‘My kids drive me to success’

Selling has always been her passion, which she used wisely and efficiently after a downfall in business in 2005.

Six years later, she now runs her trading company, a car dealership firm  and her salon and spa.

“I set up Angging Salon and Spa in 2009 after I bought the rights from a friend. I see it as a business that’s close to my heart,” said Aida Patana.

Before landing in the heights of success, however, Patana had to struggle and work hard selling housing units in 2005 after the furniture company that she used to run with her in-laws since 1996 shut down.

“I had no other option then so I worked hard selling units, which was surprisingly easy for me as I always loved to sell,” she said.

From her earnings, Patana raised her five kids and sent them to school after she broke up with her husband.

In 2006, she opened her first hardware store.

“It started as a hardware shop but now it has evolved into a trading company, which I call Cebu Maps Marketing,” Patana said.

She said her trading company distributes various products, including Michel Lhuillier’s wine, which she offers in personalized packaging.

In 2009, she opened three branches of Angging Salon and Spa in A.C. Cortes, A.S. Fortuna and Maguikay, Mandaue City.

Last year, however, Patana closed the Maguikay and A.S. Fortuna branches of the salon “because the foot traffic is too low to sustain the operations.”

Right now, she again looks for new areas where she can open new branches.

Patana said she invested P500,000 to acquire the rights to the salon.

“I’m happy with the investment, however, because I was able to help a lot of people. At present I now have around 30 people working for me,” she said.

Inspired by her kids, Patana said she plans to open a siomai outlet next year, which she would partner with Michel Lhuillier.

Patana said  she dreams for her kids to finish their studies.

At the same time, she  said she also wants her kids to learn how to run the trading company and  the salon.

“I expose them to the businesses every weekend so that they can start as early as now to appreciate how to do business,” she said.

She said that as a single mother, her children drives her to work hard.

For Patana, the best business principles that she wants to share to everyone is to keep trying your best, set goals and be motivated.