No matter how lucrative her showbiz career is right now, Jodi Sta. Maria knows that the industry is fickle—money might not flow in forever. So with her seven-year-old son Thirdy’s future in mind, she put up her own businesses: the restaurant Rue Bourbon in 2011, and The Happy Barn Milkshake Factory three months ago.
“Darating at darating 'yung time na hindi ka na ganoon kainit pagdating sa trabaho (There will come a time when you won’t be as in-demand in the industry) ,” says Jodi. “So it’s better na maghanap ka ng something na mas stable (So it’s better to find something more stable.). And I want to make my son proud. I do everything for him, what’s best for him.”
A bonus to having a business to manage? “It’s a diversion,” says Jodi, who’s proudly a hands-on owner. “It’s a distraction dun sa nakasanayan kong gawin (It’s a distraction from what I’m used to doing.).” She admits that it’s not all fun, but she still faces each of the challenges she encounters in stride. Here, she shares things any aspiring entrepreneur should know.
PICK YOUR PARTNERS.
“Choose like-minded people so you’ll all have the same goal.”
KNOW YOUR STUFF.
“You have to do a lot of research, what the market wants, what the market needs, ano pa 'yung kulang, ano pa 'yung mga kailangan (what's missing, what's needed.).”
HAVE A MISSION.
“Know the purpose of why you put up the business. You should have a mission.”
GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY.
“You have to be there, so you’ll know what’s going on.”
KEEP LEARNING.
“It’s a learning process. You don’t ever stop learning.”
Learn more about Jodi Sta. Maria by grabbing a copy of Good Housekeeping’s September 2013 issue, out on stands now! You can also subscribe to the magazine’s digital edition.
Also in this issue:
Money Secrets, Revealed!
Health Myths, Busted!
Look Great on a Budget
(Photo by Sara Black.)
