Bizu-me mucho!

WHAT is in a kiss? A kiss gives us happy hormones and good vibes.

Bizu's name came from the word "bisous," which means a kiss in French and beso-beso in Spanish, giving exactly this kind of hormones and happy feeling. It connects people in joyful ways. These are what made Bizu Groupe distinctive through the years.

Audrey Tanco-Yu, CEO of Bizu Groupe, explains that Bizu Patisserie was started by her mother, Annabel Tanco, whose frequent trips to Paris inspired her to start the shop known for splendid cakes and delectable macaron de Paris. The elder Tanco built bistros and cafés that led the way for new concepts and specializations in the food scene.

Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Tanco-Yu inherited the business acumen and developed a knack for entrepreneurship and seeking opportunities.

"We grew up in a food-centric family. My grandmother paid very special attention to her Sunday lunches, where she would cook up fantastic meals from her own travels. My mother's and my grandmother's kitchen is always vibrant and buzzing with activity," she said.

"Feeding everyone was passion and a way of life, brought out larger than life so that this energy can be shared with many," she added.

Now, the baton from the mother has been passed on to Tanco-Yu. This role was not however given to her in a silver platter. She worked hard for it having started as Head of Marketing in Bizu and shifted to "intrapreneruship," where she is able to build a business inside the family business with a new extension product, which is Bizu Catering Studio.

"I took on this role for a long time. As I continually grew and developed myself as a leader, a creative problem solver and a strategic thinker, I stepped up to lead the entire group of Bizu, including retail and commissary," she continued.

She graduated with a degree in AB Communication in 2004 from Ateneo de Manila University. She is a member of the Entrepreneurs Organization of the Philippines. She definitely came to the family enterprise prepared.

"As a lead, my management approach is visionary and growth oriented," she said.

"I love to inspire and lead teams in an empowered manner where every leader understands where to go and how to get to our goals. I believe in clear accountabilities and open communication with everyone," the young CEO explained.

She is a firm believer of agile and adaptive performance where people are allowed to innovate. "Failing is always an opportunity for growth."

Through her experience in the business, she developed expertise in B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-consumer) sales, earning the Mansmith & Fielders' Young Market Masters Award for Entrepreneurial Marketing in the Philippines.

Managing almost 500 people in the Bizu Groupe, which now has eight restaurants, patisseries and a catering studio is quite a feat for Tanco-Yu.

This powerhouse of energy and dynamism is bent on creating more impactful food concepts that would introduce a better way to live and eat for people's minds and souls.

When asked about challenges that she encountered in the business, she said that the Bizu Groupe encountered a myriad of challenges, especially when it was starting.

She explained that getting the right vision, understanding your positioning strategy in the market, and hiring and growing the right people are initial steps in charting one's way in the business.

However, the importance of having the right systems and processes, while making sure everyone is clearly aligned on the path to growth are what matter in the business, she added.

"If the leader is not equipped with the right tools, one can easily drown in the chaos of running a growing business," she said, who came prepared for her current role given the many years of hands-on experience in the industry.

She said that she continuously develops herself as she mentors other people.

Apart from this, adapting management systems inside the company helps her and her team to navigate the daily issues and challenges.

As an Entrepreneurial Operating System implementer, she is also able to lead and to teach other leaders a better way in transforming their businesses from chaos to clarity.

Her pastime includes quantum-clearing pursuits to help people achieve their limitless potentials.

"What I love about it is the simplicity to develop and cascade this system to the entire organization that allows more cohesiveness, vision clarity and traction."

At Bizu Groupe, Tanco-Yu's core direction is clear: To continue bringing elegant comfort fare for simple celebrations to the grandest ones in different formats.

"We will take it one step at a time as we continue to develop and grow. We will achieve this with better creativity and a more involved team."

The next five years for Bizu Groupe under her stewardship is all about growth in various formats.

"I intend to achieve all these plans with clear accountability and discipline, while balancing the flux of our daily lives and the macro environment factors. It is never a straight path, but I take every detour as an opportunity to evolve."

She said that their customers tell them that their service is very anticipative.

Tanco-Yu said that the decades of experience in the food industry have helped her and her team develop the skills and expertise to know what can happen in various situations as they also assist their clients navigate challenges with various event formats in different locations.

When asked who her mentor is, she said that she credits Jasen Ko of Zenutrients, who has supported her through the most challenging parts of her entrepreneurial journey.

Ko taught her valuable management. The many conversations about changing mindset and belief systems to put forward the company more and better have helped Tanco-Yu a great deal in the industry.

But at the end of the day, it is family which has inspired her. But what has kept her going is seeing her employees loving what they do.

"Because this business is a family business, we all want to be in this together. Beyond this, I enjoy creating opportunities for people to truly thrive in."

As a leader, she believes that everyone is capable of going beyond his or her wildest dreams.

She stressed the importance of being reflective.

"By going inwards, removing traumas and limiting beliefs, and adding more goodness, can we be on the path to achieving great things for ourselves and others."

Striking a balance between work and life is, however, a juggling act, according to Tanco-Yu.

"I compile all my to-do lists and prioritize. I have always been a very hard worker, at the expense of myself and my family. As we mature, we begin to remind ourselves to put self-care into the picture and this has even led to better results for everyone," she said.

Beyond her entrepreneurial pursuits, she is a wife, mother, daughter and friend to many.

The CEO has many hats but with her clear vision, dynamic.

* * * QUICK QUESTIONS

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR?

Falling down the stairs, and not making our customers happy.

WHAT REALLY MAKES YOU ANGRY?

People who only think of themselves.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO WORK HARD?

To be a good provider for my family and our employees.

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH THE MOST?

I always laugh at myself every day.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE SMALL?

I was a master of none. I did not have any visible talent that you can display in a talent show. Therefore, I was not very ambitious.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WON THE LOTTO?

I will buy real estate.

IF YOU COULD SHARE A MEAL WITH ANY INDIVIDUAL, LIVING OR DEAD, WHO WOULD HE, SHE OR THEY BE?

I once shared a meal with a monk in Nepal. He taught me about peace. I have ever had the best meal conversation.

WHAT IS THE MOST DARING THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE?

Facing my own internal monsters. To me, the deep internal unknowns of ourselves is a scary place to go into.

WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ?

"Good to Great" by Jim Collins.

WHICH CELEBRITY WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET FOR COFFEE?

Keanu Reeves.

WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WOULD NEVER DO AGAIN?

Judge and criticize others.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS?

Still happy, and hopefully, less busy. ism and creativity, Tanco-Yu is sure to achieve her many dreams both for her family and for her company.