EARN EXTRA MONEY: BINGO-ON-WHEELS

There is a stretch of Ortigas Avenue Extension from Taytay, Rizal to the corner of Ortigas Ave and E. Rodriguez Ave. (east of Manila) that is notorious for its turtle-like traffic. It is so slow that even a turtle will fall asleep. That's how bad it is.

A jeepney driver has found a novel idea of killing time and at the same time maybe earn some money---PLAY BINGO.

Jeepneys are used in Manila for short trips and travelling on side streets of Manila and they carry up to 23 passengers.

While waiting for traffic to move, the jeepney driver distributes Bingo cards among the passengers who want to play. There is a plastic shaker where all the bingo tiles are shaken and a tile a time is pulled-out. After calling the tile letter/number, the called tile is then placed on another container to verify any winners. There is another container where the bets are placed.

When somebody shouts "BINGO!!!", his card is verified against the container containing the called tiles. If it is a good bingo, WINNER TAKES ALL!!!!

Teaching an Old Dog (that would be ME) New Tricks: Starting to Learn How to Import

In advance of trip to Ho Chi MInh City with a dear friend, I am trying to learn something about Importation and am now getting a headache.

For the same item, tariff (that's duties, I think) is different if male or female.

When I called my friend at TNT Express,

1. There are many sizes of Balikbayan box but the standard is 30in x 30in 30in;

2. I need to get the Harmonised Tariff System (HTS) code to determine the tariff that will apply to the item I am importing;

3. For air, weight and volume matters as airlines charges the higher of the two, and so many more things to find out.

Maybe will just run to the nearest Fedex or DHL office but then again, are they not the most expensive shippers? How about consolidators shipping balikbayan boxes?

Today My PCSO Lotto Outlet is Now 2 Years Old!!!!

Today, OUR LOTTO OUTLET IS NOW 2 YEARS OLD.

We have faced many challenges but as we start our New 2nd Year, we look at it with High Optimism are are EXCITED TO START A NEW DAWN.

Thank you to all our VALUED CUSTOMERS AND SUKIS!!!!

Following are some pics of our HOME AWAY FROM HOME:



Our Lotto Customer was SURPRISED when after scratching just 3 PCSO Lotto scratch it cards, she won P50,000!!! Since then, she goes to my Lotto Outlet almost everyday to play the Lotto Scratch It Card!!!



My supervisor and operator took turns decorating our Lotto Ticket Trash bin with PCSO Lotto Scratch It cards which are more pleasing to look at than an ordinary trash can.



We turned our Lotto Terminal Front Windows into a Glass Billboard of PCSO Lotto Scratch It cards and it really never ceases to fascinate first-time Lotto scratch it players as they try to decide which among the 20 or so choices to pick.



STILL OUR BREAD AND BUTTER BUSINESS, WE WILL ALWAYS DO OUR BEST TO SERVE OUR PCSO LOTTO PLAYERS IN THE MOST EXCELLENT WAY WE CAN. WE OWE OUR LIVELIHOOD TO THEM. THANK YOU TO OUR SUKIS AND FIRST-TIME PLAYERS.



The Front Lotto terminal windows and top of our Lotto Outlet serves as an INFORMATION CENTER FOR EVERYTHING "LOTTO". Out Lotto customers get to know the Lotto Games Scheduled, the Jackpot amounts for all Lotto and Digit Games, the results of the EZ2 2pm and 5pm draws (very important to our Lotto custoimers who visit our Lotto outlet 3 times a day 7 days a week!!!) and more.




Official Price List of all PCSO Lotto and Digit Games




Lucky Cat watching over my Lotto Customers as she dispenses LUCK to one and all



The All-important DAILY LOTTO RESULTS to guide our lotto customers for the today's lotto games.



OUR MONTHLY SUMMARY OF LOTTO RESULTS for our Lotto aficionadoes who do their Statistical Analysis of the Winning Numbers and have been know to stare at the Monthly Summary for an hour or so before they actually play the day's lotto games.



The search for Small bills and Coins is a constant struggle every day of a Lotto Outlet's operation. We have customers who insist on paying for their P10 bet with a P1,000 bill!!!!



The PCSO EZ2 Digit game has 3 draws every day at 2pm, 5pm and 9pm. Monday to Sunday, our Lotto customers would visit us 3 times thorughout the day to play the game 3 times and to check the Lotto results twice a day!!! WE DARE NOT BE LATE IN POSTING THE 2PM AND 5PM RESULTS.



WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED OUR SHORT SHORT STORY ABOUT OUR SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF OUR LOTTO OUTLET. WE HOPE TO AROUND FOR YEARS TO COME, OUR HUMBLE SMALL BUSINESS PROVIDING LIFE TO US.

Should you wish to know How to Setup and Operate a Lotto Outlet, you can text me at 0922-8831225. See ya!

Buying a Business or Selling of Your Business: Let Me Help You - TEXT ME AT 0922-8831225 OR CALL (02)5142905 NOW!

Dear Business Owner:

If you are looking for a Buyer for your Business, let me help you by telling me:

1. What is being sold (Equipment, plant, land)

2. Is the Trademark, Brand Name, Logo and other Intellectual Properties part of the Sale?

3. What are the Liabilities and who will pay for them?

4. What are the Collectibles (Accounts Receivables) and will this be part of the Sale or you as the present owner collect them?

5. Is the Asset to be sold part of any conjugal claims or not?

6. Who are your Top 10 Best Customers and what percentage of total sales do they account for?

7. Will existing Supply Contracts with your Customers be extended to the new owners?

8. What is your Unique Value Proposition of your products?

9. What is your Company's Rank in the industry that you serve?

10. What are the credit terms and actual paying habits of your Top customers?

11. What other binding contracts and obligations is the Company a party to?

12. How many employees and management staff are there? What are their service records?

13. Is your Company unionized?

14. Do you intend to sell all your shares of stock or do you intend to maintain a minority interest?

15.. Why are you selling it??

My Debatable List of Places to Drink Coffee

1. Starbucks - A place to think of serious stuff like business ideas and posting on blogs



2. Dunkin Donut Dine-in - Enjoy good & cheap coffee on the run

3. Not Top-10 brand name coffeeshop/ Burger King - Free WIFI

4. Forgot-the-Name Coffee shop at 4th Floor Farmer's Mall - 3-In-1 coffee for P8 when am super "barat" (cheapskate)

4. Nescafe 3-In-1 Sachet while at Home - Grouchy on waking up

How Effective Is Importing Small Business Ideas from Abroad???

Tentatively, I am going to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam with a friend to look for small business concepts and products to bring to Manila or vice versa.

While the culture maybe different between Vietnam and the Philippines, there are habits of life that are similar such as modes of public transportation and food such as noodle-eating but each may have its own way of going about it.

It has been said that Filipinos are known to adopt easily foreign practices like the eating of hamburger from the Americans. The Philippines is known to be the texting capital of the world while in the US of A, my daughter said that people use the mobile phone more for making calls. Can we convince the Americans to do more texting than calling?

My Take on Small Business Foodcart Franchises That Have Stood The Test of Time

1. Donuts (Dunkin Donut, Mister Donut)



2. Hotdogs (Smokeys, Tender Juicy)



3. Siopao (Goldilocks, Henlin, Siopao Factory)



4. Hamburger ( Burger Machine, Minute Burger, Angel Hamburger)



5. Siomai (Siomai House, Master Siomai)



6. Shakes (Zagu, Fruit Magic) with some concerns

7. Ice cream scoop (Scoopery, Selecta, Milko)

Afternoon Talking with a Franchisee of a Known Food Cart Small Business

While at my regular watering hole (actually a coffee shop), I got a chance to talk to the young owner of a long-established food cart franchise and here are some of his concerns:

1. The franchisees feel that they are not being looked after well enough by the franchisor. Some concerns are late delivery of goods and pricing issues;

