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FEATURE: BTBBTS: Business Throwback and Behind the Scenes

Perhaps you miss the UPIS Fair; or maybe you’ve heard stories about the flurry of commercial and romantic activity in Februaries past. How about the Business Fair? Were you half as enthralled as these shop-obsessed writers were upon beholding their online pubmats? Join us in this lofty undertaking and let BTBBTS recount tales of old trades and demystify the present business climate in UPIS.

—Throwback—

In days long gone-by, both staff and students alike would anticipate jumping from table-to-table to eye arrays of goods touted by students from higher grade levels at the Practical Arts (PA) Pavillion. To the gratitude of teachers at their students’ replenished enthusiasm, classmates of Track and Field (TnF) athletes would be in less danger of dozing off mid-lecture so long as they’d been able to purchase some of the treats proffered to them by their fleet-footed peers in between classes.

From gushing about “cute higher years” manning stalls for their internships, to getting rattled over how the recipient of a Peer Facilitators’ love note might receive one’s sentiments, such reminiscences now seem like the stuff of dreams—viewed from lenses too greatly muddled by the abrading passage of these last two years.

Alas, the pandemic has put an end to many enterprises and events that once all seemed so deeply-anchored in the UPIS experience. To commemorate them and do their memory justice, a detailed throwback is in order.

While the UPIS Fair was one of the most anticipated events for the whole UPIS community, the weeks leading up to it were also some of the busiest and most taxing of the school year. It combined the stress of setting up booths, practicing late into the night for Power Dance (PD), as well as readying oneself for the other events that the pKA had planned. On top of all that, students were also likely to support the overhanging weight of either wistfully wanting or having to celebrate Valentine's.

Such is why a certain club in UPIS made it a tradition to sell small gifts and distribute them amongst the student body—an operation which was highly-favored by students who wished to either surprise their loved ones or maintain anonymity in relating their affections. In the past, the Peer Facilitators Club’s “Cupid’s Express” was everyone’s go-to service when it came to purchasing presents during Valentine's season.

Arrays of Valentine’s merchandise sold under the “Cupid’s Express” by the Peer Facilitators Club. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/upispka/status/1095680340792815616?s=46&t=X_bY8iVgd34sk2KyH15CcQ

Their products ranged from stuffed toys to roses and polaroids, the latter having been the most popular amongst couples in school. Another service was actually delivering those gifts to the people whom they were dedicated to.

Days before UPIS Week, some might recall how the club’s members would come up and try to coax fellow students into buying their products. “Hindi naman kailangan i-dedicate sa crush, kahit sa tao lang na ina-admire mo—no harm in making them feel appreciated,” is a line, often accompanied with a wide and assuring smile, that students were more than all too familiar with.

According to Achilles De Leon, a former Peer Facilitators Club member, such inducements were utilized in order to reach their quota. Every member was given order slips and was tasked to sell the number assigned to them by a deadline.

This was to ensure that target sales were achieved without having to do last-minute selling during UPIS week. By then, they would have graduated to another mission—gift distribution. The funds of the club mainly depended on this single event, thus the need for risk-dispelling quota sales.

De Leon said that while stressful, knowing how it would benefit the club later on made it all worth the effort. That in spite of ruing his “lack of salesmanship” and frequent rejection by prospective customers, there’s much gratitude too from all he’d learned.

Sadly, the Peer Facilitators Club has since gone out of order along with all other school clubs because of the pandemic. Clubs were not the only organizations that sold products with the goal of raising funds however; so did some sports teams, but they too have regrettably halted their operations.

A shirt bought from the TnF team in 2019. Photo credit: Allana dela Cruz

In the past, the Track and Field (TnF) team would sell sweets and shirts in order to raise money for their athletes. They sold all year round, though with greater fervor come UAAP season.

The most popular amongst their edible goods were yemas and cereal bars—some might even recall them being lugged around in big containers. They were often bought during breaks or discreetly distributed when class was taking place. The latter would be much akin to a game of hot potato owing to the wariness of seatmates in dropping their classmates’ change; even conspicuous coin jingling was liable to a teacher’s, “Kaninong pera kaya yun?” Many delighted in the closer proximity to food as it saved them from trips to the canteen. The TnF team also made sure that their snacks were accessible to the entire student populace by providing a seller for each grade level.

