The Challenges an Online Seller Lives With – lil0.ph
Many have risked their chance and luck to open a small business amidst the pandemic. Because of several lockdowns, many individuals lost their jobs. Some decided to sell consumables like pastries and beverages and resell other delicacies to earn extra money. At the same time, others tried to invest in selling thrift or pre-loved clothes online. Hop along and witness the encouraging story of lil0.ph — an online thrift store established during the pandemic.
The Birth of a Wonderful Woman, The Birth of lil0.ph
Rhea Lyn Dela Cruz, 23, is the proud owner of lil0.ph. She first shared with me the history behind the launching date of her online store, which was on the 16th of June year 2020. According to her, this date is very memorable as it is her mother’s birthday, who now is in our loving creator’s hands. She chose this specific day to remember and celebrate the birth of an extraordinary woman in her simplest ways. She added that the act of “selling” itself is her mom’s trait that she genuinely admires and wants to put into practice herself.
Turning Doubts and What Ifs into A Dream Come True
The first thing you may think of when putting up your business is your what-ifs. “What if people wouldn’t support me?”, “What if my products won’t live up to their expectations?”, “What if my business fails?”. Rhea, even so optimistic, wasn’t safe from stressing over her doubts.
Being a student assistant at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines allowed her to earn. It’s not much, but it was enough to provide for her needs. But with the pandemic’s threat, she feared losing her side hustle. That’s what pushed her to decide to use up spare money from her allowance so she could curate and collect pieces for her collection. Yet the struggle didn’t end there, as it took weeks and months before she got her first transaction. Instead of losing faith, her first order fired her up and made her realize that she loves what she does. More collections came for lil0.ph in, and that opened up more opportunities for her to gain profit.
However, her responsibilities at home and school made it challenging for lil0.ph to be consistent. She had to juggle her conflicting schedule with the process of preparing the clothes. That includes washing the garments, steaming, taking photos, and advertising. Not to mention the difficulty of live selling itself.
Keep Your Mind Where Your Feet Are
Despite the exhaustion, Rhea Lyn thrived and persevered. She tried to take things slowly and learned not to put a strain on herself. After conquering the hardships of starting a business, Rhea had finally acquired several techniques to make the job easier. She noted that properly managing her time allowed her to be more efficient in handling lil0.ph. In addition to that, this venture did not only gain her profit. But life lessons that are helping her to hone the future best version of herself.
“There is nothing good that comes so easily or quickly.”
Rhea Lyn Dela Cruz
For others to believe in you, you must first believe in yourself. This principle is what Rhea Lyn tries to embody in life. Success doesn’t come after the day you start, so you must keep on believing. That someday, you will reap the fruits of your sacrifices and labor. And if it takes you longer than you expected, Rhea Lyn hopes you don’t give up on that dream — for there is nothing good that comes so easily or quickly.
“As lil0.ph always says, ‘live and love’ not only for the clothing, style, or the fashion aspect of life, but the encompasses to ‘live and love’ the life you live and love.” – Rhea Lyn Dela Cruz, owner of lil0.ph.
