Authentic partnership, according to Joe and Leni Bantiling
Credit to Author: CARLA BIANCA RAVANES-HIGHAM| Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2019 20:49:36 +0000
A favorite quirky saying of mine is often accompanied with a split screen photo of a couple in the early days of their marriage standing by a car and in the latter days of their marriage with the same car.
The quote said something along the lines of how previous generations would always work on what they have instead of replacing it easily, which always makes me think, especially now that I am married.
My husband, who I believe is an old soul, would often tell me that when it comes to marriage, you have to stick it out and work it out, no matter how challenging it is because that’s what you signed up for on your wedding day.
This philosophy is the reason why I admire couples who have not just stayed together but have also built life and home together.
children but also created a world-class company called Trends and Concepts.
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One couple I know are Joel and Leni Bantiling – they have not just built a happy home and have raised talented children, Gail, Karl and Ian, but have also created a world-class company called Trends and Concepts.
More than just a simple mom-and-pop company, Trends and Concepts has redefined the design and build industry and has produced work that could rival that of global companies.
The couple, married for 34 years, has always been in love with designing and building.
“I graduated with a degree in Business Administration, but I have always dreamed of having my own furniture showroom. This is the reason why I exposed myself through a firm specializing in design and manufacturing and furniture. Thus began my journey with everything related to interiors,” Leni recalls.
“My love for interiors complemented my husband’s profession which is Civil Engineering. It was the perfect combination of analytics and creatives. This is where our journey of designing and building commercial spaces from restaurants, hotels and offices began,” she expounds.
Joe adds, “I was inspired by the idea of having a company whose culture I had the opportunity to create and a company that would give me the opportunity to best hone my skills in organizational development.”
The company, which was established in 1991, grew while their family expanded as well.
“We started Trends and Concepts 28 years ago when my first child was only two years old. I was focused on our growing family while Joe was focused on the business. During that time, I made sure that my husband is free to focus on the business by making sure that our home is a good place to stay after a full day’s work,” Leni relates.
When asked what the experience was like of nurturing both his family and his business at the same time, Joe shares, “Building our family and our business went together – we dreamed and worked hard for it. This is what we thought of daily when we got up early in the morning and did what needed to be done. It also helps to stay close with your family at all times.”
With hard work and dedication, Trends and Concepts has not only grown into one of the top design and build companies in the country but also one of the most sought-after workplaces for employees.
“This company was born out of passion from our individual crafts. We always seek for what is significant to our clients. We stay committed to what was agreed upon. We remember in the ‘90s when the market was saturated with Chinese businessmen and yet we thrived due to our commitment to learning and our relationship with people, which is one of the biggest reasons for our success,” Joe further informs.
The couple also credits their relationship with God with their success, “We keep the faith and surrender all decisions to his care.”
When asked what piece of advice they could give for couples who are just starting out and look to them for inspiration, they say, “Choose the things you love to do and encourage one another. I suggest for the wives to always support their husbands, may the outcome be unfavorable and never blame each other. Instead work toward a solution.”
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