President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. expressed his support for giving more help to the country’s MSMEs during the launch of the expanded entrepreneurship mentoring program, 3M on Wheels, held last June 25 at the atrium of The Block at SM City North EDSA in Quezon City.
In his message to Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion, the incoming President said there is much more that can be done to help the country’s small businessmen. “The MSMEs right now are slowly coming back but still need as much help as we can give them,” he said.
“I really hope that in the next few years, we will be able to come into partnership and do what we can in what you have been advocating for so many years,” he said as he offered his congratulations to Concepcion.
3M on Wheels builds on Go Negosyo’s Mentor Me on Wheels, the highly successful on-ground, nationwide mentoring program. The expanded mentoring program, said Concepcion, reflects the wider scope of entrepreneurship mentoring it will now be offering to aspiring entrepreneurs. The event was received enthusiastically by many aspiring entrepreneurs. “We are overwhelmed by the support. I apologize to those we weren’t able to accommodate but rest assured we will be back with more 3M on Wheels,” he said.
President-elect Marcos’s pre-recorded message was delivered to the small and aspiring entrepreneurs who partook in the free mentoring services of seasoned entrepreneurs and businessmen during the event.
Quezon CIty Mayor Joy Belmonte also graced the event, announcing several initiatives of the city to help MSMEs, namely the digitalization of business registration processes, as well as the granting of Php1 million startup capital to small businesses in the city.
“We felt that as Go Negosyo continues its mission of giving MSMEs access to business opportunities, we must expand it to the wider framework of money, market, and mentorship – completing the three M’s that we believe are essential in growing small businesses,” said Concepcion.
Renaming it as 3M On Wheels – the three M’s standing for Mentorship, Money, and Market – reflects its overarching mission of providing not just mentorship, but also access to capital and markets. All three form the foundation of Go Negosyo’s mission to promote entrepreneurship among Filipinos.
As 3M On Wheels, It will introduce attendees to different facets that are essential to success in entrepreneurship, namely access to capacity-building, financial assistance, and market opportunities. On-site mentorship by Go Negosyo Mentors will provide one-on-one coaching and share their own experiences on business. There will be Money and Market Booths to introduce entrepreneurs to facilities for small-business lending. Specialists in different marketing channels will be on hand to introduce solutions that cover everything from establishing physical stores, digital platforms, logistics solutions, and digital payment platforms.
And to assist the entrepreneurs in their regulatory affairs, government agencies will be on hand to answer questions on documentation, certifications, and applications.
The framework has been used successfully in the Go Negosyo programs Kapatid Mentor Me and Kapatid Agri Mentor Me Program, which it conducts in cooperation with government agencies. Mentorship is highlighted in the projects, summits and shows organized by Go Negosyo, including the Women’s Summit, the ASEAN Mentorship for Entrepreneurs Network, Sign Up, and the online Facebook Live show, Go Nego Show.
3M on Wheels’ predecessor MMOW was started in 2018 and was inspired by the growing number of Filipinos turning to entrepreneurship to lift themselves out of poverty. The initiative filled the learning gap in the entrepreneurial journey, and turned mentorship into a solution that addressed the capacity-building need of a Filipino entrepreneur.
“Thanks to the successful businessmen and entrepreneurs who generously gave of their time and knowledge, and to the finance institutions and enterprise solutions providers who have been with us through the years, we were able to scale MMOW into a nationwide program, and now expand the scope of our program,” Concepcion said. As MMOW, the program has successfully mentored more than 10,000 entrepreneurs across the Philippines. 3M on Wheels remains a free nationwide mentorship program by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship in partnership with the Office of Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship.