Tommy Tiangco: A coffee franchise needs hands-on attention

A franchisee's work does not end with putting up the capital. This was Tommy Tiangco's central message in an interview segment published by Bizkarte Clips on 23 September 2026. Discussing his involvement with Oliver's coffee, he stressed the need for ongoing oversight of existing outlets alongside the search for opportunities to expand.

From corporate work to franchising

In the interview, Tiangco reflected on why he chose a franchise as his first business venture. After several years in corporate employment, he said, he began considering where to invest his money.

An opportunity arose when his friend Jacob Ang started Oliver's coffee. This was the business he referred to when explaining how he became a franchisee. His account centred on his personal search for an investment and the opportunity available to him at the time.

However, his comments went beyond choosing a brand. From his reasons for entering the business, the discussion turned to the responsibilities of running it. In Tiangco's view, franchisees have their own part to play once they have committed their capital.

Management, not just investment

Tiangco emphasised that franchisees need to manage their existing outlets properly and consistently. Focusing solely on expansion is not enough. He explained that understanding how each outlet operates is essential to identifying what could be improved.

He referred to both behind-the-scenes processes and customer-facing operations. Close management, he said, helps reveal changes that could improve profit margins.

In the extract on which this article is based, he did not give a specific figure for potential profit growth or identify a single change that everyone could adopt. His clear point was the link between active oversight and identifying areas of the business that need improvement.

This distinction matters when interpreting his experience: he was describing the need for ongoing work, not promising a particular return on investment. Monitoring an outlet's performance was the means he outlined for finding possible improvements.

Expansion alongside day-to-day oversight

Tiangco also discussed looking for new locations for outlets. But he placed this within the franchisee's wider role: reviewing day-to-day operations while continuing to seek opportunities for growth.

In this account, expansion is not separate from looking after the existing business. Franchisees still need to oversee outlets already operating, even as they consider the next location. The work, he said, continues after the initial investment.

The extract did not identify any new location, opening date or planned number of outlets. His reference to expansion should therefore not be read as an announcement of a scheduled opening. It was part of his description of a franchisee's ongoing work.

For those considering the Philippine franchise market, the value of this account lies in its perspective from someone operating outlets. His experience illustrates that the decision to invest marks the beginning of the responsibility, rather than its end.

Questions to ask before becoming a franchisee

Tiangco's experience suggests some practical questions for prospective investors: Who will regularly review how the outlet is running? How will processes needing improvement be identified? How will existing operations receive enough attention while new premises are being sought?

These are questions to help investors prepare, not details he said formed part of the Oliver's coffee agreement. Nor did the extract set out the required investment, franchise fees or payback period.

Practical takeaway: Before committing capital to a franchise, prepare for the time and management responsibilities involved as well. In Tiangco's account, sustained attention to an outlet is just as important as finding the next opportunity to expand.