SLSU Bontoc, DTI Join Hands in YEP!-BYOB Training
Mr. Erwin P. Remojo, Administrative Officer V of Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) - Bontoc Campus, served as the resource person for the program The Young Entrepreneurship Program: Be Your Own Boss Training (YEP!-BYOB) held at SLSU San Juan Campus from November 19-22, 2024.
Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Southern Leyte Provincial Office through its Negosyo Center Program and the Rural Agro-Industrial Partnership for Development and Growth (RAPID Growth) Project, the program brought together 4th-year BS Entrepreneurship students and aspiring young farmers from Saint Bernard and neighboring municipalities.
The training aimed to equip participants with essential skills and practical knowledge to navigate their entrepreneurial journeys.
Mr. Remojo, who is a former Trade and Industry Development Specialist, shared his expertise, “The objective of the workshop is to help the youth start new small businesses or improve their existing businesses by teaching them the set of core business skills,” Remojo said.
Day one set the stage for creative thinking and problem-solving, with sessions on identifying business opportunities within communities and developing innovative ideas. Participants were introduced to community mapping, enabling them to visualize local business landscapes, identify gaps, and pinpoint customer needs.
Through the lens of design thinking, participants explored empathy as a tool to gain deeper insights into customer behavior. “Empathy allows entrepreneurs to understand what customers need, how they feel, and why they behave as they do when interacting with products or services in real-world settings,” Remojo explained. Using Point-of-View (POV) problem statements and “How Might We” (HMW) questions, participants began ideating creative solutions tailored to their target markets.
Day two emphasized the importance of strategic planning through the Business Model Canvas (BMC), which dissects businesses into nine key components, including Value Proposition, Customer Segments, and Revenue Streams. Working in groups, participants developed BMCs for their business concepts, receiving constructive feedback from resource persons.
Remojo also delved into marketing essentials, introducing the 6Ps of marketing—Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, and Production—and underscoring the significance of record-keeping and profit optimization. “Understanding marketing strategies is crucial to expanding customer reach and matching products to market demand,” he added.
On the final day, participants focused on crafting streamlined operations plans and preparing for the much-anticipated business pitching competition. Remojo guided them in understanding operational priorities such as cost, time, and quality, as well as inventory management and quality control.
The YEP!-BYOB training concluded with an encouragement, urging participants to apply their newfound knowledge to their ventures and integrate their learnings into academic business plans required for graduation.
This initiative aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly: SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced Inequality, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
