Celebs’ pandemic businesses still thriving today

It goes without saying that showbiz was one of the most badly hit industries by the COVID-19 pandemic. With lockdowns in place, television networks and production companies had to abruptly stop operations in early 2020, leaving actors, performers and workers at a loss.

With no films and series to shoot, gigs to play or events to host, many people in entertainment were compelled to look for other sources of income. Many of them turned to online businesses, selling everything imaginable, from food to clothes to cosmetics. Some opened restaurants and cafés. And others tried their hands at gaming and streaming.

Most of these sidelines were meant to be temporary fixes to augment their earnings from the limited projects and opportunities available. When the health crisis started to subside in the past year or so, show biz gradually returned to the grind. And before long, celebrities were back to regular programming.

There are those, however, who decided to sustain, or even grow, the businesses they had started. The pandemic only confirmed what they knew all along: Showbiz isn’t forever. And it pays to have a safety net when the going gets tough and offers dry up.

Lovely Abella’s online selling business

One of the most heartening success stories was that of dancer-turned-actress Lovely Abella and her online selling business.

It all started by accident amid the lockdown two years ago: While spending time with her husband, actor Benj Manalo, in their room, a rack containing some of her bags fell down, creating clutter on the floor. Benj thought Lovely had too many bags. “Why not sell some of them?” he asked.

Right then and there, Lovely pointed her camera phone to the pile of bags and went online. Much to her surprise, many people took interest in her bags. And in the following weeks, she found herself selling not only her own items, but also of other celebs who have extra stuff to dispose of.

“It was a blessing. Doing live selling was unexpected. Hulog ng langit … I’m a breadwinner, so it’s not just me and Benj I have to look after. I have a lot on my plate and people to take care of,” she said in an interview. “There was a time when I wondered if it was OK for a celebrity to do live selling. But I didn’t dwell on it because there are people who depend on me.”

Thanks to her earnings from live selling, Lovely and Benj were able to buy a house and lot. “I always get emotional when I look out the window and realize that we were able to have a home like this,” she related.

Building on the momentum they have created from live selling, Lovely and Benj have expanded their ventures and recently put up their own company, Seven Long Table Marketing, which distributes different products like cosmetics, clothing and food on online shopping platforms. They’re also set to implement a “live selling mall” concept called BenLy’s Live Studio.

Ken Chan’s food business

Despite the risks that come with opening a food business amid a pandemic, Ken Chan fulfilled his longtime dream of opening a Christmas-themed restaurant called Cafe Claus last year.

While his home network, GMA 7, did its best to work around the various health protocols then in order to provide jobs for its artists, Ken believes in having other sources of income. If there’s one thing the pandemic taught him, it’s that it’s “very, very important” for celebrities to have a Plan B.

“For a while, we had to stop doing shows. But I’m grateful that GMA 7 was still able to produce shows and come up with ways to give us work. And we owe them a big debt of gratitude. But at the same time, you can’t just rely on that—showbiz can’t be your sole focus,” he said in an interview.

“You have to have a Plan B,” added the actor, who also opened gasoline stations in Bulacan and Pampanga in 2020. “It’s a good thing I listened to my mentors and my elders. It feels good that I was able to follow their advice.”

In less than a month, Cafe Claus now has three branches in Metro Manila, and Ken hopes to open more in the provinces. The goal, he said, is to recapture the spirit of Christmas, which has been somewhat dampened by the pandemic. “Many people lost loved ones, their jobs … I want people to be reminded of happier times when they enter my restaurant.”

David Licauco’s restaurant, food delivery and wellness store

Prior to the pandemic, David Licauco’s main focus was his showbiz career. But with not a lot of projects available, he thought that it was his chance to venture into business. It was a big risk, but one he was willing to take.

Among the businesses he launched in the last two years were the restaurant Kuya Korea, the food tray delivery Sobra Comfort Food, as well as the online health and wellness products store, As Nature Intended.

“We didn’t have work back then, so I devoted my time planning potential businesses. You have to take risks; you gain nothing if you don’t,” he said in an interview.

Now that production in television has significantly picked up, the challenge is juggling acting and overseeing his businesses. “If you love what you do, you will find a way to balance and manage your time. It’s hard when you’re not used to doing many things at the same time,” said David, who plays Fidel in the ongoing hit fantasy drama series “Maria Clara at Ibarra.”

“It’s all about adjusting,” he said. “And you have to make sacrifices. For one, you can’t hang out with friends or do other things as much as you did before.”

Thankfully, the said businesses continue to be operational today, and didn’t fizzle out like how many celebrity pandemic rakets did. In fact, this year, he expanded Sobra, which now has a café iteration. “[My businesses and acting career] energize me, and inspire me to wake up every day and be productive. I wasn’t like this a couple of years ago,” he related. “It makes me happy and content.”

Neil Ryan Sese’s seafood selling business

Neil Ryan Sese loves eating seafood. But selling them as business, he said, is a completely different story.

“We didn’t have any taping, so I contacted my friend who had been convincing me to get into seafood selling. I love eating. But I know nothing about running a business. Grabe ang hirap. Nalula ako,” he said in a television interview.

His store, K&G Seafood, was initially meant to have a stall in a public market in 2020. But soon, he realized that it wouldn’t be feasible because of the movement restrictions. So he decided to turn it into an online store. While there were motorcycle riders who handled the delivery, he knew that he couldn’t just sit and stay at home.

With his bicycle, Neil set off and rode around the city to fulfill orders himself.

“I was crying almost every night during the first few weeks because it was so hard. I didn’t have the knowledge. ‘Kaya ko ba ‘to?’ I would ask myself,” he said. “Some of my friends would tease me about being an actor and resorting to selling seafood. I knew they were just joking. I would have laughed under normal circumstances, but I was sensitive at the time and would cry over it.”

But with the help of his friends who supported and promoted his business on social media, K&G Seafood eventually took off. Soon, his inbox was bursting with messages and inquiries. And so, what he thought was going to just be a pandemic business is still alive and kicking today.

“I enjoy it now. What I have learned is that everything is difficult in the beginning,” he said. “Pero kapag may tiyaga, may nilaga—that’s true.”