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Negosyo Tayo | Online Shopping and Shipment Business
We're excited to be featured on PTV Philippines! Discover how Californila makes shopping pasabuy services in the US easier and more convenient. From personal shopping to hassle-free shipping, we've got you covered. Watch our feature to learn more about our services and how we bring the best of the US right to your doorstep!
Negosyo Tayo | Online Shopping and Shipment Business
We're excited to be featured on PTV Philippines! Discover how Californila makes shopping pasabuy services in the US easier and more convenient. From personal shopping to hassle-free shipping, we've got you covered. Watch our feature to learn more about our services and how we bring the best of the US right to your doorstep!

Exclusive - Young Pinay Entrepreneur Creates Successful Online Business With Only $50
Ishka Villacisneros-Tusjakova is a 27-year-old Filipina migrant who lives in Los Angeles, California. She created a website called Californila.com (formerly Stuff2Shop) – “a Personal Shopper and Shipper” site that been very popular with Pinoys who love imported goods.” What was her inspiration? Shopping. Specifically, she enjoyed the products and the shopping experience offered in the United States. It didn’t take too long before her relatives and friends to asked her to purchase items and commodities from American retailers in their stead. She happily took this opportunity to answer their “nakikisuyo”, “pabili”, and “padala” requests. Ishka then realized how profitable this service was to other Filipinos looking to purchase items from the States. “My friends and relatives were the ones who asked me for the ‘personal shopper fee’ because they realize there are expenses such as time, gas and shipping. That’s when I started the ‘Personal Shopper and Shipper’ service,” Ishka says. At first, she conducted her business through Multiply, but decided to make her own website after discovering limitations her Multiply platform had. Ishka had a Bachelor of Science in Information and Communications Technology Management graduate from De La Salle University. She made her own website instead. When Californila.com was first starting out, they were receiving 5 to 10 product orders per month. Now they have around 5,000 to 8,000 orders a month and ship via SeaCargo and Air Cargo almost every day. She did it all on her own, with only $50 she had earned. With the money she makes, Iska can afford sportscars and her own house in L.A. She’s even employed her grandmother and other people from her community to help her out in her ever-growing business. According to Ishka, “My business is a reflection of who I am. Handling my own business feels like I’m in my own playground. If you actually visit one of our offices, you’ll see a fun working environment where employees would consider it a place to...
Exclusive - Young Pinay Entrepreneur Creates Successful Online Business With Only $50
Ishka Villacisneros-Tusjakova is a 27-year-old Filipina migrant who lives in Los Angeles, California. She created a website called Californila.com (formerly Stuff2Shop) – “a Personal Shopper and Shipper” site that been very popular with Pinoys who love imported goods.” What was her inspiration? Shopping. Specifically, she enjoyed the products and the shopping experience offered in the United States. It didn’t take too long before her relatives and friends to asked her to purchase items and commodities from American retailers in their stead. She happily took this opportunity to answer their “nakikisuyo”, “pabili”, and “padala” requests. Ishka then realized how profitable this service was to other Filipinos looking to purchase items from the States. “My friends and relatives were the ones who asked me for the ‘personal shopper fee’ because they realize there are expenses such as time, gas and shipping. That’s when I started the ‘Personal Shopper and Shipper’ service,” Ishka says. At first, she conducted her business through Multiply, but decided to make her own website after discovering limitations her Multiply platform had. Ishka had a Bachelor of Science in Information and Communications Technology Management graduate from De La Salle University. She made her own website instead. When Californila.com was first starting out, they were receiving 5 to 10 product orders per month. Now they have around 5,000 to 8,000 orders a month and ship via SeaCargo and Air Cargo almost every day. She did it all on her own, with only $50 she had earned. With the money she makes, Iska can afford sportscars and her own house in L.A. She’s even employed her grandmother and other people from her community to help her out in her ever-growing business. According to Ishka, “My business is a reflection of who I am. Handling my own business feels like I’m in my own playground. If you actually visit one of our offices, you’ll see a fun working environment where employees would consider it a place to...

