November 2018 - Mommy Ginger

More women are now leaving their jobs in the corporate world in exchange for raising a family. And while this is a decision that they whole-heartedly made, most moms are still on the lookout for small business ideas for extra income and of course, for self-fulfilment.

Thankfully, there are already a lot of small business ideas that let you have total control of your time and resources. And with today’s technology and connectivity, opportunities to put up a business have become limitless.

As an entrepreneur, I get asked questions about the best small business ideas almost all the time. Most of those who ask me are moms, too, so today, I decided to list down five of the best business ventures stay-at-home-moms can start in a jiffy.

Here we go!

Business Idea # 1: Consultation Services for Analytical Moms

In the past, consultants equate to high-level data processing for huge businesses. But today, consultants can refer to anyone that has a special set of skills.

And it’s not limited to business.

We now have beauty consultants, health, and wellness consultants, and even personal coaches.

So what qualifications or certifications do you need to become one?

Truth is, certifications will depend on the expertise that you offer.

For example, certifications from previous work is a plus for business consultancy. You can present certificates on project management or business analysis. You can also use licenses for supply chain management or business planning.

Your years of experience can also attest to your expertise as a consultant. You can create a portfolio to showcase your skills and the clients that you have worked with in the past. Make a note of all your skills and services you can provide, I would suggest using a Journal from Jofelo as it’s one of the best.

Here are some examples of skills and services you can offer consultancy for:

Accounting
Advertising
Auditing
Career counseling
Communications
Business Consulting
Editorial Services
Insurance
Marketing
Writing
Beauty
Self-care
Finance
Health and Wellness
Fashion Stylist
Events Management

Business Idea # 2: Food Services for the Foodie Mom

Filipinos are foodies by heart, and our meals are more than just for nourishment. And today, we are becoming more experimental with tastes and textures.

That’s why it’s a pretty good time for foodie moms to share their tried and tested recipes with others.

Food entrepreneurs can now choose from different delivery options to get their products to customers. While having a good location still matters, it is no longer a limitation when it comes to great food.

Food carts and food hubs have offered food entrepreneurs more venues to offer their unique tastes. Weekly meal plans and other specialized diets can now be delivered door to door.

This solves a much greater dilemma for the growing crowd who are too busy to prepare healthy and great-tasting meals.

Get more tips on how to start your food business from Tycoon.ph here.

Business Idea # 3: Essential Oils for the Holistic Mom

Essential oils have been in use even way before the rise of modern medicine. Ancient civilizations have used essential oils for healing.

And it’s only today that this practice is being revived.

So why are essential oils a good business for moms?

A recent search on Google Trends shows that the search for essential oils has increased over the past year. As you can see in the image below, more people are becoming interested in learning more about how essential oils can make their lives better.

You have two ways of selling essential oils. One is to create your own blends and sell them under your brand, or source them and resell them online.

Some oils can be used as rollers for instant application throughout the day. Others can be bottled for diffusers or for creating personal blends.

You can also sell popular brands like Plant Therapy, Young Living, and dOTTERA oils.

But what’s most important is to learn more about essential oils and its uses before you make it a business. This will help you recommend the best oils to use for ailments and situations.

If you’d like to learn more about essential oils, check out Essentially KP.

Business Idea # 4: Online Store for the Shopaholic Mom

If you’re a gadget geek, a shopaholic, or a mom who knows how to make great finds, then an online shop can be an awesome business for you.

Mobile marketing is one of the biggest trends today. With all the available apps like Shoppee, Lazada, and OLX, it’s now easier to sell products and services to your target market.

Even Facebook has created Marketplace, where you can sell your products to different people at different locations.

So what can you sell online? Virtually everything you can think of.

Now you can find mobile devices, clothes, beauty products, food product, gadgets, and other stuff with just a tap of a button. And it’s also easy to sell because of the popularity of these apps.

