The inspiring story of Ralph Layco and New Bold University

The Manila Times

The inspiring story of Ralph Layco and New Bold University  Ralph Layco, a young man born and raised in General Santos, was fortunate to have a father like Hector who operated a successful steel fabrication business. Growing up under the guidance of his father, Ralph learned the value of passion and determination in achieving one's goals. These lessons would eventually inspire him to create New Bold University, a concept born out of his own personal experiences and the realization that many others shared similar needs.  Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe   Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net   Subscribe to Business Franchise Guru: https://www.youtube.com/@BusinessFranchiseGuru   Follow us:  Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook  Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram  Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter  DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion    Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital    Check out our Podcasts:  Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify  Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts  Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic  Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer  Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein   #TheManilaTimes  #philippines #entrepreneur

Transcript

00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:03 The Business Mentor Talks is vlog by no other,

00:10 Armando Butz Bartolome.

00:12 In cooperation with the Manila Times,

00:15 it aims to bring to life and recognize entrepreneurs

00:19 who constantly strive to create a living for the community

00:22 as well.

00:23 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:26 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:30 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:33 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:37 [MUSIC PLAYING]

01:05 Listen to the Business Mentor Talks with Butz Bartolome.

01:08 [MUSIC PLAYING]

01:12 Morning.

01:15 We woke up a young entrepreneur.

01:19 He is so busy, but he can't say no to my invitation.

01:24 So again, it's a very, very interesting--

01:26 [SPEAKING IN TAGALOG]

01:28 --because we have a young man whose aim is

01:30 to help the young entrepreneurs.

01:32 And he started a very, very dynamic out of the box.

01:37 They call it New Bold University, NBU.

01:40 So without further ado, let me introduce to you

01:43 Mr. Ralph Laco.

01:44 Ralph, good morning.

01:46 Good Sunday to you.

01:47 How are you today?

01:48 Good morning, Tito Butz.

01:51 I love your energy.

01:52 [SPEAKING IN TAGALOG]

01:57 We've been working together more actively 10 years ago.

02:00 And the way you were before and the way you are now,

02:03 it's as if nothing changed.

02:04 So thank you for having me, Tito.

02:06 I will never say no to an invitation from you.

02:09 Right, right.

02:09 Thank you, Ralph.

02:10 But anyway, Ralph, what really made you an entrepreneur?

02:14 What did you see in yourself that--

02:17 [SPEAKING IN TAGALOG]

02:22 What is in Ralph's character that really propelled you

02:26 to become an entrepreneur, Ralph?

02:30 The truth about this, Tito, is even

02:32 if I say that because I have curiosity about things,

02:38 it's really because I saw this first with my dad.

02:41 So when I was young, he always brings me to the shops.

02:45 My dad, Hector Laco, still young then, like you.

02:50 Very young, but it never stops.

02:52 Oh, never aging, no?

02:54 Never aging.

02:55 I don't know, with kids and a new wife, having a great family.

03:01 See, dad, when we were young, he built his own business

03:06 around steel.

03:08 And it was in a beginning phase.

03:10 I remember every day being surrounded by [INAUDIBLE],,

03:14 being surrounded by people.

03:16 And he always brings me around.

03:19 And I've always seen him being a leader for his people.

03:23 I've always been seeing him being engaged in new ideas,

03:27 new opportunities.

03:28 And for me, when I was young, I think

03:30 that just gave me a really great example

03:33 of how life should be lived.

03:35 And that is really to believe for others.

03:37 And he always thinks how many jobs

03:39 pa pwede pa natin magbigay, ano pa'y pwede natin gawin.

03:43 And parang that guy on the mission, the kind of life,

03:46 stuck with me.

03:47 And then eventually, when I got older,

03:50 he told me to take marketing as a course.

03:52 And eventually, pala, I loved it.

03:55 And then when I graduated from college dito,

03:59 after some time lang in corporate,

04:02 I started being an entrepreneur because I first

04:06 learned it from my dad.

