By Sam Christopher Lim

Every man dreams of having his own family, and every father dreams of passing on his legacy.

For John Louis “Jay” Dongallo, his dream is all about his family’s happiness, security, and success. Dongallo has been in the banking industry for over two decades as a professional who has been involved in every aspect of the trade.

A husband and a father of two, he knows the value of hard work, perseverance, and wisdom, that is why he has invested his time and life in a stable career in the bank. But he wants more – not for himself, but for his family.

Dongallo dreams of being able to eternally take care of his family through a legacy in business, particularly in franchising. “Our goal is for the business to be a success naturally, and that it will help [our family] financially until [me and my wife] are no longer here,” he said.

Four steps into franchising

According to him, he and his wife have been looking for a business opportunity for a long time but they were very apprehensive of the risks. “We’ve always been cautious because this was money we could either have in a bank or money we could lose in a business,” he shared.

However, he knew that going into business is an excellent way to make his dream into reality. So, Dongallo and his wife took the courage and really invested their time to go through the process correctly.

This is what they did upon entering the world of franchising:

1. Think, think, and think.

“We couldn’t figure out what business we really wanted, but we knew it would be a food business,” said Dongallo after the many months and years that he and his wife took to really think their decision over.

In starting a business, they could either create a new business from scratch or franchise a tried and tested business. After a long time of deliberating, he said that they decided to go into franchising. “We decided that this [franchising] is what we want to do, but it took years of preparation and savings to get here”.

• Consult with the experts.

Dongallo shared that after they decided to go into franchising, they knew that they needed the help and guidance from the experts. “We decided that franchising is best, but we were still cautious as to what business to invest into. U-Franchise Sales and Management really helped us out,” he expressed.

He and his wife initially wanted to go for brands that were already popular among the masses but after research and consultation with U-Franchise, they realized how saturated the market is with these brands.

“So, we asked U-Franchise for their recommendation as this was our first business venture and we were being very cautious on who we should choose,” he said.

• Choose the right brand for you.

After doing their research and consulting with the experts, he and his wife decided to choose Pepa Wings over other food brands. “Pepa Wings really stood out not only because the concept is great but also because we saw how hands-on the franchisor and the rest of his team are,” he shared.

Dongallo added that they also loved the fact that Pepa Wings sources their products locally and their chicken wings taste superbly.

• Secure the site.

In terms of looking for a location to put up their store, he said that it all became simpler once they accomplished that. “We are opening our store in SM City Marikina hopefully by September 1 and our Grand Opening will be on September 3,” he shared. “We’re excited not only because this is our first venture but also for people to discover our unique taste and blend!”

Tips for fellow fathers and entrepreneurs

With the goal of taking care of his family, Dongallo believes and lives by these practices which he later on shared as tips for his fellow fathers and entrepreneurs out there:

• “Manage your finances well but keep focus on your family.
• Try not to be afraid of venturing into new opportunities, but also make sure you are prepared and willing to learn.
• Consider whether your family is ready to take on a business, because it will affect your [entire family]. They have to know that they are part of it, that there are a lot of things that can happen that may affect them. So, you need to consider those things before you decide, it is very scary and at the same time, exciting. Accept and understand the fears your family may have, consider solutions, and decide whether it’s the best thing to do or not.”

To Dongallo, his family has been the reason, the driving force, and the end goal for everything that he does. He takes pride in the fact that he belongs to a family where there is teamwork, respect, and love for each other. “We’re here now because we decided as a family that the benefits of opening our own business outweigh the risks and that we’re ready to face it together.”