The tourism industry is one of the hardest hit sectors by the pandemic, as travel and tourism activities during the early months of the quarantine were limited. Moreso, this coincided with the peak summer season where tourists usually flock to destinations to cool off and unwind with their friends and families, resulting in tourism businesses including SMEs to struggle and bow to the loss of income and revenue.
Fortunately, more and more places in the country are now gradually opening to accept tourists and many SMEs are preparing to start their operations again. In support of the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) efforts to boost local travel, Globe myBusiness celebrates tourism businesses that are hard at work in preparing their establishments for safe, leveled-up and recreated tourism experiences with the launch of Business Diaries.
Business Diaries features pioneering Filipino boutique hotel brand, The Henry Hotel, and its owner and “inn-keeper” Hanky Lee as he shares his inspirations and approach in running his properties, and how technology plays a role in every successful business. Through this, SMEs can be inspired by how The Henry Hotel strives to keep up with the times to ensure a safe and like-no-other experience for their guests.
“The Henry is more than a hotel. It stands for certain values: Filipino values, a Western mind, a Latin heart, and an Asian soul. We are innovative, passionate, and honest in doing our part in making local travel safe and responsible. Through Business Diaries, I hope to impart valuable insights that other business owners can also apply on their own ventures as they strive to rebuild,” said Hanky Lee.
Other tourism business owners will also get the chance to share their own versions of their Business Diaries via Facebook and Instagram story templates, which will be available soon on Globe myBusiness’ social media accounts.
“Globe myBusiness has launched the Business Diaries to educate tourism business owners on the best practices to adapt in the new normal and inspire them to thrive in these changing times,” said Maridol Ylanan, Strategy and Marketing Head for Globe myBusiness. “Together with our products and services, we aim to help them recreate travel experiences by providing best-in-class connectivity and digital solutions to address the evolving traveler needs.”
Follow Globe myBusiness on Facebook or check out Globe myBusiness on YouTube to watch Business Diaries featuring The Henry Hotel.
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For more information, please contact:
Yoly C. Crisanto
Head, Corporate Communications
Globe Telecom, Inc.
Email Address: gtcorpcomm@globe.com.phGlobe Press Room: www.globe.com.ph/press-room
Last September 28, Globe myBusiness in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the local government of Muntinlupa launched Globe myBusiness Academy Muntinlupa at Alabang Town Center. They brought in esteemed speakers to talk about starting, managing and building a business from the ground up, and featured the many digital tools and solutions Globe myBusiness has to offer to entrepreneurs.
The event featured motivational speaker Chinkee Tan, various business owners and veteran entrepreneurs. Check out these top insights we picked up from the many inspiring talks:
“People resist change because of two things: routine, and fear [of failure],” Chinkee Tan said. He stated that changing your mindset is one of the best things you can do if you want to achieve success. He added that, “Things that brought us to where we are today may not bring us to where we want to be tomorrow [and you should] use failure as a stepping stone to what you want in life.”
Paco Magsaysay’s retelling of his story with Carmen’s Best proved how much love and devotion he gave to the business, and how his high standards have paid off. He proudly stated that what makes his ice cream unique are the best ingredients, which are chosen based on taste and not profit margin. He also made sure that each step of the ice cream-making process is done without compromising taste and quality.
He adopted this mindset in everything else he does. As he said, “It’s so difficult to start a business. You need to be all-in.”
Ginger Arboleda of Manila Workshops and Taxumo gave some inspirational tips for finding your passion and purpose in life. She took a cue from the Japanese concept of ikigai, which is a combination of what you love, what you’re good at, what you can be paid for, and what the world needs. Finding the one thing that connects all four concepts is, according to Ginger, your one true calling in life.
Few tips are as relevant in today’s world as the need to go digital. Whatever industry you’re in, whatever business you choose to put up, there’s a chance to be more digitally-savvy in it. Whether it’s through online marketing, using technology in your daily operations, or improving your customers’ experience through the Internet, you’ll find a way to empower your business that isn’t too expensive and is ultimately worth it.
As Cobena’s Rezza Custodio-Soriano mentioned in her talk, “[A] digital transformation is not expecting you, as an SME, to spend so much. […] Choosing to go digital makes things go faster, better, easier and simpler for you.”
AdSpark’s Joey Flores discussed the importance of online marketing in any kind of business, and positioned it as one of the most crucial parts of reaching out to your customers. He mentioned that, “Digital marketing is so important because everyone is online. […] It’s all about awareness. You want to get your product out there, and digital advertising can really help with that.”
He called digital marketing a great equalizer, adding that, “As long as you know your target market, you get an equal chance to reach people as bigger companies out there do.”
Eugene Arboleda of Taxumo gave his top tips for having a great website for your business. He started with identifying what your website’s purpose is. While it’s possible for your website to do everything, you may end up spreading your resources too thin. So, as Eugene said, “Choose one job, and have your website be really good at that one job.”
