Shawarma Shack’s humble beginnings | Business and Politics - video Dailymotion

The Manila Times

Shawarma Shack’s humble beginnings | Business and Politics  Shawarma Shack owner, Walther Uzi Buenavista, talks about his humble beginnings, and how his dream of a basketball career had to end for his food business to come together. The Manila Times’ CEO and chairman Dante ‘Klink’ Ang, explores the story of a micro and small business owner, turned national food franchiser.   Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe    Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net    Follow us:  Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook  Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram  Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter  DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion    Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital    Check out our Podcasts:  Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify  Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts  Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic  Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer  Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein   #TheManilaTimes

Transcript

00:00 I guess it's Walter "Uzi" Buenavista, who may be more popularly known for his successful business, Shawarma Shack.

00:07 He and his wife Patricia started with a modest food stall at the Tutuban Center Night Market in Divisoria.

00:13 Today, they have more than 750 stores.

00:16 Another interesting part about the story is about Mr. Buenavista himself.

00:20 In his younger days, he aspired to be a professional basketball player, but that was not in the cards, as they say, and neither was a college degree.

00:27 Still, Mr. Buenavista has become a founder and CEO of a multi-awarded company, which has been recognized for its rapid growth.

00:34 Now in his mid-thirties, he is already a role model for young Filipino entrepreneurs.

00:39 As many know, micro, small, and medium enterprises are vital to the Philippine economy.

00:44 They represent 99.6% of all registered firms in the country, employ more than 60% of the labor force, and account for at least 30% of the economy's total value added.

00:54 Of course, the dream of every MSME owner is to scale up just like Shawarma Shack.

00:59 With that, we will ask Mr. Buenavista, what does it take to grow a business in the Philippines?

01:04 Mr. Buenavista, welcome to Business and Politics. Thank you for making time.

01:07 Do you mind if I call you Walter?

01:10 Yes, sir. Thank you. I'm glad you invited me here.

01:18 Your story is pretty interesting. Maybe we should start with your story. I was watching some of the previous interviews.

01:28 You really worked hard to start your business.

01:31 What I found interesting is that you didn't really prepare for your beginnings.

01:39 You were more geared to playing professional basketball. Could you talk about that for a minute? Your playing days in college?

01:48 When I was in high school, there was a league where I was the MVP.

01:58 This was in Laguna?

02:00 Yes. When you're young, you think you're unstoppable. But as you grow older, you realize that's not the case.

02:12 Everyone who tries to play basketball, their dream is to become a pro.

02:22 Yes. Everyone who watches NBA, they want to be an NBA player. But when you grow up, you realize that it's hard to achieve those dreams.

02:36 Do you have a favorite basketball player back then? Who was your idol?

02:41 My idol was Allen Iverson. We weren't that far apart in height, but he was really good.

02:50 Allen Iverson. Sixers.

02:53 When you went to college, did you get a scholarship to San Sebastian? Or did you try out for the team? How did you get to play in college?

03:05 When I was in college, my father had a friend who was a coach for Arturo Valenzona. I started trying out for him. I was still skinny then.

03:24 My wife told me that you were a bit fat back then.

03:28 When you came from Laguna, you were the tallest. When you came to Manila, you were surprised because you were the shortest.

03:37 It was different. I moved to Adamson. For two years, nothing happened.

03:46 I got a chance at Emilio Aguinaldo College. I played there for a year.

03:56 I was moving away from my target. I thought about stopping because I was sent to Emilio Aguinaldo College in Dasma.

04:18 It was like going back. I was from Manila and I was going to the province. I was sad.

04:26 I thought about exploring. I stopped studying even though I had a scholarship to Emilio Aguinaldo.

04:36 Was it right that you were a freshman for four years and then decided that a professional basketball career was not right for you?

04:51 Yes, that's right.

04:53 Where did you find out about shawarma? Was it in Bastika, Emilio Aguinaldo, or even younger?

05:08 When I was young, I tried it. It was not common. You can't buy it anywhere else.

05:21 I just never thought that if I saw it, I would force myself to buy shawarma.

05:32 Is it true that you were saving up for your studies?

05:41 Yes, when I was in college.

05:42 Did you like to eat it?

05:45 I liked it. I wanted it.

05:47 When you study, you only have enough money.

05:51 Typical student.

05:53 Typical student. When the barrier falls, you can't go home because I went home to Laguna.

06:04 During that time, were you also working? Or was it purely for allowance and scholarship?

06:12 It was for allowance. My grandparents were helping me for allowance.

06:19 I think I saw somewhere also, was it your uncle? Or your grandfather had a bakery?

06:25 Yes.

06:26 Who was it?

06:27 My grandfather was on my mother's side. They had a bakery. I saw how they made it.

06:38 Did you work there? Or did you have expectations for summer and vacation?

06:46 When you're young, you're curious and you want to learn.

06:55 But when I was young, I became an entrepreneur.

07:01 I was trained by my father.

07:03 We had a business of kinds of money.

07:12 Kiamuy, Dili's.

07:15 I was with them when they were getting stocks in Divisoria.

07:20 I was 3 years old when I opened there.

07:24 Then, New Year, we were getting flowers.

07:30 Then you sold them?