If you have a bigger budget or want to sell in higher volumes, you can even do dropshipping and e-commerce stores. But if you go down this route, you will need to expand your operation to take into account ways to take orders online and merchant services so people are paying securely. E-commerce is a very popular approach to selling items, but every small business can be undone by numerous online threats, such as hackers. It pays to invest in the best equipment to ensure the safety and longevity of your company.

Want to learn more about how to start your own online store business? Watch out for our upcoming workshops at Manila Workshops (http://manilaworkshops.com/events)

Business Idea # 5: Learning Centers for the Number-savvy Mom

If you love teaching kids, then setting up a learning center may be the best option for you.

I’ve been toying about this business idea for a while now. I’ve been tutoring Zeeka a lot recently and I was thinking of accepting other kids for tutorial sessions in the afternoon.

It’s like hitting two birds with one stone. I get to earn extra, and Zeeka also gets to have playdates after the session is done.

But if you want to take it up a level higher, you can open up a tutorial center, a daycare, or even franchise your own Math and Reading centers.

Zeeka has been trying out S.A.M. Singapore Math and she enjoys it. Ever since we started, it’s been easier for her to see patterns and understand equations better. But most of all, doing the program helped her improve her analytical skills.

Now the good thing about this is, S.A.M Singapore Math also offers franchise opportunities for anyone who loves to teach and want to make a difference in children’s lives.

Check out this video to learn more about how you can start your own S.A.M Singapore Math Center today:

https://youtu.be/eJVQX8JFdHs

Now what’s awesome with a franchise business is that you’re not in it alone.

Franchises have a higher success rate compared to starting up your own. Instead, you get all the support and assistance you need to make the business a success.

You will get access to programs and training, marketing assistance, and even get help in choosing the best location to put up your business. This saves you a huge amount of time and effort, especially if it’s your first time pursuing a business.

Here’s what you need to become a S.A.M. Singapore Math Instructor:

- Passionate about children and education
- Love for children, and share a genuine passion for educating young minds
- Degree holder in any discipline or professional qualification
- Excellent English skills, and have fair knowledge in Maths
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Full-time dedication and commitment
- Able to invest a minimum of P680,000 in order to start a SAM center or have a Tutorial Centre that does not offer Mathematics curriculum.

For inquiries on how to become a S.A.M Singapore Math franchisee, visit their website here.

There are many reasons why mothers make awesome business women.

We’re so used to handling so many things in different things at the same time. We’re awesome at budgeting and making ends meet. We are so good at choosing the best products for our kids and selling them to our mommy friends. Amiga marketing at its finest!

But most of all, we women have the strength, the wits, and the ability to maximize our full potential in any way we see fit.

So go ahead and start your small business idea today! And I’ll be here to cheer you on.

Do you have any tips on how you successfully started own small business ideas? Let us know in the comments below.

Last year, our family went to Meralco to view the Holiday display that they had. We really enjoyed it! So, this year, we are looking for things to do or places to visit with the light displays.

I remember when I was young, my dad would drive us to view Christmas-on-Display (COD) in Cubao. This was decades ago. Then years after, I heard that the Greenhills shopping mall had their own COD. I always wondered when they would revive something like this. Then, a few days a go, lo and behold, I heard that San Juan’s (the city) mounting something for this holiday season!

San Juan City Hall will become a dazzling spectacle of lights and dancing mannequins in a Yuletide-themed village reminiscent of the cherished Christmas-on-Display (COD) formerly mounted at the Greenhills Shopping Center.

“We’d like to continue a beloved tradition that many Filipinos had looked forward to for more than a decade of Christmases by staging the COD show right on our grounds,” says San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez.

For Gomez, it is also a fitting Christmas gift to San Juan residents as her final term winds down mid next year. The mayor had sought out the Rosarios, the family that created the COD show in 1957, to bring the decades-old holiday
attraction to the City Hall.

