Student Creates Stylish “Abubot”, Earns 5-Digits To Help Pay For Mom’s Medical Needs

What was supposed to be a side hustle for Ericka Blace became a 6-digit-earning business that helped pay for the medical expenses of her mother.

Student Creates Stylish "Abubot", Earns 5-Digits To Help Pay For Mom's Medical Needs
Screenshot: GMA via Youtube

In an episode of GMA’s Pera Paraan, they shared the inspiring story of Ericka, a student-entrepreneur who found success in creating stylish “abubots” or accessories. According to Ericka, she has always been fond of selling, even when she was young. This entrepreneurial mindset grew in her, and she was always finding ways to earn extra income through business. She saved her earnings to use as a school allowance.

Amid the depressing pandemic, Ericka found luck and discovered a hit business. Who said that TikTok was a waste of time? Ericka actually learned and found business inspiration on the social media platform!

“Nitong pandemic po, nagscroll po ako sa TikTok at may nakita po akong international maker na gumagawa po ng mga necklace. Parang na sabi ko na ang galing namana at gusto ko itry,” she shared.

Her biggest hurdle was learning the skill. Using her last savings of P1,200, Ericka bought aluminum wires and supplies so she could start practicing the craft. Making names out of aluminum wires takes a lot of skill, so she had a hard time at first. She almost gave up.

Ericka recalled how she received hate comments and bashing online when she posted her works on TikTok because her work looked terrible. “Maraming nangba-bash sa akin kasi ang pangit nga raw ng gawa ko,” she said.

Ericka’s first customer was her number 1 fan, her mother! She recalled that the necklace wasn’t perfect, but her mother bought it to inspire her not to give up. Instead of letting the negativities get here, Ericka worked overtime to practice and found designs that she could work on. She borrowed P10,000 from her sister and launched her new shop, Malaya Philippines.

Student Creates Stylish "Abubot", Earns 5-Digits To Help Pay For Mom's Medical Needs
Image by Malaya Philippines via Facebook

This time, she improved her skills and craft and came up with better quality products. Until, slowly and surely, Ericka improved her necklaces and work, and customers started pouring in. From 3 to 10 orders per week, she now receives more than 50 orders every week! From being bashed online, Ericka is now earning P80,000 to P100,000 per month.

Behind her hard work and determination to succeed was Ericka’s desire to help pay for her mother’s medical expenses. Ericka’s mother is diabetic and has certain heart problems, so she needs maintenance medication. All her products are truly made with love! Ericka’s inspiring story is truly a great reminder to the youth that they too can find a business of their own with hard work and lots of motivation. Good luck!

Sally Mae

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