Growing a burger business via digital ‘word of mouth’

CEBU, Philippines — It was during a casual dinner time when 36-year-old Nekie Macalolooy and her British business partners came up with the idea of putting up Mama's Little Secret Creative Burgers (MLSCB), a burger joint slowly making waves in Mandaue City.

"The business started on July 16, 2015. I was with two British business partners. The idea of doing the burger business started when we went out to the beach and when we came home we stopped by a grocery store to buy food. Pete, a young British chef, bought some meat for he wants to eat burgers for dinner," the Cebuana entrepreneur shared to The FREEMAN.

"Dinner time, Pete handed us to try the burgers he made and then one of our former business partners suggested, why don't we do burgers for business? And then we all agreed. Our target was just really to sell burgers for the neighborhood," Nekie said.

MLSCB is located in V.B. Cabahug, Opao, Mandaue City.

Digital word of mouth

"The motivation was how to generate income while staying at home," she said.

When she started posting burgers through her Facebook every day, She has come to realize that she was picking up the market and so she continued doing it every single day until her Facebook friends get to engage on every post that she shares.

"From then on, we started to serve customers from the city through word of mouth," she shared.

Since then, through word of mouth and social media, the business has grown roughly around 60 to 70 percent since it started.

"The location is one factor, and not everyone can come by anytime they want. So, I decided to outsource a delivery business to do the delivery. Instead of giving my customers a hustle bustle from the traffic jams, we deliver it to them," Nekie added.

The burger restaurant delivers through twoanyone.com.

"Although, there are still customers who come and visit us since they want to eat the burgers straight from the pan. Meaning, eating it while it is still hot," the 36-year-old entrepreneur said.

Production has added an increase since Nekie started her delivery service.

"I receive a bulk order from companies time to time," she said.

The name Mama's Little Secret Creative Burgers already made an impact on customers.

Most customers, she said, find the name intriguing and leave them with a question what it is selling.

What started in 2015 as a simple burger shack restaurant in a residential area, which was just to target the neighboring community but through the digital age, has now grown to be known to customers living in the city center.

"I don't want any social class of my customers feeling intimidated when they walk in the restaurant. When I planned to renovate the burger restaurant, I came up with an idea of a 60's themed restaurant and added a beach feel to the setting so everyone who dines will feel relaxed and at home," she said.

Nekie ain’t a rookie

Nekie grew up in a family who does business.

Her grandparents used to be a manufacturer and supplier of shell crafts and then decided to do coco crafts.

"So, growing up with my parents and the rest of the family doing business is not something new to me."

In fact, since she was young, she used to sell inside the classroom although it was not allowed in her school.

"I tried hiding what I was selling. I even tried to sell cut-out posters of Hollywood stars to my classmate. I had tried to sneak in a fruit juice that is in tetra pack and sell it to my classmates during recess time. I was a little cheeky during my childhood days."

Nekie believes there are no rules to apply if one wants to be an entrepreneur.

"As long as you have the courage, the will, the perseverance and the belief that your product will work. The faith should start with you. If you have the trust that your product will work, your customers will also believe that your product works," she shared.

"All entrepreneurs experience hardships even those big names in the industry until this time. You just have to keep on thriving that your business will work in due time. Don't hurry up being on top because it is not as easy as it may seem. In time, you will get there. Remember, you only fail when you stop," the lady entrepreneur said.

Right now, Nekie manages everything in the business.

"My only help is my mom and sometimes my sister when she's around. I learned to study doing everything from shopping, making patties, sales, marketing, documentation, operations,  managing, and serving customers. I am literally a superwoman," the burger business owner noted.

Learning to be hands-on with the business helps her decide in the future when problems arise.

"If I expand the business in the future, I would know what to do."

Looking into the future, she is planning to expand to some places in Cebu.

"That is what I am preparing right now but probably limited. Currently, I am still gathering possible suppliers that will be part of the business plan," she said. (FREEMAN)