MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Leading eCommerce brand Lazada is accelerating its efforts to help Filipinos expand knowledge on eCommerce through LazStart 2.0, an online entrepreneurship and innovation program now made more comprehensive and exciting as more entrepreneurs strive to make their mark in the digital space.
Following the success of LazStart’s launch in 2020, Lazada enhances the program, expanding its partnerships to include more renowned institutions such as University of the East, University of Asia and the Pacific, SoFA Design Institute, Centro Escolar University, and Southville International School and Colleges, to educate and upskill students who express interest in setting up their own digital ventures.
LazStart 2.0’s main goal is to empower youth in the community with the confidence to become an online seller, by arming them with not just the basic knowledge of navigating eCommerce, but also with the lifeblood of an online business itself—a trusted and reliable digital platform.
The next generation of online sellers
To date, nearly 300 students have graduated from the first phase of the program, and some have already successfully jumpstarted their eCommerce venture with Lazada.
Management Engineering student Vincent Sy is among these young and curious students, eager to stay productive and gain new knowledge amid the pandemic. Through the wide-ranging insights on the eCommerce industry learned from the program, he was inspired to launch Comfy Home Essentials on Lazada, providing shoppers convenient access to a breadth of items for the home—from kitchenware to gardening tools.
“I joined the LazStart program because I thought that this program might be an opportunity for me to learn more about the eCommerce industry here in the Philippines. My experience was great, and my key takeaway from the program was learning how to start an online store on Lazada from scratch,” Vincent shared.
For Vincent, the biggest hurdle he faced at the start of his eCommerce journey was logistics, as this was one of his initial hurdles as he thought about setting up his business. He eventually overcame the initial challenges, leveraging Lazada’s wide logistics network to his advantage.
Meanwhile, business owner Kyla Yao’s online shop was born out of a personal need to find more activewear options. As an active young woman, Kyla’s love for cute sports outfits also keeps her motivated to stay on top of her game with her workout regime. Faced with limited options available online, Kyla saw an opportunity and joined LazStart, eventually co-founding Kleo Active with her best friend.
Kyla recognizes the huge untapped consumer base and opportunities to reach and engage them beyond the brand’s social media posts and ads. Tapping on the industry best practices gleaned from her participation in LazStart, she went on to further drive awareness and strengthen digital presence for Kleo Active.
“LazStart allowed me to understand the eCommerce industry on a deeper level, simplifying big concepts and teaching insights into modern techniques we can apply in entrepreneurship beyond social media networks,” she said. “After the experience, we started working on our online presence through setting up our shop through the platform, while at the same time applying insights on strategic tactics we can use in making our business grow.”
Meanwhile, founder of Green Gulp, Boris Matocinos, shares that his business inspiration comes from a more personal place – his mother. They started producing healthy, cold-pressed juices when she was diagnosed with cancer, driven by the mantra that a happy life starts with a healthy body.
Boris joined the LazStart program with the goal to know more about starting an online business and how to market their products right. Through the program, he learnt how to identify and target relevant audience segments, which helped Green Gulp’s business take off.
Lazada has always been at the forefront of making eCommerce accessible to businesses, including micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), enabling them to flourish with the tools and resources available in the platform. LazStart is one such initiative aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs with the knowledge and resources to establish and manage their own businesses even from a young age.
“Through Lazada’s LazStart 2.0 program, we want to bridge that gap of uncertainty by providing youths of today with knowledge, industry resources and an inclusive and collaborative environment to kickstart their entrepreneurial dreams. This program is a step in the right direction to tap the potential of our youth, and nurture the next generation of online entrepreneurs,” said Lazada Philippines Chief Customer Officer Jacqueline Fuentes.
You can also show support to our young entrepreneurs Vincent, Kyla, and Boris by visiting their stores: Comfy Homes Essentials, Kleo Active, and Green Gulp.
Students interested to find out more about the LazStart program can also join LazStart’s Facebook Community to get started on their eCommerce education journey today