Former TnF athlete, Aleah de Castro, said that their shirts’ popularity even extended to members of the students’ families because of the choice to customize and have their surname printed at the back. The organization had a quota of 10 shirts per member, but de Castro remarked that it was an easy feat as some students would buy more than one shirt at a time. She said that her past role in sales led her to learn a lot about business and consumer attitudes—particularly, in knowledge regarding products most sought-after and in the employment of various persuasive maneuvers.

De Castro relayed that she had a lot of fun with the selling—owing in part, she observes, to her past experience in it. She had already been selling cupcakes to her classmates from as early as fourth grade. Desirous she may be to carry it out in limited face-to-face, she is hesitant for fear of her products’ being possible cause for transmission of diseases.

At present, it appears that the only remaining school organization with entrepreneurial undertakings is the Pamunuan ng Kamag-Aral (pKA)—UPIS’ student council. As the student council, their services will continue for as long as there is a student body to lead; it will only ever have “defunct” stamped across its banners should UPIS be so too (and to that, we pray never). While one of its main objectives is to aid in upholding the four core values of Love, Truth, Justice, and Freedom, their business ventures appear to espouse an unratified fifth—School Pride.

Samples of merchandise from pKA 2018 and 2019. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/upispka/status/1024248514895695873?s=46&t=6Alc-ewq6ZX1CnF4WaFEKA https://twitter.com/upispka/status/1024233925739085824?s=46&t=6Alc-ewq6ZX1CnF4WaFEKA https://twitter.com/upispka/status/1157969530485764099?s=46&t=uw-rHmQk5w6pQLkBgzq_9w

Prior to the onslaught of COVID, pKA products came in the form of various clothing attire and accessories such as shirts and lanyards embossed with the UPIS logo. They were more or less, as former Vice President Romi Okada would put it, school merchandise. Though generally met with much enthusiasm for their attractive designs, parental zeal was also a primary ascription for particularly successful sales amongst K-2 and Elementary students.

While the supportive community was integral to the student council’s commercial triumphs, chief credit lies within the efforts of its members for their thoughtful planning and strategic promotion via accessible publication material. “The design of the pub for the product really helped; kasi if it's more accessible and easier to understand, more people are going to get attracted,” said Okada.

The tickets sold by pKA for UPIS Fairs 2019 and 2020. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/upispka/status/1094217774476345345?s=46&t=X_bY8iVgd34sk2KyH15CcQ https://twitter.com/upispka/status/1226499064444809219?s=46&t=X_bY8iVgd34sk2KyH15CcQ

The pKA trade wasn’t just limited to pursuits in the sartorial however. If the commencement of the school year was devoted to such, its incipient conclusion would see them vending tickets for the school fair—better known as UPIS Days. Earnings would be reserved for funding the succeeding year’s events such as the Leadership Camp (LC)—in which only a lucky few partook—and the aforesaid fair, wherein the organization would also plan for and host multifarious activities, namely: club wars, Power Dance (PD), and the Battle of the Bands (BotB).

Mandatory it may have been, rarely did exertion slacken—noble too, always remained, the student council’s intentions. To quote Okada, “It really taught me that it wouldn’t hurt to go all-out; more funds meant a better outcome or event. So of course more people would enjoy and be satisfied.”

Last year’s pKA merchandise sold during UPIS Days 2022 “Tanaw”. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/upispka/status/1518538199764996097?s=46&t=-qPe4m2ONnSpx1IBU8XFbA

For the time being, the pKA business has continued to persist—selling still accessories and articles of clothing that brandish trademark UP icons and phrases. Unlike pre-pandemic procedures wherein most of the income would circle back to their treasury, for pKA 2021-2022, half of the sales went to the Save Our Schools (SOS) network which was dedicated to helping Lumad youth.

In line with their enduring retail, we now take a turn to the present state of the UPIS business situation and those at its forefront.

—Behind the scenes—

A compilation of the BE strand’s six start-up companies’ logos. Retrieved from: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=136251722484762&set=a.136251729151428&type=3

Since many school businesses have gone out of commission, the current UPIS marketplace mostly comprises the trades of student entrepreneurs both extrinsic and belonging to the Business & Entrepreneurship (BE) track. In our current set-up, some might say that the BE strand appears to be somewhat elusive—a collective whose inner workings outsiders are made privy to only through arrestingly persuasive pubmats promoting their sales internships.

