increased around 30% of sales during the first week.

I have decided to have a launch sale

wherein it will be availed by my first 5 buyers which is very helpful because I immediately
received online orders after a couple of hours of posting it and I have successfully sold
products online. I can sell my products both in my online and offline store which I consider a
great experience because it shows that my platforms are effective. This week my sales in
kojic soap have a minimal increase but not too big. Also, this is the week where I
encountered customers that are satisfied with the products and they refer the products to
their friends, families, colleagues, etc. wherein the business also has successful selling to
their referrals. Indeed, it helps to increase sales because sometimes they are the ones who
contact us to make orders for their friends, families, and colleagues.

The successful selling of products to Iloilo City customers was achieved through FB
Page during my third week. Mainly in selling, I ensure that a speedy response (10 minutes
response rate) to online orders and queries is maintained to gain and retain more customers
because even one of the Iloilo City customers commended it. Then, the lip and cheek tints
were also sold out because most customers who bought them were high school students.
They even refer some of their friends to buy also which causes our stocks to be sold out.
The efforts and skills I spent to sell it may be personal or in the online platforms that lead
the business to generate enough profit from it. Also, I continue displaying kojic acid soap,
which is the product that I have fewer sales in a nice spot at the physical store and on the
online platforms which is helpful because in the third week an increasing pattern was
observed in the sales of kojic. I present the product to my customers intending to stimulate
their interest in the product.

The fourth week is the week that the business has the most sales through the online

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and offline stores. The online store had a big sales garnered because mainly the page has
reached a lot of customers and the followers even reached 240+. Also, among all the weeks
of the business' operation, this is the one that I exert a lot of effort in selling and advertising
the products. One example is doing personal selling wherein I dedicate a time which is
Saturday afternoon to go to the basketball court in our barangay to personally sell my
products to my friends and some young girls playing volleyball there. We have a little chit-
chat first and after that, I introduce my products to them. I even just bring a bag with my
product on it to sell it directly to them and also for them to see the products personally. I
successfully persuade many young girls to buy it, wherein the most saleable one is the lip
and cheek tint. Also, I was able to successfully sell self-care packages or self-love kits during
mother's day, even though it is tiring, I was able to earn a lot from it. I successfully sold it
because of an effective strategy of taking advantage of the available opportunities such as
mother's day. Also, this is the week that I am able to sell in bulk for lip and cheek tints and
cocoberry soap for one customer through FB messenger wherein I explain how she will be
able to make a profit on it because according to her she is planning to sell it. I even laid out
some vital information to have successful sales including the major benefits of my products,
and the ingredients. Also, I emphasize the affordable cost of my products when compared to
others. Lastly, I have the most sales of my Kojic soap this week among all the weeks of my
operation because of my dedication and effort given to sell the products such as making a
pub highlighting its affordability and benefits. Also, by persuading my neighbors and
cousins about the benefits of the product.

Create Platform

BeautyPress Essentials set up and utilized both the Facebook page and Instagram

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because these two social media platforms are where most of our target market consists of
women aged 17 and above spend their time and are considered effective for attracting them.
I did not experience difficulty in making the platforms because I had already experienced
creating Instagram and Facebook Page. Last year I had a plan to sell clothing apparel
wherein I already created an FB Page for my business but sadly I became busy and did not
continue it. Indeed, I had a great time creating the online platforms especially the Facebook
Page wherein first I add a category that is in line with my business in this way potential
customers will easily identify what are the products that I am offering. Also, I add vital
information about my business such as the address and the contact details. Moreover, I add
a profile picture which is the logo of my business and I make a cover photo wherein I ensure
that it is attractive to attract more customers. In creating the cover photo I even had a hard
time choosing what is the best for the page because cover photos leave a big impact when
customers visit the page. From that, I carefully assess the cover photos that I made and
finally decided to choose one that is attractive, pleasing to the eyes, and memorable when
visiting the page. Also, I follow the recommended dimensions of the photo displays for both
the profile picture and cover photo of the page and it turns out perfectly compatible and
suited when viewing both on desktop and mobile phone because there is no awkward
cropping or pixelated images. Whereas on Instagram, I also have the same profile picture as
the Facebook page to maintain the consistency of representing the brand to the public. I
also add "Beauty, cosmetic & personal care" and the tagline of the business as the bio for
Instagram to be easily identified by the customers. Unlike the Facebook page, Instagram has
only limited features. It lacks some features such as adding information about the business
for the customers to easily present the vital information about the business which made me
just maximize the use of the Bio section to introduce BeautyPress Essentials on Instagram.

For the creation of the content for both online platforms, I utilize the same pictures or
videos and captions wherein it gives me ease and does not waste my time making a
different layout for each. I only ensure that the dimensions for both platforms are suited to
have a good quality display. Also, every week I make a plan on what topics to post wherein I
make sure to post at least four contents. I also utilize the feature of Facebook which is

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scheduling the post on the specific day or time of day I will be going to post certain content.
In this way, I can avoid missing important content that needs to be posted every week on the
Facebook page and Instagram.

Create Product/Service

The creation of the product/service of BeautyPress Essentials starts when it receives

all the needed inputs such as the beauty items (e.g. lip tints, whitening soaps, serum) and
the beauty product containers and packaging materials. Then once received and completed,
quality testing was conducted to ensure that all the items were of good quality. The quality
testing was done by me personally and my production staff. The testing was done
meticulously and carefully because it is the measurement of whether it will be used or
discarded. A comprehensive observation and assessment were exercised for every arrival
of stocks to ensure the safety and quality of the cosmetic products. For the 4 weeks of
operations, the quality of the products is consistent. There were only minor problems such
as the soap having some dents during our first week of an operation mainly due to having
thin bubble wraps but it did not repeat after that incident because I informed the supplier.
Next, after it has already passed the testing process, it is put into proper storage. Then all
needed inputs were prepared for the upcoming orders. When orders have been collected
from the customers, that is the time I created customized products for specific customers if
they require or request customization. The business received a request for the customization
of products on the fourth week of the business operation which was dedicated to the special
occasion of mother's day. Then, after that, if customization is not requested, I proceeded to
the step which is the packaging. This is where I put stickers with the attached logo of
BeautyPress, key ingredients, benefits, manufactured and expiration date, how to use, etc.
Also, after the customization or if it is not requested bot situation will be directed to the
wrapping of orders. Then, the last step would be about the customer's decision if in-store
pickup will be done or not. If yes, products will be given when customers arrive. Mainly the
one that chooses in-store pickup is the customers within or near our barangay. If not, it is

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delivered to the specified meeting place for delivery.

Customer Feedback

Customer feedback, whether positive or negative, is very helpful as it aids in the

improvement of the products and services offered by any business. For BeautyPress
Essentials, there are various positive feedbacks that the business gained in the span of four
weeks of its operations. There are many repeat customers because according to them the
products are very affordable and at the same time effective and of high quality. They even
refer their friends, families, and colleagues to get our product because of their positive
feedback and recommendations. Indeed the word of mouth and positive feedback from
customers is significant to attract more potential customers. Also, some customers leave
their feedback on our FB messenger and some are during our meet-up session. Some of the
feedback received from our cocoberry product is smooth, good scent, not easily melted,
refreshing for skin, effective in reducing pimple marks, etc. For lip and cheek tints some of
the good feedback is good fragrant due to its bubble gum scent, not easily dried, sealed
packaging, and long-lasting. Additionally, for serum some of the comments are its good
scent, smoothness for the skin, refreshing after use, and effectively minimizing pores. The
feedback or comment for kojic acid soap is that it is very affordable and also we received
that almost all of the products of BeautyPress are cheap and affordable when compared to
other brands.

For the negative feedback, we only received one which is customers mentioning that
there are limited shades for lip and cheek tints during our first week of operations. We come
to realize that it is significant to add more additional shades for customers to choose from.
Giving importance to that feedback and making immediate actions is what we prioritize
wherein it aids our sales for lip and cheek tints to have a big increase for the following week.
Also, there is no negative feedback received from the rest of our products

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 This feedback was posted on the Facebook page and Instagram of BeautyPress
Essentials to present the experiences of the customers who tried the products and for some
potential customers to trust and be convinced about the quality of the products offered by
the business.

V. Lessons Learned

I've learned various lessons/realizations from the concepts discussed in the

course and actual experiences I had while managing BeautyPress Essentials. These
lessons are vital in shaping my personal or professional life. It is a great opportunity to have
both the concepts and actual experiences because it helps me to layout vital lessons that I
know and prove effective because I get to apply them in the real business world where I
operate the BeautyPress Essentials.