04:08 Good, good.

04:08 So you are a product of the steel, from the man of steel,

04:14 OK, your dad.

04:15 OK.

04:16 So it's really an influence of your dad, right,

04:21 to really hone you.

04:23 And probably tinurun ka sa marketing na dati ayaw mo.

04:27 Ano ba yung marketing niyan?

04:28 But later on, you loved it.

04:29 But tell me about something that you started five years ago.

04:34 And the NBU, really, it rocked the boat.

04:38 What is NBU, Ralph?

04:39 NBU is a pop-up campus project that we started five years ago.

04:51 And in 2019, I remember I was looking for a purpose in life.

04:56 I was having a spiritual battle.

05:00 By that time, sabi ko, what is really my purpose?

05:02 Until there was this guy that I was in college with.

05:07 He was my schoolmate in college who was confused.

05:12 He was working in a call center.

05:13 There's nothing wrong in being in a call center.

05:15 But that was not really his calling.

05:17 Has dark eyes.

05:18 He was doing really things that are, I don't know,

05:21 very just distractions.

05:22 And I saw that he lacked that spirit

05:25 that he had when he was younger.

05:27 He was very talented.

05:29 I felt that I needed to ask him what's happening.

05:32 And then he said that he just doesn't know what to do

05:34 because his parents wanted him to have a safe job.

05:39 But he just cannot do what his passions are.

05:42 I felt that moment when he said that, this is very sad

05:46 because I get to do my passion, my desires,

05:51 my follow my curiosity.

05:53 And it's unfair for me that another person could not.

05:57 So when I had that interview with him or discussion with him,

06:00 it left me this challenge.

06:05 Like, how can I change the life for people like my friend?

06:08 And that was like my mind.

06:10 Eventually, it's like you got a new idea.

06:13 You won't let it sleep for a few weeks.

06:16 And then, eventually, you know,

06:19 what are we going to do?

06:21 Until I realized, I had this moment,

06:23 light bulb moment that I realized that one of the biggest

06:27 reasons why people could not succeed

06:30 is because the educational system that we grew up with

06:34 really is more of providing us with instructions,

06:39 but really didn't provide us with a curious mind.

06:44 It didn't really ask the educational system,

06:49 didn't really inspire the minds of people to ask questions,

06:55 to find new ideas,

06:58 and to also be stronger when it comes to their strengths.

07:02 I feel it's been, you know, it did a really great job

07:07 in giving us a great start,

07:09 but we're not here to make people

07:11 who follow the instructions,

07:13 but to look into problems and make solutions out of it.

07:16 So in other words, Ralph,

07:18 you saw yourself that you're not the only one who's alone, right?

07:23 You're in a state of a little bit of confused,

07:27 what's the direction?

07:28 And then here you are, there's another body.

07:32 So you're able to solve a pain point solution, right?

07:36 You already have a solution, right?

07:37 Was it really easy to start something new

07:41 but probably something out of the box,

07:44 something that is so innovative?

07:47 What are the challenges you faced, Ralph,

07:49 when you said, "Pop-up university."

07:51 Wow, what is pop-up university?

07:53 Yeah, so,

07:55 when I had that idea

08:00 that it's the educational system that was the problem,

08:02 eventually I started thinking of solutions.

08:04 What if, what if?

08:06 And then what if they don't use the box,

08:10 they think of another way on how to express the box?

08:13 So I said, "What if we bring together

08:17 like-minded and like-hearted and passionate people

08:20 who wants to be an entrepreneur,

08:21 who wants to follow their dreams and curiosity

08:23 into one space, number one.

08:25 Number two, what if we can bring experts

08:28 as your actual teachers?"

08:29 Because teachers are good,

08:31 but experts provide you with real life experiences

08:34 and ideas that schools would not.

08:37 So what if we bring them to one vacuum in space,

08:40 give them a little number of time,

08:43 let's say four days,

08:44 and then provide them with a transformative space?

