FEATURE ARTICLE

Freelancers Fair @ The Mega

The first freelancers fair dubbed "Small Office Home Office Fair" will open its doors to home-office practitioners, aspiring home-based entrepreneurs and the general public on August 27 to 29 at the Megatrade Hall 2, Level 5 of SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

Organized by Protégé, Inc. and presented by Epson, the event puts together home office solutions providers, schools offering courses on business that can be done at home, and companies that provide home-based careers.

Trade Secretary Cesar V. Purisima is the guest of honor during the opening ceremonies. He will be joined by heads and representatives of partner agencies and co-presentor including the Women’s Business Council (WBC) Philippines and Epson, as well as of sponsors, exhibitors and media partners.

“We are most gratified by the affirmations we have received from the business, government and professional sectors on the emergence of clusters of entrepreneurs working out of their homes and small offices, who are largely aided by information technology,” said Protégé president Ruby Villavicencio-Paurom.

“At the Small Office Home Office (SOHO) fair, we highlight the benefits of setting up SOHOs and present solutions to the challenges of met by SOHOs in operating and expanding their businesses.”

With the support of partner organizations, Protégé has put together a good mix of exhibitors and an exciting programme for interest groups and aspiring entrepreneurs.
The fair will have innovative features as “Meet-Up Day With Freelancers” on Saturday “Work-At-Home Mom’s Day”, slated on Sunday.

The DTI-Philippine Trade Training Center (DTI-PTTC) will conduct a talk on “How to start a business.” This will be followed by short lectures by training schools on businesses that can be done at home. Technology & Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC) will tackle “Photo transfer and design in ceramics” and Businessmaker Academy’s “Events planning”.

“Home Office Technology” is the theme of the Saturday program of the SOHO fair. Computer company, IBM presents a talk on “Telecommuting” while internet service provider, Infocom will conduct an awareness lecture on “Internet Technology”. IT training school Informatics will give appreciation courses on Internet, Adobe Photoshop and Flash Animation. Canon shows how to make profit out of a hobby with “Digital Photography 101”.

Work-At-Home Mom’s Day is a toast to homemakers who turned their creative interests to productive and profitable home-based businesses. “Work-at-Home Mom’s Day” features a talk by Women’s Business Council on “Running a home office”. The WBC also launches the first of a series of start-up guides for SOHOs. “Earning Opportunities” by Avon and practical tips from Metro Working Mom will follow. Simultaneous sessions on perfume making, balloon art creation, meat processing and decorating with chocolate will also be done.

The Meet-Up Day with Freelancers will be at the café area on Saturday, August 28, as a chance to network with peers and potential employers. Epson will give away a scanner to the freelancer who best describes why “Home office is great.”

Prizes from Informatics, Digimac, Pacific Internet, Airborne Access, Avon, Subic International Hotel, ChemWorld, Chocolate Lovers and other sponsors will be given away through daily raffle draws.

Small Office Home Office Fair is supported by DTI-PTTC, TLRC and Women’s Business Council, and sponsored by Canon, Digimac, Infocom, Informatics, Ubix and Vantage Solutions, Inc.

Media partners of the event include 103.5 K-Lite, Ating Alamin, Bluprint Magazine, Computer World, Inq7.net, Metro Working Mom, Mirror Magazine, Mommy Academy, My Home Magazine, Philippine Daily Inquirer and Trabaho.com.

For more details, contact Protégé, Inc. at 6376979 or 6383219 or visit their website at www.rubycomm.com/protégé_soho.

SMALL OFFICE HOME OFFICE FAIR
August 27 – 29, 2004
Megatrade Hall 2, Level 5, SM Megamall

Programme
(As of August 19, 2004)

August 27, Friday
HOME OFFICE START-UP DAY

1:00 pm How to start a business by DTI-Philippine Trade Training Center
2:00 pm Photo Transfer and Design in Ceramics by Technology & Livelihood Research Center
3:00 pm Events Planning & Management and Virtual Assistant by Businessmaker Academy

August 28, Saturday
HOME OFFICE TECHNOLOGY DAY

11:00 am Telecommuting by IBM
1:30 pm Internet Technology by Infocom
2:00 pm Appreciation Courses by Informatics
Internet and E-mail for Beginners ß
Appreciation Course on Adobe Photoshop
Appreciation Course on Flash Animation
4:00 pm Digital Photography 101 by Canon

August 29, Sunday
WORK-AT HOME MOMS’ DAY

1:00 pm Running a home office by Women in Business Council
2:00 pm Earning Opportunities by Avon
3:00 pm Metro Working Mom Event
4:00 pm Simultaneous sessions
Balloon Art Creation by YoYo Balloons
Meat Processing by Ultima
Decorating with Chocolate by Chocolate Lovers
Perfume Making by ChemWorld