FEED YOUR FOCUS

As a CEO navigating the business of convenience, there is a distilled defiance, quiet confidence, and pervading sense of calm in Ben Wintle that essays his method to the industry madness

KRISTOFF SISON

“I am disciplined. I am focused. I am healthy.” Confidently written in a journal entry one Thursday morning last March, these self-affirmations were much-needed pick-me-ups for a then troubled Ben Wintle. And why wouldn’t he need all the positive reinforcement he can muster during that time–his wife, Iza, was about to be admitted into a hospital; his phone was buzzing with messages of concern from friends and family; his company, Booky, was carefully navigating around the shifting food and beverage industry. But amid the emerging trials and tribulations from all aspects of his life, Ben manages to achieve a state of mental clarity all throughout.

Honestly speaking, it’s rather surprising for a man like Ben to be able to keep a headspace free from the constant internal oohs and ahhs. Being primarily solution-oriented in actions, one would expect his thoughts and imagination to be flaring up with situationers and what-ifs. But this notion could not be further from the truth. “My mind is generally relaxed and free-flowing. I think a relaxed mind is actually a prerequisite for the best creative ideas,” explains Ben. I shouldn’t be surprised–his effortlessly dashing appeal, not to mention his suave tone, makes this very apparent.

However, in a stroke of irony, Ben’s most successful business venture was conceived from unrest. In fact, it is difficult to recall the frustrations of locating and dining in restaurants seven years ago, not because of the present-day limitations, but because of the technological convenience Booky ushered in. The homegrown app earned its spot in every Filipino’s phones as a digital sourcebook and reservation tool at a time when knowing where to eat and what a restaurant’s menu was had you constantly on the phone–not in your hands but by your ear. Now, Booky comfortably sits at the upper echelon of the food and lifestyle app industry by widening its scope to include beauty, fitness, and other retail services.

But more than this success being a result of the fostered innovation, dedication, and collaboration within the company, this outcome took effect by letting Ben’s mind work for him–forming a habit that energizes positive spirits within, founded on discipline and rigor.

A FOUNDATION OF DISCIPLINE

With a systematic approach in business, there’s no wonder Ben’s mind operates like clockwork. That’s automaticity: the notion of acting without thinking that has become a central driver of habits. For Ben, the best habits begin the moment he wakes up in the morning, basking in gratitude and realigning perspectives.