08:48 I really believe, Tito, that education is not about,

08:51 education for others is about adding ideas to people

08:56 and awareness,

08:57 but for me, the one that moves the needle is transformation.

09:01 And I have a certain gift,

09:04 I have a certain thing, Tito,

09:05 what I do is in that four days

09:07 that we bring together those people,

09:09 we change the lights,

09:11 we have a lot of activities,

09:13 we have very different activities that happens in a day,

09:17 that my ultimate goal is that in that day,

09:20 a person feels that their mindset is shifting.

09:24 That should be the goal when it comes to education,

09:27 to really help them realize

09:28 that they could be something bigger

09:30 than their current self.

09:33 And then eventually, Tito,

09:35 when I had that idea,

09:37 from my own money,

09:38 I started a pop-up school 2019,

09:41 I brought my friends as my first teachers,

09:44 I asked people to join,

09:46 I advertised it,

09:47 I made it as much as possible here

09:49 for people to understand,

09:51 and it turned out really good.

09:52 I just had a few losses,

09:55 but that's the point of being an entrepreneur,

09:58 you're just unstoppable,

10:00 even if you have some losses,

10:02 you see the bigger picture.

10:04 So I did it again, 2020,

10:06 and then that's when that time you were invited, Tito,

10:08 to be one of our mentors for NPU,

10:11 together with other great mentors as well,

10:14 and then we were in one space,

10:16 it was a beautiful space,

10:17 everybody was alive and asking,

10:20 and just curious minds,

10:21 and then it turned out successful,

10:24 and that's what NPU became.

10:27 - So, you were able to concoct something

10:32 and give them space for people who want to concoct something,

10:37 did it ever occur to you that,

10:41 will this succeed,

10:42 or you were just unstoppable, Ralph,

10:45 you were just so bent on pushing that?

10:48 Did it ever occur to you?

10:51 Because some people give up,

10:53 whenever you have some ideas,

10:55 you'll say,

10:56 then the doubtful Thomas is actually hitting you,

11:00 and some people would say,

11:02 "Oh, yeah, let's not do it."

11:04 But you never stopped, right?

11:05 I mean, you even incurred loss,

11:08 but you say,

11:09 "Yeah, but this is just an investment,

11:10 this is something that I would pursue."

11:12 But how did the first batch react to your first set

11:17 when you rolled out the NPU?

11:20 - Yes, so when we started NPU 2019,

11:24 it turned out that we had losses of around 300,000 pesos.

11:29 That's still substantial,

11:30 that's a loss,

11:31 and for another mind of a businessman,

11:35 that would be like,

11:36 "Oh, we'll not continue this,

11:37 we're not making any money."

11:38 But I didn't stop making money.

11:42 Eventually, I know that is a consequence

11:44 of doing a sustainable business,

11:47 but the point of a business is to have a mission.

11:51 So we would always incur losses,

11:53 but the thing about an entrepreneur

11:55 is that we have an unstoppable spirit,

11:57 especially if we have a clear picture in our mind

12:00 and a big why,

12:01 why we're doing this.

12:02 So after NPU 2019,

12:05 I took a break for a while,

12:08 of course, I was tired at that time,

12:10 and people, our students were messaging us,

12:13 "Ralph, my family and I are meditating."

12:16 "Ralph, I started my own podcast,

12:19 thank you for the inspiration."

12:21 "Ralph, I finally started my own business."

12:24 And in the five years, Tito, that we've been doing this,

12:27 we've really,

12:29 and you know that you're also a witness,

12:31 some of our students and entrepreneurs who joined NPU

12:34 also consulted with you.

12:36 They're now successful,

12:39 a lot of them successful entrepreneurs,

12:41 a lot of them are great people of society

12:45 who wants to contribute.

12:47 And that for me is,

12:49 that fulfillment could not be paid by me.

12:52 - Correct, correct.

