NAVIGATING SINGLE PARENTS' JOURNEY: DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY THE SELECTED SINGLE PARENTS BUSINESS OWNERS IN STO. CRISTO AND SAN ROQUE NUEVA ECIJA AND THEIR COPING STRATEGIES

Abstract

Single parents who own businesses face distinct challenges in balancing the demands of entrepreneurship with the responsibilities of parenthood. This study aimed to investigate the specific difficulties encountered by single-parent business owners and to determine the coping strategies they employ to overcome these challenges. This study utilized a qualitative research approach with a phenomenological design to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences of single-parent business owners. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with selected single parents who owned their own businesses. After data collection, the responses were reviewed and analyzed to generate relevant themes. The findings revealed that most of the participants were female and primarily aged between 25 and 45 years old. The majority of respondents were engaged in food-related businesses. The study identified several challenges encountered by the participants, including time management difficulties and financial strain. Additionally, the findings showed that participants employed various coping mechanisms, particularly faith and self-belief, to manage these challenges. The results highlight the significant challenges faced by single-parent business owners, particularly in managing time and finances. Despite these difficulties, the participants relied on faith and self-belief as key coping strategies to navigate their entrepreneurial and parental responsibilities.