Thursday, March 24, 2011

Day 29: Proposal Submitted

Aside from submitting a soft copy of our proposal to Mr. C. and Ms. S., Nee and I felt it's imperative to personally give them a hard copy, so that they at least have an idea of who we are. Constant exposure to something breeds familiarity, hence we plan to drop by and see them regularly to check up on our proposal's progress in the hopes of speeding up the process. This is where it gets tricky since the last thing we went is for them to get irritated at us - have to practice being very amiable and charming!

Ms. S. tells us that our idea might be difficult to execute due to safety, sanitary, and other issues. Not to be deterred by this, Nee and I thought up possible solutions to potential problems, which we included to our now revised business proposal and which we emailed to Ms. S. So far, no word from her yet...

Things are going to be a bit difficult from this phase of our planning onwards. May luck be on our side.

Day 27 + 28: Food Trial 5 + 6

Nee and I put on our chef's hat and were tasked to help out make burrito for two birthday boy's party. Party one was a surprise and we felt a bit of pressure to do a good job since it's our first time to cook for a large number of people. Party two was for someone who's currently working abroad but is back at home for a short vacation. Although we also felt strained, a real chef was present to delegate and preside over us, which made our lives easier.

We're feel that after these two experiences, we're getting the hang of cooking for a bigger bunch of people and our menu is slowly shaping up. Now we think it's time to concentrate more on acquiring the necessary licenses and permits.

On a side note, a chef's job is actually very tiring! To be standing the whole day cooking, chopping, dicing, mixing... it's no wonder after each of the party, I slept so well!

Day 26: Food Trial 4


Nee and I tried a new recipe for our menu. Being amateur cooks, we almost burnt the meat!!! We didn’t know that when simmering, you only need to use low heat. So instead we turned up the heat, blissfully unaware of the disaster we’re about to be in. 

Manang S., who has been in Nee’s housefold since she was a babe, left us with kind words of wisdom after hearing wails of despair and seeing our poor excuse of a dish  – CHARGE IT TO EXPERIENCE. Couldn’t have said it better.

Salamat Manang S.! You're a STAR!

Day 25: Food Trial 3

It all started out wrong - sugar instead of salt. Overheated a vital part of the food. Completely omitted one of the sauces. Worst, the people who (unknowingly) were our first guinea pigs had to wait for an hour longer than as planned for the food.

Then a miracle happen. It was the BEST ---- they're ever tasted! Totally took us by surprise. Today's definitely one for the books. What a perfect end to a very fun-filled, messy and rewarding day.

Hope you guys also had an awesome Monday!

Day 24: Business Proposal

Have to submit a Business Proposal to 3 different sets of people before we can head to the Barangay to apply for a clearance, so spent the afternoon composing one. It's tricky to write a good BP - it has to be succinct, persuasive and informative. I reckon the person in charge would only spare a few minute's time reading over it. If it fails to capture his interest, then goodbye to us. (Though Nee and I have a Plan B, i.e. pakapalan ng mukha)

No one ever said starting a business is easy.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Day 23: Licenses and permits

Started poking around to ask information on business license and permits. See, dear readers, our food concept is a bit complicated and unique, and much as I want to spill the beans on what exactly our venture is all about, I can't. All I can say is there's nothing exactly like it in the Philippines. There's something a bit similar, but what we want to introduce is something on a grander scale and more polished.

So you can imagine that we'll have our work cut out for us. We'll have to submit a substantial, convincing and attractive Business Proposal. Hmm... if we're successful and decide to expand in the future, it might be possible that the government will be forced to pass a law that deals with our venture... That is only if our business takes off.

I wanna be a billionaire so frickin bad, buy all of the things that I've never had. I wanna be on the cover of Forbes magazine, smiling next to Oprah and the Queen... hey it's free to dream big, right?

Reach for the star!

Day 22: Food Trial 2

We made quite a mess at Nee's kitchen today. Had our food trial 2 and we're both very pleased with the result. We couldn't stop tasting the sauce, so much so that I had to make another batch because we quickly ran out even before the dishes are ready. Some of Nee's mom's friends sampled the food and they loved it. One of the moms even asked us to prepare the food for a party she's hosting next week. Oh yan, may side line na kami. 

Big shout out to Nee's mom. She's the one who did all the grocery and palengke shopping this morning! Thank you!

