NataliaTo begin with, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your business?
CyrilI'm Cyril Eltanal. I came from Philippines. I have two kids. This is my seventh year in New Zealand, and we are running a small business. It's about power and electricity. LME Power operates in power upgrades, new connections, electrical maintenance, and civil works.
NataliaLet's go back to your time in the Philippines. What can you tell us about where you grew up, where you're from? What was your life and your childhood before coming to New Zealand?
CyrilI came from Philippines and I can say that New Zealand and Philippines are two way different countries. So I can say maybe there, it's a humble experience. I came from not so privileged family. Since Philippines is an island, so we are both in the beach side and we also have mountain side. So I enjoyed a lot of things like playing outside, going to the beach and if we want mountain side. So it's accessible for both of us there. We are living in the southern part of the Philippines. I enjoyed a lot my childhood days.
We are, we are not very privileged. As I can say, we are brought as a humble family, but I didn't feel that we are poor back then because all my friends, my relatives are same as with me, so I didn't have anyone to compare, which is nice because I feel that Oh, that's normal. Yeah. So everything is normal. Everything is peaceful, nice and quiet.
NataliaDo you think that this upbringing, your humble beginnings, like you said, do feel like it influences the way you're running your business these days?
CyrilYeah. It's not only running my business, it's the total, the personality that I have now because my dad is an ex marine. He is trained in the military and I feel that he brought that into our household, the discipline. I don't know, like my dad doesn't like jealousy, those things like that. We are all girls, but we're not girly, girly type. 'Cause again, he is in the military, he is a marine. So we were brought up like to be strong and being resilient. And I think that I brought that attitude here in New Zealand and running our small business too.
The decision to move
NataliaTell us about your journey to New Zealand. What inspired you to make the move?
CyrilIt's my husband who is the main principal sponsor when we came here in New Zealand. He is a line mechanic. So he was a principal sponsor. The main reason why I pushed him to come here in New Zealand is that we're okay there. I am working as a teacher. He is working as a lineman. We're okay, but that's it.
We can provide our needs, but that's it. We don't have a good healthcare system. And I was thinking that if we will stay there, then it's okay If we are all healthy, my family's healthy. My, my parents and my siblings and our own family is healthy. But what if there's something happen like. There will be some sickness around our family.
How can we survive? How can we help our parents? How can we help our siblings if our salary is just enough for our family? So that's the turning point. When we decided that there is opportunity, we will grab this to have a greener pasture and help our family back there.
NataliaWhat did you know about New Zealand before coming here?
CyrilWe are fortunate because my husband's company back in the Philippines has already people here, already working here already. Like we have already a community here. Even though we're still in the Philippines, we can hear stories from them. He has also a brother here so we can hear his stories about New Zealand, about the working conditions, and we kind of thought like, Hmm, that's good. That's a good opportunity. Why not grab it?
First impressions
NataliaAnd what was it when you arrived? What can you remember? Was there anything in particular that surprised you about being here?
CyrilSo when we moved here, it was my husband first, after six months, he processed all our visas and that's when we came here in New Zealand. And the moment I stepped out in the airplane, I was like, wow, this is New Zealand. It's very different from the Philippines, the landscape, it's so clean, the roads, the traffic, the discipline of the people.
It's way different back in the Philippines. And the climate, the language, the people, everything. There's a lot like just opening the tap and drinking the water straight from the tap.
The playgrounds for kids are amazing. The beaches are amazing. There's no entrance fee back in our country. If you go to a beach resort or anything, there's no such thing as free. You always kind of pay and the toilets here are free. Back in the Philippines, there's a fee if you wanna go to a public toilet.
It's so crazy. It's funny, and I'm sharing this in my social media as well, and there's a lot of people who can relate, not only those people who are in New Zealand, but also living in other countries uprooted going to America or Canada, around the world.
NataliaOh, that's so interesting. Paying to use the toilet?
CyrilYeah. I know. It's so crazy. There's a lady in the door. You know what's funny? She will ask whether you wanna pee or poo. Because the pee is a different payment for the poo.
NataliaThat's so funny! How much more expensive?