“When I look at the display, I cannot help but feel nostalgic and hopeful about Christmas. It is a feeling I want to share with our people when they stroll at the City Hall grounds this holiday season,” says Gomez.

Themed “Paskong Pinoy,” the COD display highlights well-loved Filipino Christmas traditions that include family reunions with sumptuous feasts, Christmas carols, colorful lanterns, a variety of merrymaking activities and a fervent prayer.

The grand display also features some of the city’s iconic landmarks such as the Pinaglabanan Church and the City Hall itself. Alongside the COD show, the city government is also opening its grounds for a night market that will feature over a hundred stalls for shopping and dining.

“When we were conceptualizing the display, we wanted something that will make families go out and visit so they can be together for the holidays,” says the mayor. “I’m certain that even our balikbayans will enjoy the display, and perhaps wax nostalgic about celebrating Christmas here in the Philippines.” The COD show is set to be launched on Nov. 22 at 6 p.m. To make the occasion more special, some 300 children from the city’s daycare centers will be invited to watch the inaugural presentation. The attraction will be open to the public from Nov. 23, until Jan. 6, 2019.

“Hosting this event is a way for the local government to spread the holiday cheer. We can be grateful for our respective families for staying together,” says Gomez.

“We also want to express our gratitude to our constituents as we look forward to next year,” she adds.

The COD display started out more than 60 years ago as a gimmick by Alex Rosario to draw customers to the family-owned department store, Manila COD (Cash on Delivery) on Avenida Rizal in Manila. After nearly 40 years at Araneta
Center, the COD animatronic display transferred to the Greenhills Shopping Center, which hosted the attraction for over a decade before it was discontinued in 2016 to give way to development

We’re excited to visit this Christmas-on-Display (COD) show! Come and check it out!

I’m sure you know how much of a skincare addict I am. I don’t know if such a liking is related to genetics, but my mom, my sister, my aunts (basically, the entire family) are all skin care enthusiasts. I was surprised to find out that my cousin, Charisse, is currently selling some skin care and beauty products under the brand Viral Girl PH. I think this is her first business venture, so I’ll be truly supportive of her.

I’ll be sharing with you my thoughts on the skin care products that she has. She has other products but I’ll be focusing on the ones for your face.

I’ll start with my favorite product of them all — the Whipp Bleach (Supreme Crystal White Bleach).

I’ve been using all Viral Girl PH’s products since a month ago. This is the second step in my skin care routine, right after I use the facial foam of Vira Girl PH. Get just the right amount of bleach to cover the entire face. Then, wait for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse it off after.

Why do I love this? I love it because you get instantly radiant looking skin. You’ll notice your dark spots lighten after a few times you use the product. It doesn’t feel like your skin is dehydrated after, but you will still have to continue your skin care routine after for optimal “skin lightening results”. I noticed, too, that my skin is firmer and tighter. This is an immediate effect that you will feel.

It contains the following ingredients: Glutathione, Collagen, Lemon, Alpha Arbutin, Baking Soda, Snail Lime, Jojoba Oil, Almond Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Rose Hip Oil and Hyaluronic Acid.

I am still using this product to this very day. I use it every other day. And guess what? This jar is only at Php 180 pesos!

Next in my list are the Magic Glass Skin Serum (daytime) and the 24K Gold Serum (nighttime). A lot of her clients consider these two products as their favorites. For the Magic Glass skin serum, I get two to three drops of it. I rub it on the palm of my hand and tap it unto my skin. What I’ve noticed that it hydrates my skin and helps lighten the dark spots. I’m not sure if it’s the combination of the bleach and serum (since I used them together), but the more important thing is that it works.

My cousin highly recommends the 24K Gold Serum. It contains snail extract and Vitamin E. I think it’s perfect for those who are worried about lines and wrinkles. These 15 mL bottles of serum are at a very affordable price of less than Php 200 pesos.

