Posted by Passionate about business from a young age, Sofia (@sofiauy) looks out for various learning opportunities from selling her preloved items on Carousell to taking up the Accountancy, Business and Marketing strand when she starts Grade 12. This helped shape her ideas when she was thinking about how to help fellow Filipinos during the pandemic.
“I decided to sell fabric masks at a lower price to attract resellers. My mother has been able to provide for the family, even though her full-time job in the restaurant industry was affected by the pandemic. I want to help and encourage others to provide for their family as well by offering items for them to resell at a higher profit,” shares Sofia, who shares reselling tips on her Carousell listing. “I don’t want others to spend time thinking about the virus, as it is not good for their mental health. Instead, I want them to realise there are other solutions and to look on the brighter side of life.” Some of her buyers have managed to sell more than 20 masks each.
She sources the masks from a local tailor to sell. Her mother had found the tailor shop by chance, and bought face masks for the family’s personal use. “I noticed the masks were sewn neatly and made of nice cloth. So I thought of selling it on Carousell since it is an essential item, and to offer quality masks that will help protect others from the virus,” said Sofia.
The enterprising teen noticed a shift in buyer habits during the early days of the pandemic. “I noticed that medical supplies and food were in demand, and people weren’t buying clothes that much since they have nowhere to go. So I thought of selling some of my favourite recipes such as buko pandan salad, since my friends and family love it,” said Sofia. She plans to sell these items for the long term and add more variety to her listings to gain more knowledge in running a business.