Cristina Lazo
Welcome to My Peraan. Tampok ang mga kababayan
natin magbibigay ng praktikal na paraan para
kumita ng pera. Pwedeng side hustle o raket
investment negosyo at iba pa. Makakausap natin
ngayon ang kababayang may side hustle na catering,
si Dominic Abad namula sa Ballarat. Hello Dominic!
Dominique Abad
Kumusta? Kumusta po sa lahat?
Cristina Lazo
Pagpag-usapan natin, Dominic, ang iyong side
Dominique Abad
Started this a month ago with the mission
introducing authentic Filipino cuisine in
Ballarat. From day one, our goal has been to share
food that feels like home while also opening doors
to everyone. Marami pang dapat matutunan.
Cristina Lazo
Bakit naisipan niyo magkaroon ng side hustle?
Dominique Abad
Sa area namin, may mga food na nauna. Kailangan
lang din namin i-introduce ang food na Pilipino
style. Nag-create ng dish that suits our flavors
Cristina Lazo
Nakita kayong need, ganun ba?
Dominique Abad
Yes, indeed. Yes. Marami talagang opportunity na
especially catering services.
Cristina Lazo
Ito ba ang iyong primary employment?
Dominique Abad
In this business, may partnership ito. Part-time
chef sa St. John Hospital and my partner's working
also there as a nurse and two nurses as well. Side
Cristina Lazo
Ito ba ang first time mo na magkaroon ng side
Dominique Abad
No, it's our first time. Kaming tatlo, first time
talaga namin ito. Hospitality industry for 10
years. But we never try na maggawa ito sa
Ballarat. I think this is the time, maybe.
Cristina Lazo
Sino ang nagplant ng idea na iyon sa inyong grupo?
Dominique Abad
Idea na talaga ako na hopefully, tatayo ako ng
business, nag-catering, or mag-employ ako, magluto
ako, dapat ako ng boss. Yan lang. Then, kailangan
ko na dapat na katuwang, ganyan. So, yung partners
ko, which is nakita ko, doon kami nag-fuse ng mga
ideas then. Nap-click na lahat. So, our purpose sa
amin before na may ginawa to, Just really
straightforward to bring authentic Filipino food
that connects family, friends, and communities.
Yan talaga. Then to integrate Filipino flavors
with Australian taste, local produce, and great
experience that both celebrates our culture and
welcomes locals to enjoy something familiar with
the new twist. Parang ganyan.
Cristina Lazo
So ano-ano yung mga prinepare ninyo when you
decided na, o sige, tatry na natin tong side
Dominique Abad
First, we started just practical. So, we secure
our business licensing and registration. Slowly,
we invested kitchen equipment, ang ganyan, basic
packaging, ingredients, simple things. Dahan-dahan
kami para sa Pilipino maglalako. So, by pitching
our food to friends, like, kung okay ba, start
building presence to social media. Nag-reach out
kami dito people dito sa Ballarat kung okay ba
yung ganito, gani dyan. And then that makes like,
oh, pwede pala ito. Kaya. Sige.
Cristina Lazo
Do you remember kung mga magkano ang inyong
kapital nung finally nilaunch nyo itong side
Dominique Abad
Nag-usap kami. Sabi ko, pwede tayo. Send mo sa
bank account ko. Then after that, started to make
like a packed lunch. Like rice, tocino. Yan. Lako
kami. Ganyan lang. Until yung mga feedback,
nagbuboost namin na, oy, yeah, let's keep going.
Cristina Lazo
May mga doubts ba na sumagi sa isipan sa inyong
Dominique Abad
Marami, marami. Yung mga risks, dami yan. Kagaya
ng mag-compete ka ng established food businesses,
isa yan. Yung mga ingredients na dapat mong
gagamitin. So, isa din yan. And then dapat yung
food quality mo at consistency para may repeat
order ka. Dapat firm kayo dyan. Before kami
mag-release ng food, kailangan talaga kami
mag-food tasting. Kaya dapat legit talaga. Then
kaya yun magpasok yung mga costs sa amin ito. Then
pwede ba yan? Maraming daw. Normal yan sa bagong
business opens. May tiwala naman ako sa kanila, sa
sila, sa sarili ko. Then, kaya natin to. Bai kaya
natin to. Mag-build ng trust and awareness. Kasi
brand kami, so hirap i-build up. Kaya
nagpapasalamat kami sa yung FASCOBI First,
nag-reach out sa amin. Sila yung nag-push sa amin
na, okay, try niyo. Then, we've done this before,
Cristina Lazo
Paano nila nalalaman na merong ganitong klaseng
side hustle sa social media? Ano pa yung ways para
malaman ang mga taga-Ballarat na merong bagong
Dominique Abad
That's why we accept this catering job big na
in-offer namin ng FASCOBI sa Filipino community
dito sa Ballarat. I was like, yeah, we can do this
one. I can set three course meal for this amount
of money. Sila na, okay, kaya ba yan? So, yung
amount na binibigay na in-offer na ito lang budget
namin, yeah. Okay yan. I just want ma-promote yung
business namin to be a partnership with this
FASCOBI and introduce that, oh, nandito na. After
a month, kumusta ba yung catering services? Which
is, the outcome is really positive and happy for
Cristina Lazo
Mayroon din bang trade-offs, let's say, no? Kasi
syempre, diba, pinopromote nyo yung business
ninyo. Okay lang sa iyo na parang you will just
work with their budget? Are you open to that?
