Toby Claudio: Turning passion for sports into powerful advocacy

MANILA, Philippines - You must have done something good when something is named after you. In the case of Roberto “Toby” Claudio Jr., he already had a sporting goods store named after him when he was just five years old.

Toby’s Sports was Roberto Sr.’s first venture into business. According to Toby, his father first sold toys in a very simple store in Virra Mall in Greenhills until he realized that sports was really his passion as he was an avid tennis player.

Today, Toby’s Sports is the biggest and most successful sporting goods house in the country – with Toby at the helm of it. The store boasts of having the widest selection of the best sports and fitness gear from global and local brands.

“In the past, sporting goods were sold beside musical instruments or you have to go to Quiapo or Raon to buy them. Toby’s Sports was the first store to combine sportswear and sports equipment in one store. Our mission is to help every Filipino live their best through sports and active lifestyle. So we make sure we provide the tools for that,” says Toby, a Business Economics graduate from UP and an accomplished athlete.

Toby furthers, “I saw it from a very early age. Sports help you not just physically but mentally. It has that power to transform lives and lifestyle, especially for kids because of the values it teaches them.”

He surely knows what he’s talking about. At five, Toby was already playing tennis. His father also got him into a lot of sports at an early age – soccer, biking, basketball, baseball, among others. Last year, Toby finished his first triathlon and was even one of the top finishers!

Observers believe that Toby’s Sports is successful because Toby himself is living proof of how sports can change a life for the better. “Sports advocacy is something I’m spending a lot of time on. If you’re a retailer and you’re not into the lifestyle or you don’t believe in the concept, people will see that. You have to be excited about your product and services,” he says. “We make it a point that our people are also in the lifestyle and they believe in our advocacy.”

Although he knew he would eventually be the head of the company, Toby actually started his career at the company in the management information system (MIS) department. He then moved to marketing and soon became operations manager and vice president. More than two years ago, Toby assumed the position of president.

“We are in a good position because of our wide network. What we do to level up our operation was to really improve our products. We brought the best brands but we also like to develop our own brands. We have a lot of in-house brands now, which makes sports a lot more accessible and more affordable,” he says.

Toby shares that the store caters to everyone – professional and amateur alike. “You can’t be good if you didn’t start somewhere. In fact, that’s the whole message of our campaign,” believes Toby.

The store’s latest campaign, “It Starts Here,” sends the message that the first step in achieving greater heights is commitment. “Our campaign captures our vision of reminding people that it doesn’t take much to get started. And I believe we got the best ambassadors on board: basketball star James Yap and volleyball champion Michele Gumabao,” shares Toby.

Despite his accomplishments and accolades, Toby remains grounded. He continues to look up to his father’s exemplary entrepreneurial skills. “He has guts and vision. He likes to take risks but he’s also willing to do the nitty-gritty to make sure the business becomes successful,” he says.

A few years after Toby’s was established, the family moved to the US. Although he can take on managing jobs, Toby’s father chose a job where he would get to string racquets because he wanted to learn the skill.

“One of the first things I did when I first joined the company was to learn how to string racquets,” Toby smiles. “To be a successful entrepreneur, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes. There would be many obstacles to becoming successful. You’ll get stuck if you’re not willing to do everything.”

“Having my name on the sign was always pressure for me because you have to live up to the name. It’s very challenging because I want to make sure that we not only continue the business. I want the business to grow even more,” he says.

With how Toby’s Sports is going so far, it looks like Toby Claudio is doing a great job. He’s lived up to the expectations. In fact, more than the name, he has become the brand.