CyrilThe poo is much more expensive!
Finding her feet
NataliaSo you've arrived in New Zealand, you're getting used to the new environment. And what do you do first work wise? Were you looking for a job for long? And what do you do before starting your business?
CyrilWhen I came here, my husband is already working. We have one daughter at the time and she was two years old.
And since my husband is a line mechanic, they don't have fixed time. They start as early as two in the morning and they come back home as 10 in the evening. So my struggle for me in that moment is to find jobs that fit. With our schedules and my daughter too. So at the end we chose for me not to work yet.
I am a stay at home mom for I think a year, and then I keep on looking for jobs and it's so hard to look for a job here in New Zealand. I feel that they needed experience, they needed reference. They needed an experience here in New Zealand. So I don't have all those things. So what I did is I did the home-based childcare, where people can drop their kids to your house and you look after them. So they are giving you a maximum of four kids. So since I have already a 2-year-old, I can only get three kids. So that's where I started working and earning money. And then from there, I also tried cleaning motels, cleaning the rooms.
That's around 9 to 2. And I chose that one because my daughter is in kindy in that time. So she's 8.30 to 2.30. So just exact time where I can drop her off and pick her up. And then after that I processed my registration because I'm a teacher back in the Philippines.
I just transferred that one here in New Zealand. And then I got the registration, started working as a relief teacher, and then I got a permanent job, which is teaching while my husband is working already on his own. And I'm doing kind of both. Teaching and running the small business, and just this year I fully committed myself to helping my husband run the business.
NataliaWow. That's a big milestone, right?
CyrilIt is! Yeah. When you look back, it's, I can say to myself like, wow, wow, that was amazing. I'm proud of doing all those things.
NataliaIt's, yeah, you should be. And I, what I love about your story, like you mentioned the challenges, you know, coming here, maybe it takes a while. Because you don't have the New Zealand experience, but you, you find a way around it.
CyrilSo it's, it's a kind of a step by step process for me. It's not like, boom, it's not like a big opportunity right away. No, no. Finding a way to make it, to make it work.
Today, Cyril and Louie at LME Power, Auckland.
The leap
NataliaTell me about the moment you and your husband decide to start your own business.
CyrilI really do believe in his skills and his talent. I can see it from always, always, even back in the Philippines, I can see that he's good at what he's doing. So I said to him, why not do your own company and strive there and put all your hundred percent effort and knowledge and then build from there. He was kind of hesitant. I kept on pushing him, pushing him, and he was like, yeah, I'm gonna do that, but not this time. I was like, Hmm, tell me a resignation date and I will make you a resignation letter.
So I did the resignation letter. Give me a date. At first, he can't tell me the date yet because it is a risk. It's super risky because we have rent, we have bills to pay, and we have nothing here. Like we don't have parents that you can go to when the landlord kicks you out from your house. We don't have those ones, so it's scary and a very big risk for us.
But I really do believe in his skills. That he's talented enough in that company. You should go on your own. So, to make this story short, he did give me a date, put it in the resignation letter and asked him to send it to his manager. Yeah, that was 2022.
Give me a date, and I will make you a resignation letter.
NataliaWhat was going through your mind? You were telling your husband, I believe in you, let's do it, but inside, did you have self doubt and fear as well?
CyrilI think, well I'm doing full time teaching that time. So whatever happens in the business, I still can a little bit provide for our family. It's not a hundred percent, but I can provide for our family and we also save a lot before that day.
And we save a lot. So whatever happens, then there will be months that we can survive without him earning from the jobs that will come through in the business. So we save before we jump into doing our own business. And I also have my full time work. Yeah. I don't know. It's just so gutsy. When I remember those days, I was like, oh. What, why did you do that?
NataliaSometimes you just have that feeling, and I think a lot of women, a lot of people have that feeling. But they can never overcome the fear. So it's really incredible. And I think it is really interesting how you planned. You had your job, you had your savings, so there's a plan in place. Because starting a business takes time.
CyrilAnd I think I wanna add too is that since my husband is a good worker, he has a good character in his company as well. So whatever happens if the business will not work, he can always go back to his company because he builds relationships there.
