It's June alright but still we can all feel the summery heat deep down our skins right?  It's still humid and the best way to beat the heat is to be in an air-conditioned room (but sayang electricity if it's open all day) or go to a mall (but mapapagastos ka rin with all the sales around) or bathe as much as you can in a day or eat and drink something cold.

One good idea is to buy halo-halo, banana con yelo or ice candy or mais con yelo from our seasonal neighbor entrepreneurs.  They, together with the residential sari-sari stores, pop-up tiangges belong to the huge population of Filipino microenterprises.

“Every summer, we see the Filipino entrepreneur spirit thrive to turn the summer heat into an opportunity. With the right mindset, tools, and ingredients, microentrepreneurs can grow their business and take it to another level,” says Marilou Acuña, Fly Ace Corporation Group Product Manager for Jolly.

I remember when I was younger, my mom and my cousins also had a pop-up halo-halo and mais con yelo stand right in front of our driveway facing the street.  I had good memories back then when they allowed me to experience being a tindera for a day or two or more!  We sold a number of glasses back then but looking back, I know that that small business could have been bigger if we did these 5 tips from Jolly Corn.

Location, location, location
We had a small stall in front of our house because of logistical convenience, but foot traffic wasn't that good.  We could have sold in front of schools near our place.  For sure potential income would have doubled or even tripled.

Leverage on influencers
Entrepreneurs should identify who the influencers are within the community. By inviting these key individuals to try the product, entrepreneurs encourage good word of mouth from credible persons within the neighborhood.

Microentrepreneurs can then support this good word of mouth through easy-to-do promotional activities such as community bulletin board, flyering, and social media.

Sell during community events, cater to groups
Microentrepreneurs can hold pop-up stalls during community events such as the annual basketball game and Santacruzan. Another opportunity is catering private groups, such as prayer meetings or the birthday of a neighbor. If all goes well, these events will provide a great platform for referrals and exposure for the business.

Avoid too much credit
Cash is the lifeblood of the business. Microentrepreneurs should avoid allowing too much credit since they still need cash to buy supplies and sustain operations. If offering credit cannot be avoided, microentrepreneurs should find the right balance and understand its limitation.

Find the right partner to perfect the product
Product quality is integral to the success of microenterprises. If the product is excellent, people will follow. Quality also includes the health benefits of the product. These days, even microentrepreneurs venture into the healthy food segment as more people become conscious of what they eat.

In the case of mais con yelo, Jolly Corn provides microentrepreneurs with cream corn packed with the same wholesome sweet goodness of freshly harvested corn.

What if I just want a Mais Con Yelo Now?
Now, if you don't plan to have a small business selling mais con yelo or halo halo or banana con yelo, then you can simply make it at home!
Sharing with you how to make MAIS CON YELO:
Ingredients:
1        425g             Jolly Cream Corn, partitioned
1        can               Jolly Cow Condensada, partitioned
6        cups             shaved ice, partitioned
1        cup               corn flakes, partitioned or waffle strips

Procedure:

1.    Scoop 3 tablespoons Jolly Cream Corn in a tall glass.
2.    Add 1 ½ cups shaved ice. Leave an empty space on top for the toppings, about half an inch.
3.    Top shaved ice with 3 tablespoons of Jolly Cream Corn, 2-3 tablespoons condensada, and corn flakes or waffle strips. Serve immediately.
Easy peasy right?

But again, since it's already June and it also rains sometimes, we can't have Mais Con Yelo right?  Well, that's what's so versatile about Jolly Sweet Corn!  It can be with Team Sunny or Team Rainy!  What comfort food could you think of during rainy season?  Hot soup or any hot food right?

Jolly Corn could also be your partner in bringing you this comfort food with this easy recipe:

CORN SOUP RECIPE:
Ingredients:
1        425g            Jolly Cream Corn
1        can              water
6        pc                egg
1        dash             salt and pepper
Procedure:
1.   In a pot, put together 1 can of Jolly Cream Corn and water.  Bring it to boil.
2.   Add egg when boiling and stir soup.
3.  Add dash of salt and pepper to season.  Serve hot in a bowl on a rainy day!

So whether it's summer or rainy season, Jolly Cream Corn is our partner in bringing us quality food ingredients which we could use at home.  For more recipes visit their website http://jolly.com.ph or follow them on Facebook: @JollyFoods