Man of the people
Credit to Author: LOUISE NICHOLE LOGARTA| Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2019 16:20:37 +0000
MANY of us would argue that money is one of the greatest — if not the greatest — motivation to put in a hard day’s work. When Jonathan So, chief executive officer of JC Premiere Business International Inc., first devised a way to earn an income during his college years, he couldn’t have agreed more.
That mindset, however, changed over the years, inspired by the direct-selling enterprise he set up, which created a different kind of fulfillment.
“Mahilig na ’ko mag-business nung college pa lang [I really liked doing business ever since college],” Jonathan recalls.
A student of business administration, majoring in computer application at De La Salle-College of St. Benilde on Taft Avenue, this resourceful entrepreneur supplied pork to the canteen, with help from an uncle who had his own supplier. He also operated a small business, selling prepaid cards around the Vito Cruz St. area.
Asked how he got involved in multilevel marketing (MLM), Jonathan traces it back to a high school batchmate who recruited him. “Nakita ko ‘yung kotse niya [na] Mercedes Benz (I saw that he was driving a Mercedes Benz),” Jonathan says. Since the popularity of prepaid cards was decreasing, he had to find another income stream. The offer was indeed timely. “Mabait ang Diyos (God is good). In one year, I was able to buy a Honda City.”
The MLM company Jonathan joined eventually closed down, prompting him to apply at American Express. He lasted six months.
“Mahirap kumita ng pera (It was hard to make a living),” Jonathan says when asked what he learned during that brief stint. It was then he decided to go into franchising. “At the time — about 16 years ago — hindi pa mature ang market ng Philippines (the Philippine market still wasn’t mature).”
Landing a franchise was an expensive exercise, so Jonathan created his own. Having grown up in Binondo, reportedly the world’s oldest Chinatown, he studied the setup of his favorite siomai (dumpling) restaurant there. After working out the operational kinks and costing, he opened his first Siomai King branch in Quezon City, partnering with another MLM company. The company has now over a thousand branches across the country.
After 13 years, Siomai King and the MLM company split up due to a difference in direction. Jonathan felt it was time he set up his own MLM outfit, which he did with Carlito Macadangdang, his best friend since second grade. Together, they launched JC Premiere Business International Inc. in 2013 and information technology firm Cloud Panda in 2017.
JC Premiere specializes in health and beauty products made from high-quality organic ingredients and the latest technology, with the guidance of experts and in-house doctors. Their products are geared toward enhancing wellness and promoting balanced lifestyles. In six years, Jonathan and Carlito have established showrooms in Dubai and Taiwan, among others. Their newest outlet recently debuted in Italy.
The MLM industry has undoubtedly received a lot of flak based on notions that they are nothing more than scams, Jonathan maintains this is caused by other networking companies that close down after gaining a certain amount of profit, leaving their sellers high and dry.
“I see the beauty in networking. Basta gawin sa tamang paraan (As long as it’s done the right way),” Jonathan says. Admittedly, a talent for sales is a plus, but he says: “If you have a good product, it will speak for itself, and you get referrals from there.”
“Mahal ko ang industriya; masaya ako dito. Madaming matutulungan, pero hindi ako hipokrito, gusto ko rin kumita. ‘Yung joy na nabibigay sa ’kin, iba (I love this industry; it makes me happy. I get to help a lot of people and still earn. The joy I gain from it is like no other).”
In the early days, Jonathan says his mark-up was 40 percent, only to quickly realize that the bulk of the profit enriched him, instead of his distributors. He decided to offer additional incentives for them that are easily attainable. “We have libreng pa-kotse (free car) — we pay for the downpayment and monthly amortization. We also have travel incentives and libreng pabahay (free house). This way, they can spend their commission on their family’s needs.”
His efforts go deeper than the desire to improve people’s lives. Jonathan explains that most of his friends ended up broke, spending whatever they earned on car payments. To drive home the point, he recounts: “Minsan, nakita ko ‘yung top one seller ko nagdyi-jeep at umuulan. Pero top one ko na ‘yun (One time I saw my top seller taking a jeep in the rain. That was my top seller, but he was still commuting).” As a result, he gradually decreased his profit margin in order to effect a real change in his people’s lives.
In his position as boss, Jonathan spends much of his time dealing with people and maintaining relationships with members and team leaders. The ambiance he has to foster is one of family. There is governance, too, in that there is a hierarchy, but anyone, big or small, can still approach him.
“Ang negosyo namin, personal (our business is personal),” he says. “If they need help, binibigay ko sa hanggang makakaya ko (I give as much as I can). Hindi lang (Not just) financial; sometimes they need wisdom, too. Parang kuya ako sa kanila (I’m like an older brother to them).” Almost every night, he has dinner or coffee meetings with his team members, especially when there is a new recruit onboard.
Despite a packed schedule, this 35-year-old CEO religiously spends time with his family, usually on Sundays. They watch a film or visit the Timezone gaming arcade for the kids.
Jonathan envisions more growth for the company, but understands that to do this, good leadership is key. He hopes to see more products, especially those with great capacity to help customers and members alike, go on the market. He also understands the need for loyal customers in order to sustain JC Premiere’s reputation and longevity. “One thing I pray for now is to be content with the profit that I gain,” he stresses.
Jonathan shares with us his main takeaway from the industry that continues to engage him: “Dapat totoong tao ka. Kailangan isipin talaga ang tao; walang magsa-succeed mag-isa (You have to be an honest person. Always think of people you deal with. After all, no one succeeds on their own).”
Photos by J. Gerard Seguia