From Kitchen to Executive Office

As projected by a popular soda cracker TV ad, all of us will have our own break. The ultimate chance may come once-in-a-lifetime and if you let it pass, whether accidentally or not, there might be no magic charm that could help you turn back the lost time.

Most of life’s successes are not only tough luck. They require passion, faith, willpower and more constructive thoughts—much like the case of JM Matienzo, a master baker turned boy helper, administrative assistant, personal assistant and now, managing director of Ariva! Events Management. When his break came, he simply took the shot and the rest were history.

While JM manages his own event management company, he acts as a leader of a committee of experts that organizes business seminar-workshops for various types of people and training needs. He treats his team not as subordinates but as business partners. “Whatever responsibility they have, they have full ownership to it,” is what he says in order to express his trust on them.
And now that he is already settled in his corporate seat, the 31-year old entrepreneur is not afraid to look back a little at his past and share his inspiring story to others.

In 1995, JM stopped schooling and started working as a baker in a small pastry shop in Paco, Manila to support his family. Shortly, he applied as a boy helper after seeing the job ad in a newspaper. He was hired, and he would later find out that this would become the turning point of his life.

At that same year, JM worked as an administrative assistant for Megavision, a company owned by motivational speaker Harry Pound. JM showed exemplary performance despite the fact that he has not completed his studies. Harry then made him his personal assistant after discovering his leadership skills and potentials. When Harry retired from work five years later, the young trainee took over the duties he left behind. JM became the president and managing director of a newly established training and consulting firm, and eventually he founded Ariva!, his own event management company.

JM aimed and managed to reach high and far. With all his immeasurable successes, he holds some guiding principles from Harry. Aside from the passion to help others, he also learned the “Be-Do-Have” attitude. “You have to BE before you can DO. And DO before you can HAVE,” as JM shares the key factor to winning a break.

For more business coaching, contact JM Matienzo and Ariva! View Ad