Growing the Team and the Brand

Leo hired Ana, a bright and energetic young woman, as his part-time assistant. He quickly learned the importance of clear communication and effective delegation. He trained Ana on the packaging process, emphasizing quality control and hygiene. He also entrusted her with deliveries, ensuring she understood the importance of timely and efficient service.

Team Management and Delegation:

Leo fostered a positive work environment by treating Ana with respect and appreciation. He encouraged her input, listened to her suggestions, and provided constructive feedback. He also ensured she had the necessary tools and resources to perform her tasks effectively.

Challenges and Solutions:

Inventory Management: With increased volume, Leo faced challenges with inventory management. He implemented a simple inventory tracking system using his Excel sheet, recording daily stock levels, incoming supplies, and outgoing orders. Timely Deliveries: To ensure timely deliveries, Leo explored different delivery options. He compared the cost and efficiency of motorcycle couriers, tricycle deliveries, and public transportation. He also experimented with scheduling deliveries based on location and urgency. Quality Control: Leo emphasized the importance of quality control with Ana. He implemented a checklist for packaging, ensuring proper sealing, labeling, and handling of the dried fish. He also conducted random checks on delivered packages to ensure quality standards were met.

Employee Relations and Benefits:

Leo researched basic employee benefits and legal requirements. He learned about minimum wage, holiday pay, and social security contributions. He also considered providing Ana with a small health insurance allowance.

Branding and Marketing:

Leo recognized the need to create a unique identity for his dried fish products. He brainstormed brand names and logos, considering catchy phrases and visual elements that represented his products' quality and origin. He also explored the possibility of creating simple marketing materials like flyers and social media posts to promote his brand.

Expenses:

Employee Wages (Ana, 5 days/week): 3,000 PHP (600 PHP/day including food allowance) Packaging Materials: 800 PHP Delivery Costs (various options): 3,500 PHP Branding/Marketing (initial exploration): 500 PHP

Increased Sales and Updated Capital:

With Ana's help and Leo's efforts to optimize operations, sales continued to grow.

Weekly Sales:

Market/Grocery Sales (Manila): 35,000 PHP Online Sales (Manila): 15,000 PHP Market/Grocery Sales (Quezon City): 20,000 PHP Total Weekly Sales: 70,000 PHP

Weekly Expenses:

Accommodation (Manila, 7 nights): 2,100 PHP Food (Manila, 7 days): 1,750 PHP Transportation (Manila, 7 days): 1,050 PHP Phone/Internet (7 days): 350 PHP Employee Wages (Ana): 3,000 PHP Packaging Materials: 800 PHP Delivery Costs: 3,500 PHP Shopee/Lazada Fees: 1,500 PHP Social Media Marketing: 100 PHP Storage Space Rental (Quezon City): 3,500 PHP Transportation (Quezon City): 800 PHP Branding/Marketing: 500 PHP Total Weekly Expenses: 18,950 PHP

Weekly Profit:

Weekly Profit: 70,000 PHP - 18,950 PHP = 51,050 PHP

Updated Capital:

Previous Capital: 82,350 PHP Weekly Profit: 51,050 PHP Remaining Capital: 82,350 PHP + 51,050 PHP = 133,400 PHP

Leo was learning to navigate the complexities of managing a growing business. He was building a strong team, optimizing his operations, and exploring new avenues for growth. He was embracing the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship, one step at a time.