to do," he said. "I gave myself 10 years to stabilize our local operations and set up our distribution in the Philippines."

An initial attempt to go abroad in 1996 flopped. But it convinced him that franchising is the right strategy. He said he thought it was feasible for the company to expand abroad on its own because the company was enjoying brisk sales during the first few years of operations.

"But we wanted local participation," Mr. Aldeguer said. "It’s always nice to inject the local characteristic.

"When we opened, there were really two things I wanted to consciously integrate into the concept: the tropical concept and a wide array of items," he added.

The company is focusing on other countries with a tropical setting similar to the Philippines. The company’s first successful attempt was in 1999 in Okinawa, one of the few islands in Japan with a tropical climate. The company now has three outlets in the Okinawa international airport.

Two more franchise outlets -- a store and a kiosk -- were opened in 2001 in Singapore at the Suntec Convention.

The company offers boutiques or stand-alone stores, kiosks and carts at varying franchise fees, depending on the location. The company does not charge for royalty fees, but instead makes money out of inventory.

All outlets in Japan and Singapore are franchises. To be sure, Islands Souvenirs also has joint ventures elsewhere abroad, but they carry the same tropical theme.

In 1999, Mr. Aldeguer teamed up with another Filipino entrepreneur to open an outlet in San Francisco, USA at the tourist spot, the Fisherman’s Wharf. There, the Islands Souvenirs brand was re-branded as "I love San Francisco," but with the same tropical theme and quality for which the Philippine brand has been known.

"Where I feel I have an understanding of the market, like the US, plus there seems to be a very strong potential, I would like more participation than just a franchise," Mr. Aldeguer said. "It [the outlet] still goes through the whole franchise setup, but I have a participation in the franchisee like a joint venture."

Due to the success of the San Francisco outlet, Islands Souvenirs is opening another joint venture company in the same area by next year.

The intention is to open as many outlets as possible worldwide. "There is a conscious effort to tap tropical-oriented and -inspired destinations so that we can carry out the Islands Souvenirs look," said Mr. Aldeguer. "Within the next couple of months, we’re looking at Guam and we’ve initiated talks already...Australia is also imminent."

The franchising model is expected to overtake the joint venture model as the company proceeds to expand. "Management-wise, it would be better to go with local partners," said Mr. Aldeguer.

To add muscle to his expansion plans, the young entrepreneur said that one of his immediate plans is to set up an offshore company either in Hong Kong or in Singapore to take care of distribution and marketing for the international outlets.

To be sure, going international has not been a walk in the park. Mr. Aldeguer noted. For instance, because the souvenir industry hinges on travel and tourism, sales of Island Souvenirs outlets abroad were affected by the severe acute respiratory syndrome which hit the region early this year.

Today, the company’s quest to promote a global brand that is synonymous to good quality continues.

"We’re glad to say that we showed how a cottage industry-type of business has a potential to be a worldwide business," Mr. Aldeguer said.

Due to his continuous success on the Islands Souvenir chains, Jay Aldeguer was awarded as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) award for entrepreneurship at age 27—the youngest so far in the TOYM roster. Island Souvenirs has also been named “Outstanding Filipino Retailer” by the Philippine Retailers Association and the Department of Trade and Industry several times that Aldeguer was actually inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2003.

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By Carina Roncesvalles
Featured SMEs, Franchise Opportunities, 12 February 2007

Baking bread to create an enterprise of Filipino taste at its finest is what Julie’s Bakeshop has in its ovens.

The first Julie’s Bakeshop stood in Mandaue City in January 1981. The woman behind the bakeshop chain, Julie Gandioco decided to put up the store to meet the growing demand for bread in her canteen in a rattan furtiture company.

Success proved to be handy for Julie’s Bakeshop that after only six months, the second store was opened in the province.

Then the pursuit to put the company in stronger footing started. In 1984, RJ Commodities was established as a central warehouse for Julie’s Bakeshop to ensure the steady supply of quality ingredients and bakery supplies for the business. Its main operations were initially put up in Visayas and Mindano.

Further in its successful timeline is the opening of a store in Iloilo, its first store outside Cebu, in 1988.

Julie’s Bakeshop has a vision to “be in every town and be the most sought-after Food Franchising Company maintaining leadership in the neighborhood bakeshop market.” This in a bid to address the growing demand for quality bread.

The increasing product demand in Luzon, particularly in Metro Manila opened the doors to the company’s warehouse in Manggahan, Pasig City in June 2001. Another branch was established in Davao City in 2002. In 2003, RJ Commodities was merged with Julie’s Franchise Corporation (JFC).