12:54 - That's right, because Ralph,

12:55 sometimes, the years,

12:57 yeah, you're right,

12:58 you're just a normal person,

13:00 you're tired,

13:01 you should rest first.

13:02 But during that sort of restful retreat

13:06 that you're saying,

13:07 you're trying to re-energize,

13:09 suddenly the fruits of your labor will sprout, right?

13:12 I mean, yes, I met somebody,

13:15 and in fact,

13:16 I will be featuring one of your students

13:18 who's so successful,

13:19 he rocked the boat.

13:21 - Super. - He rocked the boat

13:22 on laundry, super, super.

13:24 'Cause I think you're able to boost up

13:28 the feeling of people now,

13:30 I don't want to be cowed down,

13:32 I don't want to be,

13:33 for example,

13:34 (speaking in foreign language)

13:36 A person's mind is so limitless,

13:41 and you're the one who boosted that.

13:43 (speaking in foreign language)

13:46 Yeah, you can do it.

13:48 Yeah, you can do it.

13:49 - And how many students so far have undergone NBU now?

13:53 - Ito, I think we're more than a thousand,

13:56 maybe almost reaching 2000.

13:58 The thing about NBU, Ito,

14:00 is even we have this annual events,

14:03 even during the pandemic,

14:04 we did an online version of it.

14:06 Actually for NBU is just the flagship program,

14:12 the one that is more for one week event,

14:13 it's just the beginning of what NBU could be.

14:17 NBU by design is about activating people's potentials.

14:22 And if you have that big question,

14:25 there's a lot of answers for that.

14:27 So other than the flagship program that we're having,

14:30 we did Ito NBU School for Parents in 2020,

14:33 because I feel that the reason why people are limited,

14:36 a lot of people are limited,

14:37 it's because also of the nurturing of their parents

14:40 when they were younger.

14:42 Not because the parents were at fault,

14:44 but because the parents just didn't have the chance

14:47 to be taught or to learn how to be a better parent.

14:50 So when we did that, we have around 300 students.

14:54 And during the pandemic,

14:55 this is what I was trying to do,

14:57 especially because we were together during the pandemic,

14:59 the families didn't know how to be with each other.

15:02 So I said, let's do something about this.

15:05 And we were able to have 300 families

15:09 during those four cohorts that we did.

15:12 And so, yeah, it's not a lot,

15:16 2000 is not a lot, but-

15:18 - Yeah, but you're talking about 2000 minds

15:24 sparking entrepreneurship, sparking innovative ideas.

15:29 In other words, that's exponential, right?

15:32 I mean, the goodness.

15:36 And I like your idea, during the pandemic,

15:39 you were able to hit again another solution

15:42 for parents, MBU for parents.

15:44 So what is now the next step for MBU,

15:47 probably MBU for kids?

15:49 - Tito, I can openly share this.

15:53 I have no problem if some people

15:56 would also be inspired by this.

15:58 What is currently in the plan?

16:00 This year, Tito, I really surrendered this to God.

16:03 I had a season I said I will not,

16:06 I said, "This MBU is tiring."

16:10 Because number one, it's really the challenge

16:13 of being given with the measure.

16:16 Number one, it's tiring because it gets bigger.

16:18 And number two, you get also in,

16:21 you know, there are personal problems

16:23 that goes along the way.

16:24 Until you realize that quality could not stop you.

16:28 You might be having a time of your life

16:32 that you would question the purpose.

16:34 Five years is really long.

16:35 I said, "Okay, at least we got help."

16:38 But even though my business were,

16:41 I have other businesses that I have

16:42 that I've been nurturing, growing.

16:45 It still is the thing that I sleep at night

16:47 that keeps me awake.

16:49 - Correct.

16:50 - And it only means it needs to be taken.

16:52 So that's the-

16:53 - So you started, yeah, you started the movement.

16:55 You started the movement and there's no stopping.

