Tom Yum Restaurant owner Phannel Regan with general manager PK Phommachanh-Daigo pose for Variety.
MARIANAS Business Network aims to unify small business owners on Saipan, MBN founder PK Phommachanh-Daigo said.
He said he formed the group to provide a platform for small businesses that want to share their experiences and challenges.
“I started this network group [three to four] months ago and the whole purpose is to hear voices from small businesses that are often overlooked or feel intimidated by bigger companies or feel that they don’t belong because of their base income,” Phommachanh-Daigo said.
According to the MBN founder, who is also a business consultant and Tom Yum Restaurant general manager, he aims to capture the “real data” on the local economy.
“We want to have a more intimate group that includes freelancers, photographers, people who do business as a side hustle. Small businesses really [thrive] on referrals more than anything in our local economy, and I want to make sure that we all have a voice on what small businesses are experiencing,” Phommachanh-Daigo said.
“I want to capture data regarding small business owners that we’ve never heard from before. I want to know how many monolingual business owners are there … and how they’re coping and doing,” he added.
“Small business owners are struggling in a tourism-dependent economy,” Phommachanh-Daigo said. “The tourism industry is struggling due to lack of visitors. Hotels are trying to keep guests inside to encourage spending. Small business owners need to support each other to survive the economic challenges,” he added.
He said small businesses on Saipan are also challenged by “red tape, zoning, theft (public safety), and the high cost of [utilities].”
“Theft is a big issue as it’s very financially draining to small businesses … to replace broken doors, broken windows. Small business owners want more than just a Neighborhood Watch program and want additional solutions to address theft. Business owners are always on the lookout for offenders …. We need more police substations to address this,” Phommachanh-Daigo said.
He also expressed concerns about “the revolving door of repeat offenders in the judicial system.”
“Local agencies are not business friendly,” he added. “People who want to start a business have to go through a lot of red tape and this causes low morale.”
The Marianas Business Network said it is “an informal consortium of small businesses on Saipan, dedicated to fostering mutual support, networking, and referral services.”
With no membership fees, the group encourages accessibility and inclusivity, welcoming all who are interested in growing their businesses or expanding their professional networks.
MBN will hold a networking mixer tonight, Wednesday, Sept. 25, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Tom Yum Restaurant in San Antonio, across from the Pacific Islands Club. The mixer will feature Secretary of Labor Leila Staffler as the keynote speaker. She will discuss the latest labor regulations, workforce development initiatives, and business opportunities in the CNMI.
“MBN has 46 members,” Phommachanh-Daigo said. “There’s no need to compete. There’s business for everybody, that’s my model.”
Tom Yum Restaurant owner Phannel Regan with general manager PK Phommachanh-Daigo pose for Variety.