Julie’s Bakeshop now has over 500 branches and outlets nationwide and close to 180 franchisees – a testamant that the company indeed has molded breads that will bring entrepreneurial success.

“Julie’s Bakeshop offers freshly baked bread made from the finest ingredients. Julie’s products are produced in a clean environment, in full view of its customers. Its products are not only tasty but very much affordable,” the company said in an email to Magnegosyo.com.

Julie’s Bakeshop noted that they keep loyal clients and attract new patrons by maintaining the high standards of quality in both the products and service.

Julie’s Bakeshop now offers franchise opportunities to budding entrepreneurs who see light and flavor in the bread business network. The company noted that enterprise creation and employment opportunities were their motivation to officially go into franchising.

(Carina Roncesvalles is a Journalism graduate from the University of the Philippines in Diliman. Carina has worked as a Reporter for BusinessWorld. She is now working as a full-time writer for a Makati-based public relations company.)

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Four sisters make the cut in the barbershop business

Philippine Business Magazine

Back in 1990, when Amy Manas’s son Marco was still a toddler, she felt uncomfortable about the idea of bringing Marco to the barbershops in their neighborhood. This sparked an idea—Amy and her sisters Karina Manas-Manapat, Peachy Manas, and Joyce Manas-Magpale decided to try their hand in the barbershop business, and thus the birth of Bruno’s Barbers.

“The concept of the place was really quite simple,” relates Joyce, who is Bruno’s Barbers executive director. “We just wanted a barbershop that offered the usual services, but in a very clean environment.

With an initial capitalization of P700,000, the sisters opened their first Bruno’s branch in Alabang. According to Joyce, there was no particular reason why the siblings chose the name “Bruno” for their shop. They just found the name very masculine and thought it suited the barbershop, which would primarily cater to males. The sisters also felt clients would find the name easy to remember.

Quality Service

Like any new business, Bruno’s Barbers had its share of ups and downs. Their first challenge was to establish their name in the industry. They also had to prove to clients that although Bruno’s rates are higher than those charged in most barbershops, the quality of service Bruno’s clients get is worth every peso paid.

“Our market is mostly the A market, but we cater to all ages, from the grandfathers to the toddlers,” Joyce explains. “A haircut at Bruno’s Barbers costs about P150, and we also offer a wide range of services.” These services include nail cleaning services (manicure and pedicure at P150 each), hair and scalp treatments (P700–P1,300), hair coloring (P650–P950), and massage (P175-P450).

Apparently, their prices did not scare the customers away, as two years later the sisters opened their second branch in the Katipunan area in Quezon City. This branch has since moved to a bigger space in Libis. Moreover, Bruno’s Barbers now also has branches in Greenbelt 1, Salcedo Village, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Club (which is exclusive to the club’s members), Fort Bonifacio, Paseo de Magallanes, Shangri-La Plaza, Ortigas Center, Greenhills, Tomas Morato, Visayas Avenue, Commonwealth, and Robinson’s Place Lipa. A 16th branch in Banawe is scheduled to open before the end of the year.

Calculated Expansion

It took the sisters 16 years to open the 16 branches. Joyce explains that they wanted to be sure that each branch was stable before they opened another one. Nevertheless, although they were conservative in carrying out their expansion plans, these were achieved not without difficulty.

“One of the problems we encountered when we started expanding was standardization,” Joyce looks back. “We had to work on the consistency of the services and the products. What we want to achieve is that if a client goes to the Alabang branch to get a hot oil treatment, he should get the same hot oil service in all our other branches.”

Another area that the siblings had to concentrate on was the training of their personnel. In addition to their shops’ very clean environment, the Manas sisters are proud of the professionalism of their employees. "We are very particular with staff training and how they deal with our clients,” she relates. “Compared to the roadside barbershops, you will really notice a big difference in this aspect.”

The emphasis on cleanliness, consistency, and training has paid dividends. These days, Joyce notes that more women are patronizing their barbershops. When before most women would go just to accompany male relatives or friends, more and more women are turning to Bruno’s for their own haircuts.

“The ladies come to us because our prices are lower than the high-end salons, but they get basically the same product and service,” Joyce happily shares. “The ladies are also becoming more comfortable about going to the barbershop, and it doesn’t matter to them any more if they are seated next to a male customer.”

