Those venturing for the first time into business will find that franchising offers many options that would allow an individual to begin at an initial small capital. For a newbie in this field, franchising is low-risk but, under efficient management, can grow exponentially.

No one can prove this more than the Franchise Kings Jonathan So and Carlito Macadangdang.

In their early 20s in 2006, So and Macadangdang started their siomai business with a capital of P20,000 pesos each.

"We are so grateful because we never expected it to become this successful," said So in Filipino.

"All we ever wanted was to work, to earn because we needed the money to spend for our families and, of course, for ourselves," added Macadangdang.

Recently, the two young guns held the "Mega Opening" of their own House of Franchise offices at 35 Shaw Boulevard, Pasig City.

One-stop shop

The new JC and House of Franchise offices are decorated in friendly and Instagrammable decor embedded with the company's history on their walls to showcase the success story.

The two-storey building was built to serve as a one-stop shop for potential franchisees or a food court style place that showcases all of its brands like Siomai King, Mang Boks, Potato King, Sgt. Sisig, Burger Factory, Noodle House, and Boy Bondat. Completing the success of the two is the Toktok franchise showroom.

Franchise orientations, held three times a week, are held at the House of Franchise.

"We have seen single mothers and people with disabilities make a lot of money just by joining our family of franchisees. It is all up to you. As I always say, whether rain or shine, show up and work hard," shared So.

"Kailangang ilapit yung oportunidad sa mas nakakarami (We need to make opportunities more accessible to many). We built House of Franchise because this livelihood should not be kept; we pray more people would learn about is and what we do so that more Filipinos will experience the same kind of blessings and earnings. So, please, come and visit us," Macadangdang said.

Opportunities and innovations

At the height of the pandemic, So and Macadangdang expanded their food brands from Siomai King to include Mang Boks, Potato King, Sgt. Sisig, Burger Factory, Noodle House, and Boy Bondat, as well as their recently developed delivery app, Toktok.

"The foundation of this building, the House of Franchise, came from the perseverance of our franchisees and customers, especially during the pandemic. Ingenuity plus technology, that hybrid Pbusiness system, is the thrust of our brand, the House of Franchise," said So.

As the brand expands, so do the livelihood opportunities it provides to Filipinos through their online service platforms.

"Your business opportunity is just a click away; it is online. You can get your own business, order your products, and deliver to your customers with just one app, one system, under the House of Franchise," he added.

The competitive franchise business venture built by the young tycoons allows business aspirants to choose between physical or virtual franchise stores.

Excellence and continuity

"Napapanahon at napapamana, diba kasi kahit wala na tayo, may siomai pa rin, may Siomai King pa rin. 'Yun ang learning namin, sa paggawa ng franchise," So said.

So underscored the business' legacy, stating that a business should be able to keep up with trends while also being something that can be passed down, striking a balance between being timely and being timeless.

Toktok, despite being a newbie in the competitive world of delivery apps, gained the 2021 best and fastest courier franchise delivery service business at the Golden Globe Awards for Business Excellence.
Meanwhile, Siomai King continues to be the Franchise Company of the Year from 2020-2021.

Lastly, JC, another company that So and Macadangdang manage, was also recognized as Health and Wellness Company in 2021 by the Asia Leaders Awards.