FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD!

I LOOOOVVVEE FOOD! And for the love of food, I end up overweight for 34 pounds and chose to set-up another food business ala TAPSI-Carinderia Style. My home bakeshop before took an indefinite leave of absence but I can not live without something to spare my extra time with so I am again in the food industry.

This was the physical arrangement of my home silogan when I opened up in March 06, 2014.

Some of my customers waiting for their "silog" meals.

After three and a half months, this is the new look of my silogan:

A tarp and menu on the front.

A more favorable environment to dine-in.

The side-view.

From table-service in the first month, I switched to self-service on the third month which will lessen my burden in cleaning up the mess of my customers. Self-service will also train my customers to "clean as they go". (McDonalds' tagline is "CLEAN AS YOU GO").

So what happened in between the first and third month? I got stuck with food delivery to a particular customer with strict terms and conditions that I can no longer satisfy so we parted ways after two months. That is another story to tell. But in the end, I had learned a lot from the service I rendered to her company. I knew now how to cook different kinds of meal for 25 to 45 people. I cook viands for them three times a day from Mondays to Fridays and twice on Saturdays. Not only did I cook! I did everything from purchasing, preparing ingredients, cooking, packaging, delivery, washing utensils and cooking equipment (with a little help sometimes from my kids). A very good training in fact.

Some of the food I served them:

Kalitiran in Cream of Mushroom

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Pork Curry

Ginisang Togue and Paksiw na Hasa-hasa

Chicken ala King

Pancit Molo (picture is without broth)

I also served them Chili con Carne, Pork Humba, Tonkatsu, Torikatsu, Ginisang Munggo, Pork Barbecue, Pork Caldereta, Picadillo, Sweet and Sour Chickenballs, Chicken Curry, Chicken Adobo, Chicken Tinola, Fried Chicken, Chicken Afritada, Chicken Asado, Bicol Express, Pinakbet, Ampalaya con Carne, Patola con Misua, Sardines with Misua, Pork Teriyaki, Pork Nilaga, Pochero, and some more, which I had not captured in my digicam due to time constraint. For 2 months, I did explore the net and my recipe books to come up with a month's meal plan without repetition. Like I said before, I learned a lot from the service I rendered to her company.

Well actually, it is not only for the love of food that I dealt and will keep on dealing with food business. It is for the fulfillment of a vision - a combination of tapsihan/carinderia/bakeshop with a homey ambiance where people from all walks of life can dine in or take out because the food is cheap with quality. As my tagline goes : "CHEAP BUT SULIT" as you can see from my not yet distributed flyer:

Someday, I might fulfill my vision. And from a garage space it may yield to something like this:

(Picture Source for the Aristocrat Restaurant: 3.bp.blogspot.com)

Who knows?

The Four 'P's of a Silogan Business

Do you want to set-up a "SILOGAN BUSINESS" using the available space at your house like the garage or the front yard because you will not pay rent and your budget is limited to Php 15,000.00? If yes, here are a few tips that will help you go along with the process.

First, you really need to have a PLAN.

According to Merriam-Webster.com, a plan is "a set of actions that have been thought of as a way to do or achieve something". Knowing that a similar home biz is ongoing within a few blocks from your vicinity, still you want to push through because you are going to offer competitive price and service. And how are you going to compete with the following prices?

TAP-SI-LOG - Php 60.00 (beef tapa,fried rice, sunny side-up egg)
TO-SI-LOG - Php 45.00 (pork tocino, fried rice, sunny side-up egg)
LONG-SI-LOG - Php 40.00 (skinless longganisa, fried rice, sunny side-up egg)
HOTDOG-SI-LOG - Php 40.00 (classic regular hotdog, fried rice, sunny side-up egg)

TIP: Offer something for FREE! Include in your menu free drinks and soup and make sure the condiments are within their reach. That gives them the feeling you care for their taste buds and tummy. Also try to introduce new menus people are not familiar with the taste and presentation so they have no reason to compare. Ex: Chicken Teriyaki Toppings, Pork Hamonado Toppings, Tuna Bunwich, etc. If you offer menus found in fast foods, make sure they taste better with lesser price. Ex: Burger Steak, Chicken Fillet Sandwich, and French Fries.

Second thing to consider, PERSPECTIVE.

