Couple-turned-entrepreneurs balance love, responsibilities

The Manila Times

Couple-turned-entrepreneurs balance love, responsibilities  Marriage at a young age often comes with a unique set of challenges—especially when it means balancing love and responsibilities. Meet Jeff and Vienne Nicdao, a couple whose early commitment to each other ignited a powerful journey toward entrepreneurship.  In a world where many fear the weight of early commitments, Jeff and Vienne embraced their responsibilities with courage and determination. They transformed potential obstacles into stepping stones, working tirelessly to build a brighter future together.  Their story is a testament to the power of partnership, resilience, and hard work. Together, they navigated the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, proving that love can fuel ambition and dreams can become reality.  Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe   Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net   Subscribe to Business Franchise Guru: https://www.youtube.com/@BusinessFranchiseGuru   Follow us:  Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook  Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram  Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter  DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion    Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital  Sign up to our newsletters: https://tmt.ph/newsletters  Check out our Podcasts:  Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify  Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts  Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic  Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer  Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein   #TheManilaTimes  #philippines #entrepreneur

Transcript

00:00The Business Mentor Talks is vlog by no other, Armando Buts Bartolome, in cooperation with

00:14the Manila Times.

00:15It aims to bring to life and recognize entrepreneurs who constantly strive to create a living for

00:21the community as well.

00:51Welcome to the Business Mentor Talks with Buts Bartolome.

01:15Good morning to all of you.

01:18This is Buts Bartolome of Business Mentor Talks.

01:23Every Sunday, we have good interviews, interviews of entrepreneurs that are very low-key and

01:34yet they're doing something amazing, a tsunami of success.

01:40This morning, this Sunday morning, we invited Jeff and Vivienne Nickdaw to join us and let us know the life of a married couple.

01:54What was their beginning and why did they achieve this success?

02:05Good morning Jeff and good morning Vivienne.

02:09Good morning.

02:10Good morning sir Buts.

02:11Good morning.

02:12Good morning.

02:13So again, how did you start being a married couple or how did you start your journey?

02:21Maybe you want to share.

02:23We started as schoolmates.

02:28We also went to the girlfriend-boyfriend stage.

02:33Because we were hot-tempered when we were young, I was forced to have a house before what was supposed to happen.

02:44That's how it happened way back in 1998.

02:51So you didn't have any M.U.M.U., you didn't have an M.U., Jeff?

02:58No. But in 1998, we got married.

03:02Good. Good. Okay. So again, very good.

03:06You had a unity as a couple.

03:10But again, what was the journey of becoming a married couple?

03:16Vivienne, what happened in your life?

03:20Was it a beautiful journey when you got married?

03:27When we got married in 1998, of course it wasn't easy because I joined him at a very young age.

03:37So I didn't know what my life would be like with him.

03:40But luckily, my husband was very hardworking.

03:44He let me be his full-time housewife.

03:48He took care of our children. He was the only one who worked.

03:52So you're very young. You're very young and you are taking care of the family.

04:03How many siblings do you have?

04:05We have two children, a boy and a girl.

04:09A boy and a girl. How old are they now?

04:14Our eldest is 23 years old. He just graduated from nursing.

04:19Our youngest is a boy. He's in his third year of college.

04:24He's taking up business administration.

04:28Very good. So again, what was the challenge for you, Jeff?

04:32You're not young anymore, but you have a responsibility.

04:39So what were the challenges for you?

04:41Very young, sir.

04:44Very young.

04:47First of all, we chose to have a wife.

04:52So we need to defend ourselves.

04:54Especially when we had two children.

04:59I was even more determined.

05:02I devoted my time and my life to defend our family.

05:12So what are the challenges that you will never forget, Jeff?

05:18The finances, of course. That's number one.

05:23I was very lucky because I had a supportive partner, a wife.

05:30So the finances, sir, because for so long time, the salary was not enough.

05:38It was often not enough.

05:40So I was doing side hustle at that time.

05:44It's a bit heavy, but I don't need it because it's not enough.

05:48So that's the biggest struggle we faced.

05:52When my children grew up, my wife was there.

05:56She really took care of the children.

05:58So I really focused on the resources.

06:01But we were fortunate because we were not neglected.

06:07Until we were able to put up our own business.

06:11So let's go to being a businessman.

06:17How did you start?

06:20How did you decide that you cross the bridge and never look back?

06:25Vivian, how did you do that?

06:27What was the process like?

06:29Because I'm sure many of our viewers are married.

06:32How did Jeff and Vivian start their journey as an entrepreneur?

06:40Vivian?

06:41For me, sir Butch, ever since, my passion is food.

06:45So I'm really fond of cooking.

06:47So my husband, since he likes to do business,

06:51he started various businesses.

06:54But luckily, some of the businesses he started,

06:58he had various business partners,

07:01didn't succeed.

07:03So that's when we talked about

07:06why don't we just partner instead of getting business partners.

07:12So he told me,

07:14your passion, why don't you just do it as a business?

07:18So that's how it started.

07:20Actually, I didn't know what was going to happen.

07:24Because I really didn't know anything about business.

07:27Because I was half-time housewife.

07:30So I just listened to him on what to do.

07:34So I was the one who tried the business first.

07:37So at that time, milk tea was very popular.

07:40So I just tried it when I was in school.

07:44So luckily, I got a lot of feedback from customers

07:48that said my milk tea is delicious.

07:50So that's how it started.

07:52We were franchised.

07:53That's when the Yanmark Food Cart was formed.

07:56So that was in 2018.

07:58So that's when I was franchised.

08:00What are the concepts that I formed?

08:02Wow.

08:03So, wait.

08:04I just want to discuss what you're saying, Vivian.

08:08You mentioned Jeff's partners.

08:11What do you see?

08:13Does Jeff like to partner?

08:15What are the lessons that we should observe?

08:19Because a lot of Filipinos like to partner in business.

08:23What are the things that you see as a challenge in partnership, Vivian?

08:29Maybe, sir Butch, their thoughts when it comes to business,

08:34their different thinking.

08:36So maybe that's where it comes from.

08:38So maybe it's better to be yourself.

08:41You don't have to think about what the business is.

08:45Because sometimes, people have different thoughts, right sir Butch?

08:48So their views are different when it comes to business.

08:52Jeff, what do you see?

08:55Why are you joining partnerships and then suddenly,

08:59you have different relationships?

09:02How is that, Jeff?

09:04This is one of the things that I observed.

09:08When it comes to partnership,

09:12I said that I'm not used to negotiating with another person, a partner.

09:19What I see, sir Butch, number one,

09:22I'm sorry to the listeners,

09:24is the understanding of the partner when it comes to business.

09:31For example, sir Butch, the two of us are in business.

09:34The two of us are okay.

09:36But we have a wife.

09:39That's where there's a conflict, sir Butch.

09:43So the two of you are not friends.

09:47But why do you think that the wife has the right to know

09:53because you also earned from her, right?

09:58It's one and one, right?

10:00But the point is, maybe the wife didn't understand

10:04or didn't explain the business partnership relationship.

10:08What do you think, Vivian?

10:10I think it's the same, sir Butch.

10:13Because what I always tell him,

10:17whatever his business is, I let him be as long as he's behind me.

10:21I thought that's not what happened to his other partners before.

10:26So in other words, you're hiding.

10:28There are hidden, hidden agendas.

10:30Jeff, is that right?

10:33Sir Butch, it's the wife's instinct to protect her husband.

10:38There's an intervention when there's a conflict.

10:42For example, your husband and my husband,

10:47if they agree, it's lucky.

10:50But when it comes to partnership, it's not just two, sir Butch,

10:55it's three or four partnerships.

10:57So the problem is, when the husband and wife get involved...

11:04So the relationship is getting complicated.

11:07Yes. When they get married, they will help each other.

11:11So that's the problem I saw.

11:14Actually, that's what happened to us.

11:16We were trapped in a whirlpool.

11:19So there's a women power, empowerment. Is that so Vivian?

11:24The men had a division because of the women.

11:29But anyway, Vivian said it's good that you're a partner to others,

11:35not just to yourself. That's right.

11:37So in other words, it's hard when you're trapped.

11:40So again Vivian, you have a landmark.

11:43What is your starting journey of that landmark?

11:48Sir Butch, the starting journey is not that easy because I don't know anything about business.

11:53So what I did is I studied in a culinary school.

11:58Of course, there's a difference in knowledge when it comes to business.

12:01So all the learnings that I studied, I applied it to my job.

12:05He's my number one mentor when it comes to business.

12:08So what's the deal?

12:10The learnings that he taught me, I applied it to my job, to my business,

12:16so that I can run my landmark food cart properly.

12:20Correct. So what's your business concept Vivian of Yanmark?

12:26What's the description or business concept that you did now?

12:32When you say Yanmark food cart, it's a food cart franchising business.

12:36So all the concepts were made by me. I conceptualized it.

12:41When Yanmark started in 2018, we only had one concept, that's urbanity,

12:48milky, so all of our products come from Taiwan.

12:52We had a lot of franchises because we were the first in the milky market.

