Driven by passion: Journey to success on this superapp

In an industry traditionally dominated by men, a woman defied convention to pursue her dream of becoming a ride-hailing app driver. Melissa Buscaino-Redulla chose this path to balance her professional life with quality family time.

Redulla's journey unfolded in an episode of "My Puhunan". She shares that among the tens of thousands of Grab driver-partners in the Philippines, only a few thousands are women, and not all of them are currently active.

Becoming a Grab driver-partner was more than a career choice, it was an answered prayer."When I was in Padre Pio in Libis, so deboto po ako nun, I was praying. And believe it or not, binulong po sa akin 'yung salitang 'Grab.' So nung nakapasa na sa unang test, and then magpapa-register sa Grab. Wala pong one hour, nakapagpa-register po ako sa Grab. So officially Grab driver na po ako," shares Redulla.
(When I was in Padre Pio in Libis, I was a devotee, and I was praying. And believe it or not, the word 'Grab' was whispered to me. So, when I passed the first test and went to register with Grab, within one hour, I was able to register with Grab. So, officially, I became a Grab driver.)

Redulla has been a Grab driver for seven years and counting. When asked about the fulfillment of her job, she expressed, "Dalawa lang po kasi talaga ang gusto kong gawin sa buhay ko - magluto at mag-drive. And I am so lucky that I am able to do both professionally kasi pinagkakakitaan ko po pareho."
(There are only two things I want to do in my life - cook and drive. And I am so lucky that I am able to do both professionally because I earn from both.)

Meanwhile, a young entrepreneur did not find success as easily as Redulla. In 2020, Ryan Tan opened a small food kiosk named 'Oh Mango,' offering bubble tea mango shakes in various flavors. With a startup investment of P50,000, he harbored high hopes for its success. Reflecting on the early days, he recalled, "When we first started, wala talagang foot traffic 'yung area namin. Naalala ko pa 'yung first sale namin, nakakaiyak. Nung time na 'yun na nag-start kami, wala talagang bumibili samin nun. Naisip namin anong puwedeng gawin?"
(When we first started, there was really no foot traffic in our area. I still remember our first sale; it was an emotional moment. At that time, when we were starting, no one was buying from us. We wondered what we could do.)

Food deliveries, particularly through GrabFood, gained prominence during the height of the pandemic. Tan seized this opportunity, stating, "Talagang kinausap namin si GrabFood na 'Paano ba makabenta? Paano ba umunlad sa Grab?' Kasi 'yun lang 'yung way namin para makabenta noon. And thankful kami na napaka-collaborative ni GrabFood sa aming mga merchants."
(We really talked to GrabFood, asking 'How can we sell? How can we progress with Grab?' Because that was our only way to sell back then. And we are thankful that we were able to collaborate with GrabFood to our merchants)

"Doon namin nakita na parang 'yun lang 'yung opportunity namin makabenta talaga. And tuloy-tuloy na from there," added Tan.
(That is where we saw that it was really our only opportunity to sell. And it continued from there.)

After three years, with the help of GrabFood, "Oh Mango" has expanded to 12 branches.

The online food delivery market in the Philippines is experiencing rapid growth due to the increasing demand for convenience and variety in dining options.¹

In 2022, meal delivery in the Philippines had the highest user percentage at 17.27 percent compared to grocery delivery at 15.76 percent.²

Secret to success

How did 'Oh Mango' reach 12 branches in three years? Tan attributes it to 'continuous improvement,' saying, "Humahanap kami lagi ng ways sa operations namin, paano sumarap pa ang pagkain. Over time, hindi lang naman puwede na mango shake lang ang binebenta namin. Kailangan may ka-terno rin 'yung mango shake kagaya nung takoyaki. And we have mga chicken, egg drop sandwich, meron din kaming ramen."
(We are always looking for ways to improve our operations, and how to enhance the taste of our food. Over time, it is not enough to just sell mango shakes. The mango shake needs to complement other items, like takoyaki. And we also offer chicken, egg drop sandwiches, and even ramen.)

As for Redulla's story, her success was marked by devotion and purpose. From her prayerful moment at Padre Pio to becoming a Grab driver, her journey unveils the fulfillment found in her work.

