“When you enter the world of business, everything is unpredictable” this is what Mrs. Zarina Bernas, answered when asked the question how it was when she started her business.
As a mother of 3, her main inspiration for starting a business is her children, as she wants to provide them with everything that they need and for them to have a beautiful future. She started her first business in her husband’s hometown in Pasay City, Manila. There, they started a little sari-sari store and because she and her husband love to cook, they then started a little burger shack in their garage to be able to sustain the needs of their newly born daughter. The business was booming as it was supported by their friends and friends of friends, until they even started delivering their burgers to other parts of Manila.
Years later, Mrs. Bernas got pregnant for their 3rd child and from there her husband decided that they will be moving to another place to start their business, because the earnings that they get from their business in Pasay will not be enough to sustain the needs of their 2 daughters. The couple decided to transfer to Roxas City, where Mrs. Bernas grew up and where she gave birth to their youngest child. Like their business in Pasay City, they started their burger shack and a small sari-sari store business. As they start off their business, the sales are increasing, and they have gained a lot of new customers per day. Their street was always busy. Sales were good but they cannot manage to do it all alone because they do not have employees to help them manage their business and by that, they cannot give attention to their growing daughters.
Finally, they have decided to transfer to Cagayan de Oro City to try their luck here. That maybe this new place will give them new experiences. When they arrived here, her husband decided to work abroad so that they will have enough money to send their children to school and enough money to spend for their everyday life. Mrs. Bernas agreed and let her husband work abroad because she found a helper that will look after her child and will help her take care of her business.
From having a water refilling station to roasted chicken, internet café, they have decided to settle with her sari-sari store business. Aside from that, her husband went home because the uncle of her husband has entrusted them in managing a car rental business and an apartment.
Business is unpredictable because you will never know whether it will succeed or not because it will merely depend on the needs and demands of the people. The main challenge that was faced by her and her husband is managing their time well for their business and for their daughters. Aside from that, the perceptions and wants of the consumers changes over time that is why their burger shack did not end up well.
Now with their business, the only challenge that they face is the pandemic. Their car rental business is not that booming because most people are stuck at home and there have been travel restrictions. However, they still manage to find ways in order to keep their business transactions safe for them and for their customers. In these trying times, business owners often find creative ways to keep their business going.
