Cebu is the land of opportunity for new and seasoned entrepreneurs alike. If you want to start a small business at a low cost, then the Philippines is the perfect place to start.
Business Ideas you can start in Cebu
Here are some ideas to help you decide what your business will be!
Open a Restaurant
Millions of people pass through Cebu each day, and every one of those millions of people is hungry at some point in the day. Cebu City is well developed and highly traveled. People who go to this city have money to spend, so why not feed them in exchange for it? Whether you want to start a fine dining establishment, or you want to establish a charming hole in the wall, Cebu is a perfect place for your restaurant. Whatever your specific restaurant needs may be, you’re going to need cutlery and silverware, and you’re going to want to be unique.
Macy Hooper from VegaDirect.ca recommends bamboo cutlery for a unique and eco-friendly option that will make your restaurant stand out. Cebu is a very multicultural area, so any variety of cuisine could find a market. Southern U.S. barbecue, French delicacies, fish and chips, Pad Thai — the possibilities are endless!
Clothes making
Tailoring, dressmaking, and suit making are all viable options in the Philippines. The nation has a very low minimum wage in comparison to other countries, so starting a clothing business and turning a profit comes at a very little operational cost. The country has such a rich fashion culture. The standard Barong Tagalog and Baro’t Saya are hugely popular for internal consumption as well as international export. Standard western style suits and dresses are also very desirable internally, and they’re cheap enough to produce that you can turn a profit from export as well.
There is also an ever-present demand for casual wear. The Philippines may be just the place to get your feet wet and establish a clothing brand. Hand-woven fabrics are extremely inexpensive in the Philippines, so a clothing manufacturer can produce a high-quality product without immense expenditure.
Woodworking
The Philippines is rich in natural resources. That includes lumber and palms. Rattan furniture is beloved and cherished worldwide, and demand will not soon fade. There is no better place to produce rattan furniture than from the country, most naturally suited to it. Furthermore, the vast variety of timber that grows in the Philippine forests gives many options to furniture producers.
From Acacia and Falcata to Molave and Rosewood, you’ll have a cut of wood to suit any purpose. Musical instruments, couches, tables, and chairs can all be produced with the varieties of lumber from the Philippines and neighboring countries. As the economy continues to grow, demand for high-end furniture will increase within the country.
Pinoy Exports
Filipinos can be found literally everywhere. From Manila to Manchester, Cebu to Seville, Beijing to Brooklyn, you’re bound to run into a Pinoy at some point. While the Filipino diaspora may come from all different walks of life, they all share one thing; pride in their culture. Many places are extremely alien when compared to the Philippines, so most ex-pat Pinoys want a little piece of home. Not only do they want something from their country of origin, but they’re willing to pay for it.
There are over 10 million Pinoys outside of the Philippines. This is a large market for anyone who puts in the effort. Filipino food is hard to find outside of the country. Sungka, a traditional game in the Philippines, is almost unheard of outside of the country, and many Pinoys abroad would love the opportunity to play this game that they grew up with.
Translation and Copyediting Service
The Philippines has 270 native languages. People naturally want to consume media in their own native language, so there is a huge opportunity to make money by managing translations between these languages. One doesn’t need to speak all 270 languages to find natives who can fluently speak two or more. If you hire the right translators and appoint proper quality-control managers, then you will have an effective translation service. Other translation services often outsource their copyediting needs, so there is further opportunity to use the company’s talent to ensure accurate, quality copyedits in various languages.
Aside from the host of native languages, there are a number of foreign languages that can be translated to and from Tagalog and other local languages. An obvious language in this category is English. While it is a native language, and many Filipinos can speak the language to some degree, there are very few who have native proficiency in the language. Mandarin and Cantonese also present opportunities for a translation business, as China and Hong Kong make up a very large portion of the Philippines’ export market. Companies want to professionally market themselves to these economic giants, so someone needs to make sure that their marketing materials are linguistically accurate. Other languages need copyediting and translation as well. Japanese, German, Thai, and Malay are all important languages in the country’s export market.
Co-Working Spaces
Digital nomads are attracted to the Philippines for so many reasons. The cost of living is low. The air is fresh. The people are kind and friendly. The climate is comfortable. The list of great things about this country could go on forever. So naturally, the place is pretty attractive to the daring and adventurous. Many freelancers and digital nomads are already in the country, and more come every day. Most of these people are not content to simply work in their hostel or their apartment.
They want to work in a place where they can meet other like-minded adventurers. They want to find others to collaborate with, to befriend, and to be close to. That is where co-working spaces come in. A co-working space is basically a spot for freelancers and remote workers to work alongside one another. All takes to make an effective co-working space is a building, a fast internet connection, some amenities, and a welcoming environment. You can man the station yourself or hire locals at a low cost to manage the front end.
ALSO READ: Benefits of working in a Coworking space
You have some ideas now for possible businesses in Cebu. Moreover, one can develop more business ideas in the Philippines as well, and take action. There is money to be made in Cebu and the whole country in general. There aren’t many places in the world more appealing than the paradise that is the Philippines. The opportunity is there. Go grab it!