12:57So from 8 franchises, I had 50 until it became 250 nationwide.

13:03Okay. So in other words, this is a conglomeration of different concepts.

13:09Is that Yanmark? Is that what you're saying?

13:11All right. So what are the other concepts that you developed?

13:16Of course, Sir Butch, the pandemic came.

13:20Yeah, correct, correct.

13:22Of course, I said that I can't stop with just one concept.

13:25So I developed other concepts.

13:28So that's where Samgyup on the Go was developed, Sir Butch.

13:32So when it comes to Samgyup on the Go, it's a rice bowl with toppings,

13:37like lettuce, we have different variants of meat, we have kimchi.

13:42So that's the concept that I made on the go,

13:45meaning that I will bring it closer to the customer.

13:48They don't have to dine-in anymore.

13:50You can just crave for Samgyup.

13:52Ali, how much is the range?

13:54So here, for P9 pesos, you have Samgyup.

13:57So we also have chicken wings and Korean K-pop corndogs.

14:04Wow. So it's like you innovated because of the pandemic, right?

14:08Because during the pandemic, you can't go out, right?

14:10So what did you do?

14:12If you can't go out, you made something that you can bring to the customers, right?

14:16Yes.

14:17So what is your experience now?

14:20You have franchises, you have different people investing in you.

14:26What are the number one success factors of the people who bought your franchise?

14:32For me, Sir, as a businessman, we should always think positively.

14:38Because we can't avoid having trials in business.

14:45But of course, there are clients who trusted me.

14:49I shouldn't just stop.

14:51Because what I want is long-term business partnership between them.

14:55So we need to take care of them well.

14:58Whatever their concerns are, we need to address them immediately.

15:02Because they trusted me when they did business with us.

15:06So whatever I learned in business, that's what I teach them to succeed.

15:13Yes, that's important.

15:15Jeff and Vivian, this is an obligation.

15:19Though you're not giving them a guarantee of success,

15:23they should be independent entrepreneurs but functioning under your name.

15:29But the support of the franchisor is important.

15:32A lot of people like you, when you started, were dreaming of success.

15:38Now, there are people coming to you who are hoping that you will give them a piece of your success.

15:47So what do you see now?

15:53There are people who applied for franchises but were unsuccessful.

15:58What do you see there?

16:00What are the reasons?

16:02Some people are giving up.

16:05Not all of them, but 100%.

16:07What are the factors that you see there, Vivian?

16:10Maybe their thinking is that once they do business, they will click right away.

16:16They always think that there's a time.

16:20When will a business succeed?

16:24You need to be hands-on.

16:26Especially the owners, they always say that you can't just trust the crew.

16:30You need to be there.

16:32In our part, we want to make sure that once they franchise,

16:36unlike fly-by-night, where once they franchise, they are in charge.

16:41We have teams that go to their locations to check on their operations.

16:47We guide them on what they are concerned about.

16:50That's when we see if their operations are still good.

16:55That's the partnership between franchisor and franchisee.

16:59You just need to support each other.

17:02Exactly. You're hitting on what you're saying.

17:05There are a lot of people who are getting franchises.

17:07Especially now, it's almost... well, it's almost Christmas.

17:11There are a lot of people who want to do business.

17:16But after January, I don't want to do it anymore.

17:18You can't do that.

17:19It's like you're wearing temporary clothes.

17:22You just borrowed this business or you spent money,

17:26but you will be angry when January comes because sales will drop in January.

17:30But I think that's one thing.

17:33There are a lot of people who don't investigate first.

17:36They don't check whether it suits them or not.

17:40That's why I say investigate first before investing.

17:44There are a lot of scams.

17:47You can see that Jeff.

17:49You can see that on social media.

17:51Promises, word promises, guaranteed.

17:55That's scary.

17:57Again, it's your reputation versus the sustainability of your business.

18:04But one good thing you said Vivian is that you have people who support you.

18:11In other words, not only Jeff and Vivian,

18:13but also in Ibardulasa, they control how the business runs.

18:19How do you train people who go to different places Vivian?

18:26Our training to them is that in their visits,

18:32number one, our support to them will not be lost.

18:35Don't just visit them.

18:38They need to discuss their concerns.

18:41It's better if you can hear about them about what we should improve in Yenmark.

18:48That will help our clients.

18:52That's important.

18:54So in the pipeline, where is your vision for the next five years Jeff?

19:01What is your vision in this business, Yenmark?

19:07Because our market is open and there's no pandemic,

19:13there's no reason for us to be limited.

19:17In Yenmark Food Cart, our ultimate goal is to go abroad.

