STAYING COOL … THE BCBP WAY

By Bong Pelaez, BCBP Cagayan de Oro

Stay Cooler,Inc. – INCORPORATORS/Owners (group picture)Seated (left to right) – Cons, Teng, and. Onard Standing (left to right) – Roy, Jun, Oriel, Cielo(+), and Kokoy

In 2004, eight male members of the BCBP CDO West decided to group together and tried their luck in the Carwash, a trendy and booming business, naming it STAY COOL CARWASH. The establishment is at Barangay Nazareth, Cagayan de Oro City, strategically located near government offices and middle class residence.
Initial capital needed was Php 300,000 or Php 37,000 per investor.

NOW, the present asset of the company is Php 5,000,000 with the acquired lot (400sqm @php 10,000/sqm) constituting the bulk of the asset. The original eight investors are currently seven with one deceased brother (Cielo Saliot) substituted by his spouse (Maddy) and one selling out to the group.

My Manly Challenge for this month will dispel the myth that says: “the easy way to lose a friend is to go into business together”. My (BFP for Bong F. Pelaez) interview will be with Teng Sazon, Stay Cool President
and Roy Dablo, Managing Director.

BFP: Teng, describe briefly the DNA or profile of your business partners.

TENG:
Cons Arce – SM CDO assistant mall manager.
Teng – currently GAB ( Games and Amusement Board) official and Chairman/President of the Oro Stay Cooler, Inc.
Onard Salva – former universal bank manager.
Roy Dablo – aka as half-brother of the group because of his BCBP half commitment; Managing Director of Stay Cooler, Inc.
Jun Romanillos – my brother-in-law; worked in the Middle East.
Oriel Waga – mechanical engineer and engaged in water drilling as a contractor and supplier.
Cielo Saliot (+) – industrial chemical supplier. Wife sits in the board.
Kokoy Rojas – sold his share to the group and invested in poultry.

BFP – Roy, what was the main reason for your group to go into this business?
Roy – We invited our BCLP 16 graduates to venture into the Carwash business but only (Cielo, Jun, Cons, and Kokoy) five of us were receptive plus three other brothers. The rest that were invited did not believe that it would succeed…sorry na lang sila… Pinalampas nila ang grasya ni Lord.

BFP – What was the initial problem encountered and the solution?
Teng – We started with no operating system since we all had our own work BUT our Business meeting had the format of the AGM. This AGM format was eventually cascaded to our employees, twice a month.
Roy – For one year, I took the role as Cashier, Manager, and GRO with a Php 3,500 salary… I did it for love and saw other business opportunities such as selling real estate properties, and cars. I met public officials and influential people of CDO as clients. As manager, I faced high turn over of employees and could not depend on the BCBP members’ patronage.

BFP – What is your future business plan?
Roy – We are now negotiating the property across, a former car wash that went bankrupt. The property is around 400 sqm ideal for a mini-arcade or a ladies dormitory.

BFP – What are the key ingredients to your group’s success?
Roy – (1) Spouses are not involved in decision making.
(2) Money invested in the business is as good as gone…”walang sisihan”
BUT God is Good…we saw the multiplication of the bread in our business.

Managing Director Roy Dablo with Lumbago Touch Massage Clinic attendants

BFP – What are the shared blessings?
Roy – One of our tenants, Lumbago Touch Massage Clinic,Inc. is owned by two BCBP brothers. I am their consultant for two years now. They average 15 to 20 clients a day in their 15 sqm (Php 6,000/mo) rented space and are earning an average Php 4,500 a day.

BFP – Will you remain a BCBP half brother?
Roy – Yes a half brother of the BCBP BUT my spirit is full time with God…and that is the secret of why we succeed.