Redulla says that she finds it senseless to choose passengers, "I call this my calling. I love doing this because of the opportunity na nakakatulong po ako sa mga kapwa ko drivers." (I love doing this because of the opportunity that I can help other drivers.)

When asked how she feels if the destination of the passenger is far, she answered, "Okay lang po, kasama 'yan sa trabaho namin." (It is okay, that is part of our job.)

She even bought a second-hand car dedicated to Grab use and extended her motherly care to her passengers, "I always see to it na maintain ang cleanliness ng sasakyan. Ang treatment ko po kasi talaga sa mga passengers ko ay they are my family also. Para 'yung safety nandoon lagi. Aside from the safety trainings na nakukuha namin sa Grab, siyempre initiative mo po dapat din talaga."
(I always make sure to maintain the cleanliness of my car. My treatment to my passengers is truly treating them like family. This is to ensure that safety is always present. Aside from the safety training that we receive from Grab, of course, it is also important to have your own initiative.)

Ride-hailing has emerged as a transformative force in the mobility industry, revolutionizing on-demand transportation services.³

Skills development for Filipinos

Grab is committed to helping stimulate economic growth and create livelihood opportunities at scale in the Philippines. In line with this commitment is Grab's dedication to creating opportunities for skills development and capacity building for its robust partner communities of drivers, delivery riders, and merchants – ensuring they are kept abreast with the latest know-how in their respective industries.

GrabAcademy is one of the programs offered to Grab driver, delivery, or merchant partners on skills development. Redulla highlights the various training opportunities within the academy, stating, "Ang GrabAcademy is an in-app feature ng Grab. There you can easily browse. May mga road safety trainings doon, vehicle sanitation. Kaya walang reason ang bawat driver para sabihin niya na hindi sila educated about all these things."
(The GrabAcademy is an in-app feature of Grab. Here, you can easily browse through a range of training modules, including road safety and vehicle sanitation. Hence, there is no reason for any driver to claim lack of education about all these things.)

Tan attributes the success of Oh Mango to the training that he received from Grab. "Marami silang binibigay na opportunities na mag-promote, kagaya nung Grab Ads. And how did we learn about Grab Ads? It is through 'yung mga GrabAcademy nila and Grab Merchant Masterclass."
(They provide numerous opportunities for promotion, such as Grab Ads. And how did we learn about Grab Ads? Our introduction to Grab Ads happened through their GrabAcademy and Grab Merchant Masterclass.)

Additionally, Tan appreciates the continuous learning and networking opportunities provided by Grab such as the Grab Merchant Masterclass saying,
"Favorite na favorite ko 'yung masterclass kasi you get to hang out with other entrepreneurs kagaya ko. You really feel like one community. Puwede kayo mag-usap tungkol sa anong strategy ginagawa mo? Nag-knowkedge sharing kami doon. What is nice din is may mga speakers, so they really share ways to stand out sa food industry ngayon. Very happy to learn more about new industries like digital advertising, which is very relevant to our business"
(I particularly favor the masterclass because you get to hang out with other entrepreneurs like myself. You really feel like one community where you can discuss strategies and share insights. What is also nice is the presence of speakers who really share ways to stand out in the food industry)

Redulla and Tan share one key trait: determination.

"Determination talaga. Every day naghahanap kami ng way para ma-improve pa ang Oh Mango. Kasi the moment na nag-give-up ka, wala na," says Tan.
(Determination is crucial. Every day, we seek ways to further improve Oh Mango. Because the moment you give up, it is over.)

"Yung determination ko, 'yung commitment ko to do this job, 'yung patience mo, compassion mo with every passenger na makakasakay sayo, kasi iba-iba po iyan. But see to it kung talagang gusto mo yung trabaho mo, see to it na maayos kang haharap sa customer mo every day," shares Redulla.
(My determination, my commitment to do this job, your patience, and your compassion with every passenger you pick up, because each one is different. But see to it that if you truly love your job, see to it that you present yourself well to your customers every day.)

Redulla and Tan represent just two of a thousand success stories on Grab, illustrating how determination may lead to success.

References:
1. Statista. Online Food Delivery - Philippines.
2. Statista. Number of users of online food delivery in the Philippines 2022, by segment.
3. Statista. Ride-hailing - Philippines.