19:24Wow. Very good. Okay.

19:27That was our failure before.

19:31We expanded in Doha, Qatar.

19:33Then we encountered problems there when it comes to logistics.

19:39So now, where we failed, we will rise from there sir Buts,

19:45so we can start expanding internationally.

19:50Correct. In other words, you fell.

19:53In other words, your aim is to rise again.

19:57Yes.

19:58Don't delay it.

19:59There's no choice sir Buts.

20:00Yes. There's no choice.

20:02Yes. But again, you're happy because...

20:06Well, I just have one question.

20:08Do your children already help in the business?

20:12No sir Buts. Actually, our nephew,

20:15during the ECQ, because they only went online,

20:20so what I did to him, he was the one I sent to my purchasing department.

20:25He was the one supervising our stockman.

20:28So he said, go in there and I will give you a salary.

20:31So he took college as a business ad.

20:36Very good.

20:38They are assisting sir Buts.

20:40He's the one packing orders.

20:42He's the one placing orders.

20:44He's the one booking orders.

20:46He's the one collecting orders.

20:49That's why we're testing them, sir Buts,

20:53so they know the overall business.

20:57Correct.

20:58That's why it's good that you're doing this.

21:00We know a couple who are in business,

21:03but they forgot to transfer to their children.

21:13Immediately, what they're doing is,

21:15the children are COO or children of the owner.

21:20Right?

21:21Wait a minute.

21:24What you're doing is to go to the lowest purchasing, delivery,

21:30and everything before they reach the right position.

21:36So they won't be hooked by the employer.

21:41Exactly.

21:42They won't have the overall operation in short.

21:45But the good thing is, Vivian,

21:48they are millennials.

21:50They have what we call generation syndrome.

21:57You are the first generation.

21:59You started the business.

22:01The second generation, Yen and Mark,

22:04are the ones who are improving the business.

22:07There's no third generation yet.

22:09But the third generation is the most challenging.

22:11Because the third generation,

22:14your children or grandchildren,

22:17will enhance or,

22:20hopefully, knock on wood,

22:22the business won't collapse.

22:25So now you're in the second generation.

22:27What innovations do you see in your children?

22:31Do they have suggestions?

22:33Right, Vivian?

22:34I'm lucky with my two children.

22:38Actually, they are kind.

22:40No one is strict with them.

22:42Whatever we have achieved,

22:44they see that it's not instant.

22:47We really worked hard.

22:49That's why they know how to run a business.

22:52Especially my nephew,

22:54who is really studying hard

22:56so that when he graduates,

22:58he'll be able to follow what I started,

23:01Yen Mark Food Cart.

23:03That's good.

23:05Do they know the life of a married couple

23:08who started a business?

23:09Yes.

23:10Can you tell us about that?

23:12They know.

23:14They know.

23:16Yes.

23:17It's like values.

23:18Wealth is not money.

23:20The values you went through,

23:24at least they know how hard it is.

23:26It's not that easy.

23:28Anyway, let's move on.

23:32What advice can you give to married couples,

23:35husband and wife starting a business

23:38or probably young couple like you before, Vivian,

23:42who fell because of love.

23:47They prioritized love over life.

23:51That's what happened.

23:53It's like a love story.

23:56What are your advice to them?

23:59My advice to them,

24:01especially to our young people

24:03who are aggressive,

24:05unlike today,

24:07is that when it comes,

24:10you need to be ready for anything.

24:12Because in a relationship,

24:14it's not just about love.

24:17There should be teamwork.

24:20Respect.

24:22You should be open to each other.

24:24Whatever the decision of one,

24:26you should be open to the decision of the other.

24:29You should not be against each other.

24:32That's what's good.

24:34You should have a smooth relationship.

24:36You should trust each other.

24:37The Lord is always at the center.

24:39Whatever trials you face,

24:41He will guide you.

24:43Jeff,

24:45what are your advice to those who got married

24:50or got married by mistake?

24:52What are your tips to those men?

24:56Many of them are gensing.

24:58Those who got married,

25:00it's different.

25:01They're not getting married.

25:02They're just partners.

25:04But if there's a little fight,

25:06I don't want that.

25:07Go home to your parents.

25:09Jeff, is that okay?

25:11Actually, sir Buds,

25:12it's been said for a long time

25:14that marriage is not like

25:16a test that you have to pass.

25:18Exactly.

25:19You have to pass it.

25:20It means that when you pass it,

25:22you have to defend it, sir Buds.

25:24Not just defend it

25:26because there's a challenge.

25:28In other words,

25:29it's the future.

25:31You have to prepare for it.

