May 17, 2022
SMEs Rising: Mother Knows Best
Plato Wraps CEO Kamela Seen on how she used financial planning in managing her business and household.
At the start of their marriage, Kamela and Tony Seen were both employees before Tony left for Taiwan to become an OFW. At this time, Kamela jumped at the opportunity to be part of a catering business to have more time to take care of her baby.
Even as the business was taking off, Kamela and Tony faced the challenges of a long-distance relationship. The couple dreamed of a more sustainable financial plan so Tony can come home. “Yung income ko [sa catering] na lang ang daily budget namin. Yung padala niya ang ipon.” Without knowing it at the time, Kamela was already applying financial management to their household.
But this she knew: the most important financial skill for any wife, mother, or business owner is how to budget.
LAYING A STRONG FOUNDATION
With their finances in a good place, Tony was able to be home for good after six years abroad. It was then that the stars seemingly aligned for the couple. “Sa business, pag nakita mo ang oportunidad, kunin mo na,” says Kamela. “’Yun ang nangyari sa amin. May nag-offer lang na gumawa raw kami ng bakery. Hindi namin pinlano. Nilakasan lang namin ang loob namin.”
The couple opened Panaderia Antonio in one of Dagupan’s lifestyle centers. Two years later, they were offered to open another branch in the next town. This time, Kamela wanted to introduce a new product that they can claim as their own. They paired flatbread shaped like a dinner plate and chunky chicken filling from Kamela’s childhood. The first Plato Wraps flew out of Panaderia Antonio’s second branch.
With lines snaking around the bakery, a mall invited them to open a stall in Metro Manila. That was also when inquiries for franchises started. Admitting that she needed to learn more before expanding, Kamela decided to open and operate 3 more company-owned stalls before franchising. She also took up short courses to learn higher business and financial skills like having a clear inventory, creating comprehensive financial statements, and business forecasting.
GROWING AS A MOTHER AND A BUSINESS OWNER
What began as a 5-man bakery operation with Tony as the driver and Kamela doing accounting has grown into a business with more than 200 personnel. At its height, Plato Wraps had over 80 stalls around the country. Throughout that expansion, Kamela made sure that she and her family stayed true to their core values and continued to live within their means.
“Ang unang ginawa ko ay nilagay ko kami ni Tony sa payroll,” says Kamela. “Kung ano ang payroll namin, ‘yun lang ang pera namin. Hindi dahil may business ka, pwede ka nang kumuha [ng pera] agad-agad. Hanggang ngayon, sweldo pa rin kami, pero ini-increase ko naman.”
On being both a mother and a business owner, Kamela reveals how she and her husband have a clear separation of roles in and outside of the house. Despite the distinction, Kamela recognizes these roles share similar skill sets.
“Ang household, may steady na budget. Ang business, nirereview mo siya parati. Lahat ng decision mo nagre-rely sa, nakailan ba tayo ngayon?” says Kamela. “Pero ang common sa kanila is the budget.”
As their family business continued to grow, Kamela looked to insurance products to protect her family, savings, and income. She sees insurance as a way to safeguard everything that she and her husband have worked so hard for. “Para kung may mangyari sa amin, at least may masisimulan ‘yung mga anak ko. Anyway, para sa pamilya naman kaya kami nagtatrabaho.”
MAKING TOUGH DECISIONS IN THE PANDEMIC
When the pandemic hit, it affected the food and beverage industry the hardest. With a shrinking bottom line, Kamela faced her toughest challenge yet.
“Food kami, kaya na-spoil lahat. Kahit ano pa ang pinag-prepare ko at pinag-aralan ko, kahit equipped ako na 20 years na akong nagpapatakbo ng negosyo, ang dami-daming kailangan ayusin at the same time. Literal naiyak ako,” says Kamela.
Kamela even briefly considered suspending her operations and re-opening the business when things were more settled. “Pero naisip ko, bakit hindi ko subukan ipaglaban kung ano ang kaya pa?”
The very first thing Kamela did was to take an honest view of their financial situation. This grounded her to recognize where she can cut costs, how she can re-set her company, and how to begin again.
“Hanggang ngayon, challenge pa rin,” admits Kamela. “Pero 3 years na ang pandemic, kinakaya pa natin.”
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Plato Wraps was able to keep a handful of stalls open. They pivoted their business to be available for delivery via food apps, and offered their best-selling fillings in bottled spread form. This July, Plato Wraps will be celebrating 21 years of serving Filipinos with healthy, hearty goodness.
