Three Attempts at Being an Entrepreneur
By nature, entrepreneurs are risk takers. Either they become successful in the venture they engage in or end up without a return on their investment. Either way, determined entrepreneurs never give up, just like Anna Marie “Mayet” Villaflor. She may have failed in her first business venture, but this did not deter her to expand her horizon and make a bold attempt at being an entrepreneur for a second, and even a third time.

Life Situation Prior to the TWC Training
Mayet was born on January 4, 1969. She took up garment technology at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) but dropped out of school on her second year after which she worked in a garments factory. Then she left for Taiwan and worked in an electronics company where she was taught how to forklift. On her second time as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Taiwan, she was among the workers who were forced to head back home because at that time, in the late 1990’s, a strong earthquake shook the country resulting in the closure of many establishments.

Upon returning to the country, she put up a small business in garments subcontracting but this did not prosper due to operational problems and differences with her suppliers. At that time, she thought she was not prepared to handle problems that go with setting up a business.

Enrolling at TWC
After failing in her sub-contract garment business, Mayet felt she needed time to plan carefully and think of her next move. Though she earns more abroad what she’s eyeing for is a more steady job.

Then she read an article in a newspaper about TWC’s programs and services. She became interested but did not inquire right away about its programs. After a few weeks though, she saw and watched one of the graduates from TESDA being interviewed on television. This graduate encouraged women to get involved in nontraditional trades. She, herself, now own and run an automotive business based in Malolos, Bulacan. This got Mayet interested in knowing more about TWC.

Mayet decided to enroll at TWC and took a course on general automotive. Her family—parents, brothers, and sisters—were surprised when they learned that she will be training for six months. They predicted she will not be able to finish her course because they knew her as “ningas cogon,” or someone who easily gets fired up but loses steam or interest along the way. But she proved them all wrong. She studied using her savings to cover her transportation and food allowance, and graduated after six months.

Second and Third Business Ventures
After the training, she wanted to be a successful entrepreneur engaged in an automotive-related business. She did not want to be employed in an eight to five job. But due to financial constraints Mayet trained first in detergent soap-making and set up a detergent soap-making business since it only needed a small capital.

However, what Mayet truly desired was to put up a business and apply what she has learned from TWC. So she abandoned her soap-making business and became the proprietess/owner of Sta. Philomena Automotive located in Gov. Pascual, Tenejeros, Malabon City. It was opened on October 22, 2004. She is now equipped with the needed skills and the confidence that she can now handle her new business more satisfactorily.

Challenges
She encountered two major difficulties in establishing and maintaining her automotive business. As with most struggling entrepreneurs, her biggest concern was financial. But with the savings she still had plus the earnings from her soap-making business, she put up her automotive shop.

Her second challenge concerned her suppliers and customers. The place where Mayet established her business was also an automotive shop. However, the previous owner had not settled his debts from his suppliers. Some suppliers who were running after the previous tenant thought Mayet’s automotive shop and the former autoshop were one. In effect, her shop’s credibility with the suppliers suffered even at the onset because of the former tenant’s bad record.

To counter this negative perception, Mayet tried to improve on their services. She made sure that customers and suppliers are given courtesy and she tells customers that they can return supplies that are defective and exchange them at no extra cost.

Measuring Success
From a scale of 1-10, with 10 as very successful, Mayet says she is at the 5th level. She explained that she still has many plans and dreams that have to be accomplished before she can give a rating of 10.

She dreams of expanding her business in the next couple of years—either by branching out or making her automotive shop a “one-stop autoshop.” At present, the place she is renting is quite small so she makes do with selling automotive parts. Although it is related to the course she took up at TWC, she asserts that supplying auto parts is altogether different from automotive mechanics.

In the future, she wanted to rent a bigger place and include automotive services. Aside from becoming a successful entrepreneur, she dreams of helping other women improve their situation. If her company expands to include automotive services, she plans to link up with TESDA and get trainees under her fold. Who knows, they may eventually end up as her employees?

Success Factors
At this time, she can say that she is more fulfilled not just financially but also in terms of how she responds to the different challenges in life, especially her business detractors. When she was still in her garments business she would be easily affected by people who wanted to put her down. Now, she is more determined and focused to make her new business succeed.

Since her business is just starting up, she earns P10,000 a month on the average. But this is enough to support herself since she lives alone. Both her parents are in the United States. She also manages to help her nephews and nieces.

She considers the following as success factors:

• Family support and “challenge” that made her become more determined to finish what she started.
• The skills and training she got from TWC. Mayet believes she would not be in this kind of business if not for the relevant technical skills, especially basic business management expertise, acquired from TWC. She might have gone back to work abroad instead. With her experience at TWC, she’s encouraging more women to take TWC’s pre-employment courses.
• Her strong self-motivation and determination.

For her parting words, Mayet has this to say, “Women should have determination to achieve their goals. They must have a vision to give their direction to their lives.”