Google Business pushes women entrepreneurship

CEBU, Philippines - Cebuanas were urged to leverage the internet, web technologies and Google tools to further enhance their business and personal advocacies and uplift women entrepreneurship in general.

Cebu Google Business Group (GBG-Cebu) recently conducted a meet-up for Cebu-based women last April 27 at Location 63, Hyundai Building, A.S. Fortuna Street, Mandaue, Cebu City.

It was co-organized by JCI WoMandaue and sponsored by Third Team Media, Bjorn Cebuano, and GBG Global.

The event was primarily designed to serve as a platform for Cebuanas to connect, inform and inspire women entrepreneurs to maximize the full potential of internet and its technologies for use for their businesses and organizations.

It was participated by around 30 attendees who were mostly comprised of overseas Filipino workers, business owners and advocacy women.

Hannah Almira Ybañez Amora, finance educator and financial consultant of Honeycomb Financial Consultancy, served as the keynote speaker of the Cebuanas on the Web Meet-up.

She is also the main mover of Maven’s Heart Fund that celebrated its first year anniversary last Sunday.

GBG Cebu founder and manager Fleire Castro who is also the owner of Third Team Media said that the initial web meet-up was aimed to empower women entrepreneurship.

She cited that although women are indeed active in business events, the challenge remains on establishing leadership and “big” names in the industry who can be used as models for successful women entrepreneurs.

She said that it is high time for a Cebuana to emerge in the entrepreneurial arena and be as successful as their male counterparts.

As a woman business owner herself, she recommended the use of free tools from Google to create branding awareness and communicate to their desired target market.

She cited helpful tools such as Google Apps, Google+ Local, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Analytics, and Google Adwords among others.

“What they have to figure out is the relevance of these tools for them and determine how to maximize each use whether to promote their products and services, lower the cost of doing business, or improve their work processes,” she stated.

Castro also encouraged Cebuanas to join GBG Cebu to learn more how to utilize such tools at its best potential.

She further expressed hopes on probably recreating the Google Entrepreneur (Women on the Web) Summit in Manila for Cebu given the ample support.

Such events, Castro added, would encourage women to showcase their entrepreneurial pursuits. /JOB (FREEMAN)