These successful entrepreneurs also struggled when they were starting out
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Today's successful entrepreneurs weren't spared from struggles. Find out what challenges they faced and how they were able to overcome these problems, and how you can, too.
Putting up a business is no easy feat, especially with so much competition nowadays. Hard work is required in every step, from figuring out the type of business and target market to getting the right people to work with and promoting your brand. Regardless of the product, you sell or service you provide, the struggle is very real in the early stages of your journey.
Today's successful entrepreneurs weren't spared from these struggles. Find out what challenges they faced and how they were able to overcome these problems, and how you can, too.
Kris Bernal
For Kapuso actress Kris Bernal, who owns the Korean restaurant House of Gogi and the lipstick line SHE Cosmetics, time management was a challenge.
Kris Bernal sheds tears of joy during the launch of her lipstick line
"The hardest part for me is juggling the schedule because I have so much responsibilities, not just as an actress but also as a daughter and as an individual. Of course, I have responsibilities and I am handling two businesses. I was really struggling with managing my time."
Kris decided to schedule her appointments and meetings by writing them down. "I was able to appreciate writing down my schedule. Now I am able to schedule my duties one week in advance. So if there's a business meeting plotted in my calendar, it can't be changed anymore. Because if I change it, I will have a hard time putting everything in order again."
Mirra Reyes
Providing a platform to make public transport better and more efficient was Biyaheroes' ultimate goal, and in three years, it has become the go-to website for booking bus and ferry tickets. But according to its PR chieftain and co-founder Mirra Reyes, it wasn't an easy ride.
"It was hard to gain the trust of our customers and transport partners at first. Offering an online booking service for commutes was challenging during the beginning because it was a new concept for everyone, and money is involved for the transactions," she shares.
She continued, "We were able to overcome this challenge by delivering the service that we offer and by interacting with both our customers and bus/boat partners. We listen and improve our services constantly. From just one transport partner when we started, we are now at 24 in just three years.
"More and more customers are booking with us as well and we have a high retention rate of previous customers who book with us again."
Angel Juarez
"There's more struggle now compared to when I was just starting because there is more competition," shares Angel Juarez, the man behind the travel blog The Lakwatsero, in an exclusive interview with GMANetwork.com during the launch of Merrell's newest collection in Agimat Foraging Bar and Kitchen.
"I was writing because I like to write, so I didn't feel the struggle then. I wasn't thinking of any returns. Now, there are a lot of really good and hardworking bloggers, so you need to maintain your presence, the momentum of your blog in order to survive."
Angel admits that being one of the pioneers in travel blogging has helped him earn the trust of brands, which allowed him to maintain the website.
"I was able to establish the name, the Lakwatsero brand. It's actually the brands that approach me, offering me partnerships. I also added Google ads and Agoda links, so I am able to earn from it, enough to maintain the blog and my lifestyle."
Guido Sarreal
Even if your business stemmed from a passion, it doesn't mean that you won't go through some challenges. According to Guido Sarreal, one of the managing partners of outdoor adventure tour provider Trail Adventours, it was hard to convince people that mountaineering is safe as they are still averse about it.
Talking exclusively to GMANetwork.com during the #MerrellLetsGetaway event in Makati City last March 14, he shares, "Before, people thought that mountain climbing is not safe, that you might fall to your death. That was one big struggle, communicating that mountaineering is good, it can be very safe, it can be enjoyable.
"Second, the concept of our business was new then. The traditional way of mountaineering in the Philippines before requires you to be part of a mountaineering group, you have to pass a test run, take basic mountaineering course. What we offer do not require any of these, and it raised a few eyebrows. For other people, hiking is exclusive, and we made it available to everyone because for me, mountaineering is one of the most democratic sports."
Now on its ninth year, Trail Adventours has brought around 10,000 people to the mountains. It organizes four to six hikes every weekend, a far cry from just two hikes a month in 2010.
