Tags: Entrepreneurship
By Alexander Villafania
PASAY CITY, METRO MANILA – Apparently so, since a large portion of businesses in the country are now owned or spearheaded by women entrepreneurs. Plus women are touted to better at managing finances.
According to the website International Entrepreneurship, just a little over 50 percent of all business in the Philippines are owned or maintained by women. WomenEntrepreneurship.org, a website by GE Money Bank, also states that nearly 60 percent of businesses in the Philippines are led by women.
All the more suprising are global studies showing that women are very cautious with their money and would think of long-term, rather than short-term investments, which they find riskier and liken to gambling.
During the recent Go Negosyo a public forum,titled “Babae, Tagumpay Ka Ng Bayan” event, several women entrepreneurs said they faced more social challenges as their family members, husbands and partners don’t always see the need for them to look for ways to earn their own money.
In some cases, when the women do get a chance to work or start a small company, it is always with some predisposed notion that it would only be for short term revenues.
Renowned economist Solita “Winnie” Monsod, who was present during the opening ceremonies, told people that women are just as capable as men in starting a business.
She also stressed that women are less prone to suffering from taking risks in business due to their natural reluctance to get into an unproven venture. Women also tend to think long-term when making investments, she noted.
And age has nothing to do with being a good businesswoman. Just ask Julie Gandioco, owner of the Julie’s Bakeshop franchise, who started her business when she was already past her golden years.
“I only did it to augment my husband’s income. I only wished for one shop. That was until i saw an opportunity that i opened a second. Now i have about 500 shops.”
Esther Vibal, president of Vibal Publishing, said that women can support their partners especially when it comes to looking for business opportunities. She herself joined her husband’s publishing business, intially called Insurance and Finance Publishing. The business grew and it is one of the biggest publishers of school textbooks in the Philippines.
It was a different story for Linda Legaspi, head of marketing and exhibit firm Marylindbert International. She said that it was difficult for her parents to understand that she did not want to take over the family business and instead wanted to move on her own. Despite her parents’ reluctance, she was given their blessing and started her own business, using nothing but her own savings.
“I also wanted to grow as a person. This is something that I cherish and I want all women to realize that they can be successful in their own endeavors if they believed so.”
So yes, maybe it’s true that women are good entrepreneurs. If you don’t think so, try asking your mom who’s juggling the family budget in order to pay for utility bills, groceries, and your little brother’s tution.
Advertising Agribusiness Airline Industry Aquaculture Automobiles Banking Car Accessories Consumer Electronics Consumer Goods and Concerns Cottage Industries Entrepreneurship Filipinos Abroad Food Establishments Groceries and Shopping Centers Handicrafts Hardware Solutions Horticulture Internet Livelihood Programs Malls Mass Media and Communications Mobile Phone Industry OFWs Outsourcing Real Estate Software Solutions Technology Industry Telecommunications Tourism Transportation Vermiculture Wholesale and Retail
WP Cumulus Flash tag cloud by Roy Tanck and Luke Morton requires Flash Player 9 or better.