2. Franchisees are advised only 2 - 3 days before a price change;

3. SRPs went up but product margin and product size remain the same;

4. When they paid for the franchise which included the food cart, the franchisee still had to purchase some ancillary items such as trays and other containers from the franchisor which tend to increase the capital outlay;

5. He tried to get a second outlet at a well-known grocery chain but quit after a couple of weeks when he felt sales were so low that it was doubtful he would meet his rent;

6. Rent is now at the P30,000 plus level for a food cart and some locations are asking for a percentage of sales just like permanent tenants

Trip to DizzyLand Looking for a Small Business

Today, I went to SM North EDSA Mall to check-out Snowpy and IceBreaker Scramble and I was walking I noticed :

1. So many look-alike food carts like Potato Corner, Potato Madness or Icebreaker and the many other Scramble-clones THAT A SMALL BUSINESS ENTREPRENEUR WOULD WORRY HOW TO STAND OUT;

2. Icebreaker was not even in the foodcourt but was just off to the side on the corridor to the foodcourt and they were doing good business. NO SUBSTITUTE FOR A WELL=THOUGHT OUT PRODUCT;

3. Majority are into foods (for obvious reasons) but is that a good idea?

4. There was a cluster of 4 with Zagu and Miguelito Ice cream there. Who do you think sells more?

5. Another cluster is the service karts like Stamp Attack (rubber stamps), Foto Tipid (ID pics), Scent station etc.

6. KingCorn seems to be the only one selling corn. But what seems to sell is the corn on the cob and not so much the other products like popcorn.

7. There's Buko Joe juice and there is this stall that displays fresh coconut nuts and they break it in front of you to get the buko juice. SO, WHOSE BUKO JUICE IS FRESHER???

8. With so many lookalikes, clones and GAYA=GAYAs (copycats), IS IT WISE TO STICK TO THE MARKET LEADER (that may not necessarily be the original or first to offer that)? IS IT WORTH PAYING FOR THE MARKET LEADER'S FRANCHISE FEES OR GO FOR THE LESSER=KNOWN BUT LOWER FEES?

For the small business owner on a limited budget, he will have to take his aspirin with the headache throbbing in his head.

A Maybe Business Opportunity: Icebreaker Scramble-- King of All Scrambles

This is the King of All Scramble. Many times copied but never Topped, that is the Icebreaker Scramble.

For the new small business entrepreneur looking for a product to sell to Teens, Tweens and adults with a sweet tooth and that kinda looks classy, maybe this is the product.

They have been around for a while and many similar scramble makers have popped up.

I tried it and I liked it -- Strawberry crushed ice to a creamy flavor and price is very affordable at

P7 for the 6 oz

P10 for the 8 oz

P17 for the 12 oz (bestseller)

Additional toppings at only P4 for milk, crispies cereal etc.

Operations looks simple enough.

Problem is they do not franchise.

Business Opportunity: Snowpy Soft Ice Cream - Cheap and Fun

If your Target Market is the Lower B, C and D consumers and you are looking for a product that a C & D family of 5 can afford, Snowpy Soft Ice Cream seems to be a good choice for a small business.

Product Line and Price range are as follows:

1. Plain cone P7

2. Sugar-cone P9 (saleable)

3. Wafer with choco P10 (saleable)

4. Cup with Choco Topping P18 (saleable)

5. Cup Plain with syrup P12

Slow days are Monday to Thursday while peak is Friday to Sunday.

Can Somebody Tell Me How to Tell If a Franchise Has Staying Power or Just a Fad???

I was just at the Blue Wave Macapagal Ave area and after my lunch meeting and on the way out, I noticed that the Ice Monster big kiosk was closed. I used to remember the long lines at the Greenbelt Foodcourt and how my daughter loved the product.

Scanning the Sulit Online ads, I now see a lot of ads for Ice Scramble specifically Scramble King and ILoveScramble and there are comments about who copied who. Icebreaker Scramble it seems is the Market Leader and first Scramble franchisor with 33 branches in the Top Malls in Manila. These seem to be a variation of the scramble I saw when I was in Tarlac selling for P5 a small dixie cup but the latter was just ice and some beans and syrups.

