Success Story: J. K. Rowling

It was in 1990 whilst on board a delayed train trip from Manchester to London’s Kings Cross that the idea of writing a book about a boy came to Joanne Rowling’s (a.k.a. J. K. Rowling) mind. In the next six years Joanne would write Harry Potter’s story; six years of imagining a wizardly world cuddled up with a devastating personal life.

Joanne Rowling was born on June 31,1965 in a sizable town of Yate, Gloucestershire, England. It can be said that Rowling grew up in a loving family and a peaceful neighborhood, never worrying about food or money.

Rowling lost her mother when she was 25, something that self-admittedly devastated her. This happened six after she started writing Harry Potter. Hence, the similarity of her personal life and that of Harry’s background. Her mother never knew that she was writing.

The young Joanne then moved to Portugal after her mother’s death where she taught English for Foreign Language classes. She got married to Portuguese journalist Jorge Arantes and gave birth to her daughter, Jessica. But the marriage only lasted for 13 months.

On December of 1993, she went back to Edinburgh with her child and the first 3 chapters of Harry Potter.

Things became more complicated after. She was a single mother and unemployed, contemplating suicide and was diagnosed with clinical depression. Eventually, Rowling signed up for welfare benefits from the state. The single mother received 70 pounds per week which she spent on cheap food and some clothes for Jessica. Seven years after being a college graduate, Joanne felt like a huge failure.

She divorced her husband on August 1994.

Miss Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 1995. She submitted manuscripts to literary agents, saying that the story was too long and that it would be uninteresting for children. This hit Joanne, thinking that maybe that’s the end of her dream. 

Thanks to her sister’s encouragement, she pursued in getting her book published. She finally met famed literary agent Christopher Little. But Mr. Little is not in love with children’s books. Hence, Harry Potter was put into the archive. Thankfully an employee read the manuscript and loved its plot; she sneakily slid it on his boss’ table. The latter, after reading it and realizing its potential, decided to represent Miss Rowling through his company Christopher Little Literary Agents.

Harry Potter was rejected about 12 times until in 1996, Barry Cunningham made an offer to publish the book under Bloomsbury Publishing to Rowling’s delight! His 8-year-old daughter played a big part in the story. Cunningham gave her the first chapter of the book for review and immediately asked for the next chapter. Nonetheless, Barry Cunningham advised Joanne to get a job for she won’t make money making children’s books.

In June 1997 Bloomsbury published 1,000 copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Store, have of which was sent to libraries. She used the pen name J. K. Rowling because her publisher realized that young boys won’t particularly read a book by a female writer. The J was from Joanne and K was from her paternal grandmother’s name Kathleen. She doesn’t have a middle name.

Within just a few months, the book received several awards already. In 1998 it eventually went to US bookshelves under the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The book launched several sequels and was turned into movies, prompting J. K. Rowling into the limelight of success.

"When people are very damaged, they can often meet the world with a kind of defiance."

                                                                                                                     - J. K. Rowling

Success Story: Dr. Cecilio K. Diokno

People thought Dr. Cecilio K. Pedro was crazy for going against big companies in the toothpaste industry. Many years later, Hapee toothpaste remains as a major competitor against global brands in the Philippines.

Cecilio Kwok Pedro, of Chinese descent, was born on 1953 in the Philippines. Even when he was young, Pedro already has a knack for business, selling pens to his schoolmates. Dr. Pedro’s story is not the rags-to-riches type, but his success is nevertheless admirable.

He graduated from Ateneo de Manila with a degree in Business Management. It was around 1975 when Cecilio to put up his own business. He borrowed P20,000 from his father and founded Aluminum Containers, Inc., supplying collapsible aluminum toothpaste tubes to Colgate-Palmolive, Procter & Gamble, and Philippine Refining Company. But due to environmental concerns, the companies decided to use plastic-laminated toothpaste tubes instead in 1985. Cecilio’s company took a huge blow, prompting him to close his business in the same year.

Dr. Cecilio did not allow this problem to put him down. In 1985, he decided to start again and established Lamoiyan Corporation.  Lamoiyan was the Cantonese name of her grandmother, whom he loved and look up to. It was her that introduced their family to Christianity.

The initial plan was to use the machines from his defunct company for epoxy but he thought that the market was too small. Since he used to be a supplier for a toothpaste company, this is where he focused the business instead, much to the disapproval of many. He developed his own brand of toothpaste, Hapee. Contending against well-known, international brands is a tough one, so Dr. Pedro realized that the only way that his toothpaste can get noticed is to sell them at a lower price, 50% less that of Colgate and Close up. The company also developed different fruity flavors of Hapee which enticed the children. They also manufactured the toothpaste in smaller packs and sachets; hence, catering to different markets.

It was they took Lea Salonga as their first celebrity endorser to further improve brand awareness. Hapee was getting 15% of the market already and getting a famous endorser increased it. In later years they also introduced other variety of products like dishwashing pastes and fabric detergents.

Not only is Lamoiyan Corporation known for creating a Filipino brand of toothpaste, but also for its commitment to supporting the  deaf community. The company employed hearing-impaired people, and required employees to learn how to communicate with the deaf. And since he is a devout Christian like her grandmother, Dr. Cecilio Diokno also founded and chaired the Deaf Evangelistic Alliance Foundation (DEAF) which gave scholarship to the deaf community and introduced them to Christianity, standing by the company’s motto, “To make a difference for the glory of God.”

Success Story: Nanay Coring and the National Bookstore

National Bookstore's founder Maria Socorro "Nanay Coring" Cancio Ramos.

From being a saleslady to becoming a multimillionaire, National Bookstore matriarch Socorro Ramos has become the poster girl for success. Her story proves that in order to be triumphant, one must be tough, one must be a fighter.

