Platform seeks to uplift women entrepreneurs

HOLIDAY SHOWCASE Two of Enstack’s merchants: native bag-maker BJCY (above) and clothing firmHiraya Pilipina displace their products at the “EmpowerHER: Christmas Bazaar.” —CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

As the holiday season begins and people go about their gift-buying ritual, Enstack, the all-in-one digital business application championing women entrepreneurs, is showcasing the innovative and, often, unique products of its partner merchants.

Enstack recently invited several businesswomen to share their “business hacks” at the “EmpowHER: Christmas Bazaar” to encourage shoppers to look beyond their usual shopping destinations and check out products its partners offer, many not available elsewhere.

Macy Castillo, Enstack chief executive officer and cofounder, stresses that the app is not a marketplace, but offers partners the convenience of being able to accept all modes of payment that they would not otherwise have.

Through Enstack, merchants can sell whenever and wherever, Castillo says, as the app relieves them of “the biggest pain point” in selling, the collection of payment.

“Even small merchants can accept credit card payments (through Enstack),” she says. Instead of using valuable time and money to set up the payment infrastructure needed to ensure safe, fast and convenient transactions, Enstack provides partners the agility to accept different modes of payment.

Scaling up

The app provides a suite of features to help and support women break barriers and succeed in the digital economy. It allows partners to build their own web store, sell online and in-person, accept different forms of cash and cashless payments and ship through multiple logistics partners.

Enstack helps in other ways like inventory management, preparation of financial statements and reports, “to grow and scale up” fledgling enterprises. Each partner will have an account manager from day one, Castillo adds.

She says Enstack, which now has about 70,000 partners, welcomes any kind of business, as she stresses the potential of Filipino entrepreneurs and the important role of micro, small and medium enterprises in the country’s overall economic growth.

Castillo says, “We want to help women entrepreneurs save time (that they can spend) on what matters most.

At the bazaar, Enrilyn Lee of EFR Subic Yacht Rentals reports that they successfully transformed their business by using Enstack’s digital tools to accept debit and credit card payments. Lee’s company, as the name suggests, offers short leisure package cruises to celebrate events, mark milestones, or simply for rest and relaxation.

Through Enstack’s easy onboarding process, Lee says they could now accommodate international card payments, expanding their market and attracting a global clientele.

“We’ve adopted credit card transactions as our primary payment method, utilizing Enstack’s mobile POS (point of sale) and generating payment links for buyers. This convenient solution has opened doors to a broader customer base, ensuring secure transactions. It feels like having an extra department, an extra helping hand in our business,” she adds.

Tailor-fit

Scarlet Enterprise founder and general manager Arlette Alvarado says Enstack’s “seamless sales invoicing feature” allowed her 17-year-old enterprise to transition from simple retail to a predominantly B2B (business- to-business) company through distributorship. The company is a skin care and cosmetics trader and supplier.

Other women entrepreneurs say Enstack’s inventory monitoring, invoicing, payment collection and shipping features streamline their operations.

Enstack believes everyone has the potential to be a successful entrepreneur with the right tools, access and resources, Castillo notes.

“We encourage our users to challenge the conventional use of our app, to adapt and tailor it to their unique business needs. The innovative ways in which our users employ Enstack’s features not only demonstrate their resourcefulness and adaptability, but also embody our mission to empower entrepreneurs. We are committed to providing a platform that fosters such entrepreneurial spirit and innovation,” she stresses.