With regards to the concepts discussed in the course and the actual experiences
while I am in the process of making the business plan, the concept regarding business
model canvas (BMC) helped me to be kept on the track while making it and even reminds
me of where my business will go during my actual operations. BMC reflects a one-page
format that aids in visualizing and evaluating a business idea. It is essential in most
businesses, especially during the pandemic wherein most are challenged because risks are
emerging due to greater uncertainty. Also, it has become helpful during my actual operations
where I encountered some risks. BMC helps me easily understand the relationship of each
component of a business and identify what aspects need immediate focus. Hence, it can
respond quickly to risks and adapt to changes brought about by the pandemic and the actual
scenario of the business environment. It will aid in strengthening the risk mitigation strategies
of the company while promoting ease and convenience. Moreover, the business plan and
the actual operation might have some differences but only at a minimal level. I get to

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understand the significance of having a business plan because unlike before I also make
business plans but mainly there are no actual applications of what I made. Now the business
plan was applied in the actual operations wherein it gives ease in terms of transforming
ideas into saleable products wherein when compared to the BMC this one is the detailed
version of the plan. Also during my actual operations, I do not have difficulty knowing more
about my target market because I already laid out it in the business plan so it becomes easy
to attract them. Also, some vital parts are the pricing strategies, ways of promoting products,
the identification of the distribution channel, etc. are also significant in the actual operation
because there is already knowledge and information prepared where what I just needed to
do was just to apply it on the actual one or either make some minor changes if it is
necessary. Indeed, I learned how to effectively perform business activities and my daily
operations due to the assistance of my business plan because I do have a direction or path
to where my business is heading.

Moreover, the actual business simulation experience and the concepts learned
helped shape me personally and professionally. Personally, actual selling helps me to have
strong interpersonal skills or how I interact with other people effectively because I learned
how to observe and understand better the needs and wants of customers. I learned that it is
not only just about your products but also what the customers want and need during this
time. So, it is vital to be flexible and to align what the business offers to what the customers
need and wants. Also, I learned that my attentiveness in responding to customers can
establish personal connections with some of my patrons in the business. I learned that being
attentive to your customers is one tactic to have a successful sale because customers do not
want to have a long waiting time to get an answer to their queries. Indeed, my sales
experience helps me have strong customer service skills which are vital in my future career
of working in a company or managing my own business. In my actual selling experience, I
communicate with my customers each day in order to answer their questions, and queries
and provide recommendations. The actual experiences that I have in BeautyPresss serve as
a training ground for me to be effective in dealing with customers. Indeed, I learned the
significance of effective promotions and selling practices along with understanding consumer

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behaviors. Similarly, I learned the importance of effective and efficient management of time
in my life, may it be personally or professionally because it helped me in juggling my time
with my family, business, and my academics. It helps me to maintain a balance with all of it
without sacrificing one area. This serves as a preparatory stage for me to effectively face my
future career after I graduate and to effectively manage my time wisely, especially with real-
life situations in the business world.

Moreover, the actual experiences I had with BeautyPress essentials provided me

with a valuable lesson like to not be afraid to negotiate and persuade potential customers to
avail of the products but at the same time, it is vital to feel the situation first and observe in
order to find the best strategy or words to say to successfully persuade the customers to buy
and not just merely turn into an annoying person to most people. I also learned that if you
want to create strong relationships or even loyalty to your customers, you need to be willing
to work with them and carefully listen to what they really need because these are the
significant aspects of retaining them. This is my realization every time I communicate with
my customers wherein some even recommend BeautyPress to their connections or
someone they know due to being satisfied with the products of the business as BeautyPress
ensures to prioritize customers' needs by always listening to their concerns, wants, and
perceptions. It is vital to always think about your customers in any decision-making you take
such as making additions or changes to your current offerings because they are considered
one of the vital reasons why the business continues its operations and is making profits just
like how BeautyPress retains an increasing sales every week for a span of its four weeks
operation.

In addition, I learned that customers online have high expectations regarding

good quality products at low prices. I have also noticed that the discounts and promos are
effective in having many sales online and as well as if the customers see that your business
is unique. Thus, it is vital to differentiate the business from other brands wherein some of the
vital factors are how you present your brand to the public such as images, videos, product
description, product specification, customer service, etc. Indeed, it is vital to emphasize

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these factors because I personally experience the significance of all of them in my actual
operations because it helps increase my sales weekly. Also, aside from affordability and
quality of products, various factors drive customers to patronize the business which includes
providing more varieties of products such as in my case having additional shades for my lip
and cheek tints products, on-time delivery, good packaging, etc.

Indeed, the course taught various lessons on the personal and professional
aspects of my life because the concepts and actual experiences are a good tandem to
shape good practices that helped me to become better as an individual and as a
management student. The course Management of Small Business is a very significant
course that I have taken in the university which greatly impacted my life. I learned real-life
lessons because of this course which I can apply to my future career which leads me to
consider it a great closing course for my exit from the university.