He also encouraged businesses to use search engine optimization, so that their websites come first when their services are being searched for on engines like Google. For businesses that want to sell online, there are also partner sites like Shopify and MyWebsite which allow you to create a website that doubles as a marketplace for your products. Finally, for all kinds of sites, make sure to check the metrics and analytics that correspond to the purpose of your website, so you know if it’s really doing what it’s supposed to.
Globe myBusiness Academy Muntinlupa was a rousing success, with many current and potential entrepreneurs in the south of Metro Manila learning essential tips and gaining new insights on how to successfully start, run, and manage a business. Throughout the day-long session, they were also treated to special prizes and giveaways care of Globe myBusiness, as well as an inside look at the many Globe myBusiness Academy products they can apply to their businesses.
If you missed Globe myBusiness Academy Muntinlupa, there’s no need to worry. We’ve got more coming in store for you. Sign up to Globe myBusiness Academy today to learn more about upcoming Globe myBusiness Academy sessions and workshops!
Many Filipino entrepreneurs refer to the month of August as the “ghost month” — a time many believe to be filled with bad luck and misfortune. This idea stemmed from Chinese traditions, which mark the 7th month of the Chinese calendar (which usually falls on August) as a time when hungry spirits roam the Earth to make their presence known to the living.
During this month, many businessmen avoid investing in the stock market, signing deals with partners, and engaging in other risky activities that may affect their ventures. Some of them even credit their prudence during this time for the success of their businesses.
Whether or not you believe the idea of a ghost month, there’s a lot to pick up from entrepreneurs who live by the concept, such as how you can avoid potential losses in times of risk and how you can overcome challenges that come to your business.
If you’re looking for a way that’s guaranteed to bring you gains despite ghost month, check out these tips that will help you turn this August into a launch pad for your success:
Whatever industry you’re in, there’s a process that your business follows to make sure that your operations run smoothly. Ghost month might just be the time to check on them.
Every now and then, checking on your operations helps you assess how well your step-by-step system works and whether it’s actually delivering results for your business.
Taking the time to evaluate your processes gives you a chance to adjust and align your actions to your goals. This helps you optimize and make sure that you are using your resources efficiently for maximum benefit.
It’s easy to overlook the importance of communicating with your employees. However, it is necessary to constantly speak with them to know what drives them to work and how you can better motivate them.
For big companies, sitting down with employees one by one can be a long and arduous process. But for SMEs, it’s as easy as having a candid face-to-face conversation during break time or even over lunch.
Speaking to your employees makes them feel important and hearing them out projects the image that you value their insights. Doing so not only increases your rapport, but it also empowers your employees.
Once you’re done checking on your processes and speaking with your employees, you’ll have a basic idea of how your business is doing. This gives you a headstart on planning and strategizing for the future.
Time is a luxury in business, but luckily ghost month usually comes in the middle of the year. This gives you ample time to work your way through the challenges your business faced so far and adjust promptly to meet your overall goals for the year.
Look at your data and see what values are important to you. Check the processes that affect those values and know the people working in that facet of the business. From there, see how you can improve things, then plan, strategize, and commit to your objectives.
Learning is a never-ending process and it doesn’t stop even during ghost month. As a business owner, it is important for you to constantly gain new knowledge and skill.
There are a lot of seminars, conferences, and workshops that you can attend that will help you gain new insight on how to be a better entrepreneur and what tools you can use to innovate your business.
If you’re looking for events to aid you in improving your operations, marketing, or people management, there’s a Globe Business event that will surely help you get the knowledge and skills you need.
We would also like to invite you to join Globe Business Upstart, a Loyalty Program for MSMEs who rise up to today’s seemingly insurmountable challenges.
With Globe Business Upstart’s digital leadership, business enablement, and exclusive partnership pillars, we continue to strengthen our partnership by helping you realize your digital transformation journey, no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for Globe Business Upstart here.
Using technology for your business is a necessity in today’s fast-paced world. Not only does it help businesses keep up with competition, it also presents an advantage against competitors who may not be as advanced technology wise.
There are a lot of business solutions that can help you improve each individual part of your business. Still, many entrepreneurs are looking for tools that help them improve various parts of the business, all at the same time.
A productivity tool like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace is one way to keep your team and business efficient, even if working remotely or at the office. Collaborate in real-time, use tools to connect and gather data from customers, and more. You also get to store your files safely on the cloud, which helps your business access them with ease whether through computers, tablets, or mobile phones. Learn about these solutions here.
Don’t let this ghost month scare you away from finding the way to success. Think of it as a time to prepare for a brighter future for your business. With the steps we’ve listed above, you’re sure to come ready for the entrepreneurial success that you’re meant to achieve!
HELPFUL PRODUCT INFORMATION:
Get Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for your business! For only PHP125 per Microsoft Basic license, you get a suite of productivity tools that will help your business keep up with changing times, no matter the month. Sign up here.
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