Actor and entrepreneur Enchong Dee shared how he started his entrepreneurial journey at 21 years old.

In a YouTube interview with Eugene Domingo, he recalled how a conversation with his mother led him to invest on his first business venture, which was a real estate property.

"Twenty-one years old ako, kinausap ako ni mama. 'Anak kailangan mo ng passive income.' [Sabi ko], oo sige ma, kapag may opportunity, game gawin natin.' Eh nakahanap siya ng lupa sa Cubao. Pikit mata, may pera lang ako nun para sa lupa pero wala akong pangtayo ng building," he recalled in an interview with Eugene Domingo in her latest YouTube vlog.

With limited funds, his mother advised him to take out a bank loan to finance the construction. This decision meant Enchong had to work even harder to ensure he could pay off his bank loan.

"Siyempre itatayo mo pa naman 'yun eh. Not necessarily 'pag bili mo may papasok na kaagad na pera. Hindi, kailangan mo magtrabaho. Dun din na-practice 'yung sarili ko na any chance na may trabaho, galingan mo talaga, opportunity 'yun," he recounted.

Enchong vividly recalled how his earnings went straight to loan payments. "Imaginin mo parang kakasweldo ko lang ngayon, 'yung sweldo ko pambayad ko na agad sa bangko 'yun, wala na akong pera ngayon," he said.

This experience taught Enchong the importance of financial discipline, even if it meant being labeled as thrifty.

"Sa Pilipinas ang negative connotation kapag kuripot ka di ba? Pero hindi naiintidihan ng tao na kaya ka mahigpit sa pera kasi may pinag-iipunan ka at may binabayaran ka," he said.

Enchong knew early on that a career in show business wouldn’t last forever, which is why he was determined to have a fallback plan.

"Na-realize ko rin na kailangan ko ng fall back. Kung hindi ako magtatagal dito sa industriya na 'to, kailangan ko ng pagkakakitaan," he recounted.