Each company’s solo promotional material for DiskoBErey 2022: Beyond Expectations. Retrieved from: https://fb.watch/g6yTxaR9Pt/ https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid07kSTz1m4499MU3L74QKhYyfAfRpFCzSJmPTMvwzSr2yHtQCgPZwPBmDLyibwJj4kl&id=102315785777322 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid027sRo1mAU3HS3RTPBVGRmmF5ahcWSan9pVf7Nbb52uck6j3FjY23ZNj7BSsiHq8AXl&id=102315785777322 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0Tdb91z1LiAjKvV2eUB3UeEsdvwuxakR5hpZvV33w6cLnK11J7Th5ZxmmimvCoLcLl&id=102315785777322 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0V2BmXZ11r74NBVg3bXBssKpSQCAFANgR217Ff3fY6Yu8EMbwCCwWcaJizoA6UcPLl&id=102315785777322 https://fb.watch/g6yYYswwmb/

As of now, the merchants of 12-Kasipagan are in the early stages of production and quality control. They consist of six start-ups: OOTieDye, Lolliloomps, Indie Ocean Co., POV, Beverage Joe, and RelEVENT. In that same order, each offers tie-dyed goods, lumpia desserts, customized t-shirts, tote bags, refreshments, and events management services. They will be up for sale and/or made available to the student body at the BE track’s Business Fair to be held on November 15 to 17.

Launch dates vary amongst the companies. POV’s Production Manager Jasna Seguban says that they’re to start pre-orders a week or two before the fair, whereas Erielle Arceo, the CEO of OOTieDye, has stated that their wares will be made available for purchase from as early as October 18. Both are united in the wish of garnering much love and support from the UPIS community. “We hope that our customers will enjoy POV bags as much as we, the creators, enjoyed turning our product ideas into reality,” said Seguban.

With preparations drawing to a close, and advertising alongside marketing looming ever nearer, it’s important to acknowledge the students’ immense efforts in paving the way, through perennially rocky terrain, for their businesses’ fruition.

According to Arceo, there is no doubt that the pandemic has closed many doors for new businesses. She explains that it’s done away with the possibility of selling their products in person and has posed much difficulty in shooting promotional material.

Notwithstanding, she keeps an optimistic outlook on the situation and believes that certain aspects are preferable and even conducive to advancement in their business. A certain advantage is that rather than having to open up a physical store, they need only to utilize delivery services. And due to the undeniable rise of social media users in recent years, their online presence has led to greater customer engagement—widening reach with their target demographic.

On the other hand, Seguban has admitted that her group struggled considerably with starting a business in the midst of a pandemic. Putting herself in the shoes of her customers, she has shared that she would prefer a physical store so as to properly inspect the products herself.

She is hoping that a smoother flow of production as well as greater ease in communication will ensue with the limited face-to-face mode of learning. For Seguban, up close and personal is more desirable than functioning remotely when it comes to talking to her team or any customers. Further stressing the importance of communication, she relates that, "Ideas would not become a reality if not communicated, and in turn, opportunities would be inhibited.”

For both interviewees, their time in the BE track has been well-spent as it has provided them not just with skills that they can use later on in life, but also with experiences that they otherwise wouldn’t have gained had they gone a different path. They’ve learned how to manage their time and energy with greater discretion—to refrain from worrying about things over which they have no control. But they have also proven that perseverance can be the answer to many things, no matter how impossible the tasks may seem. Everyone should understand that behind every business are individuals who dedicate much of their time and effort in building it.

According to them, the business climate of UPIS appears to be very healthy—one with a generally supportive community of buyers, as well as a diverse range of products and sellers. It’s possessed of enough variety, they say, as to deter very intense competition. They also note that an overlap in themes or products is something they generally avoid.

Both commended their fellow entrepreneurs for how they sell not just for the mere sake of gaining money, but out of genuine concern for their customers as they recognize their potential to provide them with their needs. As entrepreneurs themselves, they never fail to consider their clientele in drawing up every plan. And while up to date with trends, they ensure to integrate their own twists to make them more personalized to their brand. Lastly, they are adamant about how affordability should come hand in hand with good quality.

Because of the gradual transition back to physical classes, both entrepreneurs are positive that small businesses will also return—that it is only a matter of time before more students begin selling to their classmates again once the situation has become the norm.

For any readers who plan on starting their own business, this article concludes with a few words of advice from Miss Arceo. She advises that even though you are determined to go all out with all your plans, taking care of yourself is just as important. "We are not robots that can operate tirelessly and with little maintenance. Care for yourself. Care for your peers. Our mood reflects on our work. Therefore, it is when we, the entrepreneurs, are healthy and happy that our business can also be healthy and thriving!" //by Andrea Almeda and Allana Dela Cruz

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