While savory food like shawarma and siomai are definite hits when it comes to franchising a food cart, sweets and desserts also make for great options, as they offer variety while effectively satisfying on-the-go cravings.
I Love Bubble Waffle is a great option if you're looking for something deliciously different (and Instagrammable, too!). Sharah Mina Morales, with the support of her family, decided to go for it, and here, she shares everything she needed to accomplish in order to launch a kiosk:
Female Network: Why did you choose I Love Bubble Waffle?
Sharah Mina Morales: I chose I Love Bubble Waffle because of its uniqueness and product presentation. Ibang-iba siya sa mga ordinary waffles na nakikita sa mga malls. Aside from that, wala pa sa targeted (current) location ko ang nagbebenta ng waffle so naging opportunity siya for me to open up something new sa tao.
FN: What are the steps in securing an I Love Bubble Waffle franchise?
SMM: Before pa ako mag-graduate, ni-research ko na [all] about franchising, kung ano isu-submit, and nagulat ako na gan'on lang pala kadali. Nagbigay lang ng ID and fill in application forms, pero of course, I don’t want to rely on what the internet says so nilakasan ko loob ko to join several seminars, went to different orientations na pwede mag-franchise. It was a stepping stone for me on how to handle a business and be a franchise owner.
Walang naging problem sa 'min kasi sinecure na muna na namin 'yong location, and 'yong DTI, BIR, and then bubble waffle na. The start of the operation and time management ginawa ko na habang nasa abroad mother ko and kuya ko, (who I’m very thankful for kasi umuwi sila for my first ever launch of business).
I went to comply with other related government papers (health certificate of employees, water certificate, fire certificate, business permit) na needed sa isang negosyo.
FN: How did you pick your location?
SMM: Ang pumili kasi ng location ko was my mother. At first, I didn't see the potential of the area kasi hindi pang kalahatan. Mostly students lang since we’re meters away from ICCT College, pero I tried to be optimistic na I Love Bubble Waffle will be known not only sa mga students but outside of my foot traffic. So bago lahat, inaral ko siya. Nag-[research] ako sa buong lugar, approached students na nakatambay sa nearby location kung meron bang waffle sa area, magkano nagagastos ng isang student sa pagkain per day, and their food interests.
Lahat 'yon ginawa ko, to consider rin kung anong ilalagay kong negosyo d'on. Besides, it’s very accessible sa 'min, malapit 'yong location namin sa subdivision kaya if may sudden need of supplies, uwi agad to get more stocks. I’ll be honest, mabigat 'yong renta namin, aabot ng 19k, pero sinupport ako ng parents ko sa pagiging risk taker kasi sa four years ko na pag-aaral ng Marketing and Advertising sa iACADEMY, d'on ko natutunan maging palaban and mag-risk. Kung hindi ko 'yon gagawin, wala akong patutunguhan.
Madami nagsasabi na pangit location namin pero I always look at the brighter side na may potential 'tong location na 'to. Actually, I consider it as a perfect place. It’s near schools, trike stations, wet markets, and malls.
FN: How did you find the crew to man your kiosk? How long was the training?
SMM: Welcome si I Love Bubble Waffle to provide us [with a] crew, pero mas preferred nila na we as franchise owners ang kumuha ng sarili namin para we (I) can interview them personally. So nagpaskil ako sa store ko ng "we are hiring", and dinagsa ako ng mga students. 'Yong target market ko kasi, almost lahat working students so it took me a while to find the right people for my store.
Why working students pinili ko? Because it’s an advantage for me and my business to be known sa campus nila. With their friends, teachers na kilala nila, pwede nila maofferan ng product namin. It’s all about word of mouth in the end. Which turned out great.
'Yong training umabot ng three days. Since working students crew ko, kailangan tutukan ko sila ng maigi kasi F&B kami. Dapat malinis and pulido lahat. Lahat ng staff attended the orientation sa MOA.
FIRST, orientation muna, get to know the company, the product, and si franchise owner. Binigay na rin sa 'kin 'yong operations manual, na lahat d'on naka-indicate 'yong supplies and costings.
SECOND, pinakita sa 'min kung paano 'yong pagluto bago kami 'yong gagawa, sinabak kami right on the spot na magse-serve kami sa mga customers. Mainit pa sa location na 'yon kasi sa sea side, tapat namin araw. Pero of course hindi agad-agad bihasa na 'yong mga crew ko so it took us four times na pumunta ng MOA para ma-perfect lahat. Naiyak ako sa pamasahe since shoulder ko lahat, ahahaha. Pero it’s all worth it.
FN: How much did you initially spend? Kindly include the full cost of the I Love Bubble Waffle kiosk/franchise fee/etc, plus cost of permits, rent, etc.?
SMM: The franchise itself aabot ng P280,000, hindi pa kasama renta, kuryente, tubig, and pasweldo sa tao.
FN: How do you manage the following on a regular basis: suppliers, stocks, crew salary, bookkeeping and tracking?
SMM: I manage them through time management. Whenever I'm vacant sa store, I make sure ginagawa ko na 'yong mga kailangan gawin especially tracking of my inventories. After work, nililista ko lahat kung ilan 'yong nabuksan and ilan pa 'yong stocks namin. Whenever malapit na siya maubos, d'on na ako tumatawag or text. Usually cut off ng orders is every Wednesday, deadline of payment is every Thursday at 3 p.m., tapos delivery would be either around Saturday or Sunday, kaya dapat advance [ang] order mo and [you] need to anticipate kung paubos na ba or kaya within the month or weeks [ang stocks mo]. Mode of payment is through BDO since I have my suppliers’ information para i-send 'yong payment—madali ko lang gawin since convenient ang online banking.
With my crew, weekly ko ibinibigay sa kanila [ang suweldo nila] kasi working students sila, they need to fund their tuition fee and other necessities kaya gan'on lang rin 'yong paghire ko sa kanila kasi I know they’re determined to work for me and for their future as well.
Sa bookkeeping and tracking, papasok diyan si BIR na ibibigay ang ledger, columar, and other books that need to be fill up. Ang in-charge naman d'on is my tita. She’s a bookkeeper who helps me... I'm thankful na tinulungan niya ako kasi she understood na lahat ako kumikilos.
FN: When do you get ROI with an I Love Bubble Waffle kiosk?
SMM: Usually sinasabi nila within six months pero for me, depende 'yan sa location mo and target market. Most crucial part of putting up a business is the location. D'on nakasalalay lahat. Since target market ko is usually students, hindi mo maiiwasan 'yong holidays, breaks which is nakaka-detoriate sa 'min, but with constant advertising online and outside my targeted area, we still have other walk-ins than students, which I’m thankful about rin. May mga promotions din kami to attract people which turned out effective.
If may events like Halloween, nakiki-participate din kami, like we decorate our place, etc., and that gives us points to gain more customers. And as of the moment, marami na kaming regular customer which implies we are doing good business-wise.