Maria Socorro Cancio was born on September 23, 1923 in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, to a family that is no stranger to running business. Her parents ran a dry-good selling business, while her grandmother had a stall in the market. But her Lola’s business was shut down because of mismanagement. The young Maria would often see customers buy items on credit, which her grandmother failed to keep tab on.

Socorro was around 18 years old when she started working as a saleslady in a branch of Goodwill Bookstore owned by his brother Manuel in Escolta, Manila. Impressed with Maria’s skills, the older brother entrusted full management of the business to her.

It is in the same store that Ms. Cancio met her husband Jose Ramos, who happens to be Manuel’s brother-in-law. Maria’s parents were against their relationship because she was only 18 that time; she was forced to go back in Laguna, and was barred from seeing Jose. Defying her parents’ disapproval, and with mere 11 pesos in her possession, Maria decided to go back to Manila and married Jose in 1940. Her family did not talk to her for quite some time, but their fury subsided when Maria gave birth to her twin babies Alfredo and Benjamin.

On the same year, the couple decided to open their own store. Maria and Jose started selling books, GI novels, and supplies. The store’s name was Socorro’s idea after she would often see the word “National” stamped on cash registers, which is quite fitting for it is considered as the pioneer in providing textbooks, novels, and other school and office needs of the Filipinos.

During the Japanese invasion, they changed their business from selling books to selling soap due to the censorship that was being imposed.

After the war, the Ramos couple was able to find a barong-barong in the corner of Avenida Rizal and Soler and rebuilt it, right when the post-war school year was about to start. They used the house’s door as their counter and started offering notebooks, textbooks, and other school supplies.

The business was going smoothly until Typhoon Gene destroyed their house and their business in 1948. But the couple was determined to recover and continued to work hard.

All the hard work paid off because they were able to construct a two-story building that became their store for many years.

The success of National Bookstore continued, the business expanded and has now branches across the country with more than 2,500 employees. Maria Socorro Cancio Ramos is now way past her 90’s, hence it’s the younger ones who are managing the small empire. Nanay Coring remains as a great inspiration to all those who struggle, for she is the epitome of surviving against all odds.

Success Story: Colonel Sanders

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) may be considered as one of the best fast food restaurants in the world. But founder Colonel Sanders' recipe for success has a pinch of a rough past.

Harland Sanders was born on September 9, 1890 in Henryville, Indiana. Mr. Sanders had to step up and be the man of the house when his father went sick and eventually died. Being the eldest of the three, he was in charge of his siblings while her mother worked tediously to make ends meet. This is how he developed his skill in cooking, making this a significant part of his life.

When Harland turned 15, he decided to leave the house because of his abusive stepfather. He was able to enter the US Army by falsifying his birth certificate.

After finishing his term in the Army, he worked on several jobs but didn’t last long, for what he only knows best is to cook. So when he worked permanently at a refilling station in 1930, he began serving meals that he learned from his mother. People loved the food, especially his fried chicken which people dubbed as Kentucky’s national dish. It was such a huge success that in 1935 he was awarded the title Kentucky Colonel by Governor Ruby Laffoon for excellent food and service.

Harland saw a great opportunity to turn his small business into a fast food restaurant, catering a bigger amount of customers. He started introducing new dishes and improving their services. In 1940, Colonel Sanders began to develop a fried chicken recipe that will soon become KFC’s best recipe to success.

With his fried chicken, Sanders decided to sell his secret recipe to possible investors. It took some time before he made a deal. It was Pete Harman who realized the potential of Colonel’s food. They launched a new restaurant in 1952 and called it Kentucky Fried Chicken.

The restaurant had over 600 franchises already when Colonel Sanders decided to sell the business operations in 1964, on the condition that he gets $2million in cash and will remain as the face of the business for which he will receive $250,000 annually. Colonel continued as the restaurant’s spokesman until he died in December 1980 at the age of 90 due to leukemia.

Colonel Harland Sander remains as the face of KFC.

KFC may have undergone several franchise transfers, but Colonel Harland Sanders' brainchild recipe remains as one of the most loved in the world of fried chicken.

Success Story: Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey is recognized as one the most successful media personalities in the world. The Oprah Winfrey Show became the most-viewed daytime program, making the Mississippi-born lady a TV icon. But luck didn’t just land on her lap. She struggled, a lot.

Her then-teenage parents separated before Oprah learned to walk. Hence, she was left in her strict grandmother’s care who helped her learn to read at the age of two. When she turned six, the young Winfrey lived with her mother and two half-brothers in a ghetto and dangerous community; got sexually abused from the age of 9 by some relatives and family friends. Then at twelve, she was sent to her father in Nashville where she felt safe and at peace. This is when she began making speeches at social gatherings.

Oprah thought that her life is finally having a great direction until she was sent back to her mother, where the abuse continued. At 14, she gave birth to a boy who eventually died.

Shortly after, Oprah was back to her father’s home. He supported Winfrey, making the young lass focus on her studies, and eventually helped her get a full scholarship at the University of Tennessee where she majored in communications.

After graduating, she was hired by WJZ-TV in Baltimore, Maryland to do news. But she was fired after some time because a producer said that Oprah was “unfit for television”, criticizing how she was so involved with the stories they feature. WLS-TV eventually hired her to host the morning talk show People are Talking.

In 1984, Oprah moved to Chicago, Illinois and hosted A. M. Chicago, a morning talk show that’s been dismal in ratings. The ratings eventually rose, even beating then number one talk show Donahue. And in 1985, because of the great response, the program was renamed the Oprah Winfrey Show.

After 25 successful seasons, The Oprah Winfrey Show held it's farewell episode on May 25, 2011. She eventually launched her own network, OWN, The Oprah Winfrey Network. To this date, Oprah remains an influential media figure.