There’s something about listening to a 20-something dream about becoming a CEO by age 30 that brings out extremes in people.
Franco Mesina is a classic example, and he is probably used to getting the full range of reactions from admiration to rejection. The far right side of the spectrum — pessimism from other people or even outright rejection of his dreams — don’t seem to have any effect on him.
Even before he graduated from college, Franco has already set up a water-refilling station business with his dad. But while the business flourished, he had no plans of stopping there. With his girlfriend Abby, he stumbled on a business opportunity when they met an importer/exporter of equipment for water refilling stations. They convinced the businessman to take a chance on them, thus the birth of a new company with a business to business (B2B) strategy, aiming to be a major supplier of good-quality equipment for water stations and institutional clients all over the country.
The way Franco declared his goals of becoming a CEO of a nationwide water company by age 30 – that’s less than 10 years from now – makes one think that meeting the big businessman who gave him and his girlfriend a break was not a happy coincidence. He looked like someone who make things happen with sheer determination.
Franco and Abby are now busy with three fledgling companies – a supplier of water refilling station equipment, Icylicious (snow cones from clean water) and a packaging company. If you want to vote for Franco and Abby to be one of eight groups of business owners who will get advice from Willy Arcilla for one year, just comment on this article ☺
Read about contender number one, No Slipping Inc.’s Wilson Sy, here.
Read about the first plenary session in my two blog previous posts here and here.
Click here to watch a video of Franco and Abby.
March 22nd, 2008 at 3:51 am
You have all the ingredients to be successful: vision/goal, determination, experience, education, experience, etc. plus strong support from family and friends. That’s cool. All the best.
March 22nd, 2008 at 3:09 am
Franco & Abby,
When I met you guys in 2006 at the Kamayan Restaurant in Makati, it struck me that at your young age, you already exhibit self confidence. CEO or not, you seem to have what it takes to succeed in life. Come to think of it, you already have what it takes to be a happy person—you MOM.
March 21st, 2008 at 11:34 am
Wow !! what an amazing ambition !!!
One key to succeed is liking and enjoying what you do. It takes time, energy and effort to climb that ladder of success.
Go slowly but surely.
No doubt, you can make it. You will be there on top as a CEO.
Most of all, I wish you both good luck and looking forward on your BIG SUCCESS in this business partnership.
March 21st, 2008 at 2:11 am
Keep it up, Franco & Abby. Hardwork, perserverance, and the having good and honest ties with people will help you succeed in life. Wishing you the best. (If I may say, Franco looks exactly like her Mom and he inherited her charms and intelligence.
March 20th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
It is not so hard to pick out the outstanding qualities of young very enterprising people like Franco & girlfriend Abby. With his clear goals, backed by his natural determination to succeed and of course the equally important support of his girlfriend, Franco has simply become so close to his dreams. Good luck & I wish you all the success.