Three years na nagtrabaho si Anna Magalona bilang Credit and Finance Solutions manager sa isang software company sa Makati City.
Aminado siyang isa iyon sa kanyang dream jobs noong nag-aaral pa siya.
Kuwento ni Anna sa panayam ng Summit OG, “I was able to learn a lot in there. I was able to apply my course when I was in marketing.”
Ngunit nagkaroon siya ng agam-agam sa kanyang trabaho nang pumutok ang pandemya.
“Last August 2020, when the pandemic hit, I wanted something that could be a back-up plan if in any case I would get laid off or whatever happens to my work.
“I was thinking to myself: 'What could be a back-up plan?'”
Matagal na rin siyang nagpaplano ng sariling negosyo na low maintenance, madaling ihanda at puwede niyang i-launch online.
Ang naisipan niya ay kape.
Sabi ni Anna, “I thought of coffee because I love coffee. And coffee is quite easy to prepare.”
Nilakasan niya ang kanyang loob kahit wala siyang experience sa pagpapatakbo ng negosyo.
Para raw siyang pintor na nakaharap sa puting canvas at hindi malaman kung paano mag-uumpisang gumuhit.
Sabi niya sa sarili, “Just as long as I know how to do the basic math, it could work for me during that time.”
NAGSIMULA SA PHP6,000 NA PUHUNAN
Six thousand lang naging puhunan niya. In a way, nakatulong ang pandemic restrictions dahil hindi niya kailangang magbayad ng renta.
Aniya, “Because we did not have a physical store back then. We just operated in sa condo."
Sa nasabing halaga ay nakabili siya ng basic home coffee maker at mga paper cups.
Nagpagawa rin siya ng labels na siya mismo ang nagdidikit sa paper cups para sa branding.
“We also bought one kilo of coffee grounds and a few milk and sugar syrup.
“I think that was very enough na to start na with selling at least 50 to 100 cups of coffee.”
Doon na nga niya sinimulang ilunsad ang But First, Coffee.
CHALLENGES, DOUBTS AT PALPAK NA UNANG DELIVERY
Ang sumunod na challenge matapos ang launching ayon kay Anna ay kung paano niya masu-sustain ang operasyon.
Maraming tanong sa kanyang isip noon kung paano makakakuha ng mas maraming customers, at kung paano ima-market ang kanyang brand.
Aniya, “Because building phase was the very hard part. I wasn't able to identify my target market yet.”
May mga natatanggap din siyang komento na nagpapahina sa kanyang loob.
“Like, um, lilipas lang iyan. Nasa ano ka lang ngayon. Lost ka lang ngayon, lilipas din iyan. Hindi mo iyan iko-continue.”
Nagkaroon tuloy siya ng doubts, “Will there be other people aside from my family and friends to purchase from me?”
Nasundan pa ito ng isang insidente nung nagde-deliver siya ng coffee.
“May mga coffee na ako sa car. 'Tapos yung car, ayaw nang mag-start!
“I had to run to a battery shop para ipa-jumpstart yung kotse, so kailangan nang palitan yung battery.
“Naisip ko, yung battery is around PHP5,000-PHP6,000! Hindi pa nga ako nag-ROI [return of investment], lugi pa ako.
“So, ano ba? Para ba talaga ito sa akin or not?”
NAKUHA ANG TAMANG TIMPLA
Hindi sinukuan ni Anna ang birth pains ng But First, Coffee.
Aniya, “After several trial and error, I have that perfect blend where it's good enough, you know, sell online.
“I started posting in Facebook, sharing it to all of my friends.”
Nagustuhan aniya ng mga bumibili ang kanyang coffee. At mas marami na rin ang nakaalam ng kanyang products dahil sa social media.
“That's when we were able to develop additional flavors, additional items on the menu.”
NAGKAROON NA NG PHYSICAL STORE
Nang makaipon nang konti, nagdesisyon si Anna na magkaroon na siya ng physical store sa ibaba ng kanilang condo.
“It was a very small kiosk, but people were able to see us physically.
“So, it kind of boosted our credibility as well and that helped us gain more customers.”
Bestsellers ni Anna ang Vietnamese style at Spanish latte.
“The Vietnamese style is at PHP70 right now. It's a brewed coffee served with condensed milk.
“It's inspired by the authentic Vietnamese coffee ng Vietnam, but parang na-tweak lang namin a little to suit the tastes of the Filipinos na medyo sweet din.
Mas premium naman ang Spanish latte, "It's arabica beans and being done with commercial espresso machine.”
DUMAMI NA ANG BRANCHES
Sa sobrang popular ng brand ni Anna, pagmamalaki niya, bago natapos ang 2021 ay mayroon na siyang 15 branches.
Masayang lahad niya, “I get to stick with our mission and vision which is to create job opportunities for people or help people start their own business.
“I get to offer people with good, quality and affordable coffee. So it's like they don't need to break the bank just to get good coffee.”
Para kay Anna, pinakamahalaga sa kanya ang mga customers. “And I really want them to experience good quality of service from us.
“That's why sometimes it's not all about the money. What matters the most is how you treat them.”
Payo niya sa mga gustong magnegosyo kahit may pandemya, “I would definitely recommend you to start online because every day, people are on the web.
“They can see your products, your services. Invest in everything that you can to make your business a success.”
Panoorin ang buong panayam ng Summit OG kay Anna: