Business Ingenuity in Times of Uncertainty

Small businesses that blossomed during the quarantine

by Althea Kalalo / July 21, 2020

Businesses, both big and small, are currently at a crossroad. With the ongoing health crisis due to COVID-19, they have to decide on what’s next for them in this new normal. While there are businesses that were forced to close up shop due to the pandemic, there are also those that thrived and showed their resilience. True to the spirit of Filipino ingenuity, some businesses were even bold enough to take a leap of faith and start their business during the quarantine period.

Looking for a sign to pursue your dream business or start that passion project you’ve been itching to do? Well, here it is. Take it from these three businesses and their stories of how they made their ideas come to life, even in these uncertain times:

Anemones PH
Dreaming of a bohemian home that’s warm and cozy? Then Anemones PH’s products are perfect for you. This brand is all about hand-made macramé home decor – from functional plant hangers to stylish mirrors and wall decor. The brand launched two weeks into June, and is a product of the combined efforts of Irish Apacible and Kim Espina.

“Starting the macramé business has always been a plan of ours. Kim started creating macramé decorations last December 2019 and thought that these decorations should be shared with others,” said Irish.

Irish and Kim both have full time jobs, and usually work on their creations after office hours. They admit that the thought of opening their shop in the middle of the quarantine period was daunting, but they decided to push through once they found a courier that could ship products around and outside Metro Manila.

“The start wasn’t easy. It was hard getting supplies for the macramé and finding shipping due to the quarantine limitations, but the good feedback we received from our clients is what pushed us to continue our business amid the crisis.” said Kim.

For both Irish and Kim, the best thing about running their business is seeing their handmade items in someone else’s home. They get a sense of fulfillment knowing that a piece of their heart is in countless homes across the county. Their shared passion for art and creating macramé decorations has opened doors for them, and they strive to keep making their customers happy and delivering high quality products even after the pandemic is over.

Biggest lesson Anemones PH has learned: “Patience really is a virtue, especially because you must be very patient when creating these decorations.”

A tip for aspiring entrepreneurs: “If you want to start your business right now, do it. It might be challenging, but it is worth it.”

The Daily Knead
Many have found comfort in creating delicious treats during this quarantine, and that’s exactly how The Daily Knead started. Owner Francesca Herring wanted to make healthy bread for her family, and soon fell in love with the rhythm of baking again. She started giving out bread to neighbors and friends as well, and got great feedback on her baked goods.

“My husband then said that I should start selling what I made. I took the leap, albeit with a lot of fear and hesitation, and here we are today selling bread, sweet treats, and pantry staples.  It all started from a simple desire to keep creating in the kitchen, and providing wholesome bread to our nearest and dearest,” said Francesca.

Being a mother of three who works for the family company and runs a micro bakery, Francesca put emphasis on how important teamwork is for the business to thrive. She asked for help from those closest to her, both literally and figuratively, and it resulted in a team that works cohesively and tirelessly despite the challenges they have faced. The team’s continuous efforts are essential in achieving what Francesca considers as the Daily Knead’s biggest win.

“Our biggest win would have to be the ability to be able to connect with our clients despite the physical distance, and not having a shop front. Our clients have been absolutely spectacular as they take the time to write about us, spread the word about us, and give us their honest opinions,” she shared.

Francesca has big plans for the Daily Knead, and is excited to move the business into its very own micro bakery commissary – where she will be able to accommodate even more clients and make their days better with her fresh and delectable treats.

Biggest lesson The Daily Knead has learned: “No man is an island, so accept that you may need help from other people. Together is always better!”

A tip for aspiring entrepreneurs: “Start small, and be open to feedback from everyone; the good, the bad, and the ugly. Grow from each and every obstacle you may face, and continue to love what you do. Stay true to why you started in the first place.”

PLAYHOME PH
If you love customized pieces that will fit perfectly in your home, then PLAYHOME PH is right up your alley. This passion project turned business specializes in infusing their products – trays, coasters, and tables, to name a few – with resin art, creating elegant and eye-catching pieces. PLAYHOME PH came to life through the efforts of Lien Dimzon and some of her friends in the live events industry.

Because their industry was one of the hardest-hit in the country, they used the time they had to tap into their creativity and discover a new passion during the quarantine period. After countless trials, they found a way to make a sustainable business while doing something all of them love.

“PLAYHOME PH started as an avenue for us to hone our creativity, an idea of expression, and a release. Having said that, we went into creating our products without any expectations, and we were so surprised with the overwhelming response we got!” shared Lien. “Just recently, we were featured by Entrepinoy and was ranked as the number one business in their roster. This, and the positive reviews we’ve received, is proof of how our vision of creating pieces that will make different spaces feel like home is coming to life.”

Biggest lesson PLAYHOME PH has learned: “We learned about the value of time. While we cannot influence the flow of time, we can make the most out of it.”

A tip for aspiring entrepreneurs: “Don’t be scared to fail. In fact, fail as many times as you can, and you’ll get to where you want to be. You will eventually win.”

Anemones PH, The Daily Knead, and PLAYHOME PH are proof that anyone can achieve great things even in difficult times. They also prove that getting in touch with yourself is the key to discovering what passions you can cultivate and explore. With everything that is going on in the world, all of these business owners are hopeful that each and every business will have better days through the power of kindness, prayers, and the Filipino spirit of Bayanihan.