This Woman Started A Coffee Shop With P6,000 Capital | Real Stories Real People | Anna Magalona | OG

Summary

The speaker shares their entrepreneurial journey, starting a coffee business with a modest P6,000 capital amid the pandemic as a backup plan. Initially facing skepticism and challenges, they leveraged social media to gain traction, eventually expanding to a physical store and franchising opportunities. The story highlights the importance of resilience, quality, and customer service, offering advice to aspiring entrepreneurs to start online and invest in knowledge for business success.

Takeaways

• 💼 The speaker started a coffee business with a small capital of P6,000 while working as a credit and finance solutions manager in Makati.
• 🌐 The pandemic prompted the speaker to consider a backup plan, leading to the idea of starting a low-maintenance, easy-to-prepare coffee business that could be launched online.
• 📈 The initial challenge was to sustain the business and attract customers without a clear understanding of the target market or effective marketing strategies.
• 🚫 Despite discouragements and setbacks, such as coffee being stolen during delivery and car troubles, the speaker persevered with the business.
• 🔄 After several trials, a perfect coffee blend was achieved, suitable for online sales, which was then promoted on social media platforms like Facebook.
• 📈 Positive customer feedback and word-of-mouth helped in developing additional flavors and menu items, enhancing the brand's appeal.
• 🏪 The establishment of a small physical kiosk under a condominium boosted credibility and attracted more customers, leading to interest in franchising.
• 📊 By the end of 2021, the business expanded to 15 branches, starting from a home-based operation with a basic coffee maker and minimal supplies.
• 💰 The business's best-selling products include Vietnamese style coffee at P70, a brewed coffee with condensed milk, and Spanish latte made with Arabica beans.
• 🌟 The speaker emphasizes the importance of mission and vision in creating job opportunities and offering affordable, quality coffee to customers.
• 📚 The speaker advises aspiring entrepreneurs to start online businesses, invest in knowledge, and focus on effective marketing during the pandemic.
• 📧 The script concludes with an invitation for listeners with inspiring stories to share them via email and to subscribe to a YouTube channel.

Q & A

What was the initial capital used to start the coffee business?

The initial capital used to start the coffee business was P6,000.

What was the speaker's profession before starting the coffee business?

The speaker was a credit and finance solutions manager at a software company in Makati.

How long was the speaker employed at the software company?

The speaker was employed at the software company for almost three years.

Why did the speaker consider starting a coffee business during the pandemic?

The speaker wanted a backup plan in case they got laid off or faced other disruptions to their work due to the pandemic.

What was the speaker's background that helped in starting the coffee business?

The speaker had a background in Marketing from college, which they were able to apply in the coffee business.

What were some of the initial challenges faced by the speaker in running the coffee business?

Some initial challenges included identifying the target market, discouraging feedback from people, and logistical issues like coffee being stolen and car problems.

How did the speaker overcome the challenge of marketing the coffee business?

The speaker started posting on Facebook and sharing with friends, which helped people to love the coffee and know more about the brand.

What was the first physical presence of the coffee business?

The first physical presence of the coffee business was a small kiosk set up below their condominium.

How many branches did the coffee business expand to by the end of 2021?

By the end of 2021, the coffee business had expanded to 15 branches.

What were the speaker's best-selling coffee products?

The best-selling coffee products were the Vietnamese style and Spanish latte.

What is the speaker's advice for those wanting to start a business during the pandemic?

The speaker advises starting online, as people are on the web daily, and to invest in oneself and knowledge to make the business a success.

How can people share their inspiring stories similar to the speaker's?

People can share their inspiring stories by emailing them at [email protected].