STAR Rtn. Che Soler: His Message is Crystal Clear

Getting started with entrepreneurship at a young age gives you a big advantage later in life. STAR Rtn. Che Soler exemplifies this statement. He was a high school student in California—away from his parents and had to oversee the household and his two siblings—when he found himself engaging in a few small businesses, just because their budget was not sufficient. He was a teenager when he learned important skills such as finance management, problem-solving, creativity, self-discipline and networking, among others.

Here is a success story of an entrepreneur who built his business from scratch. He’s now on top of the water industry, and his accomplishments say a lot about how his perseverance has paid off. His message is clear: persistence is key.

In this interview, STAR Rtn. Che shares his milestones and proud moments in his water businesses. On a lighter note, he also talks about his interests and hobbies, and the things he is most grateful for in life. Read on and get to know more about this former competitive swimmer and ex-Philippine swimming team member.

Rhea Vitto Tabora (RVT): Please share something about yourself that people around you might not readily know.

Che Soler (CS): I come from a large family and I was number 7 of 9 children. In my younger years, I was a competitive swimmer and swam for the Philippine team. Not so obvious nowadays, hahaha.

RVT: When you were younger, what did you want to be? Was it your dream to become an entrepreneur?

CS: I have always been business minded. I guess, growing up in a large family, you needed to be resourceful and competitive. I was sent to California to finish my high school studies, and I believe it was there where I learned how to fend for myself. My parents made me in charge of managing the household and my two siblings as they were based in Manila. The budget given to us was barely enough for the upkeep of the house and my younger siblings. Because of this, I had to be creative and had a few sidelines, from selling food to clothing, etc. These businesses were very successful and were making much more than the allowance being sent to us. I believe it was this experience that started my entrepreneurial drive.

RVT: What was the path you took to get to where you are today?

CS: The initial part, I would guess, was organic, meaning, selling one unit to finance the next units, so on and so forth. There wasn’t enough planning in the beginning. But I liked that path as I saw every stage of the development of my former company—from selling the units to the fabrication of the products, to learning accounting and finance, human resources and customer service, etc. This was my so-called on-the-job training. It was blood, sweat and tears and I will not have it any other way. Today, of course, it is much different. With the new company, we know exactly what to do and how to do it, so things are running at a much faster velocity.

RVT: What motivated you to venture into water business?

CS: My water exposure began while I was a senior student in California. Our family lived in Antipolo and our water supply was from a deep well (during those days, there was no Manila Water yet). During summer, the water levels would go down and the well would pump up mud. My father asked me to look for equipment we could use from the States. As I looked around, I realized how expensive they were and so, I decided to just buy the filter media and develop and build the housing back in the Philippines. The unit worked so well that I had relatives asking about it and eventually ordered a few units. The rest is history.

RVT: What are you most proud of regarding your company?

CS: I have many proud events that I can recall. One would be when we got into the bottled water industry and there were no regulations yet with the BFAD (now the FDA). So, I cold-called and offered my services to draft one for them. Mind you, I was only 21! They agreed and I am proud to say that the initial Bottled Water Regulations of the Bureau of Food and Drugs was by yours truly. Very hard to believe, and even my former staff would give me the look of “our boss is a bullshxxter!” Until I brought them to FDA, and the officials told them about my significant contribution. Another proud moment was installing the largest (at that time) desalination plant in the Philippines for Amanpulo Island when they opened. Eventually, we were already supplying desalination services to most of the beach and island resorts. This was in the early '90s. At the dawn of the new century, we had converted our bottled water brand into the largest water station franchise in the country. Crystal Clear has grown and had stores in Indonesia, Malaysia and Sierra Leone. Fast forward to today, I am also confident to share that we had built the second largest bulk water project in the Philippines (at that time) for the City of Iloilo in 2010-2011. Because of my limited resources, I partnered with Iloilo local Roger Florete of Bombo Radio, and I invited then Senator Manny Villar to go out of his subdivisions and do this bulk water project with my company Solerex Water Technology (this gave birth to Villar’s Prime Water). I have the privilege to say I was able to sell Solerex to Manny Villar in 2013, and I was allowed to continue my commercial, industrial and municipal business after the sale. Right after the sale of the company, I set up my new company, SUMMA Water Resources Inc., and immediately won five bulk water projects. Because of this, I became more visible in the industry as many big companies came knocking at my door. After a few years, I partnered with Lucio Tan’s Macroasia and I’m proud to say that we are now part of the LT group. But all in all, I am most proud of my team who helped me on this wild ride. Another proud moment was when I bought GoodAh in 2005 and I was able to bring the store network from 0 to 33. I eventually sold it in 2009 after a healthy profit. I regret though that, maybe, if I held on a bit, I could have sold it instead to Jollibee. I spoke with Tony Tan Caktiong and he acknowledged that Goodah is a very good brand.

RVT: What do you believe is your mission in life?

CS: I know for a fact that my mission in life has changed many times in the course of my business. In the beginning—being naive and all—it was to be successful and, of course, success meant being the biggest, the richest, etc. Today, it is more of making an impact and making a difference in our lives and the lives of others.

RVT: If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring entrepreneur, what would it be?

CS: Haha, don't do it! Get a job, it's easier!!! Seriously, you will always hear the term persevere! Perseverance is the main key to being an entrepreneur. This goes without saying though that the business model you plan must also be workable.

RVT: What are your interests and hobbies?

CS: It used to be swimming when I was younger, but now, my hobbies have evolved to more intellectual pursuits. Today, I like to read and study history (not on a professional level though, just for curiosity).

RVT: What do you do when you are not at work?

CS: Spend time with my family and friends, especially now. I cannot wait to see friends face-to-face again.

RVT: As a new Rotarian, how would you describe your experience so far? How has it changed your outlook in life?

CS: I am actually a returning Rotarian as I was a member of New Manila East. Being a member is really such a learning experience. It is great to meet like-minded people where you can discuss, share and exchange ideas. I feel that being a Rotarian has really helped me to be better in what I do and how I deal with people.

RVT: What in your life do you feel most grateful about?

CS: There are a lot of things I am grateful for. I am most grateful for all the blessings from God, as I cannot explain the successes I have had except from something Divine. After that, I am most grateful to my wife and my children as they keep me grounded and keep me going everyday.