A former janitor and his wife proved that everything is possible if you have the determination and big dreams!
Renato “RJ” Cano Jr., the owner of Illumina Wellness and Beauty Center, shared their inspiring business story in an episode of Good News. According to RJ, they started with 2 staff, and now they have over 20 staff in their 7 branches.
RJ recalled that he had stopped studying to look for work because their family was having financial difficulties. “Nung 18 ako, lumuwas ako ng Maynila. Nag-apply sa mga call centers, pero hindi pinalad, kaya nag-janitor muna ako,” he said. [At age 18, I went to Manila to find work. I worked as a janitor because I was turned down for call center jobs.]
For 2 years, RJ worked as a janitor, but it didn’t stop him from pursuing his goal. He enrolled in the TESDA call center training and attended the English proficiency class. He also continued his college education. Now, that’s real dedication!
He finished a degree in entrepreneurial management at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) open university. He wanted more, so he proceeded to study law.
Denzel, RJ’s wife, also shared how they were already working together and venturing into different businesses even before they got married. Aside from selling glutathione, they also sold RTW.
Denzel is a registered nurse, so she started their glutathione drip business. In 2015, her mother had cancer, so her dreams of expanding were put on hold. Finally, her mom survived, and their dream of opening their clinic became a reality.
“Nag-pray lang ako na magkaroon ako ng sariling business. Ayun, answered prayer. After a few months, binigay naman sa akin,” Denzel recalled. [I prayed to have my own business. My prayers were answered a few months later.]
The savings the couple had from their home service business were used to open their first health and beauty business. Their clinic even won awards and recognition such as Elite Business and Leadership Awards 2021, and more
Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to work hard and save a lot. Another important piece of advice is to have a supportive partner. Denzel said her husband, RJ, helps her balance her decisions, trusts her, and gives her all the support. This is also the advice given by successful celebrity entrepreneurs such as Judy Ann Santos on how to help their business grow and by Neri Naig on how her husband, Chito, supports her business ideas.
Now, the couple is busy managing their health and beauty clinics, which have expanded to 7 branches. They quoted Floyd Mayweather saying, “Tough times never last, but tough people do.”
You can watch the video from GMA via the Youtube channel:
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