THE rise of e-commerce platforms in recent years has made it easier for Filipinos across the country to start their own online businesses.
For overseas Filipino workers like Donald, becoming an entrepreneur meant being able to spend more time with his family. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Donald worked in the UAE hotel industry. Although he was able to provide for his family, being away limited him from celebrating special occasions and milestones, so he decided to go home in 2019. When he got back to the Philippines, he made a living out of selling hotel-grade curtains and bedsheets to leverage his hotel industry experience.
“Because I started selling online, time with my family is now a luxury I can enjoy since I can run my business from home. I’ve learned a lot from my journey as an entrepreneur, but I know that business is always changing. I need to adapt, change and innovate, and Shopee makes it easier for me to do that with new features, tools and online courses that I can access from my home.”
With the e-commerce platform, he was able to grow a customer base who have the same interests and hobbies. He maximizes the platform’s features to directly communicate with his buyers, and build affinity for his business. “I never expected that my hobby would turn into my full-time job.