Investing in people delivers the best ROI

Last week, I went to a local trade fair to support my youngest daughter's new business. Bella-who's tried her hand at being an influencer - is now venturing into the perfume business. Along with her cousins Gab and Alonso, she's launched the perfume brand Bon Voyage.

- ANGAT LAHAT! JOEY CONCEPCION

I can't be prouder.

Bella grew up surrounded by businessmen like her lolo, her uncles, her siblings and of course, her dad. Her journey so far reminds me of the power of mentorship; it is tremendous. I would not have come as far as I did had my father not mentored me as well as he did. Our crowning achievement as parents is in seeing our children succeed in life.

Mentor your children as best you can. I imparted this message when I spoke at the Metro Manila Cooperatives Congress last week. Not all children can afford to go to the best schools or have mentors in their immediate circle, but as parents, we can guide them and boost their confidence.

It is probably in this spirit that we are getting more and more CEOs to host public school students at their corporate headquarters as part of The Boardroom Experience, a program we have at Go Negosyo that aims to develop the next generation of Filipino entrepreneurs.

Myrna Yao, the dynamo behind the Barbie doll brand in the Philippines, last week had senior high school students at her corporate boardroom in Quezon City. A few weeks earlier, Robina Gokongwei, Tommanny Tan and the father-son tandem of Samie and Chris Lim also agreed to become mentors for The Boardroom Experience. These CEOs know that most Filipino kids will probably be first-generation entrepreneurs the first in their families. They agreed to help and give these young people from public schools a leg up by being mentored personally by them, even if only for a day.