Tabuk City, Kalinga – John Lloyd Flores Villamayor, the owner of LF KA Pares Hub in Casigayan, Tabuk City, won the regional Youth Business Pitch Competition 2022 held on October 19 at Benguet State University.
Villamayor was conferred the “Most Innovative Business Model” award and received P15,000 worth of livelihood kit to add to the improvement of his business.
Said competition is part of the Youth Entrepreneurship Program (YEP) - Project Mobilizing Available Resources through Inclusive Training on Entrepreneurship of Student-Grantees (MARITES) of the Department of Trade and Industry which brought together the young entrepreneurs from the different provinces of Cordillera region to present their business pitch.
Villamayor was endorsed for the regional competition after winning the provincial level in September.
The LF KA Pares Hub owner told Guru Press Cordillera that he did not expect to win the competition. His goal, he relayed, was only to present his business pitch effectively and meet the set objectives.
“After diay Provincial Pitching Competition ket na-boost diay confidence ko ti bagik nga kayak daytuy. During diay regional competition nakitak nga naglalaing amin nga participants ti different provinces, ti aim ko lang idiay nga time ket maitawid ko lang nga usto ken hanak nga dapat maabutan ti 7 minutes ken maiyeb-kas ko nga mayat diay presentation ko,” he said.
Villamayor said he was overwhelmed to be proclaimed as the champion. He expressed his gratitude to the people behind his success.
“Umuna ket ni Apo, sumaruno ket ti ever supportive nga girlfriend ko ken iti pamilyak, kadagiti nagtungtunglung ken nagsuporta kanyak manipud di rugi, ken kadagidiay loyal customers iti Pares Hub. Agpaspasalamat nak unay-unay kadagiti nangsuporta ken nangtultulung kanyak, aglalo ti DTI-Kalinga family, stakeholders ti CHED, SUCs ken amin nga stakeholders na daytuy Yep Project Marites Program,” he expressed.
Starting a business at a young age
Villamayor revealed that he started engaging in business when he was yet in Grade 2 by helping his single mom sell her products.
Seeing his mom struggle to provide for their family's needs, Villamayor decided to stop studying during the height of the pandemic. He worked in a Glass and Aluminum shop in the city and later earned enough money to establish his own business.
He started venturing into Pares food hub in January this year with six menu types. He plans to add more once he expands his shop.
What’s behind LF KA Pares Hub?
In starting his business, LF KA Pares Hub owner said he has to consider the in-demand products that Tabuk residents are looking for. He claimed that one of them is food and that "Pares" is the best comfort food that people yearn for.
“LF stands for Looking For. Idi gamin agpanpanunutak ti nagan ti business ko ket diay kayat ko ket agibati kuma ti impression ti customer, diay handa malipatan. Napansin ko nga ti generation z ken millenials ket nag-uso diay term nga LF. Isunga kunak ti bagik nga mayat nga nagan. Looking for masarap na paresan parang ganon, Looking for Ka pares, who's looking for Ka pares?” Villamayor explained.
As a young entrepreneur, Villamayor encouraged his fellow and aspiring entrepreneurs to participate in DTI programs and other government initiatives to be equipped with the adequate knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship they need to start up small-scale businesses.
“To all kabataan out there, always remember 'Dream Big, start small.' Kadagiti kabataan nga agrugrugi ken kayat na paylang nga agrugi maymayat nga sumali ti kakastuy nga programa tapnu manayunan pay ti knowledge ken dakkel metlang nga opportunity ta maka-meet ti agduduma nga tattao nga ti mindset da ket ma-improve pay ti sarili da. Nagdakkel nga encouragement diay as an individual,” he concluded.
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