From a Yellow Study Table to the CEO Seat

Have you ever looked back and realized that the smallest moments — the ones you thought didn’t matter — were actually shaping who you are today?

I didn’t know it back then, but my story started with a yellow study table, the smell of freshly baked bread, and a kid’s curiosity about earning money. At that time, I had no idea what the word “CEO” even meant. But now, as I lead my own startup, I can finally see it — every little decision, every side hustle, every childhood dream was a dot leading me here.

This is my story.

The Yellow Study Table

I can still picture it vividly.

Elementary years. My parents had just been entrusted with managing my grandparents’ bakery business. Bata pa lang ako, maaga na akong nagigising — not because I had to, but because I wanted to. I loved reviewing my lessons at dawn. For some reason, mas effective yung utak ko kapag madaling-araw ako nag-aaral.

Sa mga oras na iyon, nagsisimula na ring mag-bake ng tinapay yung mga panadero namin. The smell of freshly baked bread would fill the house, and I’d sit at my yellow study table — a simple one my Papa built for me. That table wasn’t just furniture; it was my little command center. May compartment pa sa ilalim where I kept my books, school projects, and other materials.

And as I write this, I can still remember the feeling I had sitting there. I felt empowered. Organized. Like I was preparing for something bigger — though I didn’t know what it was yet.

The Bread, the Bench, and the First Spark

Around 4:30 AM, before school, I’d sometimes help Papa and Mama sell bread to our customers. I loved handing them their orders, receiving their payments, and placing the cash inside this small, customized cash register table we had.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but that was the first spark — the start of my love affair with earning money. Not the money itself, but the idea of earning it. There’s something thrilling about creating value and getting rewarded for it.

The 50-Centavos Business

Early 1990s. Uso pa noon ang komiks.

I honestly can’t remember how it started, but one day, I told my parents I wanted to rent out comics and magazines. My dad built me a wooden magazine stand with metal wires where I could hang the items. Sinasamahan pa ako sa palengke nina Mama at Papa para bumili ng bagong komiks, magazines, at newspapers na ipaparenta ko.

Alam mo yung amoy ng bagong print na papel? I loved it. For me, it meant fresh stories, new adventures — and new customers. I rented them out for 50 centavos each.

We placed my stand near a long wooden brown-painted bench outside the bakery. Customers would grab bread, sit on the bench, read komiks, and drink softdrinks. A perfect setup. Since I had to be at school the whole day, sina Papa, Mama, or our kasambahay would look after the stand.

On average, I was earning ₱30 per day. And for a 7-year-old kid in the early 90s, that felt huge.

Salutatorian, Tutoring, Feeding programs, and selling

I didn’t know it back then, but I was naturally drawn to teaching and sharing knowledge. At school, I was an A-Child student and eventually graduated salutatorian. After classes, I’d invite some of my classmates over to our house to tutor them in my little study area. I charged 75 centavos each — may libre pang merienda, courtesy of the bakery. Hahaha.

Around the same time, uso pa rin noon ang feeding programs sa public schools. I remember lining up for free meals kahit hindi naman ako malnourished. Those were the years when the government, under leaders like Juan Flavier, invested heavily in children’s health and wellness. Looking back, I feel lucky to have grown up in a time when both my parents and the government prioritized our well-being as kids. It’s one of those little dots I now connect — caring for people early on may have shaped how I wanted to lead my team and my company.

Aside from tutoring, my dad would also buy novelty items, which I would resell to my classmates. At that time, I didn’t know anything about business models or “buy-and-sell.” All I knew was that I loved the idea of earning money independently. Every small experiment gave me confidence, showing me that I could create value on my own.

The Lego and the Dreams I Drew

There were days when I’d sit alone at my yellow study table, drawing buildings and imagining myself inside them. My dad once gave me my first Lego set, and I would spend hours building structures, tearing them down, and rebuilding them better.

I didn’t know what a CEO was yet, but in my imagination, I was leading something inside those buildings I drew. I didn’t know exactly what I was leading, but I knew I wanted to create, build, and make things happen.

And now, years later, sitting here as the CEO of my own startup, it all makes sense.

Nakakakilabot. Nakaka-amaze.

The “dots” from my childhood are connecting. And it reminds me of what Steve Jobs once said:

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”

For Those Feeling Lost

If you’re reading this and you’re feeling unsure about where you’re headed, I see you. I’ve been there. And honestly, I still experience it sometimes.

But here’s what I’ve learned: don’t be afraid of uncertainty. Instead, focus on your “Why.”

If you haven’t figured it out yet, that’s okay. But don’t spend your entire life waiting to discover it. Sometimes, you have to create your Why. Right now. Regardless of your age.

Your Why should feel scary. It should make your heart race just thinking about how you’re going to achieve it. Because if it doesn’t, it’s not big enough.

And if you’re in a phase where you feel lost, stuck, or unsure — know this: you’re not alone.

Drop by the comment section and say hi. I’d love to hear your story, too.

my final Thoughts

Looking back, it wasn’t just about selling bread, renting komiks, or tutoring classmates. It was about planting seeds — tiny experiences that shaped the way I see business, leadership, and life today.

From my yellow study table to this very moment, the journey has been full of twists, doubts, and unexpected dots. But here I am, connecting them one by one.

And if you’re still figuring out yours, trust me:
Your dots will connect, too.