Social media can either be beneficial or distracting to young people, but for Abra-based student Keza Ariem Malbog Arciento, a Tiktok tutorial video became her key to a blooming hand-crafted flower bouquet business.
With Valentine’s Day closing in, orders for hand-crafted flower bouquets are coming in for Keza who has made creativity mixed with entrepreneurship and perseverance a formula towards success.
Arciento’s masterful craft started gaining attention on social media after her friend posted online the flower bouquet she gave her as a gift. She then started getting orders from her classmates and friends prompting to start her small business.
“Adda ti gayyem ko nga rinegalwak ti flower bouquet gaputa simmikat gamin yenti tiktok daytoy, then bigla metten nga adda ti gimmatang ken adu metten ti nag-order diay eskwela mi, gagayyem ko ken ka-eskwelaak [I gave my friend a bouquet which is popular on Tik Tok then suddenly, others came to buy them and my friends and classmates in school also ordered some],” she said.
Seeing the potential of her products, she began improving her materials and her packaging to achieve more colorful and detailed flower bouquets.
As complex as it may seem, the flower bouquets that Arciento produces are fruits of Tik Tok tutorial videos, where content creators teach the step-by-step process of making various products.
“Nabuyak lang daytoy as tutorial from Tiktok isu nga na-inspired nak, kunak nga ituloy ko para pang-allowance ken pang-bayad ti masapol diay school [I only watched this tutorial videos on TikTok and it inspired me to also make and earn money for my allowance and for other school fees.],” Keza stressed.
Arciento said that her business has enabled her to help her parents with the family’s financial needs. The 17 year-old has also become self-sufficient since she can pay for her personal and school needs from her earnings.
“Dati, weekly nga mangted ti mamang ti allowance mi nga agkakabsat ngem tattan haan unayen ta ammo na met nga adda paggapwan ti allowance kon [Before, my mother gives us weekly allowance, but not as often now that I have an additional source of income],” Arciento stated.
Government can help
The government, through the Department of Trade and Industry, is supportive of bBusiness-minded students like Ancierto.
According to DTI-Abra provincial office officer-in-charge Marvin Arcangel, young business owners can participate and benefit from DTI’s Youth Entrepreneurship Program (YEP).
“She can come here at the office so we can profile her, we can enroll her in the YEP and we can also assist her through product development and entrepreneurial skills training,” he shared.
Arcangel said that the DTI can also help her in product promotions through various trade fairs.