16:57 So have you produced the people who want to help you,

17:02 who want to be part of the NBU,

17:05 who want to spread the good news of the NBU?

17:08 - That's true.

17:09 So those first five years,

17:12 there's more me and my team.

17:14 But this time around, this is me and leaders who will join.

17:18 So now I realized that, okay,

17:20 I just need to have more delegation

17:24 with a set of people that I can work with

17:27 and I can nurture who can understand the mission

17:30 and will do this bigger than I do.

17:33 And I will be with them making this happen.

17:35 So going back to what you said,

17:37 NBU this year will have NBU branding masterclass

17:41 for entrepreneurs who could not yet

17:46 fully actualize their big idea.

17:48 Branding masterclass is an immersive two-day event.

17:50 We have, of course, the NBU flagship event

17:53 happening on August, last week of August.

17:57 And this is like the biggest that it could be.

17:59 And I'd love to communicate with you too, Tito, for that.

18:04 It's gonna be a great time.

18:05 And then of course, eventually, Tito,

18:07 one of my goals is when everything gets more settled

18:11 and we have proper leaders,

18:12 is to continue NBU School for Parents

18:14 because there's no actual school for parents at IC.

18:19 That feels like a thing.

18:21 That is something that's how they go with,

18:23 God gives me more energy and more people to work with.

18:26 This is something we can do.

18:28 And of course, not maybe NBU kids,

18:31 but really just an opportunity.

18:36 It's an event, Tito, where people who are on their fifth,

18:42 people are taking their college degrees

18:44 or people who just graduated their degrees

18:46 would understand their core strengths.

18:50 So it's like a two-day event

18:51 where their strengths would be clarified

18:53 and the strengths finder coach or the strengths coach

18:57 would provide them with a good understanding

19:00 of how they could navigate their life,

19:03 given their strengths.

19:04 Because I believe, Tito, that the best way for us

19:07 to get to the next level of our lives

19:09 is through the strengths that was provided to us by God.

19:12 If you use that, if you know that and discover that,

19:17 you'll be unstoppable because now you'll be more

19:20 of who you are than trying to be someone you are not.

19:22 - So, Ralph, it looks like this is something

19:26 that will really create waves,

19:30 starting from here and then spreading to the provinces.

19:35 Do you see NBU spreading globally?

19:38 - Not yet, Tito, but definitely it's God

19:43 who will give that dream.

19:45 If it's planted in me, it will be planted in me.

19:47 And my job here is to just surrender

19:50 and take what call, what order God will do.

19:55 - Correct, correct.

19:56 But tell me, a lot of people are saying now,

20:00 "What do the youth do now?"

20:05 Because a lot of people are saying,

20:07 "What future does the young people have

20:10 and they're always glued on their cell phones,

20:14 no more social contact, no more..."

20:16 You know, those who are becoming introverts

20:21 instead of becoming socially active because of the pandemic.

20:25 How do you see now the future

20:27 in the next few years about the youth?

20:29 Because we have now the Generation Alpha, right?

20:33 - Yes.

20:33 - We're not talking anymore of millennials.

20:35 We're talking of Lana Gen Z,

20:37 but we're talking now of the Generation Alpha,

20:40 who is what, 2009, we're born 2009.

20:44 What are you thinking?

20:45 Because you're now into this kind of environment.

20:48 - Yes.

20:49 One is, this has happened before,

20:54 in the sense that when you were younger, Tito,

20:57 your dad or your Lolo would say,

21:01 "Iba na naman yung mga kabataan ngayon."

21:04 - Exactly.

21:04 - "Iba na."

21:05 Busy na.

21:06 Hindi na sila lagi na sa bahay.

21:11 Iba na yung gusto ng trabaho, ayaw na nila.

21:13 Like, they always have this opinion.

21:14 And it's normal because all of us,

21:16 every generation grew up with what they see,

21:20 what they were exposed to,

21:21 what they are, who are their idols during the time,

21:26 and the lifestyle that they have.

