Christine Sibal’s journey as a business owner began in a small spot in Barreto, Olongapo, where she put up a cozy café called 153 Coffee Co. A typical day for her business looks like tables filled up with students, remote workers, and regulars sipping on sea salt lattes or their house-blend 153 Special.
“My husband and I love coffee,” she shared. “He even trained as a barista. At first, we just wanted a place where we could enjoy good coffee and maybe hold a few meetings. But eventually, it turned into a full-blown cafe.”
Christine opened the shop nearly two years ago. What started with just five to ten cups a day has grown into 50 to 100 cups daily, with additional income from doing event coffee carts and loyal dine-in customers who treat the café like a second home.
But 153 Coffee Co. is only one half of her entrepreneurial story. About a year later, Christine launched Muy Bien Ihaw-Ihaw, a grilled chicken business that continues a mission she’s long been a part of – helping members of her church community build livelihoods through small business.
“Muy Bien actually came from a church initiative almost 20 years ago,” she explains. “It started as a way to help members earn extra income, and now it has grown to around 40 outlets across different provinces.”
Her outlet in Barreto is one of the newer ones, and a pilot for a more dine-in–focused model. But whether it’s chicken or coffee, Christine runs both businesses with a mix of passion and purpose. And behind the scenes, there’s one modern tool that keeps it all running smoothly: fast, stable internet from leading fiber broadband and technology provider Converge.
“Even before we opened the café, we were already using Converge at home. So when we started the businesses, it just made sense to use something we already trusted,” she said.
Christine now runs both shops on Converge flexiBiz plans. The internet powers everything from her POS system to CCTV for remote monitoring. “I can check sales even when I’m not at the shop. I can log in, see what’s happening, and make sure everything’s running right. It’s really helped me stay hands-on, even from a distance,” Christine added.
She also admitted that a fast internet has now become a customer essential. While some cafés shy away from “long stay” customers, Christine sees it differently. “A lot of our customers use our internet for their work or study. We offer it for free to our dine-in customers. That’s one of the reasons people keep coming back.”
Now, with both businesses thriving and the systems to keep them moving efficiently, Christine is looking forward to putting up more branches. She also offered some pieces of advice to fellow entrepreneurs who are just getting started. “For me, I believe passion comes first. So whatever it is you love to do, whatever you believe in, go for it. Even if people say it’s not trendy or popular right now, if that’s what you enjoy and if your heart is into it, that will succeed.”