He built a good character there. The main, the main thing that you can do, even if you're not doing your business just to have a good character, good relationship with your current company now, and they will see that you're a good person. They can trust you, and they're willing to bet on you and willing to get you when things do not go as planned.
Getting started
NataliaOkay, so you decide to start your business. Where do you go for information? How did you know what to do?
CyrilThat's a bit tricky because since our business is not so common, it's power, electricity, and energy. I don't have a lot of people to ask to, like if you say retail, if you say product based business you can have a lot of people that you can get advice, but this one really, I have no people to turn to. So we just asked my husband's previous company that we will be running our own company, which will be able to help us. And again, since he has a good relationship and good character in that company, then they're willing to help my husband, Louie.
So they gave him all the required documents that needed to be submitted before he can start working with them as a subcontractor. So we take all those documents and then after three months, we finally got our first job.
NataliaTell me about that moment, the first client. The first job, what was it like?
CyrilOh, it was so beautiful because when we received the email saying that, Hey, would you be able to help us with this kind of job? And we were like. Oh my gosh. We have work. We have a job. Yeah. So my husband went to the job, filmed everything, the truck, the machine, his work. He filmed it so that he can have something to look back.
NataliaTell me about the name. What's the story behind the name LME Power?
CyrilSo LME is my husband's name, Louie Mendoza Eltanal. And then Power, this is very funny because back in the Philippines there's a very popular social media content creator, a funny one. He's always saying power, power, power. And then it stuck in our brain and then we just call it LME Power, and it's just right because we are in the power and electrical industry, so we did LME Power.
The reality of running it together
NataliaWas there any particular challenge that you had as you as you were starting or even now as a business owner?
CyrilYes. Our small business started as a sole trader. It was just my husband and Saturday, Sunday I can help with the admin task, but usually it's him only, and then I can see that he is super tired and super drained. Like physically it's just him at work. So it's like, no, it's not, it's not, happening or else his health, it will be gonna be something in return. So I said I'm gonna make this into a company and then I'm gonna try to expand this a little bit so that we can get more, help, more people come into our company and help Louie supervise and run the jobs, the day-to-day jobs. So at the moment, I'm having a hard time ironing things up.
From the transition of being sole trader to a company, to fixing the finances, to the services that we can offer more next year, all those things and getting more clients. But I'm joining different kinds of events. I'm reading books so that it can give me more knowledge and ideas about what to do.
NataliaCorrect me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like Louie is the "Hands On" man and you're the strategy woman, the CEO driving the business.
CyrilYeah. At the moment, that's our structure.
NataliaIt's amazing that you work together as a team, right?
CyrilYes. I share it on my social media. Like us talking, having a meeting, just the two of us, you know, there's no one I can ask for any advice like a team. In our company, there's none. So it's just me and him talking about how we can make this work. Yeah, we always argue, but at the end of the day, we know how to stop as well. Like if the argument or the talking feels a little bit warm and heated already, then somebody will stop and maybe five, 10 minutes and we can continue talking.
NataliaIt is interesting navigating that working relationship, and then having that husband and wife relationship and knowing when to switch to the other. Do you have a time when you don't talk about work? How do you find that balance?
CyrilNo, it's so hard. It's so hard if you're a small business and you're husband and wife. No, I think there's no, there's no way that you can stop like over dinner or over watching tv because me, I keep on thinking and thinking the moment I open my eyes in the morning. I am thinking about the business and right before I close my eyes at night, I'm thinking about the business and what are the things I can do to improve.
And then if there's an idea that pops through my brain, I would tend to ask Louie right away or else that idea will be vanished. So I asked Louis, and then we exchanged ideas.
Cyril's playbook
4 lessons from a migrant founder
A step-by-step process, in Cyril's own words. Tap each step to open her strategy and quote.
1
The barrier
The pressure of bills and rent, and no family support as a back up.
Her strategy
Build a bridge, don't just jump.
We saved months of survival money first and I kept my full-time job until the business foundation was solid.
