For the love of coffee

Posted on: September 20, 2024

Written by: Josephine M. Ramos

Jed Jabines from Kapalong, Davao del Norte, found a business venture in a coffee shop.

“As an entrepreneur, you must know the business you are getting into because, above all, you should know your strengths and weaknesses,” Jed Jabines stated about the importance of knowing one’s venture.

Jed, 35, is the second of four siblings. Despite not being wealthy, their parents worked hard to raise him and his other siblings and to provide them with a good life. His father worked as a welder, while his mother was a housewife.

Due to financial difficulties, Jed became a working student at a fast-food chain during his college years. Fortunately, their employer prioritized their school schedules over work hours, allowing them to balance work and education.

However, he chose to leave his job in his fourth year as school requirements started to pile up. He eventually graduated with a degree in hotel and restaurant management.  After graduation, he joined a company as a management trainee, but he quit afterward. His next job was at a coffee corporation, where he stayed for three and a half years.

When their younger sibling died in an accident, Jed resigned and returned home to Davao despite his desire to stay in Manila. He had to tend to his parents, whose emotions were becoming vulnerable.

As an unemployed person, he ventured into the coffee shop business in 2015 with his sister.

While the idea was promising, it didn’t thrive in their hometown of Nabunturan. So in 2018, they decided to try their luck elsewhere, which led them to relocate to Kapalong, where they experienced initial success that soon crumbled down because of the pandemic. The decline in sales due to lockdown forces him to close his business.

Post-pandemic, he and his other half invested in a pharmacy. Within three months of being an investor, they noticed a decrease in sales because customers believe that a well-ventilated pharmacy has far more expensive medicine than a typical one. With this, they decided to pull out their investment and start their pharmacy called “Botika ng Masa.”

Aside from the pharmacy in Kapalong, they now have a branch in Gabuyan.

To ensure the sustainability of their business. Jed obtained a PHP 100,000.00 loan from CARD SME Bank in 2022, using it as a revolving fund for his pharmacy.

In 2024, they tried their luck again in a coffee shop and obtained a loan of PHP 250,000.00 to CARD SME Bank. They used the funds to purchase machinery and equipment to operate their business.

“The idea is there, but we also need the capital to execute our plan, so it is good that CARD SME Bank is here to assist us,” Jed said.  They named their coffee shop “39ers,” catering to students with its affordable prices.

Inspired by Dr. Jaime Aristotle Alip and his advocacy of “one family, one graduate” to eradicate poverty, all their hired employees were working students.

“Even though their parents are there to support them, it is still better for them to have their own money as a backup,” he said. “It’s our little way to help their finances,” Jed added.

By hiring students, they can support their education and empower them financially.

Jed’s story reminds us that there may be delays in our success, but that does not mean we will not flourish. Sometimes, life just reminds us that we need to pause for a while, and someday, we will have enough time and resources to continue.