This Filipina Businesswoman’s Life Has Changed Because of Online Shopping
Ishka Villacisneros-Tusjakova is no stranger to hard work. In fact, at 11 years old, her parents had already exposed her to clerical tasks in their company—an experience which trained her to multi-task and eventually challenged her to become more enterprising. Now at 27, she is the owner of Californila, a fast-growing personal shopping online store that provides Manila-based customers with items only available in the US. What started out as pakisuyo and padala now provides Ishka more than just stability, but a means to provide jobs for her relatives and friends while also allowing her to follow her passion. (Her 83-year-old grandmother is one of her social media managers!). In our recent online correspondences, Ishka shared her story in the hopes of inspiring Pinoy immigrants to jump into doing what they love, even if they’re far away from home. “When I moved to the US, like any other immigrant, I didn’t know what to expect. All I wanted was to go back to school to learn more about the tech industry and gain experience in a job related to my field.” However, in spite of her homesickness, she was presented with an opportunity: personal shopping. Having access to US-exclusive products made her the default shopper of her family and friends in the Philippines. This brought about the early beginnings of Californila. “The whole idea of Californila originated from the Filipino tradition of sending balikbayan boxes to our loved ones in the Philippines,” she explained. “When I made a bit of money from a part-time job at a cafe, I would send items that are worthy to share to my friends and relatives in the Philippines.” It became so prolific that her family and friends in Manila would offer to pay for a personal shopping fee, which would cover her transportation and shipping expenses. From then on, she decided to formalize...
This Filipina Businesswoman’s Life Has Changed Because of Online Shopping
Ishka Villacisneros-Tusjakova is no stranger to hard work. In fact, at 11 years old, her parents had already exposed her to clerical tasks in their company—an experience which trained her to multi-task and eventually challenged her to become more enterprising. Now at 27, she is the owner of Californila, a fast-growing personal shopping online store that provides Manila-based customers with items only available in the US. What started out as pakisuyo and padala now provides Ishka more than just stability, but a means to provide jobs for her relatives and friends while also allowing her to follow her passion. (Her 83-year-old grandmother is one of her social media managers!). In our recent online correspondences, Ishka shared her story in the hopes of inspiring Pinoy immigrants to jump into doing what they love, even if they’re far away from home. “When I moved to the US, like any other immigrant, I didn’t know what to expect. All I wanted was to go back to school to learn more about the tech industry and gain experience in a job related to my field.” However, in spite of her homesickness, she was presented with an opportunity: personal shopping. Having access to US-exclusive products made her the default shopper of her family and friends in the Philippines. This brought about the early beginnings of Californila. “The whole idea of Californila originated from the Filipino tradition of sending balikbayan boxes to our loved ones in the Philippines,” she explained. “When I made a bit of money from a part-time job at a cafe, I would send items that are worthy to share to my friends and relatives in the Philippines.” It became so prolific that her family and friends in Manila would offer to pay for a personal shopping fee, which would cover her transportation and shipping expenses. From then on, she decided to formalize...

Ishka Villacisneros accepted into Forbes Finance Council
Forbes Finance Council is an Invitation-Only Community for Executives in Accounting, Financial Planning, Wealth and Asset Management, and Investment Firms Monrovia, CA, January 27, 2022 — Ishka Villacisneros, has been accepted into Forbes Finance Council, an invitation-only community for executives in accounting, financial planning, wealth and asset management, and investment firms. Ms. Villacisneros was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of her experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honors. “We are honored to welcome Ishka Villacisneros into the community,” said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Finance Council. “Our mission with Forbes Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow professionally and make an even greater impact on the business world.” As an accepted member of the Council, Ishka has access to a variety of exclusive opportunities designed to help her reach peak professional influence. She will connect and collaborate with other respected local leaders in a private forum. She will also be invited to work with a professional editorial team to share her expert insights in original business articles on Forbes.com, and to contribute to published Q&A panels alongside other experts. Finally, Ms. Villacisneros will benefit from exclusive access to vetted business service partners, membership-branded marketing collateral, and the high-touch support of the Forbes Councils member concierge team. “Life is all about taking risks, if you never take a chance you will never achieve your dreams because you’ll be in the same place as you were yesterday. Great achievements happen when you step out of your comfort zone, building this business took a lot of hard work and perseverance....
