More than just a talented actor and model, David Licauco is the businessman whose success hangs prominently on the horizon.
When you think of the most physically striking men in the showbiz industry today, one of the first few celebrities who come into mind will be Kapuso star David Licauco. It’s not uncommon anymore to see his ripped body in various billboards across EDSA, on social media, and even on the runway of Bench Fashion Week. In fact, he has already graced the cover of MEGA Man headlining our April 2018’s Best Bodies.
While this may be, there’s a tendency for people’s perception of him to overshadow who he truly is. Because even if he has successfully carved out his image as one of this generation’s sexiest, David has this immense willpower to showcase not only his acting and modeling skills, but his real business acumen as well.
What others might not know is that the star has already put up a handful of businesses already—from a gym facility, milk tea shop, and franchised a Chinese restaurant, to name a few. And for his latest business venture, the inspiration came from his passion which is health, fitness, and helping people achieve a holistic lifestyle.
In this exclusive with MEGA Man, he shares, “It started with my family and close circle. My friends would always ask me advice on how to lose weight and what workouts they should do.” While he would generously give them tips and create programs for them, we all can’t deny the fact that it’s still hard to maintain the right discipline you need to exercise regularly and more importantly sticking to your diet. Hence, this led him to have that light bulb moment, which is his perfect solution to be consistent in living a holistic lifestyle.
Meet ANI
Armed with a degree in Business Management from De La Salle University, David Licauco wanted to create another business endeavor that covers all aspects of health and wellness, both of which being his core passions. So, this led him to to the birth of his recently-launched online health-commerce portal, As Nature Intended Philippines (ANI).
“From the get-go, it was really all about filling the gaps, the vision is to make healthy living easy. To change the common misconception of people that being healthy is hard—a true testament to that is me, during the earlier stages of my fitness journey,” the chinito heartthrob admits. At the onset, he thought that being healthy was all about restricting yourself and only eating bland, non-tasty food. However, the food industry is constantly evolving with new trends, and that’s exactly what he wants to share with everybody.
“We have big plans for ANI,” David claims. “In essence, ANI is designed to be a one-stop-shop for all things health and wellness. We believe that if we stick to our vision, the business comes after. My partner, Alec Chua, and I want to reintroduce what it means to live a healthy lifestyle in this day and age.”
That’s why upon the first glance of ANI’s website, you’ll instantly be welcomed by several categories that many of health, beauty, and fitness enthusiasts would go crazy for. They have a wide range of products that they sell which aren’t much readily available in the Philippine market—from the Ordinary, Aztec face mask, Keto ice cream, protein cookies, to various supplements. So, the e-commerce platform is really all about harnessing a one-stop destination for all things healthy.
That Leap of Faith
Due to the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic that has led to a global economic recession, countless companies have already shut down its operations, if not laid off dozens of its employees. But while this may be the current scenario, David Licauco understood that pursuing a new business endeavor will always have a risk, and it’s up to you if you’ll take that leap of faith.
“It definitely is hard. Apart from the fact that there are things we are not sure of and we are under restrictions, starting a business in a time of crisis doesn’t feel wise. But there are voids that we believe we can fill right now. The keyword is to adapt,” he explains. “I believe that in every crisis comes with the same amount of opportunity. Some of my businesses are down because of the pandemic, but on the other end of the spectrum, there are other businesses that can earn and scale. I feel that it is all a matter of working our way to the ‘new normal.’ That’s why we know digitization is the way to go.”
Moreover, David’s family also served as his stepping stone into having this great business prowess. “I have always been interested in entrepreneurship. I was heavily influenced by my dad, who up to this day is still as motivated as he was back then,’ he shares. And one of the learnings he always reminds himself is to pursue things that he holds close to his heart. That’s why developing ANI as his new endeavor came naturally for him. “It was a big ‘why not?‘ moment for me, and I’m proud that my partner and I managed to pull this off.”
Now, with all of these triumphant ventures he has already brought into his own reality, David cannot neglect the fact that all of his successes were also because of his dedication and commitment to his showbiz career. “I must admit it isn’t as easy as everybody thinks it is. I devoted myself to the craft, attending almost 10 hours of acting workshops a day. I was watching movies non-stop and worked on my overall personal development. So, whatever I have right now, they weren’t given—it was earned.”
True enough, regardless if he may look like your quintessential Millennial, he has proved over time that he is more than just a pretty face, because deep within him is real passion and perseverance to attain success that he rightfully deserves. “I believe that anybody who puts in dedication, hard work, and passion can achieve anything,” he says definitively.
Start your healthy journey now by grabbing your essentials at asnatureintended.ph. Follow them on Instagram @asnatureintendedph as well for more information and updates.
