The Southville International School and Colleges’ (SISC) College of Communication and Multimedia Arts recently staged a webinar called E-Biz as the New Norm for Aspiring Entrepreneurs to help out young people who want to pursue their passion and start  their own business while continuing their studies.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has made a big impact on the financial situation of many families and caused undergraduates to think of ways to earn money while staying at home. The webinar, organized by the Integrated Marketing class, featured young and vibrant entrepreneurs who gave tips and ideas on how to make an online business succeed based on their experiences.

Kayla Loberiza, a SISC  AB Communication graduate and co-owner of Kaijo Art and Accessories and Ms. Kimbap, shared the importance of knowing what product to sell, how much capital is needed, who is the competition, having a good marketing strategy and tagline, knowing the customers, and coming up with the right costing.

When the pandemic affected her accessories business, Loberiza and her partner transitioned to selling Korean delicacies to adapt to the new normal. “Don’t ever say ‘bahala na’ or ‘pwede na yan’,” she told her audience. “Be proud that you’re an online seller because you are earning.” 

The next speaker was Ayn Bernos, a YouTube vlogger and founder of Morena the Label and Ideologie Studio. She stressed the value of having a strong social media presence which she did with her e-business offering traditional and print-on-demand merchandise. 

Bernos also discussed task batching which is having an everyday routine to manage time efficiently. “This is the best time to start a business because the Internet is a great equalizer and social media is absolutely free,” she advised the aspiring entrepreneurs. “If you’re creative enough and do enough research, all the resources you need are right in front of you on the computer. All you have to do is develop confidence and start your own business.”

Lastly, Eunice and Jam Zulueta of 360 Degrees encouraged the participants to think outside the box, to never limit themselves, and to use their potential to come up with something better as their business.The sisters’ online food business had been featured in online metroguides like When In Manila, Click the City and Tara Sa South, and patronized by celebrities like Sarah Lahbati and Rajo Laurel.

“Start now as you’re just one decision away from your breakthrough,” the Zuluetas informed the audience. “Start reading, listen to podcasts, have a mentor if you must, and if the idea is working, go for it!” 

The in-depth and relatable insights the successful online business owners shared were really appreciated by the young, aspiring entrepreneurs. After the event, the participants messaged that they learned a lot from the event and hoped there will be similar webinars coming soon.–