What is your point of view in setting-up a home-based business? You want to start small and expand later. Since your budget is too tight and can't afford the requirements in renting out a place along the main road with heavy foot traffic, using your garage or front yard is a better training ground in perfecting your product and service before you go metrowide or nationwide.

TIP: The best and most effective way to perfect your product and service is to do everything first all by yourself. From procurement of equipment and utensils, accounting, securing business permits, buying ingredients,sampling, costing, preparing the venue, cooking, serving, cashiering, washing dishes,marketing and what else you need to do. You must know by heart every single detail in this kind of business so that when you expand and employ workers later, you can't be fooled!

Don't be frightened with the idea of doing everything all by yourself. Remember that you are operating the business in a limited market. Customers come within hours of interval and when a group dines in, they will more likely order the same menu. It is very rare to have three successive orders of different varieties ( ex: tapsilog, cheese burger, french fries) which uses different equipment. When that happens, simply tell the customer how long will it take so he can decide if he waits or not. Just always apply "first come, first served." Once you have dispatched your customers, attend the dishes so your surroundings will not be loitered with flying and crawling insects.

Don't expect the person who ordered today will be back tomorrow. It may take several days or weeks before he appears or never again. Sometimes you will be surprised of having patrons whom you least expected to be and the neighbors you are relying on would never even bother to drop by. Stick to your plan of serving excellent tasting yet budget-friendly food so you will have free advertisement by word-of-mouth and unfamiliar faces will soon visit you.

And since you are venturing on a food business, there are good days and bad days just like any other kind of businesses. But never lose hope. Even when you just sold out a few products within the day, don't give up too easily.

That's when PERSEVERANCE moves in.

You planned on setting-up a Silogan Business as a home biz which you perceived on becoming a franchise someday. That SOMEDAY is not tomorrow nor after a month. It will take several months or sometimes years before you flourish if and only if you work hard for it. There is no overnight success really. Even authors or companies that have never been heard of before who became suddenly known had their share of rejections and failures.

There will always be fast-moving and slow-moving products. Why is your Chicken Teriyaki Toppings slow-moving? Are people afraid to eat chicken fillet marinated in teriyaki sauce before it is cooked in hot oil and served on top of plain rice? Does your Burger Steak taste better than Jollibee's? You have to continuously think of ways how to entice people in trying your product instead of rejecting it beforehand. Is your soup stock not hot enough when served? Are the utensils sterilized regularly? These are the small things which have greater impact so be precautious.

Either way, a "lifeline" always help. Ask your family for suggestions. If you are using your own recipe for tapa, tocino ang longganisa, your spouse may know better how to prepare it. Never mind hotdog, simply get your supply from the supermarket. Pinoys love Purefoods Tender Juicy. Or your daughter may have ideas like Wednesday Unli-Rice Madness or Friday Group Deals (a sort of buffet for limited number of people). Whatever you think will work to your advantage, try it. Their ideas are free anyway.

Although listed at the bottom is PRAYER, it doesn't mean to be the least important. It actually is the first thing you do before you open for business, during midday when sales are up or down, and at the end of the day for whatever is the outcome. Always be thankful that you were able to start a new chapter in your life, be more thankful that you get through with all the hardships, and most thankful that you enjoy doing the things you love most while at the comfort of your home.

My Silogan Business is on its 2nd month. I do everything just as I described above. Because I love cooking and baking, I persuaded my hubby to help me out (again) in setting-up and this time for long-term. I did this not to profit excessively but to satisfy my cravings for a better purpose in life. To enhance my skills, to serve people, and to make my family proud of me. Not today, not tomorrow, not for summers only, but forever.

If you want a detailed description on how to set-up this home-based business, just leave your email address at the comment box.

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!

HOME...IS WHERE THE BUSINESS IS.

Source: http://wallpapers5.com/

Summer is almost here yet the atmosphere is still cold specially in the wee hours of the morning. Thanks to this extended cool dry season we can still enjoy the lazy afternoon nap on weekends. 

Speaking of weekends, we--homemakers-- really love to hear "Thank God! It's Friday" because the next day of course is a relief from an obligation to rise up at 4:00 in the morning to prepare food for the family members who go to school and office.  On weekends, we can retard at least 2 hours before we commence our daily routine. And that 2 hours extended sleep rejuvenates us. What more come summer? That means not just extended hours of sleep but a time also when we can set-up a small  business to earn a little extra cash while at the comforts of our home.