2
The barrier
Arriving without local connections or a network to lean on.
Her strategy
Show up and ask.
Business owners are the nicest people. You just have to go to events and ask for their advice. People are willing to share.
3
The barrier
Navigating unfamiliar regulations, tax, and the bits no one teaches you.
Her strategy
Be resourceful.
I used tools like ChatGPT and deep research to fill my gaps. From tax questions to finding events, I made sure I found the answers.
4
The barrier
The intensity of thinking about the business 24/7.
Her strategy
Focus on the "burning desire."
If your goal is a burning desire, you don't focus on the struggle. You focus on the vision for your family's future.
Self-care & wellbeing
NataliaHow do you look after your own wellbeing? Because you're a mom, you're a business owner. How do you look after yourself?
CyrilIt is, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it is struggling to balance everything, but we are gonna come back to your goals and desires. If your goal and desire is super high and you love what you're doing, you kind of neglect those struggles.
You don't think of those struggles, and it's part of having a business that you carry it. The moment you close your eyes or the moment you open your eyes, that's part. If you don't want to be like that, then don't start a business. But if you have a strong desire and goal to get this goal, then you need to accept the fact that it's part of the business.
The struggles are part, the problems are part of it, the challenges are part of it. Just welcome everything and then just talk through to your husband and everything will be fine. Just do it one at a time. Just need to keep pushing, right?
Building her village
NataliaDid you feel like you have any extra challenges being migrants, being from the Philippines, starting your business?
CyrilOh yeah. Yeah, a hundred percent. 'Cause I don't know, we don't know anyone here. We don't know from other companies. We don't have connections. To be honest, I'm a teacher. We don't have strong connections with people.
That's why I am joining different kinds of events to meet other people and to listen to their ideas, to get some insights from them.
NataliaAnd did you find there was a specific program or resource out there that helped you overcome that lack of network?
CyrilJust do your own research, because I did mine too. Everything you wanna know, it's in the internet. ChatGPT is my best friend. This moment of my life from tax, IRD to getting more clients to joining more events. ChatGPT is my go to. That's why I joined, Auckland Business Chamber. Because of ChatGPT. I want to have more events. I want to do networking. Where can I find this? Then boom, boom, boom, Auckland Business Chamber. And then from there, I reached out to Auckland Business Chamber. They give me different events, for this year, join one event after an event, and after an event.
NataliaAnd how do you find these business networking events? Do you feel like they are welcoming for migrants, for everybody?
CyrilYes. Yes. It's welcoming because they have programs like mentorship programs and they're willing to help you. You can do a zoom meeting because that's more convenient. Yeah. I feel that it's helpful.
Her message
NataliaI guess you talked about this quite a lot throughout the interview, but like we said before, there's lots of women, lots of people that have the business dream. But they never make that vision a reality. If you could tell those women maybe watching this or reading this, do you have one bit of advice for them?
CyrilI love the phrase you do you, it means like. You do whatever you wanna do. If you have a goal, you do it. Find a way to make it work. And yeah, just don't listen to negativity, don't listen to the noise. Background noise. Just do you, and make your goal as a burning desire so that no one can stop you.
I wanna share about my goals and dreams because every year, the past years, I always write down my goals. I do goal setting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and I realised that that was not a goal. It's purely a wish because when I wrote down those goals, I think it's goal, but it's just 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. That's it. But if you are writing a goal, there should be a goal, a timeframe, and how, or the action and how you will be able to get that goal.
I'm gonna do it like WWHW: What, when, how, what is your goal? When are you planning to deliver that goal? And then how will you be able to get that goal? So if you have that one, I think you can do it.
And just ask around. There's a lot of people who are willing to share their expertise, their insights. Oh, by the way, when I join events, there's business owners, and at first I was kind of hesitant to go to them because I was thinking that they're a little bit intimidating because they're business owners, they're big people, but you know what, they're not.
They are the nicest people who're willing to give advice to those smaller business owners. They want to share their knowledge. So if you are thinking to do your own business, go out there and ask people.
Make your goal a burning desire so that no one can stop you. Just do you.