Ice Scramble is a lot cheaper than Ice Monster. Will Ice Scramble best Ice Monster?

And how about the soft serve ice cream? There were a lot of them before at P5/cone. I seem to remember seeing this Jungle something Soft-serve at Galeria with a Gorilla-like booth and there were long lines then.Now they are gone replaced by another foodcart. Its seems its just Snowpy and Miguelito as the more prominent brands left.

My concern is how to tell if the franchise you are buying is going to last the test of time like donuts????

Who Knows How to Contact Icebreaker Scramble? NEED BADLY

I need to contact the owner of Icebreaker Scramble. Does anybody know?

Today is a Good Day: Met an Old Dear Friend. Got New Business Opportunities too.

Today is a good day as I met an old friend who also recently joined a Group of Companies that is constructing their first mall.

I have always enjoyed her husband's and her company. We all love eating. Hay forget the waistline, diet and what have you.

During our pigging-out, we also mixed business and I just love it!!! Now I have somethings to think about as in getting a new franchise as I now have a GOOD SITE.

In the end, I thank the Lord for this day as I have been feeling pretty low the past weeks. But that will be the subject of a new post in the future.

Seaman and Fiancee Interested in Setting-up Lotto Outlet

Yesterday I had the pleasure of consulting for Mr. and his fiancee Ms. J. Mr. M is a seaman but since he is on vacation, both are looking to set-up a small business and their choice is a PCSO Lotto Outlet.

They already have a site in mind and both believe in its potential. My role is in helping them assess their management capabilities and assisting them in formulating their Marketing Strategy which is especially crucial as they intend to set-up a Roadside type of Lotto outlet, meaning there will be quite a few competing Lotto outlets in the area and AND THEY NEED TO KNOW how will they grab Market Share from the others.

I wish them success in their new venture.

If you too would like to know How to Set-up and Operate Your Own Lotto Outlet, text Lotto Setup and your full name to 0922-8831225. See you.

Siomai, Donut, Fries, Waffles?? Is That All???

Except for the above three, are there any other new food cart ideas that can make money in the mall?

When I ask people what business is good to set-up, they always say "Food" and in most cases, they could be correct But I noticed a trend among malls where they do not bother to zone tenants or control tenants selling like-items so much so that tenants cannibalize each other's sales to the point that the business is no longer worth the risk.

In looking for the best location, you may have to check the UNWRITTEN POLICIES of the mall owner as to zone, competition, limits to similar-item tenants and other similar factors before signing on the Contract of Lease.

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: Franchisors Reluctant to Give Info About Their Franchise Unless You Sign-up with Them????

I read in the USA that franchisors are required to present their Universal Franchise Agreement to would-be franchisees aside from data about their track records as part of the Evaluation process of the investor.

In the Philippines, I noticed that hardly any information is being given or shared by franchisors unless you have submitted a Letter of Intent and paid the franchise fee. They claim fear of leakage of confidential data to their competitors but that means for the franchisee, it is GAMBLING.

Should we trust such franchisors?

Setting-up Lotto Outlet in a Stand-Alone Supermarket???

A Lotto customer of mine (who happens to be a former Logistics Manager of a foreign Telecom Equipment supplier in the Philippines) was asking me of the viability of setting-up a Lotto Outlet in a newly-opened Stand-alone Supermarket and I told him the ff:

1. The supermarket in question is about 50 to 80 meters away from the Main road intersection which means people going there do so because they need to grocery;

2. People getting off buses and jeepneys at the intersection may not necessarily want to walk the distance to the supermarket unless they need to grocery;

3. In the supermarket, there are no other crowd drawers like cinemas, known fast-food restaurants, video arcades and the like. People just go there to shop.