The next product that I tried is the Magical Hydrating Facial Foam Wash. I’m not sure what the PH Level of this is and you all know that I’m not a fan of foam as a form of facial cleansers, but I tried this one. It’s definitely hydrating and I like the apple-y scent of the product. Active ingredients are Gluta Arbutin, Vitamin C and E, Collagen, AHA, Niacinamide and Tea Tree.

Usually, my personal experience is that continuous use of foam cleansers lead to acne. I didn’t get any pimples using this product though. I think it’s very gentle and the size is great for traveling. I’ve been traveling a lot lately, and this is the product that I’ve been bringing.

Viral Girl PH also has other products like a Whipp Cream, Hello Kili Deodorant, Secret in a Bottle Feminine Wash and other beauty products.

If you want to try their products, please visit https://www.facebook.com/viralgirlPH/ on Facebook and leave her a message!

Sharing a piece of myself today. No pictures, though, because I couldn’t get myself to take photos.

I’ve locked myself inside my room. I brought my laptop, because I needed something to distract me. Zeeka couldn’t stop whining. First, it was about Monopoly and how she couldn’t get the little paper money inside the little pouch. After whining about that, she whined about not being able to play with the big sack of play dough. I didn’t let her play that because we were having friends over, and I didn’t want to dirty the place. After that episode, I just had it. I didn’t want to do anything that would hurt her, so I ran towards my room, shut the door and locked myself up.

She kept on crying for a good 15 minutes and shouting.

So yeah, this is my life. And ‘this’ happens (behind the scenes of social media) at least a couple of times during the day, mind you. These are the scenes that we don’t show. But, as moms, this is our REALITY.

As I look at young, single and fashionable women on Instagram, I couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. “Look at you having the time of your life,” I scoff. “Enjoy it while you can.”

Now, my life is full of concerns like: “Did she finish her baon today? or did she pee on her underwear or how’s my schedule like next week since they extended club time”.

I want to be concerned just for once about whether my tan lines show or not! Please! Haha!

Then after my “internal” rants about my predicament and after feeling sorry for myself, I hear a knock on the door. This cute little human in pigtails asks me for food, because she’s hungry.

My heart melts. We’re then friends again.

And this cycle continues.

I am truly a Belle De Jour fan. I love the Belle De Jour Planner 2019! I’m not just saying this, because Darlyn, the founder is a friend of mine. I have been using the BDJ or Belle De Jour planner since 2008. Wow, I just realized that that that was 10 years ago! I’ve been buying the BDJ planner, because I love the content. I love the lists, the pages that allow you to plan and the other trackers that Viviamo places inside the BDJ planner.

By the way, Viviamo is the name of the company behind all of these products that i’ll be sharing with you today. “Viviamo” is Italian for “we live!” The name is so fit for what Darlyn and her team hope to achieve, which is to provide products and services of superior quality and value that will help people to try, to dare, to succeed, to experience, and to live.

This year, I’d like to show you some of the products that they have created for you, starting with the dated planners with Belle De Jour Planner 2019 leading the pack!

DATED PLANNERS

BELLE DE JOUR POWER PLANNER

The theme of this year’s Belle de Jour (BDJ) Power Planner collection is “Make Today Magical.” I love that this is the theme, because with the plethora of things that you do on a daily basis, we oftentimes forget the ‘magic’ that every day can bring. We’re all pre-occupied with deadlines, tasks, and things to do, that we forget that life is about the journey, and not the destination.

Since I always have my Belle De Jour Planner 2019 planner with me, this is good reminder that we just need to think of things differently. Magic will then happen!

This year, the Belle De Jour Planner 2019 planner comes with 12-monthly dividers with worksheets about lifestyle, fashion, career, finance—to help you discover your own magic, identify your mood, strengths, priorities and goals. These worksheets include Make Things Happen, Checklist, Dream Board, Spirit Animal, Mood Tracker, and Make Your Own Magic Spell. The planner also features an expandable pocket sleeve at the back for receipts, cards and bills safekeeping.

