Entrepreneurs share how they start their empires

CEBU, Philippines - Lack of capital is not a hindrance to start a successful venture or build an empire.

This was the main message conveyed by most of the young Cebuano entrepreneurs recognized by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) during the recently concluded Youth Entrepreneurship Summit jointly hosted by PCE’s Go Negosyo advocacy program and the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu led by the SHS-AdC batch ’87.             

From ‘bisyo’ to ‘negosyo’

The awardees shared their beginnings on how they started in business at a young age. Most of them engaged in business to earn money out of their “bisyo”, or hobbies and passion.

Ranault Lao, owner of the chic Loft and Penthouse resto bars, said that his business was born out of his penchant for night life. “My friends and I like to hang out. I turned my ‘bisyo’ into a ‘negosyo.’

Lao started his business while still in college. Now, Loft and Penthouse are two of the most popular and profitable resto bars in Cebu.

Brothers Ken and Kaz Onozawa built their clothing company with just P5,000 as capital. They started by creating unique t-shirt designs and selling these to classmates in high school.

Through hardwork and perseverance, Ken and Kaz were able to grow their t-shirt business that they branded as Rhipstop Clothing. The company does not only serve the local market but is also gaining a strong foothold abroad.

The Onozawas’story is one proof that it doesn’t need a big capital to start a business and be successful in it. 

Inspiration

Other young Cebuano entrepreneurs recognized by PCE are Jan Rodriguez, of the Irie Gastropub and Ila Puti specialty restaurant; Wesley Chiongbian of Mynimo.com, one of the largest online job portals in Cebu; Dan Legarde of Japengo and The Beat restobar; Rachel Arandilla of Sprockets Milk Tea & Cafe, which pioneers the destination cafe concept in Cebu; Derek Dytian of Creative Cuisine; Bronx Tirol of 93rd and 1st radio bar lounge, and Diane Uy-Ang of fashion retail store What a Girl Wants.

The stories of these entrepreneurs have inspired the over 300 students who attended the Youth Entrepreneurship Summit to turn their passion into business, doing away from traditional thinking of getting education to get employed.

According to Rachell Arandilla, would-be entrepreneurs should think of something that is unique in order to get the attention of the market, saying “business today has to be creative-driven in order to succeed.” (FREEMAN)