Before Bryan Tiu built some of the most recognizable food brands in the Philippines, he was an entrepreneur who—by his own admission—didn’t understand the numbers.
“Accountant ako by course, pero ‘di ko talaga alam ang ibig sabihin ng cash flow noon,” he said with a laugh. “Hindi ko rin alam kung ano ang ‘less’ o ‘lessee.’”
For someone who would go on to build and grow multiple restaurant brands, the admission is startling. But Tiu is the first to say that what he lacked in financial savvy, he made up for in instinct, grit, and an ability to learn through doing.
Jumping Into Business Without a Manual
Tiu’s entry into the restaurant world wasn’t backed by a finance degree from a top-tier school or a high-level mentor. Instead, he learned things the hard way—by making mistakes.
“Wala akong alam sa cash flow management, pero alam ko ‘yung lasa na babalik-balikan,” he said.
Instead of fixating on spreadsheets, he focused on customer behavior. He observed what dishes people ordered, how often they returned, and how to fine-tune operations based on feedback—not forecasts.
That doesn’t mean the road was smooth. There were times the business struggled with delays in supplier payments, staff salary cycles, and inconsistent inventory costs. But Tiu learned by being in the trenches.
Learning to Build Around Weaknesses
Rather than trying to master everything at once, Tiu took a more practical approach: he hired where he was weak.
“Nagpaturo ako, pero hindi ako nagpanggap na alam ko lahat,” he said. “Nag-hire ako ng mas magaling sa akin sa finance.”
He credits much of his growth to assembling the right team, including mentors in operations, accounting, and kitchen systems. That allowed him to stay focused on vision and execution, while others helped with structure and metrics.
As the businesses grew, he eventually sat in high-level finance meetings—often still confused, but no longer intimidated.
“Pina-attend ako sa mga finance meeting, mga KPI-KPI daw. Hanggang ngayon, di ko pa rin kabisado lahat—but at least naiintindihan ko na ‘yung story behind the numbers,” he shared.
Build First, Understand Later
For Tiu, the path wasn’t about mastering the technicalities from the start. It was about doing the work, observing what worked, and learning what he needed as the business scaled.
His approach? Start small, test often, and grow with guidance. It’s a method that helped him transition from clueless founder to seasoned brand builder.
“Hindi mo kailangang alam lahat para magsimula. Pero dapat willing kang matuto habang ginagawa mo,” he said.
Today, he’s proof that not knowing what cash flow means doesn’t disqualify you from success—so long as you’re willing to admit it, and build anyway.
This story is based on an interview originally conducted for Esquire by Henry Ong. Some quotes in this article may not have been published previously.