Monthly Dividers – Start each month right with the monthly activities and articles about lifestyle, fashion, career, finance

Monthly Calendar and Weekly Layout – Manage your time and priorities with spacious monthly calendars and vertical weekly spreads

Special Pages – Discover your own magic, identify your mood, strengths, priorities, and goals through a variety of worksheet pages

The 2019 BDJ Power Planner comes in different styles—the classic cover (Php 598), limited edition (Php598), leather (Php 680), discbound (Php 980)—that cater to every Bella’s distinct taste and need.

BDJ Classic – Php598  – Matte laminated hardcover with glitters and illustration of the 2019 Bella

BDJ Limited Edition – Php598  – Matte laminated hardcover with glitters and a creative illustration about the Belle De Jour Planner 2019 theme

BDJ Leather – Php680  –Velvet black leather with debossed flower elements and gold foil stamping

BDJ DiscBound – Php980  – Gold-stamped velvet black leather with disc binding for users who want to customize planner pages

Aside from these functional pages of the Belle De Jour Planner 2019 and of course, the super thick booklet of discounts which we always love, a new and cool feature that it has is that there are little codes that you can scan using your Zappar app. See the pages come to life after scanning!

MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PLANNER:

As I browsed through the pages of the this year’s Belle De Jour planners, I can’t help but notice that it feels that the planner was created “intentionally” for me. Everything just felt so right. I think the BDJ team did a good job in understanding their market, and continuously evolving to suit the needs of its audience. Check out and grab a planner at http://ilovebdj.com

THE OTHER PLANNERS THAT THEY HAVE:

NAVI JOURNAL – Php598

This year, I had no plans of travelling often, but circumstances led me to opportunities to travel. And I’m thankful that most of these travels are within our country. I think that all of us should make time to travel to different places in the Philippines and immerse ourselves in our own culture, understand it and go back to our own origins. This kind of mindset is what this year’s Navi Journal plans to achieve. Instead of “just travelling”, try to immerse yourself in your own country’s or in another country’s culture and traditions.

Navi journal showcases contents and illustrations of 12 widely celebrated festivals from different parts of the world on its monthly dividers. With special pages such as 101 Checklist, Bucket List, Must-see Destinations, Pre-trip Checklist and Packing List, Navi journal helps you visualize your travel goals and carefully map out your next adventure with ease.

Monthly Dividers – Give the lowdown of widely celebrated festivals around the world to inspire you to explore different cultures

Monthly Calendar and Weekly Layout – Write down your monthly travel plans and your week’s highlights in the horizontal weekly layout with notes pages

Special Pages – Worksheet pages help you visualize your travel goals and carefully map out your next adventure with ease
Bound by an intricately-designed matte leather cover, the journal contains 176 full colored pages and horizontal weekly layout with notes page where you can list down your week’s highlights and wonders. What’s more, Navi also has an expandable back pocket that lets you store your travel essentials like tickets, cards, cash and postcards, among others.

For an affordable price of Php598, Navi Journal gives you access to over Php25,000 worth of discount coupons from partner brands in the Travel Curious coupon booklet.

This 2019, soak in the colors, the flavors, and the music of each festivity you go to and write about it in your journal. Bring Navi: Your Life Navigator Journal in your upcoming travels this year. Get it now for Php598 at all leading bookstores nationwide or visit us at ilovebdj.com.

EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE – Php598

The 2019 Everything is Possible (EIP) is the perfect gift for anyone who wants a full and meaningful life this 2019. And, it also fits the lifestyle of goal-oriented people like me, who love to retrospect! haha! (Yes, I love drowning in my own thoughts… hehe!).

Priced at Php598, this year’s edition of EIP features 176 full-colored pages, a matte-laminated hard cover, and an expandable back pocket for receipts and cards safekeeping. Aside from its striking cover, EIP contains monthly dividers with motivational quotes and weekly mantras that will serve as voices of encouragement to always keep the momentum.

