How Renee Salud, Ricky Reyes started in their teens and built empires without formal education

Being breadwinners

At just 15, with no money and a desire to help his mother earn, Reyes began working, eventually building his eponymous chain of salons.

"I was a mother and a father at 15, seeing my six young brothers and sister to school and giving allowance to my mother. I wanted to go to school at mag-aral na maggupit ng buhok because I really wanted so much to help my mother," he recalled.

As much as his mother wanted him to go to school, the harsh reality was that they couldn't afford the tuition, so Reyes had to work as a floor sweeper at a beauty salon.

"I learned the trade by sweeping the floor, watching the hairdressers na gumagawa. After three months, I was already the star of the show," he said.

Salud, on the other hand, took up architecture during college, but his heart was set elsewhere.

"After one year, sabi ko, 'hindi tayo magsusurvive nito. Pag nasira na 'yung plate mo, nalagyan mo lang na kaunting ink, wala na, sira na 'yung papel, so wala na akong budget para sa food. Naninirahan lang ako doon sa mga tiyaheng ko. So sabi ko, huwag na lang," he said.

Salud, who was 16 years old at the time, applied as a fashion designer at a department store in Cubao.

"Tinanggap ako kahit na wala akong alam. Nag-apply ako as designer kasi noon. Ang dali maghanap ng trabaho noon kasi tingnan mo lamang yung ads ng dyaryo, makikita mo yun, so punta naman ako," he said.

"Alam mo saan ako dinala noong una? Sa bodega. Sabi ko, 'Bakit bodega? Ang designer ba sa bodega talaga dinadala?' [Ang sabi sa'kin,] 'Kita mo ;yung mga tela na yan? Salansanin mo 'yan according to colors, to fabrics, to texture, everything," he continued.

Despite the initial shock, Salud learned to appreciate his tasks as this was his "training" to become the renowned fashion designer he is today.

Troubled relationships with family members

Both Reyes and Salud faced tension with their family members growing up as a result of their identity as gay men.

Reyes had no relationship with his father, having been born into his dad's second family.

"I was disowned by my father because we are a second family. My mother is the common-law wife of my father, so ako 'yung unang anak niya. And that time, kapag anak ka sa labas, ostracized, 'di ba? Eh, bading pa ako," he shared.

"Ang ginawa ng nanay ko, dinemanda 'yung tatay ko for acknowledgement and support, which dinisowned pa rin niya ako," he added.

Adding to his struggles, Reyes endured abuse from his three half-brothers from his mom's previous relationships, who sought to "make a man" out of him.

"Pinipilit nila ako na maging lalaki din. Naranasan ko kung paano ibitin nang patiwarik. Naranasan ko ikulong sa hawla ng manok, at apuyan sa ilalim. But you know, that time, ang tawag doon pagmamahal. The era of the 60s and the 70s is what you call 'tough love,'" he said.

Reyes eventually found a father figure in businessman Henry Sy, and it was thanks to him that the hairdresser was able to open his first salon at the SM North EDSA.

Salud had a much better relationship with his father in his childhood years, but noted that there was still some tension with regards to him being part of the LGBTQ community.

"Tatay ko naman, hindi siya ganon kagalit sa bakla. Nagkakataon lang na siguro nape-pressure siya ng mga barkada niya at saka mga kamag-anak niya na, 'Anak mo bading.' So ang tatay, may galit pero hindi naman siya ganon yung hinahagupit ka, tinatali ka nang pabaligtad," he said.

From struggles to success

After pouring his heart into his craft all his life, Salud realized that he had finally reached the pinnacle when he managed to provide his family with the life they had once only dreamed of.

"Nung nakita ko na 'yung mga kapatid ko, graduate na lahat sila, maganda na nagiging pamilya nila. 'Yung mga anak nila, napapa-aral nila sa mga exclusive schools. Ito na. This is what I envisioned for them," he highlighted.

"Na 'yung pamilya ko, hindi lang ako ang kumakain nang matino, namamahay, may kotse—pati sila meron na. That was the time na naramdaman ko na, 'Success!'" he added.

Reyes, however, held a different view of success.

"I never consider anything in my life that comes to me as a success. Para sa akin, lahat ng bagay na 'yun, trabaho lang. And I have done my best. And to me, kasi napaaral ko lahat ng kapatid ko, nag-master sila, eh ako, high school graduate. Hanggang doon na lang ako," he explained.

"Hindi ko inisip yun. Ang inisip ko lang, kailangan ko lang magtrabaho. And the rest of the money that I make, I roll into my business," he added.

Through this, he was able to start his "Isang Gunting, Isang Suklay" initiative, helping around 886,000 poor Filipinos graduate. He also started a center where they take care of children who have cancer.

"Everything naman is just a matter of right connection. Tayo lahat makakatagpo ng mga tao na in one way or another, will share the same vision as what we want. At kapag nabuo yun, it's going to become very, very real," he underscored.

Learnings in life

With decades of experience, profound hardships, and having started an empire without formal education or guidance, Reyes and Salud forged their success through a foundational belief in relentless effort.

"You just have to keep dreaming and dreaming, climbing and climbing the ladder. Pagka-nakarating ka na sa dulo ng hagdanan, magdugtong ka pa uli ng isa pang hagdanan. 'Pag dating mo nanaman ng dulo, another hagdanan," Reyes said. "Never stop."

"The past is always the lesson. Learn something from it," he continued.

Salud, for his part, emphasized the importance of continuous learning in the dynamic fields of beauty and fashion, saying, "It has to be continuous learning kasi nag-eevolve ang mundo, and taste ng tao, katawan ng tao, kaya dapat pati yung damit, yung talent mo, nag-eevolve din according sa tawag ng panahon."

When asked for their advice on achieving success and managing finances, they echoed Gonzaga's sentiment that gay people, being giving in nature, would find discipline to be the foundation of their success.

Reyes said, "Lagi kong sinasabi sa mga bakla, 'Mga anak, kung ito nagawa ko, wala akong pinag-aralan, kaya niyong lahat. It's just a matter of discipline. Matuto kayong mag-ipon."

"Just keep on praying, because whatever happens in our lives, this is what God wants you to be. So kung anong blessings ibigay sayo, pagyamanin mo yon, ang iba i-share mo, ang iba itago mo. Just keep yourself happy and beautiful," Salud shared.