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.
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Wilson Sy is in love with entrepreneurship. He loves to work with ideas and he loves putting these ideas to the test. But he is also smart enough to see a business mentoring activity as an opportunity to “see what’s out there” that can help him up the ante a little bit more.

Currently, he is nurturing two companies: the master franchisor for Swisher, which offers professional deep cleaning of toilet fixtures, toilet bowls, urinals and sinks. He says his company’s goal is to elevate the standards of restroom hygiene in the country. You’ve probably seen some of his products in malls around Metro Manila. To add more value to the company’s services, the company also provides soap dispensers, and air fresheners. (No, he is not related to the former Philippine Stock Exchange chairman who goes by the same name).

His new company, No More Slipping Inc., sells safety chemicals for floors, toilets, kitchen, malls or any slippery surface to prevent accidents. The company name presents an amusing challenge: people think it’s “No More Sleeping, Inc.” Umm, “anti-sleeping” will be quite a challenge to sell! But Wilson is not about to give up, believing deeply that Filipinos will benefit from putting safety first.

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