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Thursday, July 01, 2004
Toral: Operating lean and mean
By Janette Toral
Digital Filipino
LEAVING RP. Last night, I got a text message from a friend who works for one of the big IT companies in the country handling its marketing communications department.
In his text he said, “I’ll move to Los Angeles, USA. Due to worsening political situation and civil war a distinct possibility, there is no more reason to stay in a place where dreams and aspirations won’t come true. I will work my way towards achieving my dream of becoming the next AMERICAN IDOL.”
By nature, Filipinos can manage to smile and find humor in whatever sad situation they are in. Although not most of us panic deliberately, in my case paranoia sets in. I guess the more you’ll see my trying to organize activities to counter the depression among business peers that seems to be everywhere around me at this stage.
I must agree with my friend that things have been depressing, and I can’t blame him for deciding to leave. It is a price we have to pay, and I hope more of us will realize why we have to uphold due process of law to avoid chaos now and in the future.
For those of us who have no option at this time of moving to another country, we will have to move on and not let our businesses die.
IMPROVE WAYS TO DO BUSINESS. Entrepreneurs, especially proprietors, should continuously improve the ways they do business. Cut cost, increase productivity, and expand revenue sources is an ongoing quest.
Get partners whom you can outsource non-revenue generating activities to. Hire temporary personnel on a per project basis. Come up with unique products and services where you are the only source or have a competitive advantage.
The Internet and e-commerce helped me operate in a lean and mean environment.
On the average, 50 percent of my online revenue is generated and fulfilled through it.
My monthly face-to-face training programs are promoted through the Internet, and they have kept me going. Without it, I would not have survived the dotcom crash and the 9-11 tragedy.
In time, I also gained international contacts who have given me small business as well.
This July and August, I’ll be in Korea and Fiji to conduct e-commerce training programs. My contacts in these countries and organizations, I met only through the Internet.
Entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises will need to learn to be creative and open-minded to technologies if they wish to survive these trying times that seem to never end. Nevertheless, it is business as usual.
(email: janette@digitalfilipino.com.)
(July 1, 2004 issue)
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