One of the most interesting small businesses that I found was a small kiosk called Ma. Rita Fresh Pineapple. This small kiosk located at the Gaisano Mactan Island Mall sells delicious chopped pineapple bits in a small plastic bag, in varying sizes. The kiosk design was colorful and functional. They would chop the pineapple on the spot, weigh it and put it into plastic bags, with free toothpicks and salt,. The experience is actually very similar to buying popcorn.

I was intrigued because of the concept. They took a basic fruit and made it into a snack staple. And from the looks of it, they are doing well. Business ideas need not be complex, but it should be innovative. It should answer the needs of the market.

Some of the greatest success stories in kiosks locally are Tacos and Thirsty, two of my favorite snacks. I love the tacos in Tacos. I have been to their branches at JY Discovery Mall, Paseo San Ramon, Ayala Center and the Banilad Town Center. It tastes great and its priced right, what more can you ask for.

Thirsty is a fantastic story. Bunny Pages and his sons bought the franchise some time back and turned it into a fine tuned machine. There is a Thirsty outlet in almost every place you can think of. Everywhere, they serve a consistent healthy drink for all walks of life. They have turned the Thirsty brand into

a super brand by attaching it to sporting events such as football, tennis, etc. They even shocked the market by raffling off a sportscar Mazda Miata in one of their ingenious promotions. I recently found out that they have gone nationwide with several outlets in Manila and the rest of the country.

There are many success stories in Kiosks. You see them everywhere and each of them have a story to tell. For those who want to start out as a entrepreneur, a Kiosk is a great way to get your feet wet. Some of the great reasons why are

1. The initial investments are low. – For a investment of less than Php 100,000., you can have your own business up and running.
2. Locations are variable – It is easier to find a great spot for setting up the Kiosk. If it doesn’t work out in one spot, it can eventually be moved.

3. Contracts are shorter – The typical kiosk contract is 6 months.
4. Great feel of the market – Kiosks provide a great feel for whether or not the business is viable.
5. It is easy to expand – If the business is good, it is easy to set up more kiosks as the business model is modular.

One of the greatest brands locally that made it nationally is Islands Souvenirs. Believe it or not, but it too started out as a kiosk in 1992. Today it is in the Hall of Fame of the Philippine Retailers Association for being a three time winner of the prestigious Retailer of the Year award.

If you are interested to find out more information, there are organizations that can assist you. There is the Philippine Franchise Association which most kiosks belong to and the Philippine Retailers Association. You can also get assistance from Cebu Chamber of Commerce as well as the Department of Trade and Industry. Feel free to email me so I can put you in touch with the different organizations.

There are a lot of ways to begin your entrepreneurship story. Trade and Industry Undersecretary Carissa Crus-Evangelista once told an audience of aspiring entrepreneurs, “Small cash can start up a business. But a brave heart and a steady mind will steer your business to success,”

Let’s follow the examples of these ordinary individuals as they strive to make a difference. Each week, lets all get together and share knowledge, stories, experiences, information, all for the sole purpose of getting One Step Up.

For comments, suggestions or stories that you want to share, email me atstirspecialist@gmail.com , or visit http://www.stirspecialist.blogspot.com/ .