AFFI, helping others grow in business

About 10 years ago, 10 young entrepreneurs banded themselves together for a common goal – to network and share best practices and trade trends for their mutual advancement.

Realizing that by sharing what they learned in their trade, other entrepreneurs too would grow and expand their businesses. They formed the Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc. (AFFI).

“In business, it doesn’t matter if you start out small, big, or by succession. What is important is one tries it out until he succeeds,” says Paulo Tibig, AFFI external vice president and owner of Vintel Logistics Inc. which provides cargo and project-based delivery services.

As a young boy, Paulo always wanted to become an entrepreneur. This was what his father taught him and his siblings to be. An overseas Filipino worker in the 1970s to the 1980s, Paulo’s father knew the limits one faces as an employee.

Upon retirement from working abroad, he led his family in setting up various businesses until he focused on becoming a dealer of motorcycle lubricants and spare parts, targeting tricycles in their barangay in Bataan.

Paulo and his siblings witnessed their parents’ hard work and were trained to help in the family business. This experience taught them to strive to build their own businesses someday.

Today, Vintel has grown from marketing services company distributing and delivering merchandises and cargoes, freight forwarding to bonding firm handling product tie-ups and managing manpower needs.

“There is no secret in becoming successful in business. One just has to develop a positive attitude, discipline, patience, and good management,” Paulo stresses.

He believes that being an entrepreneur is a choice – that one decides to become one.

“The desire to be an entrepreneur must come from within, one must have the heart for it,” he says.

His advice to those trying out entrepreneurship is to learn both sides of the coin: The science of true entrepreneurship — planning, organizing, and having right systems — and the intuitive side of it (when to be aggressive and to take risks).

“Focus on business, do the best you can. Always remember that for every crisis, there is an opportunity (to improve and be better),” Paulo says.

“Of course, one should not forget social responsibility as a component of business. Businessmen must not stop at being profit-driven. They should also have a social conscience to help other people, including their employees,” he explains.

True to his words, Paulo joined the AFFI.

Over the years, the organization has developed its members into awardees of entrepreneurial distinction, making AFFI a breeding ground for entrepreneurs who aspire for excellence.

Its distinguished roster of members include the multi-awarded business men and women who have been accorded recognition by Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards and Entrepreneurs Magazine’s Entrepreneurs 10 Awards.

AFFI has also actively helped the government in promoting the setting up of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through franchising, particularly OFWs, giving them more viable alternative and business direction.

“We help others to go out of their comfort zone. That they too will have their own successful business,” Paulo says.

Today, SMEs contribute about P13 billion yearly to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). These SMEs employ thousands of people and many are thankful that employers like Paulo exist.