It is said that life has a way of making dreams come true. This is true in the case of Marco Vallesteros who, four years ago, was torn between heeding his seaman dad’s advice to work as a chef in a cruise liner or in a five-star hotel abroad and pursuing his dream of putting up his own business.
After Marco graduated cum laude from Far Eastern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management, a friend motivated him to start a clothing business.
“Traveling abroad helped me realize it. I started traveling to some Southeast Asian countries — Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Shopping made my travels more exciting, especially in Thailand. My friend suggested that I explore Bangkok and buy some clothes and sell them in the Philippines,” he narrated. “So, I didn’t waste time when I visited Bangkok. I went to famous night markets and I was fascinated by the unique designs of clothes, shoes and accessories. I purchased 10 designs of shirts that I planned to sell in the Philippines. I didn’t know that I was actually starting to put up my first business.”
Marco eventually created his own designs, named his clothing business Move On and did online selling without expecting that it would instantly appeal to Filipinos working in the Middle East and clients from the US and Southeast Asian countries.
“Our core product, which is the terno (T-shirts and shorts) is our bestseller. The terno we know is usually the T-shirt matched with a short in same design being worn by kids. I decided to innovate it into an adult version. At first, my creation received funny and negative feedback, ‘Pantulog ba yan?’ But it didn’t stop me from pursuing my concept. As time went by, our market niche got bigger and bigger.”
In 2018, Move On started producing footwear and bags after Marco came up with an idea to use scrap fabrics from T-shirts. “We produced 10 designs of shoes that were handcrafted by the small family in Marikina. The prints and designs seen on the shirts and shorts are now the shoes’ unique appeal.”
Today, his creations are being worn by celebrities, millennials and young professionals. “I find it exciting to do designs for millennials because I need to widen my imagination and creativity, and I think that’s where I’m good at.”
Creativity is important nowadays that jobs are going away due to the pandemic. Read on and find out how Marco uses his artistry in his business.
What do you enjoy most with Move On?
“Move On is like a school for me. I learn something new every day. I enjoy managing Move On because in a very special way, it helps me to become a better person. I enjoy meeting and dealing with different kinds of people. I also enjoy the business process from choosing the right kinds of fabric to research and development, designing up to selling and after-sales.”
You also model your clothes. Why?
“Why not? I believe in my own product because I put my heart and soul into it. I work very hard. I want to show our market that I’m proud of our clothes. That who I am and my story are part of every piece of clothing that we sell.”
What are your immediate plans?
“In this time of COVID-19, my immediate plan is simply to survive, to stay afloat. If we make a little profit, that would be a bonus. Our little advantage is we are an online store way before the pandemic so we know our way around the digital market.”
Learnings from Move On. Will you be diversifying?
“I learned that in running a business, you need to take care of your people because your people serve as the body of your business. Your company will not function without the body, so you must value the people who work for you. God willing, 10 years from now, if everything goes according to plan, I might open Move On Café.”
What other businesses would you want to venture into?
“Well, I finished BS Hotel and Restaurant Management so I dream of opening a small hotel and resort in my province Quezon. As a child, I also wanted to become a film director. If one day Move On can afford to produce a movie, I will not be afraid to venture into it. But right now, it’s wishful thinking!”
If some random person asks you, ‘Why Move On?’, what would you say?
“Move On has a heart and that’s why it’s still moving on up to this day. If I treated it as purely business, I would have folded up years ago. Why Move On? Well, because fashion shouldn’t be static. It should be evolving and moving on.”