This Mother’s Day, these strong women are highlighted and honoured for their exemplary role in raising their families and tend to their own businesses and still manage to do it with flying colors.
Mompreneur, or "momtrepreneurs," is a slang term describing women who run their own businesses while also acting as a full-time parent, thus the word is the combination of “mom” and “entrepreneur”.
Not all heroes wear a cape, some wears an apron and prepares delicious recipes in the kitchen. And so goes these Mompreneurs who run successful businesses in SM malls in Iloilo, Bacolod and Puerto Princesa.
Let us get to know their secret recipes for success.
WILDA WUTHRICH USI
Sue’s Cake Gallery at SM City Iloilo
“Motherhood, though challenging, is the most fulfilling thing for me. My family has always been my top priority, despite the demands of being an Entrepreneur. There is no substitute for “time” spent with them and for them. I make sure I am “present” in all the things that matter most to them, big and small it may be,” shares Ms. Wilda Wutrich Usi of Sue’s Cake Gallery in SM City Iloilo.
Sue’s Cake Gallery is a household name in Iloilo, the brand is synonymous to delicious and great tasting cakes that is top of mind for every occasion.
“I always say that having this business has been providential. It was God’s way of being faithful to those who have been faithful to Him,” Wilda shares. The cakeshop was an acquired business from its original owners in 2011.She reveals that she was their only personal choice to pass on the business to because they recognized the creative side of her which comes from her Swiss blood. “I am a CPA, but at that time, I was engaged in my home-based handcrafted accessories business. That is how they saw my gift for artistry.”
Ms.Wilda shares that she was drawn to this kind of business where her passion for the arts can be expressed in something enjoyable by other people. Hence, she came up with their tag line: “We put a smile in every occasion”, knowing that cakes are always part of the centerpiece of life’s every special milestone and occasion.
“Before SM, our first shop was a mix of a party shop and a cake shop but with limited cakes to go offering. SM Iloilo was the first mall that gave us a big opportunity to launch a new concept of having cake & coffee shop, cakes to go, and customized cakes, all in one store, “ says Wilda.
Sue’s Cake Gallery has long been known as a leading customized cake provider in Iloilo City but they were not accessible to all walks of life in their original store. “Opening a totally new concept where we offered dine in of cakes and pastries and served gourmet coffee, consumers started to see us in a new light.”
Ms Wilda added, “The reprieve and revision on our lease payment have greatly helped us survive the monthly overhead expenses. SM City Iloilo was also very understanding as we strike a balance between keeping our operations running and taking care of the health and welfare of our employees. SM City Iloilo also spearheaded some innovative ways to reach out to shoppers online and we also enrolled in their delivery services since some consumers are still uncomfortable going to the mall.”
Customers looked forward in tasting the new flavors and seeing the trendy designs that they offer every now and then, with the wide and diverse kinds of artisan cakes and pastries that they have. Moreover, the interior design of the cakeshop with a Southern rustic feel to it, makes them feel like it’s a second home.
Ms. Wilda gladly shares her successful partnership with the mall, “SM City Iloilo is comprised of highly professional individuals who would listen to the needs of their tenants and act on these needs accordingly. Everything is organized and efficient.”
Partnering with a mall like SM City Iloilo is highly advantageous to local SMES. We all know that SM City Iloilo has a high consumer traffic. As such, we get the necessary exposure to our target shoppers. It’s like an Advertisement already, being in SM City, she added.
Having debuted in SM City with their new concept has created a significant awareness to the public on their brand. “We feel that we have earned the trust and respect of the consumers by being in SM City. In a short span of time, we received many offers to open a similar store in their businesses, not just in Iloilo City, but in other parts of the country as well,” Wilda shares. True enough, they were able to open 3 more stores in Iloilo City after SM City. They have also attracted a lot of businessmen wanting to franchise their cakeshop. Even suppliers started to notice them.
The success of the business did not only benefit the family but their staff as well. “The continuous growth of the business has made my employees feel secure and stable with their jobs. I am able to give them more benefits and perks that have uplifted their status. I believe that people are the greatest assets of any business enterprise. So as the business grows, I also take pride in knowing that my employees feel proud of being my employees as I have seen their lot in life improved.”
Faced with challenges brought about by the pandemic, they immediately implemented strict company protocols from their commissary to their delivery staff to their store staff. “Even before the face shields became mandatory, our staff were already complete in their protective gear when we re-opened after the temporary closure.” They also streamlined their product lines and production costs. “We took the opportunity to develop new product lines that are affordable. We also aligned our employees in a win-win arrangement that would both benefit them and the company, just so both parties can continue to survive. We implemented flexible working arrangements with them.”, Ms Wilda added. She believes that they have to innovate and so they focused on Marketing especially in the social media by posting our product offerings and promotions.
As an SME and a local entrepreneur, Ms. Wilda shares her top 3 valuable learnings from the pandemic that really had a great impact on their operations.
1. Re-start with the mindset of starting a new business and not continuing the existing business. This helped us a lot especially in eliminating the paradigm of what we used to do in the past and the resources available to us then. Having a fresh mindset was able to make us focus on the things we need to prioritize based on the present situation. It was difficult at first but it worked to our advantage in the long run.
2. Clear focus on what we need to accomplish. In our Business Continuity Plan, we are looking at this time until December to “just survive”. Meaning to just get the operations humming and making changes to adapt to the new normal. After which, we will re-assess our business condition at the start of 2021 and make the necessary adjustments and possible hard calls and decisions if so warranted.
3. Prepare for the future. They say that Preparation is Key. There is no other time this adage is truer than now. I need to prepare my business to be resilient to withstand the impact of future crises, intensifying online platform, building a sort of financial resiliency in order to achieve business continuity
Believing that motherhood does not come with a manual or a handbook that we can just read about and know what to do in every phase of our children’s lives, Ms. Wilda’s belief that a mother’s love will always be consistent and unconditional, perhaps is one of the recipes that makes Sue’s Cake Gallery stand out from the rest.
“As a mother, I have embraced the meaning of selfless love early on. Two years into motherhood, I quit my promising career as the Accounting Manager of SM Affiliates and gave my time and attention to my special child, Francine, who was diagnosed to have cerebral palsy and autism. With two more children after her, Abby and EJ, I have learned how to manage and balance my time, making sure that my spiritual life and physical well-being are not neglected in any way. I want to give the best of myself to my children, not what is left of me at the end of a tiring day. I am not pesky when it comes to the academic achievements of my children as I believe that what is more important is that they grow with the proper moral values and strong faith in God. Seeing them become responsible members of the society is enough reward for all the sacrifices I have made.”
Ms. Wilda Wuthrich Usi looks up to her own mother as she has been her brightest light in her darkest moments, her greatest supporter in all my endeavors, and her best friend through thick and thin. “She is the most reliable and constant thing in my life, especially when I feel lost. Her love has made me strive to become the best version of myself and this is also what I aspire my children to become.”