Dannyka Manangan

Joel Torre shares what made him decide to pursue entrepreneurship two decades ago

Article (news)

E. Kristhoff Cagape

Push Team

<p>Joel Torre shared why he decided to venture into entrepreneurship. The actor owns a food business called JT&#x27;s Manukan Grille with several branches in the Philippines and three branches abroad.</p><p>In an interview with Karen Davila for her latest YouTube vlog, the actor recalled that he decided to be an entrepreneur two decades ago as he realized that show business would not be sustainable as he was getting older.</p><p>&quot;It was 23 years ago, kasi sabi ko sa wife ko, I&#x27;m not getting any younger kasi &#x27;yung shooting natin puyatan. Sabi ko baka hindi ko na kaya,&quot; he recounted. &quot;And sabi ko kailangan natin ng backup plan, kapag pagod na pagod na ako or hindi na ako in demand, at least meron tayong fallback position.&quot;</p><p>Joel relayed that they built their first branch in a small space. &quot;Nagtayo kami ng maliit lang, &#x27;yung hole in a wall. It started with seven tables and &#x27;yun na hindi ko naman akalain na it will grow into 40 branches,&quot; he shared.</p><p>When asked how much capital he invested on the first branch, he relayed: &quot;Around ₱250,000, twenty years ago. Plus construction na &#x27;yun. So I was working left and right... I did movies and then TV para lang magkaroon ako ng puhunan. Bumabale pa ako sa producer [sabi ko], &#x27;I need more kasi kailangan ko pa,&#x27; kasi pa-construct pa kami ng pa-construct. So nakakatuwa in a matter  siugro of 3 or 4 months, we were able to get our return of investment. &quot;</p><div><a href="https://youtu.be/BIu7RiuaFgA?si=6yaEqVnxalK8nn9P"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BIu7RiuaFgA" title="JOEL TORRE: BILYONARYO NA With JT MANUKAN’s 42 BRANCHES? | Karen Davila Ep218" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></a></div><div></div><p>The actor did not expect though that as he turned older, more acting projects came his way. &quot;What&#x27;s funny as I aged, mas dumami &#x27;yung project ko as an actor so I am so thankful, I am so grateful na things happen my way, dahil siguro mahal tayo ng nasa itaas so binigay din &#x27;yung kung anong nararapat ngayon sa atin.&quot;</p><p>But he stressed that fame has its end, hence he wanted to secure his future through entrepreneurship.</p><p>&quot;[Biggest misconception on showbiz] na it&#x27;s a glamorous life, na lahat ng artista akala nila, well mayaman. Tsaka magastos din &#x27;pag artista. There&#x27;s a lifestyle that they have to depend on pero nakita ko &#x27;yun sa mga idols ko before, nanghihingi ng tulong. Sabi ko ayaw kong maranasan &#x27;yan. Sabi ko, I have to secure a future kasi hindi naman lahat ng oras pwede baka tayong mag-artista. Parang tingin ko sa fame, parang eroplano lang, tapos maglalanding ulit &#x27;yan, hindi &#x27;yan lagi na nasa taas ka so you have to put your feet on the ground. You really have to have a strong foundation, that&#x27;s how I see it. Kahit anong mangyari sa&#x27;yo hindi ka matitibag.&quot;</p><div></div>