For most entrepreneurs, competition is expected—but for EQ Diapers founder Sam Po, it came with a legal battle that forced him to rethink everything.
“A multinational competitor sued me for patent infringement,” Po recalls. Instead of panicking, he saw it as a wake-up call. “I said, ‘Okay, I am big enough to have them notice me, so I think I have to level up.’”
At the time, Po was operating with a traditional Chinese-style management system and running his business out of Caloocan. But the lawsuit made him realize that competing with global brands meant playing at their level—which required a stronger foundation.
The first step? Building a real corporate structure. “I established my own marketing team, sales team, mga ganun,” he says. His company needed to do more than just sell diapers—it had to build a brand that could stand up against major players.
The next move was relocating to Ortigas, a business district where top talent wanted to work. “It was tough to hire good people because of the place. Usually, they prefer Ortigas or Makati di ba?” he explains.
Leaving a fully owned office in Caloocan for a leased space in Ortigas was a gamble, but Po knew it was necessary. “I took a calculated risk. If I wanted to compete, I had to build the right team.”
That turning point helped EQ Diapers evolve from an emerging player to an industry giant. What could have been a setback became the push Po needed to innovate, expand, and dominate. “Sometimes, competition isn’t just about winning—it’s about proving you belong in the game.”
This article includes quotes from an interview originally published by Esquire Philippines, authored by Henry Ong.
