Top Entrepreneurs

1.
Henry Sy (Shoe Mart)

Shoe Mart, or SM for short, is one of the country’s
retail behemoths, and far more than just a mall.
It is now a well-loved institution of which many

Filipino families hold fond memories. It provides a
wide range of services, including shopping,
theatres, locations for date nights, parties and
other special occasions, ice skating, and food
courts. SM started modestly and from humble
beginnings, despite its now upmarket reputation.
Henry Sy grew up in Jinjang, Xiamen, China, in a

low-income household. Due to the challenges in
their home country, they moved to the Philippines
in 1936 and opened a tiny convenience shop in
Manila.
Shortly after, World War II broke out and ruined

the family business. Sy, on the other hand,
continued to pursue his entrepreneurial interests
by selling worn military combat boots and other
items to American soldiers. This is where the
name “Shoe Mart” originates: it was Manila’s first
shoe store at the time. Despite being unable to
find vendors that could make the shoes he
wanted, Sy persisted.
2. Tony Tan Caktiong (Jollibee Foods)
The cheerful tagline “langhap sarap” – a Jollibee
trademark – is well-known among Filipinos.
Tony Tan Caktiong, another Chinese immigrant, is

the brains behind this popular food chain. His
family maintained a Chinese restaurant in Manila
at the time, which enabled him to finish college.
He bought an ice cream shop in 1975, but owing

to low sales, he decided to add other items such
as fried chicken, fries, and burgers. Customers
came to the store to buy his products after word
spread in his area.
3. Socorro Ramos (National Book Store)
Socorro Ramos began her career in publishing
and retail as a salesgirl in a bookshop. With a
capital of PHP200, she and her husband launched
National Book Store in Escolta at the age of 19,
selling books and school supplies to children. The
Japanese imposed censorship on books and
publications at the time, which included her
burgeoning business. She and her husband
supplemented their income by selling other
products such as candles and soaps.
The Ramoses built a nine-story structure along

Avenida, after the postwar boom brought
increased revenue for the company. Ramos
adopted a hands-on approach to running her
business, even designing the company’s logo
herself.
The National Book Store now has around 3,000

employees. At the age of 98, Socorro Ramos is
worth an estimated USD3.1 billion, making her one
of the country’s richest people.
4. Edgar Sia (Mang Inasal)
Edgar Sia, the brains behind Mang Inasal, is
widely regarded as the Philippines’ pioneer in
limitless rice meals.
Sia, who is native to Iloilo City, dropped out of

college at the age of 19 to start his own laundry
and photo-developing business. Sia, then 26 years
old, decided to launch the fast-food restaurant
Mang Inasal – meaning “Mr. Barbecue” in his
native Hiligaynon – in 2003. In his hometown, the
first branch was erected in a mall parking lot.
The restaurant was a huge success. Jolibee’s

Tony Caktiong bought Mang Inasal for PHP5
billion after hearing about Sia’s growing business.
Sia invested the proceeds from the sale of Mang
Inasal into banking and healthcare. He is the
country’s youngest billionaire, at the age of 42.
5. Mariano Que (Mercury Drug)
Following WWII, Mariano Que discovered a
commercial opportunity. Que, who had worked at
a local drugstore before the war, opened his own
drugstore when he noticed the demand for sulfa, a
type of antibiotic used to treat bacterial illnesses.
He began selling good-quality sulfa for a low price.

As a result, he was able to expand his clientele. In
1945, he founded the Mercury Drug chain of
pharmacies.
Mercury Drug was named after the Roman god