21:29 And it's the same thing with this generation.

21:31 What I do believe is, what I realized, Tito,

21:35 for us to better respond to the changing times

21:38 is to not fight it.

21:40 We could not ask people to change

21:42 because people could not change.

21:44 The only way that people could get better

21:49 is to give them a direction that is more inspiring

21:52 than the current ones that we're currently doing.

21:55 So for example, our generation,

21:57 this young generation we have,

21:58 generation alpha and generation Z,

22:03 they're now the young demographics that we have.

22:06 They're always on their phone.

22:07 They're always busy.

22:08 They're always distracted.

22:10 But the good part of that as well

22:12 is that they are more confident with themselves.

22:16 They're starting businesses left and right

22:18 as young as 15 years old.

22:20 They're not more opinionated.

22:22 What we can do is to help shape their values,

22:26 help shape, give them a direction

22:30 and an understanding where they can go to.

22:32 Like how you guys were, Tito, when we were younger.

22:35 (speaking in foreign language)

22:39 And I was, Tito, your job was not to just be a supporter

22:44 as a franchise consultant for entrepreneurs.

22:48 You were a mentor and you didn't give up

22:50 until now you're currently doing it.

22:52 And our job also in my generation

22:55 is to pass, to use that beacon that you've offered to us

22:58 and extend to us and to also give light

23:01 to this younger generation.

23:02 So that is how I see it.

23:04 - Yeah, right, right.

23:05 So Tamayon, I like what you said.

23:07 Don't fight it, try to understand,

23:10 especially the older generation.

23:14 Just like you said, it's a cycle, it repeats.

23:18 Okay, but again, to encourage them.

23:21 (speaking in foreign language)

23:24 I mean, imagine young guys can even now do techie,

23:28 especially with digitalization that we're in, right?

23:32 So yeah, I love that, I love that.

23:34 So what are your final thoughts and probably tips

23:38 for people who are saying, okay, I'd like to join.

23:42 How do I join now NBU?

23:44 (speaking in foreign language)

23:45 'Cause I'm sure you're now tickling a lot of people,

23:49 a lot of our viewers, especially on a Sunday,

23:51 and they say, (speaking in foreign language)

23:54 So Ralph, are there any requirements?

23:57 Are there any, or link that they can look into

24:01 that connect with NBU?

24:04 - Yes, definitely they can go to Facebook

24:09 and look for Nubold U.

24:11 We have a group there, it's called Startups X Philippines,

24:15 where we will be congregating entrepreneurs

24:19 who are like-minded and like-hearted,

24:22 and also ambitious to have a safe space.

24:24 If you're an entrepreneur and you want to be updated

24:28 about the upcoming events of NBU,

24:30 I suggest you go to our page

24:32 and to also go to our new group.

24:34 And if you want to enroll to upcoming events by NBU,

24:37 you can go to nuboldu.co/co

24:41 for you to enroll our upcoming classes this year.

24:45 - Wow, so yeah, I won't prolong your time

24:48 because I know your creativity mind is working still 24/7.

24:53 And you're such a young man who gives a lot of hope

25:00 for us to continue the legacy that we want to live

25:03 for this generation, right?

25:05 So yeah, Ralph, thank you very much for the time.

25:09 Really, really, I salute Ralph,

25:12 the man who grew up in the steel,

25:15 (laughs)

25:16 in the steel publication, despite all the noise,

25:20 he was able to focus, no?

25:21 So again, regards to the family,

25:24 and I want you to keep up the job.

25:26 Please update me so that we can update our viewers

25:30 about what New Bold University is really turning out.

25:35 So again, God bless and keep it up.

25:40 Keep that smiling face.

25:42 You're never, (speaks in foreign language)

25:45 There's no old Ralph, right?

25:47 Okay.

25:48 (speaks in foreign language)

25:49 Okay, so Ralph, thank you very much.

25:51 Thank you, thank you.

25:58 (mouse clicking)

26:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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