How Fila Manila Turned Filipino Flavors into a Growing Food Brand

What if the idea for your next business is rooted in something you’ve known your whole life? Jake DeLeon grew up helping his mom and grandmother make Filipino food to sell to their neighbors. Years later, after his first business closed, those familiar flavors inspired a fresh start and a chance to bring Filipino cuisine to more grocery shelves. In this episode of This Is Small Business, Jake joins host Andrea Marquez to share how he built Fila Manila while caring for his dad and what his first business taught him about doing things differently the second time. Over banana ketchup and fries, they talk about reaching the right customers, the Shark Tank appearance that transformed his online sales, and growing a brand without losing what makes it personal. Watch the full conversation on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Thisissmallbusiness In this episode of This Is Small Business, you’ll learn: (01:12) — How family cooking sparked a career in food and led to entrepreneurship (03:10) — What a first business can teach you about building your next (06:58) — The family support behind getting onto grocery shelves (09:13) — How Shark Tank transformed Fila Manila’s online sales (13:04) — Why embracing your culture can help your brand stand out