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.
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