Jay Aldeguer: Young Cebuano entreprenuer

Confidence and independence are very sexy traits this charismatic young Cebuano entrepreneur possesses. He does not doubt himself and does not need constant reassurance about his relationship, work, and the like. This open-minded businessman positively faces every challenge he encounters. He is determined to surmount anything that seems to prevent him from succeeding. As he said, "Just believe in yourself. Don't be afraid to dream big, and make sure you make it happen".

Jonathan "Jay" Aldeguer, president of the Aldeguer Group of Companies, chooses to maintain a humble profile. This father of three - Anton, 12; Andrea, 10; and Ariana, 4 - spent his free time with The Freeman for a short conversation. Enjoying a life of prominence and privilege, Jay started a creative and progressive spirit interestingly when he was in grade school.

Then 10-year-old Jay agreed to sell his drawings to his classmates for a peso, and 50 centavos; more expensive for the colored ones. During his college years, this Atenean would sell T-shirts he bought during his foreign travels (as a lone backpack traveler) to his friends.

After Jay's disappointing visit to one of the Philippines' main tourist destinations, this self-confessed frustrated artist conceptualized a business that would market souvenir shirts. His shirts not only give emphasis to numerous colorful and convivial Philippine fiestas but also create a strong character that boosts the country's tourism industry.

Jay believes that it is important for a business to evolve, so he is really glad that his business has done so. True enough, Islands Souvenirs, which opened its first outlet in 1992, has certainly become a big success. Today, it has about 30 stores and roughly 100 department store outlets, with franchises in Singapore, Okinawa, Macau, and San Francisco.

Jay does not measure the success of his business in terms of assets, but "in terms of growth and fulfillment". He added that it was just an idea that became bigger than he expected. His being intuitive and imaginative have made him one of today's most successful young Cebuano entrepreneurs.

There is a certain sense of unpredictability in Jay - he is free spirit. He continues to surprise Cebuanos with his behavior but they are never scared of his surprises.

Jay, unpredictable man that he is, was named World Class Retailer of the Year three times by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Philippine Retailers' Association. He was one of The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) of 1997. So far as awardees are concerned, Jay is the youngest recipient to date. Just recently, the British Council named him as an International Young Design Entrepreneur of the Year. This new award, which is a global search, was established "to champion and celebrate the importance of creative entrepreneurs…"

Jay stood out from other three brilliant entrepreneurs because of his bright idea that "developed a premier product brand". He represented the Philippines and competed against nine finalists from other countries - Argentina, India, Lebanon, Lithuania, Nigeria, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, and Thailand. When asked about his prestigious awards and achievements, Jay replied, "It is a humbling experience every time I receive a recognition."

This self-confessed "frustrated artist" has always been busy promoting Cebu as a tourist destination through his multimedia company, Destinations Media, which broadcasts Cebu TV 28. This 24-hour cable channel pioneered in boosting Cebu's tourism industry through showcasing Cebuanos and their lifestyles to both local and international audiences.

This young entrepreneur is always on the go. Guess what makes him busy nowadays? "I have a fondness for digital photography lately," Jay said. "Life is too short to confine myself to one path."