07:31 We sold them.

07:32 Did you have brothers and sisters? Or did you do it all by yourself with your father's help?

07:38 I have a big age gap with my sisters.

07:41 I see.

07:42 That's why I was always with them.

07:45 There were times when we opened a barber shop and shoe repair shop.

07:53 They made me a cashier at the age of 5 or 6 years old.

07:58 At first, they were with me.

08:02 But at the end, they stopped.

08:06 They let you go?

08:08 Yes, they let me go.

08:10 They even gave me inventory.

08:13 At first, I was like, "Why am I doing this? I should be playing."

08:19 I didn't understand.

08:22 After that, I got the money and I started selling.

08:28 I didn't know that I would be able to use it in the future.

08:33 That's why I joined the training that my parents gave me.

08:38 It helped you.

08:40 That's how I learned that I would be able to use it in the future.

08:44 Talk about a little bit your time with Emilio Ginaldo Generals.

08:49 You were sent to Dasmarinas Campus.

08:53 They have a Manila Campus and Dasmarinas.

08:57 He said you were a little depressed.

09:00 You realized that you should explore something else.

09:04 Could you talk about your transition?

09:06 How did you go in business?

09:12 You weren't married at the time?

09:14 Not yet.

09:16 Were you together with your wife already?

09:18 Not yet.

09:19 I quit working for Emilio Ginaldo Dasmarinas.

09:27 At that time, I was depressed.

09:32 I was away from home for 6 months.

09:36 I didn't have a day off.

09:39 I just watched a movie.

09:43 I think I watched all the movies.

09:47 I ate, slept, watched movies.

09:50 What year was this? 2014? 2013?

09:52 I think it was 2010 or 2011.

09:56 2010 or 2011.

09:58 At that time, I was away from home.

10:09 It was like a garage.

10:11 After more than 6 months.

10:13 There was a different light.

10:15 I don't know if that's what God gave me.

10:18 A new start.

10:20 So, there was a big gap.

10:22 From the time you stopped playing.

10:24 And when you started your business.

10:26 I think it was 2015.

10:28 2015.

10:29 So, tell me what happened with you.

10:30 Apparently, did you get married?

10:32 Did you do something else?

10:34 Did you meet someone else?

10:36 That's when I met my wife.

10:38 She handles decades bars in Metro.

10:45 Okay.

10:46 That's when I learned that she gave me a chance to learn how to run a business.

10:58 Okay.

10:59 What did you do for decades?

11:02 She had a problem with the cashier.

11:06 She was stealing.

11:08 So, you needed someone to trust.

11:10 That's when I learned how to be a bartender.

11:18 All around in business.

11:21 You know, we ran out of beer.

11:25 I would use our car.

11:28 I would buy it from a mini-stop.

11:30 I would bring the case.

11:33 That's when I learned how to do it.

11:37 So, you were able to use your training ground.

11:41 Yes, I was able to use my training ground.

11:42 So, how did you start?

11:48 The decades bar was closed.

11:52 Okay.

11:53 We were looking for a business for a long time.

12:03 We sold our house.

12:06 Was this in Laguna also?

12:08 No, in San Juan.

12:09 We lived in San Juan.

12:10 I see.

12:11 My wife and I sold our house.

12:17 That's when I started.

12:20 Your first bar?

12:21 Yes.

12:22 We sold it for 4 million.

12:25 We were running out of money.

12:28 We didn't have a franchise.

12:30 We thought of having a franchise.

12:33 Wapaw or Shomai.

12:37 It was funny.

12:40 My wife asked me about a Belgian waffle.

12:49 She didn't like the feeling.

12:53 She asked if it was okay if I changed the name.

12:56 We weren't content.

12:59 We weren't a qualified franchisee.

13:04 We weren't following the system.

13:09 We were looking for a place in Tutuban Night Market.

13:20 The capital was less.

13:22 There was no security deposit.

13:25 We were paying only advance rent.

13:28 When you're a startup, your capital is limited.

13:32 We tried to build a shawarma stall.

13:39 They were selling barbeque, fishball, and other things.

13:50 We were selling ten stalls.

13:55 We thought it would be different.

13:58 At first, no one was buying.

14:04 The price of the product was higher.

14:09 It was far.

14:10 For 10 pesos, you could eat at our place.

14:13 For us, it was 35 to 50 pesos.

14:18 It was raining.

14:22 The stocks were about to go down.

14:26 We thought we'd do it by take one.

14:33 It was sold out.

14:35 There was still some left.

14:39 We made money.

14:41 We tried again.

14:44 We saved up capital for another branch.

14:51 We applied for a job at Victory Mall.

14:55 We applied to a lot of malls.

15:00 We didn't know their requirements.

15:04 We didn't know how to make a perspective.

15:07 I was still studying.

15:12 There was no Photoshop yet.

15:14 There was only MS Paint.

15:16 I took a picture of the Jamaican party.

15:23 I edited it.

15:25 It was hard to get a perspective approved.

15:31 It's so funny when you remember those things.

15:34 [laughs]

15:35 [laughs]

15:36 [laughs]

15:43 (beep)

15:44 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Shawarma Shack’s humble beginnings | Business and Politics

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