A Family Affair

Even if Amy and Karina are busy with their own businesses and Peachy with her dentistry practice, Joyce says she and her sisters are very hands-on when it comes to managing the barbershop business. The sisters have divided the management of the branches among themselves, with each one assigned to an area of responsibility. In terms of administrative work, Amy is in charge of finances, Karina handles human resources, Peachy takes care of purchasing, while Joyce is in charge of operations.

Marco, Amy’s then-toddler son who was the inspiration behind Bruno’s Barbers, is slowly becoming more involved in the business and handles marketing. Joyce and Karina take turns in conducting training workshops for their barbers and other personnel. On the average, each branch has 20 personnel.

Looking ahead, the sisters are taking their expansion plans further. They are aiming to open more Bruno’s branches in the provinces by taking the franchising route. The franchise fee is currently pegged at P500,000, and the package includes the training of personnel and preopening assistance. So far, they have four franchised outlets.

“Hopefully, we will get to open branches in the provincial areas by the end of this year or next year,” Joyce continues. “Our farthest branch so far is in Lipa, Batangas, and we are targeting Pampanga in the north and the Visayas in the south.” While it may take some creative marketing to win customers away from their favorite neighborhood barbershops, the sisters are confident that with the strength of their services, they will soon have their base of loyal clients in these places as well.

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Four professionals pooled P2 million to put up a preschool promoting nationalism and love of one's roots.

By Marcie Linao
Entrepreneur

In 2004 Basil Wuson, a business administration graduate, approached Ani Almario, a teacher and the owner of Adarna Publishing House, to pitch his idea of putting up a pre-school. Later, they invited two other people, CP David, a professor, and Melvin Rillo, a lawyer, to become partners. They decided to divide the work by contributing their specialties to the project, and eventually Almario's older sister Asa, an architect, designed the school. David, a Ph.D. in geology and environmental science, supervised its construction and injected science into the curriculum; Almario volunteered to draft the curriculum and to administer the school. Wuson took care of finance, and Rillo the legal side of the business.

They initially injected P2 million-money they'd saved or borrowed from relatives-into the project. "At first we were looking at land prices, but they were super-expensive!" says Almario. "Even our banks aren't really friendly to borrowers, so if you really want to put up a company, hihiram ka talaga ng pera sa nanay mo." And because Almario's mother owned the land and the reconstructed building, most of the partners' money went into putting up the school facilities. "At first we didn't think it was wise because most preschool owners start by having classes in their living rooms, but we decided that we wanted a real school," says Almario. "I think it paid off, because a lot of parents are impressed when they see the school. It also shows that we are very serious about our school."

The partners eventually decided they would promote nationalism in their school out of deference to Almario and David, who both came from nationalistic families. (Almario is the daughter of National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario; David is the son of teacher Randy David). They would call the school Raya-the old Malay word from which the word rajah was derived-and allow its pupils to celebrate their roots and discover their nobility. It would offer two grade levels initially (junior and senior kinder) and prep the following year. "When people hear that our preschool promotes nationalism, they usually think that the school is brown and is filled with indigenous materials," says Almario, laughing. In truth, the school is very colorful and full of scientific and Filipino artifacts. It has masks from Lucban, taka (papier-mâché toys) from Paete, instruments from Kalinga, fossils and dinosaur models. "Just like our curriculum, our school is unique in that it engages the child in all ways possible," says Almario. "We have a library offering only the best of children's literature. We have a multi-purpose room that allows all forms of play and musical stimulation. Some of our walls are made of blackboards where the students can draw and write. We have a magnet wall where the kids can display their artwork."

Today, the school employs four people: two teachers, an administrative assistant, and an all-around cleaning lady and nanny. (Almario, the school head, pitches in as a teacher when needed.) It allows only 10 to 12 students per class so the teachers get to know their students well and to monitor their progress closely.

Still, the school had a hard time attracting parents initially because its principals were unknown to them. And the owners had difficulty picking teachers. "We had to choose people who believed in the thrust of the school and at the same time agreed to the not-so-high salary since we were just starting the business", says Almario. But she's confident they'll succeed as a result of the school's balanced curriculum, complete facilities, well-trained teachers, and low tuition (P35,000 a year compared with P75,000 in most other schools). She predicts Raya would break even in three to five years, when she and her partners would have put up a grade school and started giving scholarships to deserving children. "We feel fulfilled when we talk to parents because they really chose our school, and we don't want to fail them," she says. "I want our school to serve a social function of producing good citizens."

Raya School
Telephone: (02) 376-2184
Email: info@raya.org.ph

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