The Juggling Act

"Okay, let's look at the schedule," Leo said, his voice a mix of determination and exhaustion. "Dried fish in the morning, cafe in the afternoon, property checks at night."

He'd become a master of time management, his days a meticulously planned sequence of tasks and appointments. With his capital still recovering, he had to be incredibly resourceful.

"Ana," he said, handing her a tablet, "I found a free inventory management app. It's basic, but it'll save us time and money on stocktaking. We'll also use free online marketing tools for social media posts."

He'd spent hours scouring the internet for free or very low-cost automation tools for his dried fish business. Every penny saved was a penny earned.

"Boss Leo, you're becoming a tech wizard," Ana chuckled.

"We have to be," he replied. "We can't afford to waste resources."

His rental property was mostly self-managed. He handled tenant inquiries, minor repairs, and rent collection himself. He'd even learned to fix a leaky faucet and unclog a drain, saving on maintenance fees.

"A little elbow grease goes a long way," he told Maria, wiping his brow after fixing a door hinge.

His cafe/food stall was his current passion project. He was hands-on, working alongside his staff, taking orders, and even cooking on busy days.

"We need to build a loyal customer base," he told Mang Ben, the chef. "Offer them something special, something they won't find anywhere else."

They introduced a loyalty card, offering discounts and freebies to repeat customers. They also focused on creating a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, making customers feel like part of the family.

"We need to keep our expenses low," he told Carla, the manager. "Every ingredient, every napkin, every light bulb – we need to be mindful."

Operational Costs (Minimized):

Dried Fish Business (Weekly): Packaging Materials: 4,000 PHP (negotiated bulk discounts) Delivery Costs: 5,000 PHP (optimized routes) Shopee/Lazada Fees: 5,000 PHP Social Media Marketing: 1,000 PHP (mostly free tools) Storage Space Rental (Quezon City): 3,000 PHP (renegotiated lease) Automation tools: 500 PHP (minimal subscription fees) Rental Property (Monthly): Maintenance (mostly self-managed): 1,000 PHP (estimated) Cafe/Food Stall (Weekly Variable): Ingredients and Supplies: 40,000 PHP (fluctuates) Utilities: 3,000 PHP Loyalty program costs: 1,000 PHP

Revenue:

Dried Fish Business (Weekly): 550,000 PHP (slightly reduced due to market fluctuations) Rental Property (Monthly): 18,000 PHP (consistent) Cafe/Food Stall (Weekly): 120,000 PHP

Calculations:

Dried Fish Weekly Profit: 550,000 PHP - 18,500 PHP = 531,500 PHP Rental Property Monthly Profit: 18,000 PHP - 1,000 PHP = 17,000 PHP Cafe/Food Stall Weekly Profit: 120,000 PHP - 47,000 PHP = 73,000 PHP Monthly Rental Property Profit converted to weekly: 17,000 / 4 = 4,250 PHP

Total Weekly Revenue:

531,500 PHP (dried fish) + 73,000 PHP (cafe) + 4,250 PHP (rental) = 608,750 PHP

Remaining Capital Update:

Previous Capital: 498,600 PHP Weekly Profit: 608,750 PHP Remaining Capital: 498,600 PHP + 608,750 PHP = 1,107,350 PHP

"It's a lot to handle," Leo admitted to Maria, "but we're making it work. We're building something solid, something sustainable."

He was learning to juggle multiple ventures, to be resourceful, and to find opportunities even in challenging circumstances. He was proving that with hard work, dedication, and a little bit of ingenuity, anything was possible.