CIMB Bank Philippines brand ambassador Ruru Madrid is one of the country’s most in-demand and award-winning actors. Known for his talent, discipline and drive, Ruru has always believed in dreaming big and working hard to fulfill his life purpose. But beyond the bright lights of showbiz, he is also carving his path in a different role: as an entrepreneur.
He co-founded Transcend Studios, a production company that creates social content, and started Aksyon, a stunt team dedicated to raising the standard of action sequences in local productions.
In building his own ventures, Ruru has picked up valuable lessons that aspiring business owners can learn from and apply in their own journeys.
Here are some of his top tips:
Start with something you are genuinely passionate about. Businesses are a long-term commitment. Starting one isn’t just about creating a source of income; it means building something that requires time, effort and focus. There will be late nights, tough calls, and moments when things don’t go as planned.
For Ruru, his passion to support the stunt community in the country was a key step to entrepreneurship.
‘We want to help the stunt community here in the Philippines, because parang hindi sila nabibigyan ng tamang credit sa mga ginagawa nila,’ he said. ‘Gusto namin magsilbing boses para sa stunt community here in the Philippines to help them na magkaroon ng benefits.’
There is no such thing as perfect timing. When the pandemic hit, many businesses suffered losses. Starting a new venture in such uncertain times was especially risky. Still, Ruru chose to take small steps forward rather than wait for the ‘right’ moment.
‘We started mga two, three years ago. During that time, mahigpit pa nung pandemic.Pero for me, ang kagandahan is nagsimula agad kami. Hindi kami naghintay ng perfect timing kasi for me, wala naman talagang perfect timing. You need to start now and take small steps.as long as you’re moving. I know that someday may mapupuntahan ‘yan,’ Ruru shared.
Value your hard work and manage your finances wisely. As the eldest child and the breadwinner since he was 14 years old, Ruru has always understood the value of money and the sacrifices it takes to earn it.
He shared, ‘The moment na natanggap ko ‘yung first paycheck ko, I told my parents na ako na ‘yung bahala. And simula noon, ‘yun ‘yung nagsilbing motivation sa akin to work harder and mas maging focused sa ginagawa ko.meron akong goal na gusto ma-achieve, not just for myself, but also for my family and loved ones.’
For someone as hardworking and goal-driven as Ruru, choosing a trusted banking partner was a natural step. He found this in CIMB Bank PH, which was awarded by The Asian Banker as the Best Digital Bank in the country.
Through CIMB Biz, the bank’s new segment tailored for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), entrepreneurs like Ruru now have better access to financial tools that can help them grow their ventures.
CIMB Biz is part of the bank’s mission to democratize financial access and empower MSMEs by giving them the tools they need to manage their business more effectively, as well as borrow funds with dignity.