When William Belo first stepped into a small hardware store in Ongpin, he wasn’t thinking about building a national retail chain—he just didn’t want to join the family grocery business.
“Siguro mga 60, 70 square meter lang yung shop eh,” Belo recalled. “Eventually it became 150 square meters.”
Back then, Belo was a college student juggling studies at night and full-time work during the day. While many students were just figuring out their careers, he was already immersed in daily operations—handling stock, helping customers, and slowly learning how a business works from the ground up.
“I didn’t know anything about the business,” he admitted. “But it was a very small hardware store, so it was easy to learn all the stock.”
What started as a hands-on crash course in retail would become Belo’s launching pad. By his fourth and fifth year, he was running the business. “Parang ako na nagpapatakbo ng business kasi ako na leader eh,” he said. The store’s small size meant Belo could master every detail, from inventory to customer service to vendor management. This foundation became critical when he eventually launched his own venture.
In 1977, after almost a decade of gaining hands-on experience, Belo made the leap. “That’s my idea talaga. I wanted to learn something,” he said. He decided not to wait for the perfect timing—he created it. With a practical education forged in the aisles of that tiny hardware shop, he opened his first Wilcon store.
What began in a modest corner of Manila’s retail district has grown into one of the Philippines’ largest home improvement and construction supply chains.
Belo’s story is proof that you don’t need a massive budget or flashy location to get started. Sometimes, all it takes is a small space, a willingness to learn, and a vision you’re willing to build—one square meter at a time.
This article includes quotes from an interview originally published by Esquire Philippines, authored by Henry Ong.
