Working from home used to be a fantasy for most. Not anymore. It comes with a slew of predicaments: the need for a reliable internet connection to prevent untoward interruptions; the constant search for Zoom-worthy backgrounds for never-ending discussions that could’ve just been emailed; the gasp for open and safe spaces for quick breathers; and so on and so forth. Running a business remotely adds up to the myriad of challenges the modern entrepreneur faces. Some of the country’s most inspiring business persons who have transformed themselves and their businesses share their secrets to success. Rhoda Campos-Aldanese, Beauty Scout founder “Managing a business from home] can be challenging as the work-and-home-life balance is disrupted. Aside from thinking about how to gain exponential growth, we now have to navigate as well that sense of imbalance. It is really important to think of wellness. You need to keep your mind sharp and your body fit as well. It’s good to be in an environment that enables you to live and work well.” Winston Llamas, Wilbros Entertainment Inc. president and Wholemart Philippines CEO “As an entertainment and concert company, our concerts and events got shut down when the pandemic hit. So we had to focus on other possible areas, such as international talents acquisition. Whatever the situation is, always look at the bright side. Instead of giving up and closing down, we were able to pivot and focus on other things.” Kris Lawrence, Champ Tailors Inc. co-founder “During the early stages of the pandemic, I was live-streaming and doing Zoom concerts. I also endorsed fashionable PPE’s, or essential fashion, for a garments factory, which eventually got shut down. But my friends and I decided to ‘save’ the factory. That’s how Champ Tailors was born. Today we create export-quality merchandise. It’s important to look for partners who complement your strengths. Also, build your own, personal sanctuary.” These modern entrepreneurs gamely shared their experiences and expertise at a recent virtual roundtable discussion brought by SM Development Corporation (SMDC), which also launched SMDC’s newest property that caters to the needs of people working from home.

When buying a condo unit, a prospective buyer often does so for either of two reasons: to live in the unit or to have it rented out. For a large number of those buyers, the purchase is seen more as an investment as they can in turn rent out and earn from the unit, while enjoying the increase in value of the property. This seems to be the case for younger people who are starting to invest in real estate. “Based on interviews with various brokers, most of the people buying condominium units are between 30-45-years-old,” says Catherine Reformado, Associate Director-Research Division of Leechiu Property Consultants. For the younger millennials who have just entered the workforce, Leechiu’s research indicates that these are generally first time home buyers who are looking for places that are accessible to where they work. Reformado adds, “They want a unit that is near to everything, yet affordable.” Renting out a unit and generating passive income is also an appealing proposition to these buyers according to Reformado. “There is more market awareness,” she adds regarding this generation of real estate buyers, while noting that they are educated enough to know the importance of 1. investing young, 2. liquidity, and 3. securing one’s future. Reformado points out that, “real estate is just one avenue to increase assets and generate income with sure capital appreciation, that’s why at an early stage in their career they save money to purchase a property.”

SMDC’s ICE Tower Residential-Offices officially makes co-working spaces a fundamental part of the 21st-century work scene. Made for the modern entrepreneur in mind, the 17-story building will house luxurious business, fitness, and social hubs that will provide their residents with access to desks, office supplies, and meeting spaces together with wellness amenities such as gyms and roof decks. The entire development sits on a 3,859 sq.m. property, with 844 units with two-bedroom, one-bedroom, and studio layouts. The Benefits of Residential-Offices 1. Mental Separation This arrangement offers a “mental separation” from home and work life. If you need to print out materials head to the building’s business hub that’s fully equipped with essential office machines. For lunch break, just take the elevator up to your unit for some homemade food, and for those days that offer a light workload, take a dip at the swimming pool that also features meditative gardens and an eagle’s eye view of Manila Bay. 2. Save where you can For a city with a growing number of e-commerce and small businesses during the pandemic, entrepreneurs can also cost-save by having the same business and residential address. Alongside, their pay-for-demand system of their for board rooms and office accessories. These collaborative spaces also seeking to help people network and make connections in a more casual set-up similar to the comfort and productivity one gets from meeting at a coffee house. 3. Work on your own time And for those whose creative juices flow at dusk or work with international companies, their business hubs are open for 24 hours where fiber optic internet connection is provided. Their 100% backup power system also ensures work will always be business as usual With their new project, blurring the line of work, play, and living doesn’t have to be bad.