01/08/2023
LOOKING BACK: 36 YEARS WITH FUJI AUTO SUPPLY
An Interview with founder, Enrique Francisco
Written by Jonalyn Estrella
“Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” – is a piece of advice everyone should live by. And in a world where you have your dreamers and doers, it particularly holds true.
Enrique Francisco, or Ricky to friends and family, couldn’t agree more. Born in 1955, he grew up in a small town some 60 kilometers from the city. At the age of 13, Ricky was no stranger to hard work. He and his family moved to Manila so he can help his father with his grocery business in the busiest market in Manila – Divisoria Public Market.
Fast forward to 1987, he started a small auto parts business in Kamias, Quezon City. Their services consist of selling car parts and accessories while having a mechanic who can do quick service jobs, plus a technician who specializes in car air conditions.
With car parts giants in the likes of Banawe in Quezon City and Evangelista Street in
Makati, who would think that other auto parts businesses would stay and succeed even 36 years later? Car owners understand the struggle of looking for parts and having repairs done on their vehicles, more so, finding a trustworthy shop owner who wouldn’t dare deceive or trick their customers.
We caught up with Ricky Francisco to talk about Fuji Auto Supply and why he loves to wake up each morning and help people with their automobile needs and worries, even beyond three decades into the business.
“I used to be a travelling salesman of automotive parts and accessories when I met this guy who inspired and helped me set up a retail business of auto parts. With just enough money to pay in advance and a security deposit for the store, I went ahead with all my inventories borrowed from this person who became a dear friend of mine. This gave birth to Fuji Auto Supply. We deal with automotive parts for mostly Japanese cars and trucks. We also carry some consumable parts for Korean, American, and European vehicles. Our main goal is to provide motor vehicle owners with affordable but quality parts for their vehicles.”
Aside from ‘fuji’ being a word that is easy to recall, there’s a symbolic meaning behind the shop’s name. Ricky emphasized that Mount Fuji is the highest peak in Japan. Given this, they always aim high in their business. And despite him being the sole owner of the business, he still considers his employees as business partners, “I always give our employees the freedom to run the business up to a certain point because I highly value their suggestions.”
Not many may know this, but Ricky never dreamt of having this business. He wanted to be a lawyer but didn’t have the time to pursue it. He wanted to believe that this business was meant for him. He enjoyed doing everything about the business
except—maybe—paying the taxes. This leads us to his next interesting story on how
working in his dad’s grocery shop opened his eyes to the world of business.
“My father decided to relocate us to the city when I was 13 years old. There were two purposes: to pursue our studies and for us to help him with his grocery business. Our main responsibility is to keep the business open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. every day, including Sundays. I always enjoyed doing business with ordinary people, specifically, people in the street. So at a very young age, I enjoyed mingling with people in the public market. Another thing is that I have to help my father with his business so he can afford to send all six of his children to a decent university. Looking back, I realized that I didn’t have a choice but I don’t regret it one bit since that educated me on how to run a business. I learned a lot from my father than I had in school.”
One would think that the word ‘lazy’ isn’t included in Ricky’s vocabulary—but he begs to disagree, “I have to work hard so I can afford to be lazy later on. I can’t relax if there is something on my mind that I have to do later, so that keeps me going. Work hard today and relax tomorrow.”
Despite the struggles like the economic downturn the country continuously faces to the uncertainties brought by the pandemic, Ricky didn’t turn back and kept moving forward. Which makes us wonder—what is his secret to success?
“We always take great care of our reputation and have been very honest with our
customers—we always go the extra mile to help them. We see to it that our salespeople are respectful towards our customers. Our secret to success is just being honest with the customers and not breaking the trust of our suppliers. Be kind to your co-workers. Treat them as if they are your children and make them feel appreciated and loved.”
When asked what is the future of Fuji Auto Supply, Ricky stressed the importance of keeping up with the current times. “Online sales are the thing nowadays. With the help of my children, we plan to venture into online selling.”
It is through Ricky’s strength, determination, good values, and diligence that made Fuji Auto Supply what it is today. As he looks back, all the hardships, struggles and risks were worth it. He claims that business, be it big or small, should help other people—be it the customers, the employees, the suppliers and even the environment. He closes the conversation with words of gratitude: “To my family, you know what we have been through with Fuji Auto Supply. How I loved the business and how it supported us through all these years. Thank you for being supportive and understanding. As we celebrate the 36th anniversary of Fuji Auto Supply, let us reflect on those years and learn from them. And to Fuji Auto Supply, thank you for everything. Thank you for allowing me to work and help give my family a better life. Thank you for giving me the chance to do the things that I enjoy the most.”
One thing we can learn from Ricky’s story? Hard work always pays off.
If you’re in the area and need to get car parts, accessories or have your vehicle
checked, keep Fuji Auto Supply in mind. Loved the service? Let us know on social
media.