25:33You have to strive for it.

25:34Because it's already there.

25:36That's the test for you

25:38as a person.

25:40Sir Buds, it's like a challenge.

25:43At the same time,

25:44of course,

25:45we have to give good results.

25:47We chose to partner in life.

25:52That's how it is, sir.

25:53So you have to think first

25:55who you're going to pass it to.

25:56Is that how it is?

26:01Sir Buds, you shouldn't just pass it.

26:05You can't just pass it.

26:07I think those gensing,

26:09their generation is also different.

26:11So I know that those people

26:12are also different.

26:13My advice to them is to enjoy.

26:15In other words,

26:17enjoy your life.

26:20Live it.

26:22Explore yourself

26:24before you enter

26:26any seriousness

26:28or marriage life.

26:29Because when we're already there

26:31in the so-called marriage life,

26:33there's no turning back.

26:35Because if you turn back,

26:36you'll be the product

26:38of broken families

26:40that have an impact

26:42on the youth, sir Buds.

26:44Maybe you can also give a tip

26:46on how to face the parents of women

26:48and your parents.

26:50After you got married,

26:52how did you face

26:54the parents of Vivian?

26:56Vivian, how did you prepare?

26:58I timed Christmas

27:00so everything is positive.

27:04We have a gift for you.

27:08Your wife is really a salesman, Vivian.

27:12Anyway,

27:14it's so enjoyable.

27:16I'm sure a lot of people

27:18want to get in touch with you.

27:20They want to probably talk to you.

27:22They want to probably get advice

27:24from you, not just a business.

27:28Really, that's the mark

27:30of a real good franchisor.

27:32That's what I always say,

27:34get to know the franchisor,

27:36not the concept.

27:38A lot of people make mistakes, Vivian.

27:40They don't introduce

27:42the franchisor.

27:44You have acquaintances

27:46who are owners

27:48abroad.

27:50Don't know who they are,

27:52just know the concept.

27:54You can't do that.

27:56That's our

27:58pride in Yen Mark Food Cart.

28:00Ever since

28:02we started the business,

28:04as much as possible,

28:06we want to be able to

28:08partner with franchisors.

28:10I can say,

28:12that's one of our edge.

28:14We meet them

28:16as partners.

28:18From the very beginning,

28:20when they signed the contract,

28:22up to the opening of their

28:24branch, we are there

28:26to provide

28:28support and guidance.

28:30Another edge of our

28:32company is the after-sales,

28:34sir Butch.

28:36If you're not a franchisor, it's up to you.

28:38Sir Butch, we have people

28:40to supervise.

28:42We give them tips.

28:44At the same time, the owner

28:46heads up

28:48on what's happening in the store.

28:50We have franchises, sir Butch.

28:52We just have franchises because we have money.

28:54But we don't have time to

28:56manage.

28:58That's another difference

29:00between franchises.

29:02Sometimes, other franchises

29:04are busy because

29:06the owner has no time.

29:08What's good about us,

29:10even if you have limited time

29:12because you're working

29:14or you have other activities

29:16outside, we're there

29:18to help and support.

29:20That's good.

29:22If you define franchising,

29:24it's really being business for yourself

29:26but not by yourself.

29:28You have a business

29:30but you're not alone.

29:32That's the

29:34difference with a startup.

29:36For example, if you're a startup,

29:38you don't have confidence

29:40whether it's trial and error.

29:42But if you have

29:44a real good

29:46franchisor that you know,

29:48not only... Look at the attitude.

29:50For me, if you

29:52don't have an attitude,

29:54don't do it.

29:56It's also a marriage.

29:58It's a partnership.

30:00Except you can't

30:02deny the franchisee.

30:04But again,

30:06you have to know each other well.

30:08You have to know whether the values are right

30:10with you, whether

30:12your family and their family

30:14have no intrigues.

30:16That's what's important

30:18to me.

30:20Success is actually

30:22just there.

30:24So anyway,

30:26thank you very much.

30:28I know I'm taking care of you.

30:30I'm sure you have a lot to talk about.

30:32You have a lot of research and development,

30:34Vivienne and Jeff.

30:36Again, always

30:38think positive.

30:40Again, responsible

30:42entrepreneurs.

30:44I'm very proud that you're members

30:46of the Philippine Chamber

30:48of Commerce and Industry,

30:50Quezon City.

30:52I salute you

30:54as a member.

30:56You're credible.

30:58All right.

31:00Thank you very much.

31:02God bless.

31:04Okay. Bye-bye.

31:22Music

31:24Music

31:26Music

31:28Music

31:30Music

31:32Music

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