Why Gretchen Ho started her own business

MANILA – Many people may know Gretchen Ho as a top volleyball player, but she is also a budding entrepreneur with her own clothing line. In an interview on ABS-CBN's “My Puhunan,” Ho narrated how inspirational slogans pushed her to start a graphic shirt business, The Inspired Project. “Everytime I exercise or train, nakaka-isip ako ng slogan on my own. [So I thought,] why not translate it to merchandise,” the Ateneo Lady Eagle said. According to Ho, running a business is not easy, but as long as you know how to care of the brand and know how to have a working relationship with partners or co-workers, things will fall right into place. “Business is not all fun and games. You have to be consistent, you have to take care of your brand, [and] you have to keep up to date what is happening. Minomonitor mo lahat... So for you to do that, you have to have passion," she added. One of their best-selling shirts, the one that says “Dare to dream to make it happen,” was a motivational slogan she used when she was a freshman. Each shirt is sold at P500.00. The Inspired Project is currently being run on consignment basis, but Ho wishes that soon enough, they can launch the brand on their own store. “’Di mahirap as long as you have the system for it, you know you're working with people you can trust, and as long as you know you can be consistent,” she said.