Protect Your Middle Men
A couple of weeks back, I spoke to a lady who resigned sometime last year from her stable job to set up her own business. She was then working for a food manufacturing company and, having studied the industry, decided to get into ice cream distributorship. She saw her earning potential and with the time and dedication she was willing to put into the business, she believed that she could be earning far more than what she was getting paid as an employee. For several months, her business did fairly well until her supplier (the manufacturer) decided to sell his products directly to the consumers at the same price he is offering it to his wholesalers or distributors. With no profit margin and possible business growth potential left in sight, this lady was left with no choice but to close shop and cut her losses.
Clearly, the manufacturer saw the earning potential of selling his products directly to the consumers and this automatically destroyed the business of the middleman.
I was once a manufacturer myself and have always believed in protecting my clients, direct or the 3-party middleman. It can be a hassle to have to work out two sets of prices for your products all the time but I realized that the middlemen/agents are the ones who would really keep my business going. I will not have an access to the whole market alone. By maintaining a healthy business relationship with the middle managers, the possibility of growing my business is higher than just by myself. At the end of the day, an order is an order. Either way, I earn.
I heard Sen. Francis Pangilinan speak at the launch of the Philippine Entrepreneurial Center’s scholarships at the Entrepreneurial School of Asia where he mentioned “that at times like these, when poverty exists, steps must be taken to create wealth”. This is why in the last two months, the chairman of the Philippine Entrepreneurial Center, Mr. Jose Concepcion III, has been actively promoting entrepreneurship with the “Go Negosyo” project. Under his leadership, this agency is working together with the government to create an environment conducive for more Filipinos to join the entrepreneurial bandwagon. It is their intent that, if more Filipinos get into small and medium businesses, money will flow, the employment rate will rise and there will be a reduction in the number of our countrymen migrating to other countries.
Being an entrepreneur myself, I see the value in promoting this project. However, I strongly believe that we should focus not only on the creation of the most number of entrepreneurs but instead on having the highest number of successful entrepreneurs.
It is easy and simple to start a business. With a good idea, a couple of forms and taxes/permits to pay, you have a business running. But one thing aspiring entrepreneurs forget is that in the process of studying the business idea, performance of a self-assessment and finding out where and what one’s limitations are, an entrepreneur should also remember the value of cooperation and the recognition of other parties’ efforts and contributions.
Understandably, at the back of every entrepreneur’s mind is SURVIVAL. His primary concern is the overall organization and will surely go where one will gain the most. This is the essence of an entrepreneur’s being.
However, there is a lot of room for everyone to have a piece of the pie. We are all in this together. Let us share the wealth!!!
Fulfill your career vision by attending seminars that will show you how. Attend the Career and Education Fair 2006 on May 3-4 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City. Click here for details. |
