Exploring Business Opportunities for Young Entrepreneurs Series Part 1: Coffee for Peace
A symposium on “Exploring Business Opportunities for Young Entrepreneurs” was held at the CARD-MRI Development Institute, Inc. (CMDI) Tagum City Campus on March 7, 2019 with students of CMDI, Kapalong College of Agriculture, Science and Technology (KCAST), and Kapalong National High School in attendance.
The guest speaker, Ms. Felicitas ‘Joji’ Pantoja is the Chief Executive Officer of Coffee for Peace, Inc. which supplies world class Arabica beans and Philippines Civet Coffee. It is a social enterprise consisting of a community of business owners and farmers who are practicing and advocating Fair Trade Principles in the coffee industry to advance justice and peace. Their coffee is produced locally and distributed throughout the Philippines and internationally, and has received numerous awards from international Non-Government Organization executives, foreign missionaries, visiting diplomats, and local business leaders (www.choosesocial.ph).
Ms. Pantoja is a graduate of Entrepreneurship Major in Social Enterprise Development from the Ateneo Graduate School for Business. Her social enterprise development works have been acknowledged by several organizations that recognize different social development undertakings.
Recently, the ASEAN Business Advisory Council recognized Coffee for Peace, Inc. as the Country Winner and the ASEAN Winner for the Small & Medium Enterprise “Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility” on 12 November 2018 at the ASEAN Business Awards 2018 in Singapore (www.coffeeforpeace.com).
Ms. Pantoja shared her story from knowing immediately what she wanted when she was young; the journey to Olongapo City with her pastor husband and how they established a cafeteria that catered to prostitutes and abused women and at the same time became an opportunity for them to do their ministry work; and their experiences during the EDSA revolution which prompted them to migrate to Canada.
In Canada, she worked as a financial adviser wherein she was also able to help some of the Overseas Filipino Workers to establish their life’s financial goals. They returned to the Philippines in 2006 to continue with their ministry work and peace building activities in Mindanao. There, she noticed the importance of coffee to Filipinos and is patronized regardless of religion and tribe. Moreover, she observed that when drinking coffee, there is always a dialogue and no gun fight.
They established a hut called ‘Place for Peace’, predecessor of the Coffee for Peace project. From brewing coffee, they are now into producing, marketing, and capacity building of the farmers who are mostly indigenous peoples with ancestral lands. Currently, they have 600 coffee farmers— 200 farmers in Mt. Apo, Davao; 200 farmers in Mt. Matutom, South Cotabato; and 200 farmers in Mt. Kitanglad, Bukidnon. Meanwhile, they are expanding their training of farmers in Kalinga and Leyte.
Ms. Pantoja shared with the students the three important principles that she uses to become a successful entrepreneur, and these are by: Being, Doing, and Having. Further, she told the students that people can make their own destiny by learning ‘self-mastery’, a process of knowing the strengths and weaknesses, and controlling it; because a person is free to choose what to do in life.
She then told the students to always be inquisitive – ask questions and find solutions to those questions, and emphasized that it is difficult to explore a business opportunity if someone lacks input, curiosity, and creativity.
She ended her discussion by asking the students, “Ano ang kaya n’yong gawin? Ano ang pwede ninyong mai-contribute sa bayan upang maging malago ito? Wala sa gobyerno kundi nasa kamay ninyo ang solusyon.” (“What are you able to do? What can you contribute to the country’s growth? The solution is not with the government, but it is in your hands.”)
Students reflected on what Ms. Pantoja shared and most of them were inspired by her story, advocacy, and determination. What they have learned will truly guide them as they embark to become not just entrepreneurs but also social entrepreneurs.
Contributed by: Mark Gil Sabay