Dominique Abad
Yes. They already know the budget. This is the
budget only. Hopefully, next time, maka-adapt na
kayo. So, kasi yung budget yun for 150, break-even
nalang talaga. So, instead of paying promotion
advertising, doon nalang. Then, yung mga Pilipino
na pioneering nito, naka-help din na mag-boost
namin. Oy, masarap din. At least, yung pasa-pasa
na lang, oh, magaling to. Which is, goal namin,
dapat ganito to para makilala tayo
at this point kailangan na ma-establish
yung business namin sa FASCOBI natupad naman.
Isa-isa, yung mag-catering sa mga Filipino and yes we will accep
we will work on their budget
Cristina Lazo
may flexibility naman kayo. Ano yung mga
difficulties in setting up almost one month old
Dominique Abad
Ang difficulty lang, yung financial risk, yun. Sa
yan, yung brand recognition, bago pa lang kami.
Yung constant need to adapt na anong need ng area.
Difficulty na kung ako magtitinda ako ng sino.
Pwede ba dito? Feasible ba? Yan talaga yung mga
difficulties sa amin na dapat ano yung need ng
Ballarat area. So, dapat namin pagtulugunan.
Cristina Lazo
Paano ninyo ginagawa yan? Nagma-market research kayo?
Nagtatanong-tanong kayo? Anong diskarte?
Dominique Abad
I've been here for 10 years in Ballarat. I know
the market already. The Filipino community in
Ballarat is growing. It's like maybe 100 or 150
families na dito. Our approach is just like do
care. And then step by step na we're focusing
building strong foundation here muna sa Balarat.
Then before we venture out to any area. So yan ang
one of the reason. Maririsk yung family mo kung
gagawa ka ng yung business. Yun talagang number
one na maririsk yun. Work mo, ma-risk din niyo.
Though ako permanent part-time, I work three days
to four days a week. So, yung kasamahan ko na
lang, yung dalawa sila. Kaya every after work,
punta talaga sila sa bahay. Mate, kailangan natin
to. We prep. Yun, yun talaga family. Hirap na.
i-balance. Eventually, hopefully, mabalance namin.
Cristina Lazo
Now, let's talk about ano ba ang mga bestsellers
Dominique Abad
So, nagdahan-dahan kami na mag-food tasting. So,
bestseller talaga namin yung lechon roll,
porqueta. So, lechon roll. May isang client ako na
for a whole month, ka-apat na siya nagbumili.
Then, since bago lang kami, daan-daan namin namin
ini-introduce yung mga products namin. Yun. So,
yung mga basic na kare-kare, mga ganyan. Pilipino
Cristina Lazo
What do you plan to scale the business?
Dominique Abad
Basically, by next year, we're just doing, like,
we want to build a food truck. That's the main
purpose. We can do food trucks. We can do all,
yung time na family work balance, diyan talaga do.
So, kung maglalako ka lang kami Friday-Saturday,
Thursday-Friday-Saturday, pwede na, mga ganyan.
So, our goal is to get a food truck and move
around Victoria, and then dahan-dahan na introduce
yung Kumusta Bai catering services.
Cristina Lazo
Meron ba mga unforeseen expenses na kumbaga hindi
nyo na-factor in nung inuumpisahan nyo itong side
Dominique Abad
Yes. Number one is yung registration. Kailangan mo
talaga licensing and registration. So kailangan mo
talaga yan pagtuunan. Especially na we just want
to be like legal talaga. Yan, yan, yan ang gusto
namin na wala kaming maaapakan. Hindi alam ng mga
misis namin ito. So, kailangan namin out of the
pockets. So, I said, bai, 500-500 tayo. Ayan,
ayan. Then, first we get yung licensing, yung
first yung ABN, yung registration, then council.
Before in the middle of the time frame, we need to
side hustle. Benta tayo ng mga packed lunch first
para makakaroon. Just basically 500 each. Yan yung
kinuha namin out of the pocket. Which is, hindi
Cristina Lazo
Say they want to order something, ano to, may isa
Facebook page niyo na lang.
Dominique Abad
Facebook page, we have a crispy kare-kare. So
every week, we put 25 portions. So per pack. So
may Ballarat group kami sa mga Pilipino ito na mga
bowlers. Baskit doon daming ibenta din. Ngayon na
nalaman nila after event na nagbibenta pala kami,
daming ng orders. So extra income na yun on top sa
Cristina Lazo
Ano ang final message mo sa mga gustong kumita ng
Dominique Abad
Very straightforward. So, just start what you
love. Let your purpose guide you. And don't wait
for everything to be perfect. Sabi nga ng Milo na,
great things start with a small beginning, yeah?
Baka naman, nagpromote pa. Then, start small by
cooking for friends, sharing online. I know
challenges will come, but they will shape your
growth, you know? Always think of how your
business can serve both of your community and your
future customers. And remember, success is not
just about profit. It's about creating something
meaningful, inclusive, and lasting. And that's it.
Cristina Lazo
And on that note, maraming maraming salamat kay
Dominic Abad. Sa uulitin po, mapapakinggan itong
podcast sa www.sbs.com.au slash Filipino. Tandaan
huwag ma-stress sa pera. Matuto mula sa iba dito
sa May Peraan. May Peraan. May Peraan.