Day 21: Business Meeting 2

Business Meeting 2 = alarm bells ringing

Discovered some disconcerting news today during our second business meeting. Can't get into too much detail about what it is. Only thing I can say is that WE HAVE TO SPEED THINGS UP, or else the the venture will lose its edge.

FULL STEAM AHEAD!

Day 20: Philippine Food Expo 2011

Nee and I dutifully did our rounds at the 10th Philippine Food Expo (http://www.philippinefoodexpo.com/), held once again at the World Trade Center. We first attended the seminar on Intellectual Property Rights, which was conducted by Mr. Marlo Carag of the IPO. Such a funny and engaging speaker! Not only did Nee and I had a more thorough understanding of the different categories of IPR, but we heard some interesting trivia. For instance, did you know that San Miguel Corp couldn't get Ginebra (the beverage company) trademarked? Which is why one doesn't see the word Genebra, but GSM instead, in their recent ads, since the latter is its rightful, official, legal name.

Afterward we went to check out the exhibitors. Lo and behold, we found the solution to our beverage problem!

Friday, February 18, 2011

Day 18 + 19: Not really Competition + 2011 Bakery Fair

Day 18: Had a quick lunch at Eastwood to check out a place recommended to Nee. Not really our competition but it has a similar concept. Quite good - tasty and flavorful. Would definitely suit our market. Nee can't help but feel that their concept was 'borrowed' by a successful venture in L.A. Don't they say imitation is the greatest form of flattery? Teehee...

Day 19: As Nee is away frolicking in some part of Asia, I enlisted the company of my cousin to attend the 2011 Bakery Fair (http://www.bakeryfair.org/2011/) held at the World Trade Center. Mainly I wanted to check out the Food Safety seminar (thanks for the tip Ms. D!). Felt a bit overwhelmed by the number of exhibitors but merrily went home with a bag full of brochures for prospective suppliers ranging from kitchen equipment to printing companies. These will definitely come in handy as we further delve into the Planning phase.

Nee don't forget to bring home pasalubong for meeee!!!
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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Day 17: Business Meeting 1 + Competition 4

Had our first business meeting today. Found the company who will be a vital part in helping us execute our concept on Entrepreneur magazine. Went back and forth around Edsa trying to locate the place until finally we called them and found out that the address on the magazine was different from where they're located! Was a bit irked–gasoline doesn't come cheap!!!

We were very pleased with how the meeting went. Have a much better idea of our timeline and how much capital we would need. As with most start up ventures, we would probably have to loan from our parents, which at first glance would seem embarrassing to do but it's the most realistic thing at the moment. After all we were blessed with hardworking parents who can leverage us so why not make the most of this opportunity? Maraming salamat aming minamahal na itay at inay.

After this meeting, things just seem more tangible. It's unavoidable to lose motivation along the way but events such as today help propel us to go on and not give up.

The 'competition' we tried for dinner was good! Better than the previous 3. Getting closer to creating the perfect recipe.

Good night xxx

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Day 16: Competition 3 + Happy Valentines!

Left early today and headed out to Angeles City to assess our third competitor. Heard a lot of good things about this place from a couple of people, persuading us to take a three hour drive to this establishment on Valentines day. Nee and I thanked our lucky stars that it was V-day today since it's normally closed on a Monday.

Food was alright but felt it was too authentic for commercial taste.

Margarita for drinks



On our way back home, we noticed lots of foreigners in Angeles City. Specifically old white males hanging around at a seedy bar/club strip with much younger Filipina companions. Oh Manila, you could do so much better! This shouldn't have come as a surprise since Clark used to be a US military facility. Still, it stupefied us a bit as there's nothing much happening around the area though we've yet to explore the city.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Day 15: Meeting 4

Ended the week by meeting yet again another person who gave us counsel on starting up a food business in Manila. Ms. D has been in the biz for a much longer time than the other three and is very successful at what she does. Nee and I have a better sense of what we have to concentrate on after speaking to her, which is good since we felt a bit stuck as to what to do next.

Made an appointment with an accountant/runner next week to discuss legal issues and will be having an out of the city trip to a competing restaurant on Monday. Très excited!

Happy weekend!

Day 14: Meeting 3 + Trial 1

Met another good citizen of Manila, Mr. N, who enthusiastically offered words of wisdom. He and his partner just opened their first restaurant 7 months ago and it's currently doing really well because of the concept's novelty. Very nice of him to give us a free sample of his products! Am itching to promote his restaurant but sadly, no can do at this moment. I promise once we go public, will do a review of his resto.

