Could you please briefly describe your business?

MyOffice provides office support services to entrepreneurs, such as, mail receiving/releasing, phone answering, call transfers, fax to email service, inquiry handling and, our newest service - MyOffice Connect! The virtual PBX for small businesses. Subscribing to our services gives our clients the capability to control their expenses.

How would you assess the Philippine business scene these days?

It is clear that the major players are the ones more affected and has resulted to many Filipinos being retrenched or sent home from abroad. Since more than 90% of businesses in this country are SMEs, I would like to think that the 'fall' we will experience may not be as hard as the more affluent countries. In fact, majority of my subscribers & I are upbeat; many of us small entrepreneurs treat the recession as a window for better opportunities. It may be easier said than done but it will be great if several of the retrenched Filipinos consider setting up small enterprises to generate employment & help cushion the 'fall'.

How is your business doing with the recession affecting many countries?

I am lucky that my business is not so much affected by the recession since most of my clients are small businesses. Though there were a number of contract terminations last quarter, there are also many new sign-ups this quarter.

What is your advice to those who would want to start their own business?

Do your research, try to have people on board who you know can compensate in areas where you need help, prepare to spend a lot of time on your business, have mentors, & be very, very positive.

What are the common problems you encountered or those which are most likely to be encountered by Pinoy entrepreneurs?

1.  Marketing constraints. It is very difficult for a small enterprise to fully market its products & services because of budget concerns. It is a good thing that there are venues & forums, like Pinoy Entrepreneurs (Ed.- pinoy-business.com), that allows small businesses to market or network with minimal cost.

2.  Lack of track record. A new entrepreneur will have to exert extra effort to convince a potential client of the quality & reliability of his product/service if he has little or an unimpressive track record.

Admittedly, there are bigger entities that are ahead in your particular business. What would you say to those who plan to venture into a business that already has a market leader?

Unless the new business is either a forward or backward integration, or the entrepreneur has already an existing client base, I suggest an aspiring entrepreneur should first review his business model. He should study how he can make his business different from the others so he can have his market space. In my case, business centers have been around since the 80's & because of technology, these have evolved into what we now call virtual offices. When my sister & I decided to set up MyOffice on 2004, we wanted to specialize only on office support services, not so much on sub-leasing office space & facilities. Our new service, MyOffice Connect!, defines our target market. These are home-based entrepreneurs, self-employed individuals, & telecommuters.

In the same way, others may follow your footsteps. How would one stay ahead of the game?

Continuous research is necessary to maintain your lead. Invest on the people who you believe will be able to direct your business way ahead of the others.

How to contact should anyone be interested to secure your services?

I may be contacted at telephone nos. 8183671 & 9020988. They can also check my website at www.myoffice.com.ph & post their inquiries at the contact page.

(The Discussion series is about our discussions with Pinoy Entrepreneurs, whether established or just starting out. This is totally free and is done to support Pinoy Entrepreneurs. If you want to discuss your business or if you have anything you want to discuss, please let us know.)