Ken Tan, who belongs to the millennial generation, is not only contributing to the community. At 25, he is also building one—an Italian-inspired village in the surfing destination of La Union province.
Tan is the chairman and chief executive of Wynsland Development Corp., the developer of Tuscany Estates, which is rising to become an exclusive and luxurious residential project in San Fernando City, just 10 minutes away from the famous San Juan Beach.
Tan was entrusted to lead the expansion of the family business to property development and in the process becoming one of the youngest chief executives in the country. His family runs a food distribution company in northern Luzon.
Tan tapped Cova Construction Designs, the contractor of Thunderbird Resort La Union, to design and build the one-hectare subdivision and RCL Realty & Consulting Services to market the project as an exclusive neighborhood which depicts the artistic architecture of central Italy.
After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing Management from the University of Santo Tomas, Tan worked in Manila for a few months before taking on the challenge of handling one his family’s major projects in the northern part of Luzon.
“After graduation, I worked in Manila for around six to seven months just to gain experience. Then I got called to La Union to handle the business because it expanded,” Tan says in an interview in Makati City.
Coming from a family of businessmen, Tan was tasked to expand the property development unit Wynsland Development Corp.
“The family was already into real estate and leasing even before Wynsland but we were more focused on cars specifically in Baguio. I was also born and raised in Baguio. Four years ago after graduation, the business was expanded so I was sent to La Union to manage the business and during that time, we saw a lot of opportunities and that’s how Wynsland Development Corp. came about,” he says.
Wynsland’s maiden project is a 9,566-square-meter property near the Diversion Road in Barangay Biday, San Fernando City. With the help of Cova Construction Designs and RCL Realty, Tan pursued an Italian-style village concept for 59 house and lots, tree-lined roads, a clubhouse with swimming pool, basketball court, picnic huts, multi-purpose hall and children’s playground.
“Actually, we bought that property before as an expansion for the warehouse of the distribution business. But the property was too ideal, so we had some consultations on what is best to do with the property and of course we did marketing research, then what the consultants came up with is to develop a real estate,” he says.
Tan is optimistic about the project in La Union, which emerges to be a high-growth province known as for its pristine beaches and surfing sprees.
“It’s in the middle of everything, just ten minutes away from San Juan beach, 10 minutes to San Juan and San Fernando town proper, and it’s just beside the CSI City Mall, which is the only mall in La Union so far. We provide luxury, exclusivity and security,” he says.
Tan says once completed, Tuscany Estates will have topnotch security and 24-hour closed-circuit television coverage, aside from the usual amenities of gym, pool and events area. He says as a lover of animals, he will make sure that Tuscany Estates will be a pet-friendly subdivision.
“It’s also the first subdivision in La Union that’s pet-friendly. I love dogs. I have five huskies. But of course, we have certain limitations. They shouldn’t make noise, they have to be vaccinated, etc. If they start making ruckus, then the bylaws will apply,” he says.
La Union’s laidback and classic lifestyle is the inspiration for Tuscany Estates. “Basically this is the suggestion of our consultants. That’s why they came up with Tuscany and the board approved it. It’s the first and only Italian-inspired village in the region,” he says.
He says Tuscany Estates is ideal for starting families, professionals, expats and balikbayans. It has model units for single-detached and duplex units. Lots range from 80 to 133 square meters.
“This is for the Upper B market, for those who can afford P4 million to P6 million for house and lots,” he says.
This early, Wynsland already considers the expansion of the project. “The target is to sell everything out within a year from launching. After phase 2, we’re already looking at some other properties to develop again in the future, then hopefully venture out more into the real estate business,” he says.
Tan believes that the project will be good for the whole of La Union. “I think it will contribute to the economy. It will help meet the housing backlog. It will generate more jobs, and of course if there are more houses there, there are more families which mean money will evolve in La Union,” he says.
Despite developing a residential project at a young age, Tan remains humble, ready to face bigger challenges that may come his way. At an early age, he learned the value of money and importance of hard work. He recalls how his parents instilled in him the traits of an effective and disciplined leader.
“I would give the credit to my parents. They trained us even before I started to work. They started teaching us when I was six or seven years old. When I was a kid, I kept on getting mad, asking ‘why can’t I play with my friends?’ But, when I grew up, I realized the value of money and hard-work, and the importance of family. So even when you ask me now, I don’t like sports cars. That wasn’t how I was raised,” he says.
This has become evident after their parents entrusted to him the real estate businesses. His older brother, Kelwyn, is handling their estates in Baguio, particularly dormitories and commercial buildings.
Aside from his parents, Khenrik speaks highly of his elders and consultants who mentored him on his journey.
“There are pros and cons in being young. When I ask elders, they are always one step ahead, one to give advice. So that’s a good thing. I basically learn from all my consultants.”
Despite the hectic schedule as a chief executive, Tan takes time to hone his management skills by taking a Master’s Degree in Marketing Communications at De La Salle University in Manila.
“Well I really have a passion for marketing. Right now when we associate marketing, the first thing that comes to mind is just sales. But it’s very broad. Everything we see now is marketing,” he says.
Tan says being a young bachelor, he still manages to balance work and play. “I’m dating. I also party and meet with my friends every once in a while,” he says.
He spends his free time playing sports such as basketball, golf and triathlons.
Being a young executive, however, has its pros and cons. He faces the challenge of being taken seriously by his colleagues as a mature and dependable leader.
“People will really take you for granted. But over the years, I have to prove myself, learn from my mistakes, and what’s important is that I keep listening. So that’s what basically drives me and makes people listen to me now,” he says.
Tan shares some of the philosophies that guide him along the way. “First, I bank on ethics, learning and empowerment. On ethics, success is very important. But for me, it’s how you achieve success. For learning, I really love to learn. Currently I am taking my Master’s. I took up real estate, I studied insurance, I learned stocks, I learned forex. For me, it’s better to learn something about everything rather than learn everything about something,” he says.
“Lastly is empowerment. I’m the type of person to give credit rather than take credit. So in my heart, I’m really happy if people grow under my guidance. That’s fulfilling,” he says.
Tan also considers the Ayalas as among the business leaders whom he look up to. “I was really inspired to go to real estate because of the Ayalas. I went to a seminar before at AIM [Asian Institute of Management] and they are one of the speakers.”
He says that it was through the words of Enrique Ayala that he became conscious of his goal to not only to sell their products but also their brand. “My family before was very traditional— acquire, acquire, acquire, and never sell. But when I went to the seminar, I learned that their goal was to revolve their wealth. So if you sell it, it doesn’t mean it’s not yours. Technically, it’s still your brand. And that brand is yours alone. No one can buy it from you,” he says.
Tan says age is just a number and that it should not prevent one from achieving his or her dreams early. “What I can say about young entrepreneurs right now is that they’re very equipped. They’re younger, and very aggressive. They can easily adapt to change—technological, environmental, everything. They are very capable.”
“But at the end of the day, what’s important for me is the willingness to learn. So that’s basically what makes a successful entrepreneur, no matter what age,” he says.