Much later we conducted our first food trial. Of course Nee and I became our own guinea pigs. It turned out a bit bland for restaurant food standard but nonetheless, we're so happy so be progressing with our business plan. To cap the day off we watched Gossip Girl! Don't think we'll ever outgrow GG!

First food trial

Interestingly the three people we met so far have such distinct personalities. Ms. L was very patient and accommodating; Mr. N was zealous and engaging, and Mr. K was a mixture of both.

We look forward to meeting more diverse people as we progress in our venture.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Day 13: Competition 2 + Inked

Started the day by heading to S&R to note prices of ingredients. Oopppsss, much to our dismay, doing so is not allowed so we were told off. Quite a silly rule since the price is indicated on the packaging anyways.

Next surveyed another competition! Tried their food and surprisingly, Nee and I liked it. So much better than the first place we tried. Restaurant ambiance was well thought of too. Managed to get the average number of people who lunch there on weekdays and weekends. Rather sneaky of us.

Ended the afternoon by accompanying a friend who is getting a tattoo at Vice Ink, Makati branch. Got lost a bit since they moved to a different location. Clean place and friendly staff. It's located at The Collective. There wasn't a lot of people, which is unfortunate since it's a really promising concept/great potential. Maybe better marketing/PR? Tattoo didn't hurt daw but I've got a pain tolerance the level of an ant so it probably wouldn't apply to me.

Day 12: Meeting 2 + Competition 1 + Burlesque

Just like yesterday, we met up with another person, Ms. L, who offered generous advice about entering the food industry in the Philippines. Got some helpful contacts on a designer, packaging supplier, and insurance. There are still some kind people left in this world after all!

For lunch, we went to check out one of our competitors. The food was way below my expectations. Val found it alright though since she hasn't really tasted a lot of this type of food. We've asked a few people around and four out of five didn't have favorable things to say about this place. The restaurant is doing well for itself though. It's quite popular now among yuppies. Portions were sizable but I personally think the price is a bit too high for the quality and the service. Hopefully, we can provide better quality, better tasting dishes and better service.

We watched Burlesque in the evening. Had popcorn. Cheese popcorn rocks! Rotten Tomatoes gave it a thumbs down. Story wise, it's nothing new. Small town girl Annie moves to LA for better things– as she couldn’t find anyone she aspired to be . I thought that was such a meaningful line. Surprisingly, Christina Aguilera was not bad at all.  Her performance was jaw dropping. Nee said she could feel it rushing down her body. 

Day 11: Meeting 1 + Starbucks Culture

Sitting at Starbucks waiting for Nee. We have an appointment with someone who we shall call Mr. K for now, who is graciously meeting us to share his experience of starting up a business in Manila. This will be our very first meeting. Hopefully it goes well and we get some useful information.

Speaking of Starbucks, don't you think it's quite impressive what the brand has managed to achieve over the years? It has successfully established its own culture—a magnetic quality that lures people in, creating a cult following. I don't know my coffee so can't really say much but Nee tells me that it isn't that great; nevertheless, she still drinks it because she likes hanging out at Starbucks—good ambiance and music, and friendly baristas. Having a distinct brand culture seems such a simple and obvious marketing strategy but I'm dead certain it's easier said than done.

Image from here

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Day 10: Mercato Centrale

Back in Manila. Despite being MIA for the past 4 years, feels like we've never left. Same faces, same conversations, same stories. Oh girl, I've missed you.

Went to Mercato Centrale weekend market at BGC to scout for possible suppliers. Was able to get an idea of prices for organic produce. Saw some avocados and they're not the same as the one we're used to (at least for Nee). One thing we noticed while going around is that most people's first point of conversation is in English even though it's so obvious we could speak Tagalog. Feels so different compared to all the other countries we've been to. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? You decide.

Day 9: Last day in Beijing

Such an interesting last day in Beijing. Started the day by going to brandnĂĽ  near Lama Temple to donate clothes that couldn't fit our overweight luggages. Then headed on to the well awaited English brunch right next door at the Vineyard Cafe. Much to our surprise, it was close for Chinese New Year so ended up at a random Chinese restaurant.

Dinner at Nanjing Impressions. Ambiance was wonderful! Felt like we were in a Chinese period movie.



We ended the day with some last-minute packing. China we'll miss you. Thanks for all the bittersweet memories. See you in 10 years. Till then!

