Finding the right business partner is one of the most difficult part of starting up a business. After all, you will probably end up spending an equal amount of time with him/her as you would with your significant other, but what if your business partner and lover were just one person?
Love and business don’t always make a perfect match; but if you’re lucky to have your spouse as your business partner, that’s great! Not only will you and your spouse get to spend more time together; you’ll also get to pursue your passion side-by-side. Here are some real relationship goals:
4 Couples Who Rule the Business World
Juliet Herrera-Chen and Peter Chen (Serenitea)
Juliet simply dreamed of finding a secure 9-to-5 job, getting married, and becoming a housewife. Juliet shares that the idea to put up a business started when her fiance, Peter Chen, suggested that they find their own means of income so they wouldn’t be relying on their parents in the future. After that, they flew to Taiwan to look for something they could bring back to the Philippines.
Since bubble tea was a huge hit in Taiwan, they decided to start venturing into the industry. With an Php800,000 capital borrowed from their parents, they both became one of the pioneers who brought the milk tea phenomenon to the Philippines.
The very first branch was opened in in Little Baguio, San Juan Greenhills with two staff members. Now, it is one of the most popular milk tea shops in the country.
Meredith Ngo and Jerome Uy (Adobo Connection)
Adobo has a special significance for Meredith Ngo and Jerome Uy; it reminds them of their time in Harvard together back when they were completing their MBAs as it was the dish that they would frequently cook for themselves and for friends.
One day, Jerome gave Meredith a call about opening Adobo Connection and they opened their first branch after two months. “We just found it really funny that there are fast-food chains of foreign cuisine, but no fast-food of our national dish,” says Jerome.
Now, Adobo Connection has over 50 stores all over the Philippines with branches in California, Singapore and Kuwait. They are still expanding, too.
Iza Calzado and Ben Wintle (Booky)
Ben Wintle of Scrambled Eggs Pte. Ltd., a company that creates mobile apps had a sudden realization when his wife Iza Calzado, a beautiful Filipina actress, could not search fast enough for restaurants information and menus because of the country’s poor Internet connection.
So they started an app called BOOKY, which is basically a phonebook of restaurants that works offline similar to the contact list on your phone. It provides 13,000 lists of restaurants in its directory along with discounts when you book a table via SMS. With 8,000 menus and a feature that shows you the top 10 list of the best restaurants in the area, finding a restaurant nearby has never been this easy. The best part? The app is FREE for both iOS and Android users.
RJ and Arianne David (OLX)
RJ and Arianne wanted to help fellow Filipinos make money out of their items that they no longer need. From
a capital of Php2,400 when they were known as Sulit.com.ph, this duo now earns billions.
In 2006, RJ a freelance web developer made a platform that lets people post classified ads – from clothes to accessories to furniture to appliances to gadgets to even condos and automobiles. RJ handled the server and admin, while Arianne handled the design and quality assurance of the site. She also answered customer inquiries and attended trade shows.
A little later, their team expanded to 90 people and began gaining popularity. Sulit.com.ph was soon rebranded as OLX Philippines under a parent company with home bases in New York City and Argentina to help Filipinos have a more global mindset when it comes to online selling.
Setting up a business is a daunting task. You have to search for an office location, apply for permits and licenses, establish connectivity lines and much more, depending on your business requirements. However, these couples show that anything is possible if you trust each other and stay true to your goal.
Going into business with your spouse can make you and your partner become closer and more connected. Essentially, you are enhancing your commitment to each other by your commitment to your business.
If you’re planning to start a business with your partner and want to avoid the hassle of registering your business; vOffice, a business solutions service provider, can help you with that.
vOffice can assist you with your business registration and provide a fully furnished office space located in a central business district. Get closer together and start your business with your spouse today!
You may call vOffice Philippines Inc. at +632 224 2000 or email them at cs@voffice.com.ph
