Filipino actor David Licauco, who rose to fame after hit series Maria Clara at Ibarra, is also making strides as an entrepreneur, running various businesses on the sidelines—from food and beverage to fitness and even construction. But as Licauco tells us, he doesn’t want his brands to be known just because of his name.
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00:00Before, I wanted to be the only one.
00:02Actually, it will come to a point that you really need good people.
00:08Hi, I'm David Lee Cauco for Esquire Philippines.
00:11I think it's because there is an instant gratification, instant satisfaction from the customers, right?
00:34So if you see them enjoying the food, you'll be happy.
00:39But if they're not enjoying the food, it's easy to do another research and development.
00:47I would say I'm a foodie. I love food.
00:50And I think the restaurant business is super competitive.
00:56I would say it's one of the hardest businesses that anyone can get into, but I love the challenge.
01:04Also, I'm here already, so I'm just doing my best.
01:09How did you start your business?
01:13A lot. A lot, really.
01:16When I first started out, my problem was how to introduce my brand, right?
01:23And the sales, those were my problems.
01:27And then now, I'm in a state where my problems, the challenges that I encounter every day are getting bigger and bigger every day, right?
01:36Because it's not just one branch.
01:39You have a lot of branches, and then I'm a commissary.
01:43So how can a commissary be profitable if you only have these branches, right?
01:48So there are new challenges every day, and it's hard, of course, given my busy schedule.
01:57But I also learned how to delegate work because I used to do everything, right?
02:03So now, I have a good team, and I'm working around that, but we're not yet perfect.
02:10Like anything, right? So I'm getting there, I'm getting there.
02:14What do you do in meetings?
02:20In meetings, I am the last one to talk.
02:24I just listen to their sentiments, their ideas, their proposals, and then I usually digest it.
02:31Not during the meeting, I digest everything after.
02:35Because I don't know, I don't know why, maybe I'm slow to think.
02:38So I just really take my time to think about it because every business decision matters.
02:45What do you think is the most important thing in business?
02:52I see business as a sport, I would say.
02:58I need to improve every time.
03:01It's just fun, you know, like having your own brand.
03:03You see that this is how I started, and now we are here, and what can happen in the next few years, right?
03:12And that keeps me motivated.
03:13I think now that I have a team, there is another layer of motivation just because I want them to succeed also.
03:23Like with them now working with me, like doing their best at all times.
03:27I want to give back their hard work and trust that they put in my company.
03:33What advice would you give to new entrepreneurs?
03:40There is no perfect product, I think you just really have to launch it, and you will learn along the way.
03:49For aspiring entrepreneurs, it doesn't take a while to take the next step, to launch.
03:56I think you just have to do it.
03:57It's a never-ending learning curve, I think.
04:03Every day has its own problems, you just have to do it, really.
04:06Number two would be, I think empathy plays a big factor in business.
04:13I think the way I do my business is design thinking.
04:17I always try my best to empathize with my business partners, the people I work with.
04:25What advice would you give to new entrepreneurs?
04:32I think study every day.
04:35Number two, you just have to do it.
04:40You just have to launch your product.
04:42Number three, don't be afraid to fail.
04:49You just have to do it because if you don't do it, you lose more.
04:54And then number four would be, find a good team.
04:59I think that's very important.
05:01Before, I just wanted to do everything.
05:04Actually, it will come to a point that you really need good people.
05:17I want Kuyo Kuryo to be all over the Philippines.
05:22Maybe in all SM branches.
05:24My dream is, for example, they just want to eat quick eats or fast food.
05:31I mean, of course, Jollibee and McDonald's are there, Popeye's, but I want to be one of them.
05:37Hopefully, I mean, it's better to dream big than dreams small.
05:42But I think I want it to be strategic.
05:45I don't want it to be all over the Philippines.
05:48Maybe in the key areas, like as far as Cebu, I can go there.
05:55And Manila, Makati, QC, and places like that.
06:00Why do I do business? Because there are more open opportunities.
06:05For example, now that I own a restaurant.
06:07I think my pain point is that it's expensive to buy supplies.
06:13So now, I'm learning how to import my raw materials,
06:20which is like chicken, beef, and things like that.
06:23So that can be another business in the future, right?
06:26That I can be a supplier, not just for my business, but also for other people.
06:31You know, so I'm going back again to being self-aware.
06:34If you know everything, you will get to places.
06:44I'm getting into a product-based business, beauty.
06:48So, we are launching very, very soon.
06:51In fact, the other day, I had a meeting, and the product was good.
06:56So, looking forward to that.
06:58And what's good about this is that I can help aspiring businessmen.
07:04Because our package is cheap, right?
07:07We promote, right?
07:08Our package is cheap, right?
07:12So, they will have their own business that is not that expensive.
07:17Beauty coffee shop, for example.
07:18There's Collagen, Glutathione.
07:21There's L-carnitine in there.
07:23I think there's high demand in beauty.
07:29For sure, others heard that they would rather look good than eat, right?
07:42I mean, I try to veer away from,
07:45Oh, it's David's business.
07:47Because they have to stand on their own.
07:50I'm not really opposed to that.
07:53Although, Kuya Korea, it's in another division.
07:56It's fast food.
07:57And usually, fast food has embossers, right?
08:00But still, I try my best to really veer away from me owning the brand.
08:07I think during the start, to build awareness, it was needed.
08:11But I think right now, we have built enough awareness.
08:14We need to really work on and market the product.