Friday, February 4, 2011

Day 8: Logo Design

I’m sick today because of the bloody weather so Nee spent most of the afternoon designing our logo, and I have to say it was quite a success. She used Fonstruct, which is a free online service. Check it out. I can’t show you guys our logo for now, but here’s a clue: think Barber shop.

Now, it’s Gossip Girl time. Halleluiah!

xoxo

Day 7: Frigid Weather = Lazy Day

The cold weather really makes one lazy. We decided to stay in today and work on our timeline. Discovered that March will especially be busy for us since we have to scout for suppliers, materials, and equipment and apply for permits. For the latter, we took a look at the processes and procedures and are resigned to the fact that we might have to see a lawyer. Not good. We want to keep costs at a minimum but if have to, then we have to.


Day 6: Forbidden City

Took a break from our business planning and went to the Forbidden City despite the frigid weather. It is officially known as the Palace Museum (Gugong) and was the exclusive domain of the imperial court and dignitaries until the abdication in 1912.








Day 5: Panjiayuan Antiques Market

Went to Panjiayuan Antiques Market, where my friend and I ended up buying some really cool paintings. It was freezing, no kidding. Our fingers and toes went numb and I now have a little understanding of what it’s like to freeze to death. This week’s meant to be the coldest time of the year in Beijing.

Bought this magnificent painting!
Although eighty percent of what is sold here is fake, it’s still a great place to shop for gifts and knickknacks. I stumbled across a really pretty, hardbound Alice in Wonderland storybook, with the title engraved in pink and black. It would have been an excellent gift for a curious little lady. I regret not buying it!

Day 4: Writing the Business Plan + Tron

Spent the afternoon at Costa Coffee in Zhongguancun writing our Business Plan. It’s giving us a headache and me a migraine, given my astigmatism. Took us a while to realize that we’re spending so much time writing up one section over and over again. We need to plan better and focus more on financials, as well as draw up a timeline to give ourselves deadlines.

Later in the day, we went to see Tron in 3D. The cinema’s alright, but I didn’t particularly like the 3D glasses. It was a bit heavy and made the movie screen too dark. As for the movie, it’s good entertainment but I don’t think I’ll remember much of it after a few month’s time. 

Day 3: Inner Mongolia

Headed to Starbucks located just around the corner from where we lived to continue with our prototype. We live FAR from everywhere else in Beijng, so much so that one magazine described traveling to our district as trekking all the way to Inner Mongolia. I have to agree. Nee, 2 other friends and I went to Inner Mongolia last National Holiday and we were on the bus for almost 14 hours! It was such an unforgettable trip. One memory that stood out is when we were horseback riding – Nee broke her finger as she had a stubborn horse, my friend’s face swelled up with allergies, and my other friend’s finger started bleeding from grasping the rope too hard.

Whether in Inner Mongolia or Manila, we'll always take the road less travelled.


Day 2: Naming the Blog

We’ve decided to name our blog 365 Days of Avocado to chronicle a year's pursuit of realizing our dream. "Avocado" is an allusion to the nature of our venture, which will remain a mystery for now. 

Spending the afternoon at Bridge CafĂ©, a popular hang out place for students, both foreigners and locals alike, to draw up a layout for our business concept. Aside from being an ideal place to have a cuppa, it's also good for people watching.




Browsing through different websites for inspiration raises many questions! Measurements, proportions, ratios, color, equipment, specs, space planning, etc... Ayayay... It’s our first business venture and we’ve no experience whatsoever.  None, nada, nil. To top it off, we’re recent grads and this will be our first voyage into the real world. Mistakes will definitely be made and it’s gonna be a steep learning curve but hopefully, Nee and I won’t be sprouting grey hair anytime soon.

Day 1: Start of Something New

Hello everyone, welcome to our blog. Our story starts right here, right now –

Nee and I have known each other for almost 6 years but our paths have crossed even back when we were 5 years old, but that’s another story to tell. Towards the end of her university, she came up with a food concept while living in New York and LA. It is only now that the time is ripe to launch the idea in Manila.

We decided to put up this blog to create a momento of what is going to be a challenging, sleepless, exciting and crazy journey. Today we’ve started writing up our business plan from our soon to be ex-flat in Beijing and have discovered so many loopholes.  It’s gonna be a looongggg day. Nevertheless, I’m ready, Nee’s ready, we’re both ready. BRING IT ON!


This is Val, signing out.