Behind the limelight, David Licauco – proclaimed and loved by the public as one of the rising stars of the new generation – is a hardworking and successful entrepreneur who continues to venture into the food business.
With his insatiable interest in Filipino food, the television actor came across a Facebook post about beef tapa that piqued his attention during free time at the onset of the COVID-19 lockdowns.
The passionate curiosity of the 29-year-old graduate of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Major in Computer Applications (BSBA-CA) from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde led him to research more on the food industry.
This gave birth to his well-received online food delivery business Sobra Café that started during the height of the pandemic.
Due to its wild popularity, under the premise of serving all-time comfort food and providing a welcoming ambiance, the project eventually expanded into a physical restaurant located at the Molito Lifestyle Center in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
Licauco, along with co-owners Chef Mike Victorioso and AC Adriano, recently celebrated the first anniversary of Sobra Café.
Expanding his food venture, the young entrepreneur also opened a Korean fast-food joint Kuya Korea at UP Town Center, Katipunan, Quezon City, that serves crowd favorites such as bulgogi, bibimbap, and bingsu.
He also launched Nature Intended, an online store which offers vegan and keto products.
From Korean food business to K-Drama acting, Licauco flew to Korea last May, together with his onscreen love team Barbie Forteza – the duo popularly known as FiLay – to shoot their upcoming romantic comedy film That Kind of Love, which will be available worldwide.
With his popularity rising after his recent casting in the groundbreaking television series Maria Clara at Ibarra, the actor admitted that it was his biggest break. “I will treasure this all my life.
Aside from his food and online business, he also established a construction company which is steadily growing.
The young actor recalled that the most underrated lesson he learned was networking. “Studying at Benilde meant I met different types of people. They became my real friends. They helped me in my business,” he recounted.
Despite the success, Licauco underscored that got better due to the failures he experienced.
“I failed, and because of that failure, I learned. And due to that learning, I’m getting better and better. So it’s all about trying and trying and trying and putting in diligent hard work,” he shared. He believes that continuous hard work and persistence are essential keys to achieve his goals.
When asked for his advice to aspiring entrepreneurs and actors, Licauco said, “Just like any industry that you wish to be a part of, it must be clear what you want and why you want it.”
“Ask yourself if you’re determined and willing to reach that dream of yours. You need to have the persistence to work hard every single day. That’s it—you have to work hard,” he added.
