I ONCE engaged in a small business few years after my college schooling where my parents allowed me to use part of a rented space near a bus terminal for my venture. We were then engaged in buying and selling recyclable scraps and I converted part of our space which was in building basement as my studio where I accepted rush ID processing and photography works.
I also partnered with a friend who manufactured housekeeping solvents, floor wax, rug shampoo, and cleaning liquids including wood lamination and key chains but that venture did not prosper as I accepted media related jobs which I thought would help me launch a career in communications. That was in the mid-80s and a lot of things happened between then and now that I already reached three decades working with the government. Now that I have spent over fifteen years at the Department of Trade and Industry as media specialist, I say that I still have a lot to learn as an entrepreneur especially that I haven’t really tried myself well enough to say that I can make the best of what I can do.
As of this writing, I just came from the launching of our 39th Negosyo Center in the Cordillera Administrative Region at the Baguio City one-stop-business-shop adding up to the more than eight hundred NCs meant to boost and provide assistance and help boost entrepreneurship around the country. The space provided by the city is only temporary for now as Mayor Mauricio Domogan committed to include a full blown business center at the new building soon to be constructed near the city fire station.
So what does these business centers of the government provide? Foremost, it caters to micro, small and business enterprises and its business counsellors are tasked to promote ease of doing business and by facilitating access to services for MSMEs within its area.
It provides easy access to business registration assistance such as the facilitation of new registration and renewal application of MSMEs, including application for Barangay Micro-Business Enterprise (BMBE); coordinate with the respective local government units (LGUs) and liaise with concerned government agencies to process the duly accomplished forms submitted by the MSMEs.
The Negosyo Centers provides Business Advisory Services and assist MSMEs in meeting regulatory requirements to start and maintain the business. NCs build local support networks and establish market linkages for MSME development through the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development (MSMED) Council and DTI, NCs facilitate access to grants and other forms of financial assistance, shared service facilities and equipment, and other support for MSMEs through national government agencies (NGAs) and ensure management guidance, assistance and improvement of the working conditions of MSMEs.
The Negosyo Centers will also co-organize with the local chambers of commerce, other business organizations and government agencies for a mentoring program for prospective and current entrepreneurs and investors and further, conduct other programs or projects for entrepreneurial development in the country aligned with the MSMEs development plan.
For its business information and advocacy, the NC are expected to provide information and services in training, financing, marketing and other areas as may be required by MSMEs as wll as establish and maintain a databank which will support business information requirements of MSMEs. By promoting ease of doing business and access to services for MSMEs, the NCs also support the private sector’s activities relating to MSMEs development by encouraging government institutions that are into business application process. It also coordinates with schools and related organizations on the development of youth entrepreneurship program and encourage entrepreneurship through access to information, training, credit facilities, and other forms of assistance.
There are reading materials available at the Negosyo centers and an excerpt from the handbook “Do You Want to go into Business?” says that being entrepreneurial means being able to identify, start and maintain a viable and profitable business, particularly a small enterprise.
An interested individual can learn how to start a business, package a business plan that includes all aspects in entrepreneurship. An example is on how to make a Business Plan. I’ve heard it from resource speakers before and the handbooks available also states that the primary value of the business plan is to create a written outline that evaluates all aspects of the economic viability of a business venture including a description and analysis of your business prospects.
A business plan is an essential step for any prudent entrepreneur to take, regardless of the size of the business.
This step is too often skipped, but the NCs make it easy by providing clients a format to build business plans as they progress through this course. Business plans according to the handout which is also available online can vary enormously. Libraries and bookstores have books devoted to business plan formats. But a visit to the Negosyo Centers is a good place to start. You can then go on from there to design one that would be ideal for your particular enterprise.
Just for a quick starter or tip for those who are contemplating to start a business, there should be a business plan which is going to be useful in a number of ways as it will define and focus your objective using appropriate information and analysis.
You can use the business plan as a selling tool in dealing with important relationships with lenders, investors, and even banks. You can also use the plan to solicit opinions and advice from people, including those in your intended field of business, who will freely give you invaluable advice. For more information about the programs and services of the Negosyo Centers, you can also check with the DTI offices nearest your place or visit DTI’s website at www.dti.gov.ph.