HALO-HALO (Filipino mixed-fruit dessert)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo-halo

Yes, Pinoys (an informal demonym for Filipinos) take advantage of the summer heat to set-up wooden or monobloc tables in-front of their houses or in their garage to sell Halo-halo or Pearl Shakes at very affordable prices. 

I once joined the bandwagon in selling those crazy desserts and quenchers. Approximately seven years ago, with just Php 300.00 I was able to set-up "Halo-halo Business". Everyday, I had gone to the market to buy ingredients and other items needed. On one hand I carry a basket full of raw kamote and saba; cooked sago, gulaman, red beans, and kidney beans; pinipig; ube halaya;  plastic clear cups and plastic spoons while on the other hand I carry a styrofoam cooler filled with crashed ice. I had to ride a tricycle and a PUJ (Public Utility Jeepney) back and forth. Then I had to cook the raw ingredients with sugar, water and vanilla while the cooked ones had to be revised according to my standard. The whole process consumed about five to six hours of my time everyday before I had to declare business with my customers around 12 noon. Before I open the gate to declare business, I always wish that I would sell 100% for the day to keep me going the next day. The "buena mano" (first sale of the day) excites  me and the next orders (sometimes on interval of two or more hours) relieves me that all the time and effort I had exerted could be worth it. Yet at the end of the day, when proceeds less cost had been compared,  I could not help but deeply sigh and convince my self tomorrow could be more profitable  so I had endured till summer ended. Believe me you,  I only earn Fifty to One Hundred Pesos a day with my Halo-halo business but I had "no regrets" since it was better than gaining nothing at all.  

By the way, I am just sharing my experience and does not intend to discourage those who would like to venture with this home-based business especially now that times are really getting tougher and worse--higher power rate, higher water rate, higher oil prices, higher basic commodities, higher tuition fees, more corrupt lawmakers and government officials. We really have to find ways in augmenting the family income. 

Just please consider the location, the only culprit why I only ended up with such a profit. Although we are situated in a corner lot where foot traffic is moderate, the residents are lesser compared to other blocks where apartments abound. 


PEARL SHAKE (flavored shake with chewy tapioca)

source: http://www.filentrep.com/home-based-business/5-summer-food-business-ideas-2013.htm

Pearl Shakes are much easier to prepare and much more profitable than halo-halo. About six years ago on summer time I vested on selling this quencher instead of halo-halo. I only had to buy different flavors, clear cooked sago, brown food color, brown sugar, vanilla, crashed ice, plastic cups and big drinking straws. Then I turn the clear sago to brown with syrup and everything would be all right. The process had taken three hours only of my precious time, to include the trip back and forth. At least, I had earned more with pearl shakes which made me love summer. 

My best-selling flavors were chocolate, melon and tutti-frutti.  


PORK BARBECUE

source: http://www.thepeachkitchen.com/2010/11/pork-barbecue-2/

Well,  I also had sold barbecue one summer but it was short-lived since I could not give justice to how it should taste and look like after being grilled for a couple of minutes. I could not even recall when I operated this "racket" (a term Pinoys associate when selling legal goods not meant to be registered).  After all the consultations I made with the recipes I found in my collection and after all the trials and errors had been committed, I failed.  Just give me other dishes to prepare and I could do it perfectly but with pork barbecue? Never again! I would simply buy ready-to-grill from the supermarket.  But according to one of my sources, she gains Two Hundred Pesos for a kilo of pork if she could make 40 skewers.


TOSILOG / LONGSILOG

Tosilog - tocino, sinangag, itlog (cured pork, fried rice, sunny-side-up egg).

I am now taking my home business to a higher level. Since I am the mother of trial-and-error, I never give up on doing what I can with  what I have wherever I am especially on summers. Even if it means minimal profit while devoting more time and effort, what matters most  is being able to enhance my skills in cooking and baking.

So this time, I will endeavor on "Turo-turo" with Tosilog as flag carrier. Other items in the menu consist of Longsilog, Hotsilog, Dorsilog, Rice Toppings, Burgers, Tuna Sandwich, Cakes, Breads, Desserts and many many more.

I do believe there is no short-cut to success. I also believe that the best place to start your business is where your heart is. My heart is in our home. So home is where my business should be....