FRANCHISE FLOW

HOW IT ALL STARTED

My name is Jaz and I’m the founder of LYB IT Solutions, the creator of Franchise Flow. We have been in the IT industry for more than 10 years. Starting this company stemmed from my personal frustration with systems that don’t fit my business, don’t work as needed, and don’t align with my workflow. I firmly believe that we Filipinos deserve better software solutions that are at par with those in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and even the U.S. The infrastructure we use here is top-notch, comparable to what other countries utilize. Our development team, our talent, is also at par with global standards. The talent may be from here, but it’s world-class.

Inspiring Stories and Advices

By Jas Barinaga

So Did You Always Envision Yourself as a Business Owner, or It Just Happened?

Actually, the typical mindset of Filipinos is to go to school, graduate, and then get a job. Maybe it’s not intentional, but because I didn’t grow up in a wealthy family, I didn’t really think of becoming an entrepreneur at first. It wasn’t something I considered initially, but the situation forced me into it. It’s hard to apply for jobs, especially coming from the province. When you apply here, you face a lot of competition. That situation pushed me into entrepreneurship, and I eventually saw the good side of it—you can leverage a lot of things when you’re an entrepreneur.

As for personal habits or routines that help me stay focused and productive, the first and most important thing as an entrepreneur is discipline. You have to do things that most people won’t do. Sometimes, people quit their jobs because they want more time, but as an entrepreneur, you might end up staying awake all night, even 24 hours straight. But as entrepreneurs, we focus on the endgame—the result and the impact we can make for the community and for the Filipino people. And of course, the rewards come afterward. Gratification isn’t just delayed; it’s meaningful.

Proudest Moment in His Business Journey So Far

Of course, I’m very proud right now helping the Filipinos, helping Filipinos elevate our SMEs to use software that is good and effective. So serving the Filipino people, I’m very proud of it.

What Is Your Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs Watching Right Now?

That’s a good question. Personally, there are a lot of gurus out there, right? But my advice, especially for those watching your channel, is to get in touch with real entrepreneurs. Listen to people who actually have a business. There are many people posting online, but when you get to know them, you realize you don’t even know what their business is. I believe that entrepreneurs who started from the ground up, not those who were simply given opportunities, are truly inspiring. Those who built something themselves are the people you should learn from.

In my experience, I haven’t encountered a bad entrepreneur yet. All of them are kind. So, listen to them, attend their talks, there are plenty of opportunities here, and keep on learning. I’m the same. I didn’t have resources or connections either. I’m not from Manila, so I didn’t have any special advantages. Even when faced with challenges or negativity, I kept going. And now, we’ve made it.