12 Ways You Can Be Successful Like Socorro Ramos

We know sampaguita as our national flower and arnis as our national sport. But do you know what our national store is when it comes to school supplies and books? The name National Book Store (NBS) speaks for itself. Founded almost 80 years ago. Its  owner, Socorro Ramos, christened the store after the most popular cash register brand at the time. From a makeshift stall in 1942, NBS has become a household name, with over 200 branches nationwide.

Who is Socorro Ramos?

Her name means "help" in Spanish. But Socorro, fondly called "Nanay Coring", is a proud self-made woman. A girl boss ahead of her time, she put up NBS when she was 19 years old with her husband Jose. With a capital of ₱200, the newly-married couple sold supplies and books in a corner stall in Ermita, Manila.

Their "rags to riches" story is an entire mood. However, success did not come overnight for Nanay Coring. Through tips you can apply in your own career, we share with you her fascinating journey. Indeed, we stan a woman who has built the country's biggest bookstore and office supplies chain from scratch.

12 Ways to Be Successful Like Socorro Ramos

1. Work hard but work smart.

Nanay Coring showed good business sense early on. At only five years old, she was already helping her grandmother sell food and shoes in Laguna. When her father died, her family moved to Manila. Nanay Coring and her siblings have always been working students. At 12 years old, she was hired in a factory to salvage cigarette filling from ruined supplies. So she could work faster, she recruited other children. This way, she was able to meet her quota while sharing her earnings with others.

2. Learn the ropes.

Before Nanay Coring opened NBS, she first worked in a book store. In fact, her older brother and his wife owned Goodwill Bookstore, which hired Nanay Coring as a sales clerk. She was quoted by Yahoo News Philippines: "Noong una, nagtindera muna ako, hindi ako marunong sa bookstore. Nagtrabaho ako sa kapatid ko na (may) bookstore. Natuto ako about the book business. Noong nag-asawa ako nagbukas ako ng National Book Store."

3. Quickly adjust to changes.

When the Japanese occupied Manila, they banned the books offered by NBS. To keep her business running, Nanay Coring put the book selling on hold. Instead, she sold candies and basic necessities like soap, toothpaste and footwear. "Whatever the customers were looking for, I was selling," recalled Nanay Coring in a Philippine Star feature in 2005.

4. Find opportunity.

During the liberation of Manila, the NBS stall was burned down. But Nanay Coring and her husband did not dwell on this setback. In 1945, the couple reopened the bookstore in another location"”in Avenida Rizal. They timed the first day of business during the beginning of the school year. At the time, businesses were still recovering from the war. Nanay Coring grabbed the opportunity, and enjoyed brisk sales.

5. Learn from your mistakes.

Three years later, the enterprising couple hit another bump. In 1948, Typhoon Gene ravaged Manila. It toppled Nanay Coring's modest stall and damaged the goods. Instead of building another fragile stall, the couple poured their savings into a two-floor building along Soler Street in Manila.

6. Glow up your business or career.

A decade into operating NBS, Nanay Coring had the brilliant idea of creating greeting cards and postcards that showcased the country's scenic spots. "I was looking at what the customers were buying. They were buying Christmas cards," she said during the Philippine Star interview. Because Filipinos loved to sing, Nanay Coring also thought of putting song lyrics on cards. Needless to say, the cards sold like hotcakes. It also marked NBS's venture into the greeting cards industry, where it became a major player. Eventually, NBS bought the Philippine rights of Hallmark cards in 1971.

7. Forge partnerships.

To make foreign-published books more affordable for Filipinos, the Ramoses sought licensing agreements with global publishers. Nanay Coring was not afraid to haggle with big-name companies such as McGraw Hill, Addison Wesley, and many others. 

"I have to explain to them why I'm squeezing their necks for a low price. I tell them our people can't afford their books. And I add, Wait until Filipinos are a little richer, and I will not have to bargain with you. In the meantime, you have to help us," shared Nanay Coring in the Philippine Star article. By printing the books in newsprint paper, NBS was able to sell world-class books for much lower prices.

8. Always aim to improve.

While business was booming, Coring and Jose Ramos bought prime property"”a vacant lot in Avenida Rizal. Interestingly enough, the couple did not take out a loan to make the purchase. For five years, they saved up for this piece of land on which they put up a nine-story building. In 1965, the headquarters was completed and named AlBeCer after the couple's three children"”Alfredo, Benjamin and Cecilia.

9. Branch out"”literally and figuratively.

NBS started branching out in the 1970s, starting in Recto Avenue. In 1982, NBS built its three-story Superbranch in Cubao, which still stands to this day. Later on, the Ramoses opened a store in Cebu. In fact, NBS ventured in Hong Kong in 2007. There, it opened an English bookstore called Metro Books, which according to The HK Hub, has three branches in Kowloon.

Whatever your career, you can "branch out" by learning transferable skills. You can also use self-learning tools like online courses from JobStreet and Luna Academy!

10. Keep up with trends.

When malls began to spread in the metro, NBS immediately jumped on the bandwagon. It opened branches in shopping centers, making their goods more accessible for Filipinos. Nanay Coring also developed the publishing arm of the business. In 1988, Cacho Publishing, Inc. was established. Two years later, NBS set up Anvil Publishing, Inc., awarded several times by the Manila Critics Circle as Publisher of the Year.

11. Take calculated risks.

Despite already being an institution, NBS continued to grow. In 1992, four years after Jose died, Nanay Coring put up the specialty store Power Books. Another spin-off, NBS Bestsellers, currently have branches in malls. To promote entrepreneurship, Nanay Coring established NBS College, which concentrates on business courses.

12. Give back to the community.

Through Project Aral, the NBS Foundation solicits and distributes school supplies to students in poor areas.  Meanwhile, its annual Christmas book drive is done with NBS customers donating reading materials to schools. The foundation also helps build school libraries through its Read-Out Loud Challenge.

Nanay Coring's formula for success is simple. She knows that triumph does not come on a silver platter. "You must have that firm determination," she said during an Inquirer interview. "Kung gusto mong umunlad, pagpursigihin mo. Kay bumaha "˜yan, bumagyo 'yan, umaraw "˜yan, mag-umpisa muli. Yung success niyan, nasa sa inyo."

At 98 years old, Nanay Coring is now retired. But her children continue her legacy"”a legacy we also benefit from. May Nanay Coring's journey inspire you as you build your own career!

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