Ishka Villacisneros accepted into Forbes Finance Council
Forbes Finance Council is an Invitation-Only Community for Executives in Accounting, Financial Planning, Wealth and Asset Management, and Investment Firms Monrovia, CA, January 27, 2022 — Ishka Villacisneros, has been accepted into Forbes Finance Council, an invitation-only community for executives in accounting, financial planning, wealth and asset management, and investment firms. Ms. Villacisneros was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of her experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honors. “We are honored to welcome Ishka Villacisneros into the community,” said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Finance Council. “Our mission with Forbes Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow professionally and make an even greater impact on the business world.” As an accepted member of the Council, Ishka has access to a variety of exclusive opportunities designed to help her reach peak professional influence. She will connect and collaborate with other respected local leaders in a private forum. She will also be invited to work with a professional editorial team to share her expert insights in original business articles on Forbes.com, and to contribute to published Q&A panels alongside other experts. Finally, Ms. Villacisneros will benefit from exclusive access to vetted business service partners, membership-branded marketing collateral, and the high-touch support of the Forbes Councils member concierge team. “Life is all about taking risks, if you never take a chance you will never achieve your dreams because you’ll be in the same place as you were yesterday. Great achievements happen when you step out of your comfort zone, building this business took a lot of hard work and perseverance....

5 Influential Filipino Women - 21st Century Literature
When you hear the word “influential”, most people would immediately think of Henry Sy or John Gokongwei. In fact, majority of our presidents and leaders are men. However, there are lots of strong independent women in our country just waiting to be discovered. 1. Encarnacion Alzona Encarnacion Alzona was the first Filipina to complete her doctoral studies and national scientist. She was also an advocate of women’s suffrage. She explained that if women are permitted to vote, men’s respect for them would likely increase because “a person enjoying full political rights deserves greater respect and esteem than a disenfranchised one.” Source: www.flikr.com 2. Maria Corazon Aquino Following the Marcos occupation, the late president Cory Aquino led the nation from dictatorship to democracy. From the crony capitalism to a market economy, she allowed the normal “Juan” to start his very own business. She also restored human rights as rights and not just a privilege. She was the first female president in Asia and was also named Time magazine’s “Woman of the Year” in 1986. Source: www.filipiknow.net 3. Therese “Reese” Fernandez- Ruiz Reese Fernandez-Ruiz opened opportunities for women in poor communities in 2007 with her business, Rags 2 Riches where she and her team weave accessories out of scrap cloth, organic materials and indigenous fabrics. Due to her efforts and impact on our society, she was recently listed as part of Forbes’ list of 30 under 30 Social Entrepreneurs. Source: www.entrepreneur.com.ph 4. Ishka Villacisneros-Tusjakova Ishka is another young entrepreneur in the community. The 27-year-old is the founder of Californila an online store where customers from Manila can purchase items which are only available in the US. Source: www.californila.com 5. Ayasofya Vittoria Aguirre This seven year old Filipina figure skater won 3 gold medals in the recent 29th Annual Skate Japan 2017 held...
