Checking out the life stories of effective business owners throughout the world will often have that captivating aspect. In Sun Valley we have our share of Filipino business owners, some of whom have made the successful transition from the Phillipines to our part of Southern California. Some of their stories are very inspiring and so we at Sun Valley Jose Mier wanted to share some.
Building something out of obscurity, the initial success, problems experienced and the individual sticking to it attempting to get rid of the difficulties, (often at the point of giving up), and then an unidentified force from somewhere pushes the entrepreneur up slowly and progressively.
For some it is the failing in an organization or two and after that, discovering the vein– so to speak- sticks it out and ultimately is successful.
For those who succeeded, however modest, there is also always that factor of ruthless pushing forward. When faced with tough work and frustration, it is the capability to keep focus even.
I too discovered these tales a little mushy at times, too romanticized and often over stretched till I stopped working in 4 services huge time and found out that the same principles work for me.
Whatever your views may be, there is an undeniable over riding characteristic in most business owners and that is enthusiasm, and the desire to continue. I don’t think in the Midas touch either, that is bull, a showing off if you will. Aptitude yes, acumen yes, but simply the same, every success has a history of hard work behind it, A sort of preparation.
This is almost the exact same everywhere. Even in developing nation where the economy might often be so tangled up.
Let us have the Philippines. Successful Filipino entrepreneurs would have done a greater effort here than in a number of their equivalents in some places of the world. You may disagree, that is great. You see company people prosper on predictability and stability that might result to margins. On the other hand, fluctuating economies would offer you a various result. Couple that with a colonial mentality that up until today has actually not yet been completely forgotten and you remain in for a sanity check specifically when trying to take on an American or european brand name. No chance could it work.
It did. Consider example Tony Tan, a Filipino business owner who started his way, washing the meals and waiting on tables in his dads’ little restaurant. In 1975, with the help of his family this Filipino obtained an ice cream franchise. Ice cream parlors were popular then and it was supposed to be a tested and good formula. However like the majority of popular organizations that are copied, the Ice cream parlor has ultimately to be given up. After a good start, the Ice cream service stopped working. Tony Tan has to begin all over again this time it was not ice cream but offering hamburgers. He offered the hamburgers his own twist, and with the assistance of family members, modified on other fast food products and that was expected to be the story of it. Obscure starts from a nation that was expected to flock to Mc Donald for hamburgers. No one could, in a sane mind, hope to contend with Mc Donald’s?
Correct. This successful Filipino business owner is selling today double than that which Mc Donald’s does in the Philippines. The company has, in 25 years expanded to more than 400 branches in the Philippines alone with branches in many parts of the hamburger-loving world.
And then there is Antonina Cesario of Mila’s Lechon.
Lechon, for people who don’t know, is an entire suckling pig which is roasted over an open pit.
A new graduate of the School of Pharmacy from the University of Santo Tomas, one of the more distinguished schools in the Philippines, one would question what Antonina Cesario was thinking offering lechon at a time (1968) when a college diploma was a good method to begin a more prominent profession. Antonina started out not even with a lechon however hawking boiled corn in the streets. After a while, she opened what is described in the Islands as a Sari-Sari Store which are really holes in the wall shops that are popular in any normal Filipino area.
And so with a few pesos conserved, and with a leap of faith, she purchased a pig, made a lechon and sold it. The lechon though is a very popular fare in the Philippines. Popular in reality that the district where Mila’s lechon originated is now described as the lechon capital of the Philippines.
Many more Filipino entrepreneurs have made it. One that makes it more amazing though is these entrepreneurs could thrive even in extremely challenging scenarios, even when their countries economies are typically in the doldrums. Hard work, preparation, perseverance; name it, It varies in different people but sustained interest counts for many.
Effective Filipino business owners would have done a higher effort here than in many of their equivalents in some locations of the world. Take for example Tony Tan, a Filipino entrepreneur who began his method, cleaning the meals and waiting on tables in his daddies’ small dining establishment. Popular in fact that the area where Mila’s lechon got its original start is now termed as that country’s lechon capital. Lots of more Filipino business owners have actually made it. One that makes it more fantastic though is these entrepreneurs might flourish even in really difficult circumstances, even when their countries economies are typically in the doldrums.
