A type of person who would sit comfortably as a guest in a forum and instantly light up a room with a positive outlook, someone who is not shy about sharing funny stories of his early experiences as an entrepreneur, and despite his own struggles, he still radiates positivity, which makes him a source of inspiration. Imagine a ray of sunshine—that’s Alton Perez!

For eight years, Alton worked as a hardware store branch manager. While his corporate job gave him opportunities to explore places, he and his wife realized that their combined income may not be enough as they were expecting their first child.

He took the risk, quit his job, and started a convenience store, believing that it was the ideal business to pursue given his background in customer service. 

The business did not take off immediately. For a few months, Alton had to make up for the shortfall. Until one time, a bread supplier expressed interest in having bread products displayed in the convenience store. This inspired him to start Gab’s Bakeshop and create a specialized product from his own recipe. 

Alton understood the significance of creating a reason for customers to visit and buy in the store. 

“Maghimo tag reason nga adtuon tas customer (Let’s create a reason for customers to visit us),” he shared during the Tagumpay Forum in the Kapatid Mentor Me-Money, Market, Encounter (KMME-MME) 2024 Batch 1 Launching on March 2024.  

“The vision during that time was to create a pasalubong product unique to Ozamiz," he said. 

As the business continued, Alton realized the value of gaining enough knowledge to become a better entrepreneur. Saving money is not enough; for him, one should also save knowledge and skills. 

Through the Department of Trade and Industry’s KMME program, Alton gained relevant knowledge and built his self-confidence. While he has already applied his learnings from the program to his business, he remains eager to participate in more seminars or training to improve his craft. 

By taking a risk despite the uncertainties, Gab’s Bakeshop has grown from a single store to multiple franchises. (DTI-10/PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)