Sail to Port and “Seas the Day”!

Two years ago, Pier’s Dried Fish was something I never thought would materialize. It seemed impossible then. I was just a mom filled with a dried-up confidence and watered-down dream. I completely convinced myself that neither did I have the time nor the capability to start anything, much more create an online store. I also felt there was no need for it; I would just be an insignificant player in an ocean of dried fish vendors.

A Freshly Dried Catch.

My husband and his family have always been dried fish traders for as long as anyone in the dried fish trade here in the Philippines could remember. They sell dried fish in wholesale quantities to major retailers and importers. The dried fish products come straight from the “bilaran” where the dried fishes are processed. With Roxas City being the seafood capital of the country, it is not a surprise that it would be the first “bilaran” around the Philippines that I would ever visit. I remembered walking along its beachfront and observing what seemed like hundreds of silver spoons glistening under the sun. As I went nearer, I realized they were dried fish laid on “kapings” or flat boards where fishes are left to dry. They were a sight to behold —hundreds of them sparkling along the shore. Dried fish may be a staple in the Filipino diet. However pretty often, it is not readily available anytime and anywhere. For some time I thought, families need not wait for someone to buy them such treats simply as “pasalubong” or “kung kalian lang may umuwing probinsya”. I thought that families should bond over a hearty Filipino breakfast of crispy fried danggit, pusit, daing, and boneless dilis with one great point of conversation —freshly dried!  

A Fish In Troubled Waters.

Starting an online business for freshly dried fish is something I never thought I will have time for.  I am a homemaker ever since my child was born. I do not have the time for anything other than my usual mom and wife chores. My greatest fear was not failing but losing precious time for my family. I protested against myself in the same way that I tried putting myself down by telling myself to stop this crazy idea. A small business will still require so much of myself and moms like me do not have that much luxury of time because as always so many things come up —they usually do. I did wonder if I could still prioritize my business without having to feel guilty. At the back of my mind though, I felt confident because like most moms I can effectively do quite a number at a time. I am a multi-tasker. On top of that, I knew my husband would guide me in the business of selling dried fish. I just continued to pray and hope that I could organize my schedule without messing up the current one I had as a mom and a wife.   Will I find time to post religiously on social media? Will I find time to pack the dried fish products in retail packets? Was there a need for my products; a market that needed Pier’s Dried Fish?

A Fish Out Of Water.

I knew dried fish but I had questions; I had doubts. I was in unfamiliar territory. They took the form of a nagging voice telling me that I will fail since I was not trained for this business. I did not think that I had the skills needed to be an entrepreneur. If I did start my small dried fish business up to what scale; up to what depth (pardon the pun) would I be in? I knew exactly what my priorities were and I thought there was no more room for another. Will, I just continue to stay out of water or will I take the courage and plunge myself right into it? I was so unsure. I salted away because I wanted to save up for my son’s future. If my dream was solely centered on my interest then I would not have pursued this dream of an online business. I used to think that I was comfortable already with where I was, till I realized the need to put it up for my family’s benefit. My “must” was far greater than my can’t. Thus, I went with it.  

Fishing Around.

First, I had to fish around for information. I wanted to know if there was a need for dried fish in retail packs. And not just dried fish but the freshly dried ones which a few only have access to. This was the “angle” I had to look into before committing myself to something I have never ventured before like trenches of unfathomed depths. One time in school, during a parent council meeting, I brought for breakfast fried dried dulong and boneless dilis. Upon trying them, the moms expressed how delicious and fresh the dried fish were. It was then that they pestered and requested I sell retail packs of the goods to them.

Second,  I had to know if I can sustain my market. I was after all a small fish in a big pond; a small fry in an industry that I knew was already saturated. And so I wondered: What will make my business any different? Who will be my target market?  For mommies who cannot buy them in bulk or wholesale, I wanted these dried fish available in small packages – just fit for household consumption. Finally, I thought of how to inform others of my products. I relied on the good old “by-word-of-marketing”. My mom friends themselves attested to their other mom linkages and connections of how good, of how fresh, and of how worth the product is of their money.

Teach A Man to Fish.

As someone home-based and without a steady income, I did yearn for economic freedom. An online store gave me monthly earnings. It may not be substantial but it was enough to put aside, enough to give security for the future. My struggle for financial independence was a shared experience for other moms like me. And without me being aware of it, the realization of my dream netted other mom’s needs and desires for their families. The pandemic through Pier’s Dried Fish brought an opportunity to these homemakers like myself. At the height of the enhanced community quarantine last year when movement was restricted and only a few were allowed to leave their homes, some of them sold Pier’s products in their neighborhoods, their villages, and their condominiums. These empowered women in making good money while in the convenience and safety of their homes. Pier’s was a dream sparkling on the “kapings” along the sea bank and into the savings bank.

All Is Fish that Comes to the Net.

Today, freshly dried fish products are available online, through Pier’s Dried Fish. I took the step of creating my online store while taking advantage of all the real and “reel” opportunities that came my way. I utilized all of them in my endeavor for a successful online store and a sea of satisfied dried fish enthusiasts. I decided that dried fish was the perfect product to offer. Dried fish is a staple in the Filipino diet.  But it cannot be bought anywhere, any time, especially the freshly dried ones. Only a few people like importers and wholesalers experience the real goodness of these tasty dried fish products. I have always hoped for families to enjoy dried fish products from the Philippines’ best then and there while in the comforts of their homes.

Reeled and Hooked.

Now customers are reeled in and hooked on the freshly dried fish products that Pier’s has to offer. Pier’s has its own identity online. Pier’s freshly dried fish brings everyone closer to home even those abroad. They trust Pier’s to deliver freshly dried fish all year round.

My being a homemaker did not stop me. Instead, it motivated me to provide goods in retail packs for moms like me. It became my key driving force. I never thought that there would be a pattern or formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Pier’s is reeling in moms like me to take courage and venture on waters they have never been in before. There is still more I would like to accomplish but I am happy with where I am right now.  Looking back I never thought I would be here. This used to be my someday. It is now my today.

“Pier’s was just an online business that took off,  sailed into the seas, and came back with a prize catch, a freshly dried fish product for everyone.”