From foodie dreams to CEO schemes: Discover key ingredients to success from this young Filipino entrepreneur! [Monday: Marketing Marvels]
Miles Everson’s The Business Builder Daily speaks to the heart of what great marketers, business leaders, and other professionals need to succeed in advertising, communications, managing their investments, career strategy, and more.
A Note from Miles Everson:
Hi there! How’s your day shaping up?
We hope things are going smoothly so far.
Let’s begin the week positively and inspired by our “Marketing Marvels.” Each Monday, we delve into the achievements, life stories, and wisdom of accomplished individuals in business and marketing.
Today, we’ll focus on one of the emerging CEOs in the Philippine business landscape.
Keep reading to learn more about this “Marvel,” his humble beginnings, and some crucial tactics that helped him succeed in his business endeavors.
Miles Everson
CEO, MBO Partners
Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute
Marketing Marvels
Have you ever had those light-bulb moments when inspiration hits you out of nowhere, and suddenly you realize something you hadn’t before?
Allow us to tell you about this guy’s incredible light-bulb moment that turned his life around.
Starting from scratch, this go-getter has climbed to the very top of his field, proving that success is limitless when you’ve got the right mindset.
The person we’re talking about?
Avin Ong!
Photo from Tatler
Ong describes himself as a risk-taker. This was shown in his bold choice to kick off a business endeavor by suggesting the idea of opening his own restaurant during a family dinner in 2014.
Five years after that entrepreneurial light-bulb moment, he is now in charge of running multi-million dollar businesses providing unique services to customers.
Some of these businesses?
- Macao Imperial Tea
- Nabe Japanese Izakaya and Hot Pot
- Mitasu Yakiniku
- New York Fries & Dips
- Liang Crispy Rolls
- Café Kitsuné
… and many more.
The Foodie-turned-CEO
As a foodie himself, Ong lives by the motto, “Love what you do,” and he’s shown how amazing the results of this mantra can be. His passion for food is one of the main reasons he’s the CEO of the Fredley Group of Companies (FGC).
With ongoing achievements and a continually growing network of business franchises and establishments, the FGC persistently forges its reputation within the industry.
Under Ong’s leadership, the company oversees 260 restaurant and cafe branches across the Philippines, and operates nine unique food and restaurant brands with a dedicated team of more than 3,000 employees.
In fact, the FGC is one of the most rapidly expanding enterprises in the country!
Building an Empire from Scratch
Ong earned his dual MBAs from De La Salle University. This became a distinctive advantage that positioned him to garner valuable experience at Deutsche Bank and marked the beginning of his journey to becoming adept at executing his business ideas.
His dedication to his craft earned him multiple business opportunities, making all his hard work and effort worth it.
Ong’s business success also comes from understanding what today’s generation wants. He created dining places with delicious food, unique decorations, and atmosphere, giving customers a complete dining experience.
His brand’s popularity among Gen Z and millennials keeps the company in tune with current trends, thanks to the influence of digital platforms.
Having achieved all of these milestones by age 30, it’s evident that Ong is setting the stage for a fresh wave of entrepreneurs. So, what valuable insights can marketers glean from this youthful CEO?
- Unleashing creativity through innovation.
One thing stands out at Ong’s success story: His incredible dedication to innovation. He wasn’t just a follower of trends; he was also a trendsetter.
As he stepped into the business world, he had a remarkable ability to spot opportunities and wholeheartedly embrace new technologies and market shifts. This adaptability was his secret sauce that helped him stay ahead of the competition and constantly shape his business ventures.
- Putting value to human connection.
Ong is an excellent example of how human connection and personal initiatives still matter in business amid an era of automation and digital advancements.
His dedication to forming meaningful connections hasn’t just earned him loyal customers but has also created a positive and supportive atmosphere in his companies.
His sincerity shines through in this statement:
“Because of my humble beginnings, I learned to be a cashier, a dishwasher, a dispatcher, a server, and then a restaurant manager. Not only have these experiences made me a leader who always leads by example, I also got to understand every role within the organization and see the whole picture.”
- Considering the virtue of social responsibility.
Ong’s success is not only about what he gains personally but also about the good he does for the community. His experiences and activities show that one can be successful in business and also give back to society.
This is one of the reasons why people look up to him and respect him for his accomplishments, values, and commitment to positively impacting the world around him.
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To put it briefly, Ong’s journey is a beacon of hope not only for someone looking to make it big in the business world but also for those trying their best to make it big in life.
As we get to know his entrepreneurial background, we discover valuable insights that transcend usual norms and practices in the industry. These significant takeaways are what make him a role model for people to look up to.
So, take a moment to reflect on your own aspirations and dreams too. Finding inspiration in stories like this can be a game-changer in your path as a business owner, leader, manager, or marketer.
Remember: Success is not solely about the destination but also the route you take to get there. By learning from those who have achieved their dreams, such as Ong, you can navigate your career with greater confidence and purpose.
We hope you find this feature helpful and insightful!
Have a great start to the week!
(This article is from The Business Builder Daily, a newsletter by The I Institute in collaboration with MBO Partners.)
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Mondays: Marketing Marvels”
Too often, industry experts and the marketing press sing the praises of some brand or company’s marketing strategy.
… only for the audience to later find out that its product was a flop, or worse, that the brand or company went bankrupt.
The true ROI in marketing can’t be separated from the business as a whole.
What good is a marketing case study if one can’t prove that the company’s efforts actually paid off?
At the end of the day, either the entire business is successful or it isn’t. And the roles of marketing and communication are always paramount to that success.
Every Monday, we publish a case study that highlights the world’s greatest marketing strategies, marketers, and communicators.
However, the difference between our articles and the numerous ones out there is that we will always make certain that the firm really did generate and demonstrate earning power worthy of study in the first place (compliments of Valens Research’s finance group) in keeping with a person’s leadership skills in the area of marketing and/or communication.
We’ll also study the greatest marketing fails and analyze what they did wrong, or what they needed to improve. We all make our mistakes, but better we learn from others’ mistakes—and earlier, rather than later.
Hope you found this week’s marketing marvel interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Monday’s “Marketing Marvels!”
Cheers,
Kyle Yu
Head of Marketing
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
Powered by Valens Research
www.valens-research.com