The special pages in the EIP planner are also in place to guide users to stay on track of their goals for the course of the year.

Discover your goals and make it achievable with the following pages:

Ikigai
Vision Board
Timeline of Goals
Identifying Intentions and Motivations
How to Measure Success
Positive Poster
Life Achievements
#LifeGoals
No-Edit list
Priority List
Milestones
Reward Checklist
Things I’m Grateful For
Obstacles and Mistakes, and
Promise for Next Year

Monthly Dividers and Monthly Calendar – Inspirational quotes help propel you towards your goals

Weekly Layout – Prioritize your tasks in vertical weekly spreads and be encouraged by the motivational quotes each week

Special Pages – A variety of workbook pages guide you to stay on top of your goals for the course of the year. Each page lets you set and sustain your goals with momentum throughout the year

This year, Everything Is Possible wants you to create the momentum you need in life to achieve infinite possibilities. Get it now for Php598 at all leading bookstores nationwide or visit us at ilovebdj.com.

FOCUS JOURNAL – Php498

It’s so funny that I feel that each kind of planner this year from Viviamo was meant for me! haha! Next up in the list of the planners that they have is the Focus Planner. The 2019 Focus Journal was designed to help users look past the noise, and find clarity and peace. With all of the noise and chaos, it’s sometimes hard to listen to your thoughts and heart and to find direction.

Featuring 176 full colored pages bound in a matte laminated hardcover, Focus Journal allows you to surrender your thoughts and worries on paper and align to your spirit’s purpose and desires. Focus Journal features 12 monthly dividers filled with power words and suggested activities to help you handle your thoughts with ease. It also comes with special activity pages such as Monthly Check-up and Year-End Reflections so you can mindfully evaluate accomplishments and learnings, and to maintain focus for the course of the year and the next.

Monthly Dividers -Power words and suggested activities help you handle your thoughts with ease. Monthly Calendar and Weekly Layout -Have enough space for planning out your whole year Special Pages – Activity pages to help you mindfully evaluate accomplishments and learnings

ESSENTIALS PLANNER -Php380

This planner is the perfect gift for the practical, straight to the point kind of loved one or friend. I actually love this, too. I love that the simplicity of the 2019 Essentials Planner is what captivates you. This planner comes in two sleek (2) cover designs–Classic and Pattern– both with gold foil stamping. The planner contains 144 pages with dotted weekly pages ideal for bullet journaling, as well as creative journaling.

Monthly Calendar and Weekly Layout – Have the freedom in planning or unleashing your creativity with spacious dotted spaces and a minimalist layout

Whether you’re a first-time planner user or not, the Essentials Planner can be your planner of choice this 2019. Get it today for Php380 at all leading bookstores nationwide or visit us at ilovebdj.com.

BDJ PETIT PLANNER – Php350

The BDJ Petit Planner comes in two styles—Purple and Pastel—both with zippered plastic covers that can be an instant pocket or a secondary wallet for your cards, bills, and receipts.

Get the functionality of the regular-sized BDJ planner in a pint-sized version with the BDJ Petit Planner.

Monthly Calendar and Weekly Layout – Write down quick notes, random thoughts, or simple inspiring ideas

Special Pages – Simple pages for making your own lists or goals

The other products that I love are…

QUEST JOURNAL TRAVEL at Php480
ESSENTIALS NOTEBOOK — Php240

Even if I appreciate and use automation and gadgets to make my life easier, I still love writing with a pen and paper. These two products are a staple in my backpack. I use my Essentials Notebook to write down ideas, plans, etc. I use my quest journal for meetings and for bullet journaling! So many tools, right?

Aside from the Belle De Jour Planner 2019, the planners mentioned here and the other products that I use, there are more products that you may want to check out from Viviamo. Please visit http://ilovebdj.com