4. When it rains which is half the year, all the more people will not walk to go there;

5. There is an island break to allow cars to make a U-turn after going to the supermarket. Because the U-turn slot is so near the intersection, cars tend to get locked in traffic just after a Green Light because of cars attempting to rreach the U-turn slot from the supermarket. There may be a chance in the future that that U-turn slot may be relocated further down the road to ease the congestion in the area.

6. It would seem that your target market will only be people who grocery. People with loaded pushcarts may not want to line-up at the lotto outlet. Is there enough shoppers interested in playing the lotto?

That will be a question any would-be lotto agent should ask himself no matter how seemingly attractive the site may be is can the site generate enough Sales especially since the rent is near the P30,000/month level.

TO KNOW MORE ABOUT PICKING THE RIGHT LOCATION FOR YOUR LOTTO OUTLET, text Lotto Setup and your full name to 0922-8831225.

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: What if I Do Not Have The Money?? Super-BPI to The Rescue!!!

What I highlighted are only franchises that I personally might be able to afford although I said might as I will need some Financing unless I mortgage my house, my car and my magazines. . . Joke.

But the truth is, for the small small business entrepreneur, there were no franchises for less than P50,000. What I featured are usually more than P200,000. If you go for the Blockbuster Mang Inasal, which is supremo now in the franchise world, the franchise fee alone is P1.5 million I think.

So what are we to do? Well you will still need some equity but there is a bank that is willing to take some risk and HELP THE SMALL BUSINESS ENTREPRENEUR with no track record and no collateral requirements (unlike the government-owned Small Business Corp that requires both) and am talking about the BANK OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS and its sister-company the BPI-FAMILY BANK.

I had a great talk with Mr. Jomel Cruz and Gerald Rivera and both gave me hope of owning my future DREAM FRANCHISE. Jomel spoke about BPI's Ka-Negosyo Business Loan. With a tie-up with the Philippine Franchise Association, they are willing to finance franchise purchases of from P500,000 to P1.5 million at only 14% (that's LOW by 5-6 standards of 10%-20% per month) with no collateral. Rates can be negotiated lower if you have Time Deposits with BPI on a Back-to-back Arrangement.

But what if you do not need P500,000. You are eyeing Dunkin Donut at P200,000 only. You cannot get a Ka-Negosyo Loan but there is still hope, We now move over to Gerald and he has the BPI Personal Loan Facility for loans of from P20,000 to P500,000 with available terms of 1, 2 and 3 years to pay at get this, only 1.2% per month (or 14.4% per annum).

BPI Jomel was right that I cannot find a lower rate among the banks. There was another bank in the Expo offering 1.7% and a host of requirements. BPI should be able to approve your loan application within 5 working days and that is because of their tie-up with PFA.

So, there you are, small business entrepreneur, WE NOW HAVE A CHANCE!!! As they say, THE BALL IS IN OUR COURT on what to do nex.

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: Siomai Overkill!!!

I count about 5 steamed siomai and one fried siomai (PotDog) in the PFA Franchise Expo at the SMX in MOA. Most famous of the brands is Master Siomai while the others are new outfits.

Conspicuously missing is the Market Leader, Siomai House by Berna Best and old brand Henlin. I guess these guys know how strong their brands are and do not need to look for new franchisees at Expos.

Siomai and Gulaman juice still gives the best value for Hungry Filipino stomachs. It may not really fill your stomach but will allow to quite your hunger pains till you get home. Its cheap at P25 for the siomai and P10 for the gulaman drink (US$70cents).

Siomai House is asking P250,000 ((US$5,000 for the franchise package) while Master Siomai is P199,000 (US$4,000). For the small business entrepreneur, go for Siomai House always.

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: Generic Drugs Galore??

There are so many generic drugstore franchises being offered during the Franchise Show. The small business entrepreneur would do best to review the performance if each of them on offer by going to the streets and asking the drugstore business owners themselves if they are making good money.

With the Giant Mercury Drugstore lording it over in all choice spots and most doctors still recommending a particular brand of medicine (even if the generic name is reflected), is there a chance or will all these generic drugstores fight it out among themselves for the miniscule part of the drug market. And what of the Branded Generic medicine introduced by Giant United Laboratories or UniLab when they came out with Rite-Met???

