What started as a ₱5,000 side hustle in a small town in La Union has now become a growing local brand in the Philippine sneaker care space. SoleProtect, founded by Laurence Angelo Unson, didn’t rise to success overnight—but through consistent service, continuous learning, and a systemized approach, it quietly grew from a home-based hustle into a full-fledged business with a storefront and loyal following.
“We kept improving—better service, better promos, better people. The business evolved because we didn’t stop learning,” Unson tells Financial Adviser PH.
The Business That Grew Step by Step
SoleProtect began in 2022 with the basics: cleaning materials, a Facebook page, and services offered to friends and family. But Laurence didn’t just aim to make a quick buck—he saw it as a brand in the making, and treated it that way.
Even when it was just him doing the cleaning, Unson tracked feedback, documented before-and-after results, and used every customer interaction to improve.
“I wanted each service to be better than the last,” he said. “We didn’t have a big team or high-end equipment at first, but we had commitment to growth.”
How Consistency Became a Growth Strategy
As SoleProtect gained traction, Laurence invested in:
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- Training staff to replicate his cleaning and restoration standards
- Creating repeatable processes to ensure quality control
- Launching promo campaigns tied to events or seasons
- Monitoring competitor strategies to refine their own
- Each improvement—no matter how small—compounded over time.
Instead of relying on viral success or luck, SoleProtect scaled by doing the same things better, every day.
From Home-Based Hustle to Physical Storefront
In January 2024, SoleProtect opened its first physical shop—proof that the systems and consistency paid off.
“Scaling wasn’t about going viral. It was about making sure every customer had a great experience—and came back,” Unson told Financial Adviser PH.
Today, his team handles everything from sneaker cleaning to full restorations, all while maintaining the same level of care that got them started.
The Real Secret Behind Brand Growth
What makes SoleProtect different isn’t just the service—it’s the operational mindset behind it.
Unson built a business culture that values:
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- Ongoing learning
- Daily process improvement
- Clear branding and customer communication
- Reliable marketing systems
Even without big capital or franchise-level resources, SoleProtect shows that consistency is a powerful competitive advantage—especially in niche service businesses.
Advice for Local Founders and Hustlers
“You don’t need to go big fast. Just keep improving—one day at a time,” Laurence advises.
Whether you’re cleaning sneakers or selling anything else, the formula for long-term growth remains the same: build systems, stay consistent, and treat every small win like a step toward something bigger.
