Turning a Hobby into a Business: Benefits to Brand Ownership

May 15, 2020

A lot of retired couples spend their time relaxing. Some retreat to the provinces, longing for a slower pace in life. Initially, Marc and Tricia Castrodes had the same plans. As long-time government employees, they retired to spend more time with their growing family. They spent their days with loved ones, occasionally baking for friends and family.

As time passed, they realized that their hobby, which was baking cupcakes, grew more profitable. Faced with a chance to create another stream of income from something they loved, they doubled down on it and in 2014 created what is now known as Stookies Cookie Sticks®: A Modern Twist to an All-Time Classic. 

As with all new ventures, they initially encountered difficulty in their business. However, it helped that they had confidence in their brand, and registering their brand boosted their pride in their business, which in turn helped them build their place in the market. 

"We were confident when presenting to possible clients and partners,” said Tricia.  "It gave us credibility in the product and company.”

The idea of creating one's own brand may be daunting to others, and even more so in coming up with a logo to represent it. According to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, a trademark is a word, a group of words, sign, symbol, logo, or a combination of any of these that differentiate goods or services of one entity from those of others.

Also, make sure to utilize the brand database: on the IPOPHL website, you will find links to both the Philippine Trademark Database where you can search for all trademarks registered in the country, and also the Global Trademark Registry of WIPO if you think that in the future, you will be exporting your product. Check to see if your idea has been taken, or just to have an idea of what you can register.

In all, the couple behind Stookies learned it is better not to feel pressured and instead take the time to reflect on what their brand will be. In their case, it was clear to the couple that they were creating a Filipino brand that they hoped would "produce excellent, innovative products for the global market." Their products, which can be ordered through their website, originalcookisticks.com, are definitely a refreshing twist to the classic cookie.

The Stookies success story showed that it is never too late to capitalize on one's hobbies. Luckily for those who found inspiration in their sweet success and would like to turn their hobbies into businesses, online registration is possible through IPOPHL's website, www.ipophil.gov.ph.### (Nastasha Erika Floro, Communications and Marketing Writer)