No to failure: The story of business and parenting

Failure, according to an anonymous author, is only the opportunity to begin again, only more wisely this time. This is one of the life lessons Carmen Salvador, 50, learned when at a certain point in her life, everything just fell apart. 

Carmen, a resident of Trento, Agusan del Sur, was at the peak of success when her business was going so well in 1998. The business was famously called Chicharon Factory and its glory went on for the next 10 years. Unfortunately, during the road widening in 2011, they lost the big portion of their factory. They had to move back, and apparently, they had to close it.

“It had been the most successful business I had but I always believe that every closing door awaits new opportunities,” said Carmen.

Not long after, she was able to loan an additional capital for their new business, this time a small eatery. Their eatery is just along the highway where a lot of travelers could take a stop to rest and eat. It was actually going well. Another challenge, however, came when Typhoon Pablo in 2012 affected residents of Trento including Carmen’s Eatery. 

“It was a nightmare. We were just starting to rise up again when the typhoon came. But I was thankful to CARD for helping us in our financial needs just as we needed it,” Carmen stated.

Carmen is a member of Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD), Inc. (A Microfinance NGO), a social development organization that offers microloans to support the livelihood activities of the socio-economically challenged women and families. During the typhoon, CARD Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI) through CARD MRI Disaster Response Assistance Program (CDRAP) distributed relief packs where Carmen and her family also benefitted. She was also approved for another loan to restore the damages in her business. 

Presently, Carmen is busy managing their eatery, while her husband is managing their banana and other buy and sell crops in Tacloban. Her current loan rose up to 80,000 pesos where she used as a starter for her new business, sanglaan, where she accepts farmlands and agricultural crops for pawning.  

“It is okay to fail in business, but not as a mother, not as parents. We have tried our best to raise our children well. As parents, it is our joy to see them reaching their dreams,” Carmen said. 

Two of their children are degree holders, one an IT graduate and the other one is an Architecture graduate. Their youngest is still a high school student. According to her, their children did not give them troubles. They grew up decent, obedient, and loving individuals. 

“I have failed so many times, I will not be ashamed of that fact. But I am glad we did not fail as parents. Parenting while doing business is hard to deal at the same time. A lot succeeded only one of the two,” said Carmen.

“Yet seeing our kids mature, think of the future ahead, and make wise decisions that would decide their paths, it is a success for me,” Carmen added.