By: Meric B. Mara
Best tasting barbeque chicken I have ever tasted! The best!
-Paul Tolentino
Last September 24-28, I visited Bacolod and met new friends, Government officials and Entreprenuers there. Our team was very busy presenting our Aksyon Sentral Software. The most important experience for me there was that I surely learned a lot from that visit.
I want to share the story of one entrepreneur that I met and interviewed. She is Ms. Vicvic Capote. She is one of the owners of Chicken Inasal House called "Rosing and Cita's". Every night, once we finish our presentation, we always go to Manokan Country, a famous place for good Bacolod Chiken Inasal and have a good dinner there. I decided to interview Ms. Vicvic because I want to learn more about the food industry and I also want to learn from their experiences and probably someday, I can also have a food business too.
Company Background:
Company Name: Rosing/ Citas
Description: A Chicken Bacolod house that is located in a famous Manokan Country of Bacolod.
Owner: Ms. Vicvic Capote/30 Years old
Number of Year in the Business: 45years
Price: Inasal is 70 Pesos
(SET) Inasal,Rice and Softdrinks is 100 Pesos
I asked Ms. Vicvic what drives her in doing the business? She just simply said to me that she wants to continue the legacy of her Lola (Lola Rosing Logador) who is famous in raising and selling poultry. She is a very passionate cook . She believes that their recipe is very unique and that her persuasion skill and self-confidence will bring her and her family to success.
I also asked her the most important insight about entrepreneurship that she can share with aspiring entrepreneurs. And this is what she said.
Dapat focused ka, full time ka at confident ka sa tinitinda mo. Dapat magaling ka din na magkumbinsi - Ms. Vicvic Capote
(It is very important to stay focused. Make sure that you exert time and effort in everything you do. Be confident in your product because it will help you convince your customers.)
*I believe Ms. Vicvic Capote is a very confident entrepreneur. That is one of her investments and strengths. When I talked to her, I was easily convinced why their business has been going on for years. She still has a lot to learn but the eagerness is there and that is very admirable too. I believe that her strong faith, focus and determination are the factors that made her succeed. She strongly believes in herself, her abilities and products to achieve her goals. Being open to feedback is another great quality of an entrepreneur that I saw in her. It made her want to serve her customers better which will also help her with product development too.
Here are some of the lessons leaned from our interview.
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Opportunity-seeking
Ms. Vicvic Capote: Our store is strong especially during the time of Maskara Festival. So, for days that are not as busy, we earn money through catering. I also add other menu items such as Sizzling Dishes so we’ll have additional income. We add items that are not normally seen in an Inasal restaurant such as oysters.
Lesson: She actively looked for other opportunities that will benefit her business in periods where she knew they need it most.
Persistence
Ms. Vicvic Capote: I value our customers so I always give out free soup, atsara and discounts to my regular customers. I give 5% discount if they order food worth P1000 and up. For students, I give them special discount for set meals (from P70 to P60). And of course, senior citizens enjoy their mandatory discounts as well.
Lesson: Giving out incentives is an indicator that proper persistence is at play. Freebies and discounts are a sure way to entice customers, old and new.
Commitment to Work Contract*
Ms. Vicvic Capote: I always tell my customers that the taste of our chicken is guaranteed and that they do not need to pay if they are not satisfied. It is so heartwarming to know that they will readily pay for our food because they are sure that it is delicious and that they will have a wonderful meal in the restaurant.
Lesson: She is committed in making sure that the customers will enjoy their dining experience. This also shows her passion in the business and in growing her relationship with customers.
4. Demand for quality/efficiency
Ms. Vicvic Capote: I sometimes ask colleagues and a few students who are my customers if they are satisfied with the food. I believe that this is an important aspect in making sure that you give your customers their money’s worth. I value their opinions and suggestions so that I can improve our products and services. I would like to have proper mechanism for this so that I can fully implement a feedback system.
Lesson: Talking to your customers is an essential part of growing your service company. It will help you to assess your performance and continue the things you are good at and improve your weaknesses.
5. Risk-taking
Ms. Vicvic Capote: I always try to provide our customers with better dining experience through renovation, better equipment and others. In order to do this, we have to check our resources and the day to day operations of the restaurant so right now, we are doing it at a conservative pace.
Lesson: As per her example, she tries to counter the risk moderately in growing her business. Even if this is the case, she is aware that any business endeavor has risks and that she takes these risks seriously.
6. Goal-setting
Ms. Vicvic Capote: We set a specific goal per day. Right now, we are quite happy to reach that goal everyday. We also make sure that the rent is settled without any problems. (They need to sell 40 sets of Inasal+Rice+coke in a day)
Lesson: It is always a good idea to have a goal and look at it as inspiration. This enables the whole team to stay focused. Although they are currently not thinking their business a BIG business, they have their own simple SMART metrics that help their business survive.
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7. Information-seeking
Ms. Vicvic Capote: Knowledge is power so I take advantage of programs that I know I can benefit from. Currently, I attend seminars sponsored by the Cityhall concerning business matters that will help us grow and expand as well as to properly manage business operational requirments.
Lesson: At this age, information can be easily accessed. It is up to us to take advantage of it. I am happy that even at small events and seminars at Cityhalls, we can all learn new skills and knowledge.
8. Systematic planning/monitoring
Ms. Vicvic Capote: I am a very organized person. I take pride in seriously planning and managing our business. I take the lead in making sure that the place , the products and the service are in order. I have 3 professional staff who assist me in this area.
Lesson: This shows that it is always best to plan ahead. Your team will appreciate it because they know that you are meticulous and you know what you want for your business.
9. Persuasion and networking
Ms. Vicvic Capote: I listen to other professionals within the same industry. I have friends and relatives who are also in the same line of business and they tell me suggestions that will improve our food and service.
Lesson: Interacting with other professionals and colleagues is very important. This is a good opportunity to meet new customers and partners.
10.Self-confidence
Ms. Vicvic Capote: I believe in our product and so I am 100% confident that if I offer it to customers, they will enjoy it tremendously. I think this is very important because if you show trust in what you are offering, the customers will know and they will try your product and will keep coming back for more.
Lesson: Being confident will make you a good leader. It will reflect in your products, your service and how you relate to your employees.
