Lessons from the year's inspiring Filipino MSMEs

Every year, Go Negosyo names the year's Most Inspiring MSMEs.

- ANGAT LAHAT! JOEY CONCEPCION

They are chosen from hundreds across the Philippines, not only for the success of their enterprises, but also for their stories and their contributions to their communities. They have to be positive, passionate and inspiring, and the business must be backed by an innovative and sustainable business model.

Too often, enterprises are judged by their profits alone, or how quickly they went from zero to millions. As many of us in business know, this can all be too easy to gain, and even easier to lose. And then there's the temptation to prioritize short-term gains at the expense of sustainability and the community. This is why Go Negosyo's Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs must not only have excelled in their enterprises, but they must also have made significant contributions to their communities. Their stories have to reflect that entrepreneurship should be a force for good. I think this year's awardees are exactly that.

Take Astley Jude Anaviso, for instance. By founding MonsterPot Plant Nursery, he established the country's first DENR-accredited carnivorous plant nursery and a sanctuary for endangered plants, demonstrating how entrepreneurship can intertwine with environmental conservation.

Bhai Nhuraisah Deplomo's story is one that I hope will be replicated in the years to come. She founded Erovoutika, a multi-awarded Filipino-owned automation and robotics company producing nearly a thousand robotic kits a year. With many Filipinos displaying proficiency in science and technology, I hope many more will be inspired by how she complemented her technical skills with an entrepreneurial drive.