Right around the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Jai Reyes knew his pro basketball career was waning. And then suddenly, all sporting events were shelved.
“I was kind of at a crossroads,” Reyes told Rappler. “So, I had to rely on what I’ve known since my college days in Ateneo.”
Reyes, who had a degree in Communications Technology Management, opened his food business, The Sundry, in 2021, then just a food delivery hub to fit the post-pandemic times in Sampaloc, Manila.
The 5-foot-7 former PBA player oversaw operations alongside his wife Jo while juggling his commitments as a basketball player in the MPBL a few months after the lockdowns eased.
Known for his blistering speed and scoring ability when he was still donning the Blue Eagles jersey, Reyes and his team were quick to tap into the demand for food deliveries, opening numerous food hubs in Pasig City, Parañaque, and other areas in Manila the following year.
It was quite an uphill climb for Reyes, as he juggled it with stints in overseas leagues, playing in the Malaysian pro league in 2022, while also calling the shots in the Asiabasket, a league he founded.
“I knew it was a risk expanding that fast, but we had to adapt to the changing times,” Reyes noted.
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Reyes said he leaned on some fundamental basketball facets to establish the business. Discipline and time management have been his biggest building blocks.
“For my day-to-day, I model a lot from the things I learned in basketball,” Reyes said. “In my experience, I think basketball is the biggest teacher in life.”
“In basketball and business, the most important thing is caring for the body. Even after my athletic career, I always make sure that I get to work out every morning, just to keep the juices flowing. Then, my mind, how I think, gets stimulated,” he said.
Drive to succeed
While his routines from his athletic days continue, his transition was far from seamless. He lost money in some ventures. Other branches were not performing as much as others. The itch of going back to basketball persisted.
But then Reyes knew it was all part of starting a business.
The former point guard treated everything as a lesson. He adjusted accordingly and kept a tunnel vision towards business expansion. He prides himself on being a catalyst for action in both the sporting world and in entrepreneurship. And, just like in basketball, his hard work paid off.
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Over time, Reyes expanded his food hall business to seven branches, catering to about 300 to 600 online orders per day in each branch. Some of his halls also have dining areas, turning them into one-stop shops for university students in some of the biggest schools in Manila.
His halls now offer a wide variety of selections, such as cakes, ice cream, milk teas, and fried chicken. There were also Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, and American selections in most of its branches.
“I knew if you really wanted to be great at sports, it had to be your life. I went into my business by that principle. This is now my life,” Reyes said.
“I think of my business almost every hour of every day. That’s the kind of hard work and dedication that one has to go through to make any venture successful. So, the drive to succeed is very important in continuing what we have started,” he added.
Reyes shared that his business now employs 40 people under its umbrella of branches. He cited them as pivotal cogs in keeping the business running.
“You know, we’re kind of running a basketball system,” he said. “They are teammates. It’s important to have chemistry with them. They demand the best from me too, so it is really about having each others’ back.”
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Strong business sense
Jai’s entrepreneurial mind was nurtured in his playing days at Ateneo, whose men’s basketball team he helped win back-to-back UAAP titles in 2008 and 2009.
Reyes and some of his teammates then established Blue Crew, a clothing brand for Ateneans supporting the Blue Eagles in their UAAP games in the late 2000s to early 2010s.
They sold shirts with the Blue Eagles branding printed on them. They also let their teammates wear the shirts in their warmups, using it as free advertising during games.
“Back then, we noticed that the UAAP did not have much shirts that resonated with fans. So my teammates and I decided to put up Blue Crew as like testing the waters, just to see if the fans would buy what we wear,” Reyes recalled.
“From being merely an idea, the business stood up on its own. We then created numerous different designs. We made player-centric ones…Even after I graduated, we continued it. It was honestly somewhat a hit,” he said.
According to Reyes, the brand sold over P500,000 worth of shirts in their championship seasons before eventually pulling the plug on the endeavor in 2014.
That business sense carried over in his food halls. Reyes said the Blue Crew opened his eyes to the business side of the sport, creating the foundation for his post-basketball career.
“Those were my early days as a businessman, and it was kind of just a fun side hustle for us. But then it turned out to be a prelude to the kind of career I’d take following my playing career,” he said.
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
Reyes noted the direct correlation of basketball and business.
“It really is hard to let go of basketball. But if you want to venture out into business, it is not too far-fetched. It only differs on what you do from a physical standpoint,” Reyes said.
“Besides, it is not too different from basketball.”
In transitioning to the business world, preparation remains paramount for Reyes. While investment is a key factor, he emphasized that having the proper mindset and the extra drive to take risks in business decisions would set one up for success.
The athlete-turned-businessman said basketball taught him these valuable lessons.
“The big concepts are the same in basketball and business. The most important is the preparation, just like how players prepare for games and tournaments. If you fail to prepare, then prepare to fail,” Reyes said.
“The starting point is not to be scared. You will not be scared if you’ve prepared yourself for what you’re aiming for.”
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Today, Reyes continues to eye business expansion. He still plays basketball, but only as a recreational sport. Reyes also manages operations in AsiaBasket while being a husband and father.
His every day includes calls and meetings, far from when he was taking shots from three-point range or driving through defenders. It is different now, and he embraces it.
“I will always love basketball. I mean, who doesn’t? My body still longs for competition,” he said. “Then again, that’s life for us. We need to move on and accept what is next. For me, this is it.” – Rappler.com