Hundreds of small business owners on Saturday gathered at a mall in Quezon City for a free mentoring session organized by Go Negosyo to help them learn online brand promotion for their own products and services.
No less than 700 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) attended the event, where digitalizing MSMEs was the focus of discussion.
The chief executive officer of e-commerce giant Lazada, James Dong, and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte joined social media influencers and online content creators in sharing tips for successful online brand promotion.
In organizing the event Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion said they “believe that MSMEs will benefit the most from digitalization.”
“Platforms like Lazada have proven to be a natural fit for these small entrepreneurs because they eliminate so many barriers for them in business,” he said.
“The path to greater inclusivity is to enhance digitalization in the Philippines,” he added.
Dong, in his remark, noted how the Covid-19 pandemic has changed consumer behavior in the country. He assured the audience that Lazada will always be present to help active and aspiring entrepreneurs do business.
“Think of us as a business that empowers other businesses,” he said. He explained that businesses who use the platform automatically get the capabilities of Lazada, such as its national distribution network, payment system, logistics system, customer service, and fulfillment.
3M on Wheels is Go Negosyo’s highly successful on-ground, nationwide program for active and aspiring entrepreneurs. “3M” stands for Mentorship, Money, and Market and reflects the wider scope of entrepreneurship assistance it now offers entrepreneurs.
During the event, there was one-on-one coaching of entrepreneurs by mentors coming from different industries.
Finance service providers also introduced entrepreneurs to facilities for small-business lending, while specialists in different marketing channels were on hand to introduce solutions that cover everything from establishing physical stores, digital platforms, logistics solutions, and digital payment platforms.