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: Nails. . Nails. . .Only

There was a time when you go to the parlor to do your hair, pedicure, manicure, massage, trim eyeborws and the thousand things ladies do in the parlor.

Now comes SPECIALIZATION as in the term used in Industrialization. I saw this franchise that only does NAILS. Their niche is that after they do your manicure, it will GLOW. I don't know about glowing nails but I sure like the niche they are trying to do.

Another is Hollywood Nails and the guy told me they are specifically targetting the Class C and D market with their P200 and below prices. Investment outlay still on the pricey side.

Over at SM North EDSA, there is this small nook of a store that specializes in nail designs. I don't know how it works but I say there is a PC where the designs are and many teens had their fingers stretched for the design.

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: Banana Peel, the Poorwoman's Havaiana Flip-flop???

Who would think that a Tsinelas (Tagalog for slipper) or the more Upscale term "Flip'flops" would become a Status Symbol but it did!!!! Just look at all those Rich girls, not-so-rich girls and the feeling-rich girls sporting rubber tsinelas to go to malls and other social venues to be seen.

Havaianas is the undisputed leader despite costing P700 to P2,000 a pair (US$40). But what happens to those who cannot really afford the UNOBTAINABLE but want to??? Enter, Banana Peel.

They are a lot cheaper (P250 to P400 or US$5 to US$8) and they also come in myriad designs aside from the plain Jane single-color designs
Am no expert but the rubber does feel as supple as the Havaianas but I guess image counts more.

If you still find the Banana Peel price still too high, do not fret. You just take a jeepney ride to Divisoria, Manila and buy fake Havaianas that are called, what-else,----HAVANAs and they cost just a few pesos as in maybe lass than UUS1!!!!

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: Minute Burger, Buy One Take One

Minute Burger of the Leslie Group (Clover and Nacho chips) had a prominent display. As with Burger Machine and Angels Hamburger sprouting all over Metro Manila, Minute Burger is offering franchise for the Buy One Take One burger.

My concern is the amount of space to accomodate the kiosk which we are talking in the range of 10 - 15 sqm maybe. The Salesperson at the booth said expect to pay at least p15,000/month rent if you intend to locate within a convenience store parking lot which makes sense given the 24/7 nature of the biz.

Another is will the small business entrepreneur be interest in operating 24 hours every day?

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: Countrystyle, Cafe or Donut Shop?

Another Donut shop spotted in the Franchise Expo is CountryStyle.



They have been around for a while but not like during their heydays. Now I see them more as a Cafe like the one in SM Muntinlupa. Aside from Donuts, they have sandwiches and the like more of like what Mister Donut is doing now (offering other snacks other than donuts--Could it be Dunkin's lead is insurmountable?).

Since their Cafe style, I can imagine investment outlay will go up. Unlike Dunkin donuts that have donut stands even at the Mount Carmel Church grounds and other Hole-in-the-wall sites.

I also saw Hapi Haus, which has several outlets already as they can be had for only P20,000 franchise package and they allow a higher percentage of bad order returns, which is an important consideration in the donut biz.

There were also an assortment of never-heard donut shops, mini-donuts and other similar snacks.

For the small business entrepreneur, he will have to do his own market research and check out these other outfits versus the market leaders, dunkin donuts and mister donut.

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: JapDog, New Concept for a Traditional SnackTesting Filipino Appetites

JapDog is a new variation of the Hotdog stand.

JapDog looks like a chopped hotdog sprinkled with seaweed shavings on top and with a sweet teriyaki-like sauce (according to my tongue) and retails for P35, You may also order an Apple-flavored drink with it.




My problem is if the Filipino will like the taste of seaweeds (as in that paper-like green thing wrapping your sushi) and I think I would prefer the sauce to be sweet and spicy to add bite. Feedback is that some customers are asking if it can be ordered with rice (Filipinos need rice to survive)

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: Waffle Time, King of the Waffle Wrap

Waffle Time started in Iloilo and there must be more than 300 outlets in Manila already.