Your turn
WWHW goal builder
Cyril's own framework for turning a wish into a goal. Fill in your answers, your goal card updates as you type.
My burning desire goal
Your goal goes here
W
Whattap above to begin
W
Whentap above to begin
H
Howtap above to begin
W
Who or what I needtap above to begin
— built with Cyril's WWHW
NataliaWell that's so nice to hear. I think sometimes as migrants or women, we have that voice inside our heads, so "I'm gonna go to the event, what they're gonna think this or that" but people are generally really welcoming and really open to meeting for a coffee or giving advice.
CyrilI joined one event from the Auckland Business Chamber, and there's a speaker and there's a business owner, and they're very nice. They're the nicest people. Business owners are nicest people because they're willing to share their knowledge because as they share their knowledge, they believe that they can get something in return. Not right away, but the karma way. We give something in return.
NataliaI totally believe in that, you know? If you give out, the universe gives back to you. Well you talked about this, about the moment you got your first contract. That was a really proud moment. Was there any other proud moment or breakthrough in your business journey that you remember and you go, wow, I'm really proud of that, of that moment?
CyrilI'm proud that we saved. From the business we did save and we kind of bought this house that we are living in right now. I can say that that is because of our business. And then I'm proud also this year that we are, we transition from sole trader to company, and yay. And every year our gross sales are increasing.
NataliaAmazing. And it must be an amazing feeling to give work to others, right?
CyrilYeah. That's really our main goal that especially this year and last year, we can always hear migrant stories that they are being made redundant from their work. And there's a lot of people out there that don't have work because they are being redundant. If I have a big company, I would love to get them and be part of us. Maybe that's part of our goal also to keep those migrants who are being redundant so that they will not go back and leave no choice but to go back home.
The vision
NataliaAnd that's my, one of my next questions. Your vision. So you talk about growth next year, but even looking a bit further away, what's your dream or your longer term vision for your business?
CyrilFor our business really is to help the community be powered, to be safe and powered. In our business side, and while that is running, we can also help other people and share our stories to others just like this one. I'm willing to be interviewed so that I can share my stories and who knows, maybe one or two persons can see this video and get something. The stories that I have. Just spreading more positive vibes, spreading inspiration to everyone.
Inspiring others
NataliaAnd maybe people in the Philippines are watching this and dreaming of making the move to New Zealand.
CyrilYeah. That's why I'm doing social media content as well.
NataliaDo you want to tell us a bit more about that project?
CyrilOh yeah. I'm doing social media content. It's a mix of funny things, about our small business, the struggles as a migrant here in New Zealand as a mom, as a woman, the woman empowerment, because I'm doing a little bit, I can say healthy lifestyle now compared to my, to my lifestyle last year. So I'm sharing that one in my social media so that they can be empowered as well. I was like, go ladies. It's not too late here. I'm here. I am already this kind of age still learning as well because I'm more into books right now. I'm sharing that one as well. I don't know anything, that is, feel good and, and empowering or they can get something like this, I would love to share it to everyone.
NataliaDo you have one book to recommend as a migrant woman wanting to start a business?
CyrilYeah, they need to read Robert Kiyosaki's book, Rich Dad Poor Dad. That's my very first book that opened everything. The desire, the goal, the burning desire. It opens everything. The ideas, it opens everything, yeah.
It's really good. It's really good. It's a small book. You can actually put it in your bag or while waiting for your kids at school, you can scan through or in the bed. It's like a pocket book where you can read anywhere. And it's a powerful one. It's proven with millions of people.
A message to her younger self
NataliaOkay. And the last one, I think we kind of talked about this question before. So if you could talk to yourself back in the Philippines, packing your bags, getting ready to come to New Zealand to leave your birth country and look at where you are now. What would you tell the old version of yourself?
CyrilOh, you did the best choice. You had a best choice. Coming to New Zealand and start living and building your future. By uprooting yourself to a foreign land, it was the best choice. It's a God's choice. Perfect timing. Perfect place.
It's God's choice. Perfect timing. Perfect place.
Thank you, Cyril, for sharing your journey with us.
