I JUST came from National Bookstore, where I bought two black pens. My receipt showed that I have 565 points in my e-purse, which translate to P80.00.

That put a smile on my face. You see, I am a frequent shopper of that bookstore, and I have already claimed a lot of discounts on my purchases using the points in my e-purse. The P100 renewal fee of the Laking National card is really worth it for a frequent shopper like me.

Name it, I probably have it – SM Advantage card, Powerbooks’ Powercard, BDO Rewards card, Bench Lifestyle Card, Mercury Drug Suki card, South Star Drug’s Tipid Card and MedExpress’s card, among others. Yes, I’m a sucker for reward cards that earn points leading to discounts. In fact, last year, when I was paying my son’s tuition, the cashier asked me if I would be paying by cash, check or credit card. When she said “credit card,” I said, “Hmmm.” And the cashier gleefully said, “Sayang ang miles!!!” We both laughed, and I handed over my credit card so I can earn more reward points.
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WOMEN the world over have been keeping a fashionable secret for so long now. Well it’s not really so much a secret that only a few people know about it. The fact is, thousands of women have been quietly buying online a self-adhesive backless and strapless brassiere called NuBra.

It is made of silicone and with adhesive, sticks to skin well so it’s not a problem to wear clothes that are backless or are more revealing up front. Hollywood celebrities have been patronizing NuBra, and even Oprah Winfrey endorsed it.

While there are a few resellers of NuBra online, one reseller particularly stands out. Digital Web Group, Inc., which runs three e-commerce stores exclusively selling Nubra (www.nubra.net, www.nu-bra.com, and www.siliconeworks.com), sells the most and is topmost in search engines.

According to Fil-Am Diana Limjoco, one of GoNegosyo’s most inspiring entrepreneurs and one of the founders of Digital Web Group, “Revenue from the NuBra alone is about $500K annually. We do not advertise and sales come only from search engine placement and word of mouth. Also occasionally, a magazine, newspaper and TV show will feature the bra.”
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A TOTAL of three—that was the number of enrollees R. A. Gapuz Review Center (RAGRC) had back in 1994 when they opened, offering review classes for those taking government board exams. But this did not deter founder Ray Gapuz from persevering in his then newly established business.

Nowadays, their number of enrollees are in the thousands, so much so, that review and coaching sessions have to be scheduled in hotel ballrooms, mall cinemas and even big events places such as the Philippine International Convention Center and Araneta Coliseum. And get this—review classes are also beamed via satellite to other venues in the country. Of course, online review courses are also offered. Today RAGRC is the market leader among nursing review centers, getting the lion’s share of 40 percent of the market among 55 documented review centers, according to its website.

Just how did RAGRC succeed? Josiah Go, marketing guru and chairman of Mansmith and Fielders, Inc., points to market-driving strategies applied by the company.

“Market-driving strategies define how a firm will embrace innovative changes in the industry logic and business system to grow its profit and industry’s demand from marginal and non-customers,” says Go. To do this, innovations may be implemented in the value proposition (what the company may offer customers), the business system, or both.
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BY this time, most of my friends have already made their pick among the Selecta Gold flavors: Berry Strawberry, Chocolate Truffles, or Hazelnut Brownie. Which one is the best? We each had our own favorites.

The three flavors are concocted by renowned Filipino chefs: J Gamboa of Cirkulo for Berry Strawberry, Rolando Laudico of Bistro Filipino for Chocolate Truffles and Sau del Rosario of Chelsea for Hazelnut Brownie. To find out which one is best, my brother-in-law bought all three. I bought a couple of pints too, when I’m not really a regular ice cream buyer (and if I do buy, it’s not Selecta). The thought, though, of having gourmet ice cream done by chefs was irresistible.
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ONE of my close friends is a very simple person. An engineer and head of her own trading company, she is most at home in jeans and casual shirts, and can live without makeup or flashy jewelry.

She was just telling me a few days ago how some business establishments could be so judgmental.

Recently, she went to a high-end department store because she needed to buy a whole new set of makeup to replace her whole kit. She went to the counter of a well-known international brand. Another customer, a woman who was dressed well, was there too and asked about lipsticks. The counter personnel kept on attending to the woman, showing her all the different colors of lipstick they have and encouraging her to try them on. My friend would ask for some items, which they would give her, but they did not really attend to her in the same way or offered to put on makeup on her.

In the end, my friend bought a whole set of cosmetics from that brand while the woman left with just one lipstick purchase.
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