Mercury, who was known for his speed as well as
for originating the medical industry’s symbol, the
caduceus. He helped the company grow over time,
and it is today one of the best-known drugstores in
the country.
6. Henry Ford (Ford Motor Company)
Henry Ford did not invent the automobile. He was

one of a group working on motorcars and,
arguably, not even the best of them. However,
these competitors were selling their cars for a
price that made the car a luxury of the rich. 7
Ford put America–not just the rich–on wheels,
and unleashed the power of mass production. His
Ford Model T was the first car to cater to most
Americans.8 Ford's progressive labor policies and
his constant drive to make each car better, faster,
and cheaper made certain that his workers and
everyday Americans would think Ford (F) when
they shopped for a car.9
7. Walt Disney (The Walt Disney Company)
The 1920s found Walt Disney on the verge of

creating a cultural juggernaut. A gifted animator
for an advertising company, Disney began
creating his own animated shorts in a studio
garage.14 Disney created a character inspired by
the mice that roamed his office, Mickey Mouse,
and made him the hero of "Steamboat Willie" in
1928.15
The commercial success of Mickey Mouse
allowed Disney to create a cartoon factory with
teams of animators, musicians, and artists. Disney
turned that mouse into several amusement parks,
feature-length animations, and
a merchandising bonanza. After his death, the
growth has continued making Disney (DIS), and
his mouse, the founders of the largest media
company on earth.14
8. Bill Gates (Microsoft Corporation)
When people describe Bill Gates, they usually

come up with "rich", "competitive" and "smart." Of
the three traits, it's Gates' competitive nature that
has carved out his fortune. Not only did he fight
and win the operating system (OS) and internet
browser wars, but Gates stored up the profits that
came with the victories–and Microsoft's
dominance–to fund future fights and
ventures. The Xbox is just one of the many
16
sideline businesses that the massive war

chest has funded.17
The fact is that Microsoft's cash and Gates'
reluctance to pay it out is a big part of what saw
the company through hard times and funded
expansion in good times.
9. Steve Jobs (Apple)
Steve Jobs co-founded Apple (AAPL), one of the

only tech companies to offer a significant
challenge to Microsoft's dominance. In contrast to
Gates' methodical expansion, Jobs' influence on
Apple was one of creative bursts. Apple was a
computer company when Jobs returned to it. Now,
the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad are the engines
of growth that have pushed Apple past the once
unassailable Microsoft.18 In 2010, Apple
surpassed Microsoft's market cap for the first
time.19 As of 2019, there are more than 500 million
Apple customers worldwide.
10. Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook)

Born on May 14th, 1984, Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is
an American computer programmer and Internet
entrepreneur. He is one of the famous
businessman in the world. He is the chairman,
chief executive officer (CEO), and co-founder
of Facebook, now rebranded as Meta. Since his
adulthood Mark was keen to take up his future as
a smart, influential and famous entrepreneur. As of
2017, his net worth is estimated to be the US $128
billion, ranking him as the 5th richest person in the
world.
Facebook was launched by Zuckerberg from
Harvard’s dormitory rooms on February 4, 2004.
He was aided by his college roommates and fellow
Harvard University students Eduardo Saverin,
Dustin Moskovitz, Andrew McCollum, and Chris
Hughes. The group then introduced Facebook to
other college campuses. Mark is among the most
famous entrepreneurs in the world. Time
magazine has named Zuckerberg among the 100
wealthiest and most influential people in the world
as a part of its Person of the Year distinction since
2010.

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1.

Henry Sy (Shoe Mart)

It is now a well-loved institution of which many

Henry Sy grew up in Jinjang, Xiamen, China, in a

Shortly after, World War II broke out and ruined

Tony Tan Caktiong, another Chinese immigrant, is

He bought an ice cream shop in 1975, but owing

The Ramoses built a nine-story structure along

The National Book Store now has around 3,000

Sia, who is native to Iloilo City, dropped out of

The restaurant was a huge success. Jolibee’s

He began selling good-quality sulfa for a low price.

Mercury Drug was named after the Roman god

Henry Ford did not invent the automobile. He was

7. Walt Disney (The Walt Disney Company)

The 1920s found Walt Disney on the verge of

8. Bill Gates (Microsoft Corporation)

When people describe Bill Gates, they usually

sideline businesses that the massive war

9. Steve Jobs (Apple)

Steve Jobs co-founded Apple (AAPL), one of the

10. Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook)

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