our humble achievements

This recognition celebrates founders who are not only building successful companies and communities but also inspiring others through leadership, values, and purpose.

Highlighting Filipino Founder: Chino San Diego

𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗼 𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗲𝗴𝗼, Co-owner of 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗻? 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹, is recognized as one of the Top 40 Filipino Founders on LinkedIn 2025 for his vision to transform a simple Filipino dessert into a global entrepreneurial platform.

His journey is rooted in a belief in the power of a simple product done right, which led him and his wife to establish What's Your Flan? with only P1,000 capital in 2016, pre-pandemic. This successful venture followed his previous achievement of building one of Manila's biggest custom car shops, TMC, with zero capital, operating for 14 years.

Chino's primary mission is to build a platform for everyday people, especially first-time entrepreneurs, to succeed. His company champions a home-based franchise system, offering a low overhead, low-risk business model that can be managed easily and requires an initial capital of only 30k pesos.

This approach has created real transformation, helping nearly 900 partners in 14 countries, including OFWs, stay-at-home parents, PWDs, and senior citizens. A defining success story is that of an OFW who returned home with barely any savings, started franchising with What's Your Flan?, and now owns a commissary and mentors new franchisees. This impact shows the business is about giving others "a shot at business, growth, and financial freedom".

His biggest challenge has been overcoming public trust and social media presence, a hurdle he addresses by ensuring he and his wife personally talk to and mentor franchisees, emphasizing that real leadership comes from connection.

Chino's commitment to empowering Filipinos and collaborating to "create more jobs, empower more entrepreneurs, and build something greater together" solidifies his position as a founder dedicated to real, sustainable change. He demonstrates that a humble Filipino idea can become a global brand and a vehicle for pulling many Filipinos out of poverty. 

Chef Princess Diana Rosario is a respected Food Entrepreneur Masterclass Instructor at CCA Manila now for 5 years, where she imparts her deep knowledge of franchising, product development, and scaling food businesses to aspiring entrepreneurs. 

With her hands-on experience and inspiring approach, she equips students with the practical skills and confidence needed to transform their culinary passions into thriving, sustainable ventures.

Mr. Chino San Diego Named Entrepreneur of the Year 2024 at Asia CEO Awards

At this year’s prestigious Asia CEO Awards, one name stood out among the country’s most dynamic business leaders, Chino San Diego, who was officially recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year 2024.

From humble beginnings in the automotive industry to co-leading one of the fastest-growing Filipino franchise groups in the world, Chino’s story is one of grit, vision, and unwavering belief in the Filipino entrepreneur. As the Chief Operating Officer and Co-Owner of What’s Your Flan?, he helped transform a modest home-based flan business into an international franchise powerhouse with nearly 900 franchisees across 14 countries.

Receiving the Entrepreneur of the Year 2024 award at the Asia CEO Awards cements Chino’s place among the country’s most influential business leaders. But for him, the recognition is not the finish line, it’s a renewed call to action.

“This isn’t just my award,” Chino says. “This is for every Filipino dreamer who was told they didn’t have enough. We are living proof that with purpose, resilience, and the right platform, anyone can build something extraordinary.”

In 2018, among hundreds of ambitious startups and franchise brands from all over the country, What’s Your Flan emerged as a standout winner, taking 1st Runner-Up in the highly competitive NxtGen Franchise Competition. 

This achievement marked a significant milestone, showcasing the brand’s innovative approach and strong market potential on a national level.

Building on this momentum, What’s Your Flan went on to dominate the NextGen Franchise Competition organized by the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) in Manila, where it proudly claimed 1st Place. 

This victory underscored the company’s leadership and commitment to setting new standards in the home-based franchise sector.

Winning these prestigious awards back-to-back is a testament to What’s Your Flan’s dedication to excellence, innovation, and empowering Filipino entrepreneurs. 

The company’s success story continues to inspire aspiring franchisees and serves as a powerful example of how passion combined with strategic vision can create a thriving business that resonates both locally and internationally.

In 2019, What’s Your Flan? proudly represented the Philippines among thousands of global applicants at the International Franchise Association (IFA) NextGen competition in Las Vegas, USA. 

Out of 13 top companies selected to compete, What’s Your Flan? earned 1st Runner-Up honors.

This historic achievement made Chef Princess Diana Rosario the first Filipina and the only Southeast Asian to date to reach the Top 3 in this prestigious global franchising contest.

The award highlighted the brand’s mission to make entrepreneurship accessible to everyday dreamers and placed the Philippines firmly on the global franchising map.

Our journey to meeting top mentors now turned really good friends. Special mention is Ms. Suzanne Greco, ex CEO and founder of SUBWAY sandwich, USA

Dave Mortensen, 1 of 3 founders of ANYTIME FITNESS, USA

Chris Gardner, entrepreneur (played by Will Smith in the movie, in the pursuit of Happyness)

Carly Fiorina, ex CEO, Hewlett Packard, USA

Shelly Sun, CEO, Brightstar Care, USA

AND MANY MORE!

Selected as a Finalist for the Injap Sia for the Young Entrepreneur Awards.

1 out of 10 chosen companies nationwide won the SME Company of the year from different business sectors and we are one of them.

Won Go Negosyo's MOST INSPIRING MSME Award out of the hundreds of MSME companies in the Philippines.

Our COO is recognized as the Most Outstanding Alumnus of the College of Business Management & Accounting in his Alma mater, Trinity University of Asia this February 2024.

Won 1st runner up in the Female Founders Competition first batch and will compete in the UK for the global competition.

An inspiring book that featured women of business here in the Philippines. We are one of the chosen companies that were featured in this book. Grab a copy now!

We support the repatriated OFW's by the late Secretary Susan Ople of the Dept. of Migrant workers. We help them build their small business in order for them to stay in the Philippines.

A special guest speaker of Senator Cynthia Villar for those who are venturing into business and franchising. 

A USA based magazine that featured 50 Women of Wonders in Franchising world wide. We are one of the 50 Women featured in this magazine.

Learn more here:  https://fdm.franchisedictionarymagazine.com/books/wogs/#p=66 

A UK based magazine that featured 100 Influential Women in Franchising and we are one of the 100 companies. 

Learn more here: https://www.what-franchise.com/business-advice/running-a-franchise/100-influential-women-in-franchising-2020-ones-to-watch

A pastry chef also is a FOOD ENTREPRENEUR INSTRUCTOR at one of the well known Culinary schools in the Philippines.

Learn more here:

https://cca-manila.edu.ph/programs/food-entrepreneur-masterclass/