David Licauco as a Businessman: His Struggles, Dreams, and Plans

Many celebrities capitalize on their stardom to succeed outside of show business. These enterprising personalities have been known to use their names to promote their own brand or company, so they can generate income, even when they're not in front of the cameras.

David Licauco refuses to be one of them. The Filipino actor, who rose to fame after hit series Maria Clara at Ibarra, is also making strides as an entrepreneur, running various businesses on the sidelines—from food and beverage to fitness and even construction. But as Licauco tells us, he doesn’t want his brands to be known just because of his name.

“I try to veer away from [making it look like], ‘Oh, it’s David's business,’ because they have to stand on their own,” Licauco says during an interview with Esquire Philippines. “We need to work on and market the products that we sell.”

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Licauco’s entrepreneurial roots go way back. His beginnings as an entrepreneur were all about franchising restaurants with his mother more than a decade ago. Now, the actor owns various food and beverage concepts—including Sobra Café, an all-day dining concept in Alabang; as well as Kuya Korea, a semi-fast food chain with two branches in Quezon City and Pampanga. Licauco, a certified foodie, says he did not think twice about starting to build his portfolio with food businesses.

“I think it’s because [there’s] an instant satisfaction [from seeing customers enjoying the food]. Matutuwa ka, eh (You'll be delighted),” says Licauco. “Restaurant businesses [are] super competitive. I would say it’s one of the hardest businesses anyone can get into, but I love the challenge.”

He continues, “I’m here already, so I’m just doing my best.” And the Kapuso star wasn’t kidding. Asked where he sees his food businesses in the next decade, Licauco did not even flinch when he answered “all over the Philippines.” He says he specifically wants Kuya Korea to be in the same level as other popular fast food chains in the country.

“Of course, Jollibee and McDonald’s are there; I wanna be one of them, hopefully. I mean, it’s better to dream big than small,” Licauco says. “For Sobra [Café], I want it to be strategic; I don’t want it to be all over the Philippines—maybe [just] in key areas, as far as Cebu.”

Licauco, surely, is a go-getter. There’s no stopping the 30-year-old celebrity entrepreneur from growing his portfolio even more. He’s already set his sights on another venture—this time in the beauty industry. According to Licauco, he will be launching a beauty drip product line, Beauty Coffee, “very soon.”

What kind of businessman is David Licauco?

“I would say, in meetings, I am the last one to talk,” Licauco starts. “I just listen to their sentiments, ideas, and proposals.” He then goes on to admit he usually doesn’t resolve everything in one sitting; rather, he takes time to think about it “because every business decision matters.”

But when it comes to getting actual work done, Licauco is very hands-on. He mans his businesses himself whenever he has the chance; and he’s one of only few celebrities who does so, because let’s face it, it’s not easy to juggle two different, time-consuming professions. For Licauco, his hectic schedule is just the tip of the iceberg. Unlike when he started out in 2020, he says he’s now “in a state where the problems and challenges I encounter every day are getting bigger and bigger.” But the celebrity businessman is still holding out pretty well, thanks to his “good team.”

“It’s hard, of course, given my schedule. But [I’m also learning] how to delegate work, because before, I prefer to do everything on my own,” shares Licauco. “I think, now that I have a team, there is another layer of motivation because I want them to succeed. [….] I wanna give back their hard work and [the] trust that they put in my [companies].”

If there’s one thing the actor-model learned from his entrepreneurial career, it’s to never hesitate to take the leap since running a business is “a never-ending learning curve,” anyway. He sees the value of learning to be more understanding and considerate of his teammates, too, which is why he’s working on improving himself.

“There is no perfect [business]. You just really have to launch it. You will learn along the way,” Licauco says.

“Number two, I always try my best to empathize with my business partners, [so everybody will be happy],” he adds. “My objective is to be a better leader, so the people I’m working with will be inspired to work. And, of course, that will [bring] dividends to my [businesses].”

For aspiring entrepreneurs, here's what David Licauco has to say:

No. 1: Study every day.

No. 2: You just have to do it. 

No. 3: Don’t be afraid to fail. If you don’t do it, you lose more.

No. 4: Find a good team. I think it’s very important. I used to want to do everything myself, but actually, it will come to a point where you would need the help of good people.

Finally, when things get tough, it’s best to just go back to your “why.” It will all be worth it, eventually.

“It’s fun having your own brand—seeing ‘this is how I started, and now, we’re here,’” describes Licauco. “Kahit mahirap, kung mahal natin, gagawa tayo ng paraan (Even when it’s hard, if we love what we’re doing, we’ll find a way).”