5 Influential Filipino Women - 21st Century Literature
When you hear the word “influential”, most people would immediately think of Henry Sy or John Gokongwei. In fact, majority of our presidents and leaders are men. However, there are lots of strong independent women in our country just waiting to be discovered. 1. Encarnacion Alzona Encarnacion Alzona was the first Filipina to complete her doctoral studies and national scientist. She was also an advocate of women’s suffrage. She explained that if women are permitted to vote, men’s respect for them would likely increase because “a person enjoying full political rights deserves greater respect and esteem than a disenfranchised one.” Source: www.flikr.com 2. Maria Corazon Aquino Following the Marcos occupation, the late president Cory Aquino led the nation from dictatorship to democracy. From the crony capitalism to a market economy, she allowed the normal “Juan” to start his very own business. She also restored human rights as rights and not just a privilege. She was the first female president in Asia and was also named Time magazine’s “Woman of the Year” in 1986. Source: www.filipiknow.net 3. Therese “Reese” Fernandez- Ruiz Reese Fernandez-Ruiz opened opportunities for women in poor communities in 2007 with her business, Rags 2 Riches where she and her team weave accessories out of scrap cloth, organic materials and indigenous fabrics. Due to her efforts and impact on our society, she was recently listed as part of Forbes’ list of 30 under 30 Social Entrepreneurs. Source: www.entrepreneur.com.ph 4. Ishka Villacisneros-Tusjakova Ishka is another young entrepreneur in the community. The 27-year-old is the founder of Californila an online store where customers from Manila can purchase items which are only available in the US. Source: www.californila.com 5. Ayasofya Vittoria Aguirre This seven year old Filipina figure skater won 3 gold medals in the recent 29th Annual Skate Japan 2017 held...

With only US$50, LA-based Pinoy millennial starts successful online shopping business
Ishka Villacisneros-Tusjakova is 27 years old and lives in Los Angeles, California. She may seem like your regular Filipina migrant who is starting her family abroad, but in fact, she singlehandedly built an internet empire that capitalizes on Filipinos’ love for imported goods. In her teens, she built Californila.com, formerly Stuff2Shop, an increasingly popular website that acts as your “Personal Shopper from California to Manila.” Whatever stuff you want in the US, Californila will personally purchase for you. It acts as your personal taga-padala that will ship straight to your door via Sea Cargo and Air Cargo, may it be in the Philippines or in other parts of the world. You may order from their online store, have a customized order, or even order in bulk. Years later, because of Californila’s success, Ishka not only has the financial freedom to buy sports cars and her own house, but she also employed her grandmother and other members of her community. The American dream Ishka migrated to Los Angeles with her family when she turned 18. She was fortunate enough to experience the exciting world of American shopping – she had access to the latest gadgets, novelty items and other unique products that her friends back in the Philippines wanted. Having this opportunity, when she made a bit of money from a part time job at a café, she would send items that are worthy to share to her friends and relatives in the Philippines. It wasn’t long before her relatives, friends and friends-of-friends took this as an opportunity to obtain commodities from American retailers, similar to nakikisuyo or pabili. “My friends and relatives were the ones who asked me for the ‘personal shopper fee’ because they realize there are expenses such as time, gas and shipping. That’s when I started the ‘Personal Shopper and Shipper’...
With only US$50, LA-based Pinoy millennial starts successful online shopping business
Ishka Villacisneros-Tusjakova is 27 years old and lives in Los Angeles, California. She may seem like your regular Filipina migrant who is starting her family abroad, but in fact, she singlehandedly built an internet empire that capitalizes on Filipinos’ love for imported goods. In her teens, she built Californila.com, formerly Stuff2Shop, an increasingly popular website that acts as your “Personal Shopper from California to Manila.” Whatever stuff you want in the US, Californila will personally purchase for you. It acts as your personal taga-padala that will ship straight to your door via Sea Cargo and Air Cargo, may it be in the Philippines or in other parts of the world. You may order from their online store, have a customized order, or even order in bulk. Years later, because of Californila’s success, Ishka not only has the financial freedom to buy sports cars and her own house, but she also employed her grandmother and other members of her community. The American dream Ishka migrated to Los Angeles with her family when she turned 18. She was fortunate enough to experience the exciting world of American shopping – she had access to the latest gadgets, novelty items and other unique products that her friends back in the Philippines wanted. Having this opportunity, when she made a bit of money from a part time job at a café, she would send items that are worthy to share to her friends and relatives in the Philippines. It wasn’t long before her relatives, friends and friends-of-friends took this as an opportunity to obtain commodities from American retailers, similar to nakikisuyo or pabili. “My friends and relatives were the ones who asked me for the ‘personal shopper fee’ because they realize there are expenses such as time, gas and shipping. That’s when I started the ‘Personal Shopper and Shipper’...