It is attractive as price of their product is from P10 to P18, waffle flavors is mango, pineapply, american hotdog (bestseller), german franks etc and the company makes it a habit to come out with Specials every once in a while.

Franchise package I think is more than P300,000 and so, if you are in a mall, you are looking at maybe P500,000 when you add rent, security deposits and other mall charges.

While it is good the Company maintains a number of Company-owned outlets which shows commitment on their part but it also means that most of the choice mall spots have already been taken by them. Am not sure how long it will take to get back your investment as not all sites are blockbusters.

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: Dunkin Donuts, the All-time Pasalubong Favorite

Well, what can I say? There is Donuts and there is Dunkin Donuts. Where else can you bring Pasalubong for less than a P100 that comes in an attractive orange-pink-white triangle or bread-loaf style box that is good for the whole family?

As a small business, it is also attractive for the small entrepreneur as the franchise package is P200,000 (or US$4,000) excluding rent and any site improvement which is reasonable for the middle class employee. Retail of their products is within the P10 to P15 per donut pc level which is hard to bead if one just wants to grab something to eat or quiet down your small kid.



I love their brewed coffee. I heard it is roasted by Gourmet Cafe in Tagaytay.

The only problem is looking for a spot to place it as Dunkin Donut outlets are everywhere.

The small business entrepreneur should look for high pedestrian traffic areas like bus and jeepney terminals, airports, schools, mall entrances and wherever adults are expected to bring some dessert to the kids at home.

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: Twistix Potato with a Twist

Twistix is a newly-established Franchise just 2 months old and there is only one outlet owned by the Company located at the Alabang Town Center Foodcourt.

This was the only Stall (apart from the Selecta booth offering free ice cream) that had a long line of customers.

The product is thinly-slice potatos in kebab-style BBQ stick and which you tell them what flavor you want (much like how they add flavors to Potato Corner fries). Price is a bit stiff at P45 for the Small stick all the way up to P70 for an 18-inch long stick.

Market is for the Class A and upper B who have money to spend.

Only time will tell if this is just a fad. Remember the Ribbon Potato Fries of a few Franchise Expos ago-- Now I do not see them anymore.

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: Father Orbos Says Mass

Today I start a series of posts about my visit to the Philippine Franchise Association or PFA 2010 Expo held at the SMX, Mall of Asia Complex.

I start-off my post with the Mass officiated by Father Jerry Orbos. As is his style, he was insightful aside from being humorous and these are some of the tidbits that I gathered from his marvelous sermon:

1. We should work but we should also PRAY.

2. In the end, out purpose in Life is to go to HEAVEN.

3. Do not worry. Be HAPPY.



4. We have 2 objectives in Life-- one, we should live a PEACEFUL LIFE and two, WE SHOULD BE INSTRUMENTS OF PEACE. That is all there is to Life.

5. We should never lose our HUMOR.

And with that, I WELCOME EVERYBODY TO MY TAKE ON THE 2010 PHILIPPINE FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION EXPO AT THE SMX

PFA 2010 Franchise Expo: Father Orbos Says Mass

Today I start a series of posts about my visit to the Philippine Franchise Association or PFA 2010 Expo held at the SMX, Mall of Asia Complex.

I start-off my post with the Mass officiated by Father Jerry Orbos. As is his style, he was insightful aside from being humorous and these are some of the tidbits that I gathered from his marvelous sermon:

1. We should work but we should also PRAY.

2. In the end, out purpose in Life is to go to HEAVEN.

3. Do not worry. Be HAPPY.



4. We have 2 objectives in Life-- one, we should live a PEACEFUL LIFE and two, WE SHOULD BE INSTRUMENTS OF PEACE. That is all there is to Life.

5. We should never lose our HUMOR.

And with that, I WELCOME EVERYBODY TO MY TAKE ON THE 2010 PHILIPPINE FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION EXPO AT THE SMX