How the Bureau of Internal Revenue Promotes Efficient Collection of Taxes

Source: http://knowyourtaxes.ph/

Business Sense: Practical Pursuits for Filipino Women in 2014

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The year is almost halfway done and many may be wondering "Why now?" But the truth is, it is never too late to start pursuing your dream. In the past few years, many in the nation have decided to leave their regular jobs and start businesses. In a third world country such as the Philippines, being your own boss is as big a dream as being able to work abroad. And now that the PH economy is doing quite well in the world market, you'll probably witness more people joining the entrepreneurial bandwagon in the coming years.

Setting up a business, however, is no walk in the park. You need capital, a sound business plan, a ton of determination, and most importantly, an amazing business idea. If you're planning to go through the conventional route, you would also need to rent an office space . If you're a parent, you'll also need superb organisational skills. Out of all these though, it's probably the "idea" part that you should first get a hold of. After all, according to American author Earl Nightingale, "Everything begins with an idea." 

6 Tips To Start As A Bootstrapping Entrepreneur

There are a lot of reasons why I hurried back to Manila after staying for more than a month in Bicol my hometown: I brought my mom for a free trip to ilocos courtesy of one of my travel partners for a job well done by yours truly (I have another free trip coming in Sagada), I have to get my backpay from my previous company and my application abroad is still hanging in the air. 

Most of all, I felt strange and so detached to the place where I was born and raised. Maybe because for the past ten years of my life I have learned to live far and independent from my family. I want to stay longer with them but I feel like I left my heart somewhere and I need to find it.  If not I will end up regretting I never bothered to find what makes me happy.

How to Start a Home or Office-based Travel Agency

It was in February of 2012 when I took my very first whole-day seminar and paid a thousand peso on how to set up a travel agency. That time everything was new to me so I never really digested the information at all but it was not a waste because it challenged me to keep learning along the way. I had no one to turn to even up to now when it comes to help and advices so I learn from my mistakes and experiences alone. It is never easy I tell you.   

Before I finally closed my first ever major sale of a tour package, I remembered a few dozen that I lost previously because I literally don’t know the ropes of this business. I work with 2 freelance tour guides, 1 tour operator and I deal with 6 accredited travel agencies so far: 5 of them I have active engagement until now and 3 seasonal. I am still looking and hoping to collaborate to a lot more also.  Out of these 8 travel agencies, only 2 of them I have met in person. I  talk to them over the phone, send emails, exchange text messages and close thousand bucks thru online transactions. 

Tips On How To Make An Effective Business Pitch

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“To date I have seven startups founded: three is doing fine, three failed and one is so – so. ” says Peter Cauton, the blogger behind “Juan Great Leap who encourages Filipinos to build their own startup  or in other words – a startup company.

Ever since I have fallen in love with the words “entrepreneurship” and “location – independent lifestyle” few years ago because of some recent life –changing events I have never stopped roaming around the metro joining activities learning on how these matters work.
  

How to make a pitch is something that I am really looking forward to learn because as an aspiring entrepreneur – I literally need financial backup for my business to last for a long time and connections to give me opportunities.

I just don’t want to settle in selling tour packages alone, rest on blogging paid reviews, wait for the advertisements from my blog to pay me or aspire to be one of the country’s famous travel blogger. I want to create a sustainable business that is a product of innovation – meaning it solves a problem or provide an effective alternative to the majority and generates enough profit to cover my basic everyday expenses or even more.

How do I Manage my Business’ Budget, Expenses and Income

During Juan Great Leap's Open Coffee event

Every one of us has a dozen of business ideas rambling inside our head but not everyone has the financial capacity to transform it into a means to generate profit. Like me I am previously so scared to start one because I don’t want to risk a single peso out of my wallet then end up to nothing. When I started in December, I decided to rely on organic way of search engine optimization to be reached by prospective clients but then I waited every single day, it is like I am waiting for the shooting star in a cloudy night… I haven’t had much.  Then one time I decided to try some online marketing worth P2,500 but it is on promo so I am only asked to pay 500. For me, a 500 peso bill is already big amount because I  am working so hard to get every single of it in my payday. 

Thanks to some online marketing (search engine marketing, social media marketing, etc…)

After a few days, my email started receiving a number of inquiries; my mobile phone kept ringing all day long for calls and text messages. I did not expect this influx considering that I was just starting. I was shocked by the overwhelming response that I am planning anytime soon to get a post-paid mobile service provider plan and a stable Internet connection because I need to be online anytime and anywhere.

Bitten by the Startup Bug!

If you will ask me how my last weekend went, well it was spent joining an event of startups on Saturday and on Sunday I personally met a founder of a startup of a passion close to my heart. Whew! I am now officially bitten by the startup bug big time! My friends ask me, Are you planning to build one? What made you got into this start-the-f*ck-up thingy? Do you know only one percent of these really become successful to a full - pledged company? My answers: first, why not If I have this to - die - for idea, second it 's a long story and third, I know but a lot of will "kill" just to belong to this one percent chance.  Allow me to share you the tidbits of these two wonderful startup events:

1.  Startups Unplugged by Juan Great Leaps

Twenty successful entrepreneurs from different areas of expertise (social enterprise, technology, e-commerce / retail and consulting services) joined forces to share to them their stories of successes. For twenty minutes the participants got to ask their chosen founders / enterpreneurs personally questions on how they started, any tips, struggles and everything in between. It was an awesome event!

Building a Culture of Entrepreneurship in the Philippines

Few weeks ago, out of nowhere I posted this status below on Facebook. I tagged influential entities in the name of entrepreneurship in the Philippines to ask for their thoughts. They are comprised of a coworking space, a magazine about entrepreneurship, a group that conducts pitch sessions and a few ongoing mentorship programs for entrepreneurs but guess what, NO ONE replied. I wonder why. I know deep inside my heart I have a point. Really it is hard to be noticed when you’re just as small as a tiny leaf surrounded by gigantic ships floating in the ocean. You’ll have to strive to be known first before they hear you talking. And who does not believe when I say that  we Filipinos have this mindset we follow since birth in chronological order: get a college degree then work in your 8-5 dream corporate job… exactly what I thought as well. But then everything changed when I came across this word “entrepreneurship” last year.

What is entrepreneurship according to Wikipedia?

Entrepreneurship - comes from the French verb 'entreprendre' which means 'To undertake,' is the act and art of being an entrepreneur or one who undertakes innovations or introducing new things, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods. This may result in new organizations or may be part of revitalizing mature organizations in response to a perceived opportunity. The most obvious form of entrepreneurship is that of starting new businesses (referred as Startup Company).