Spotlight

A Business Built On Relationships

by Jana Blanco
February 13, 2022

Multi-hyphenate and consummate jetsetter Ferdi Salvador gets intimate about his life as a single parent and the breakthroughs of leading a business through drastic shifts.

Ferdi Salvador is the ultimate multi-hyphenate. He’s enjoyed a stellar career in the luxury industry as one of the country’s most sought-after publicists and branding directors. His infectious, larger-than-life charm has also endeared him as a TV host to audiences of lifestyle magazine shows. Of all the roles he takes on, it’s that of being a doting dad to Carine that brings him the most joy.

Raising a child is never a walk in the park. And to go through the entire journey as a single parent leading an extremely busy lifestyle poses a different challenge. Before the pandemic, Ferdi’s calendar was usually packed with business trips, events, and back-to-back meetings. While on the road or in transit, members of his immediate family happily engaged as co-parents to his daughter. He enthuses, “She grew up with the steadfast rearing of my mother and interesting perspectives of my siblings,”

Even while he’s away for work, Ferdi sees to it that he and Carine talk everyday. And as soon as there is opportunity for quality bonding, time spent between the super dad and his clever 10-year-old are considered precious and sacred. It’s on those days or moments when the fast-paced work life comes to a halt to make room for a father-daughter date, swimming lessons, cooking, and bingeing at home.

Shifts of the pandemic, as Ferdi puts it, brought about changes that are “both positive and less-than-ideal.” Business downturns, downsizing of budgets, and demands for digitization in the communications and luxury field tested his resilience and resolve. The PR and marketing visionary recalls, “It gave me no choice but to close some businesses and focus on the ones that are agile.”

He also confesses, “I generally have a positive outlook in life but this pandemic got the best of me.” During his second month of his isolation when lockdowns were first reinforced, Ferdi intimates that he underwent both a breakdown and a breakthrough. The choice to embrace mental toughness was informed by love for family and also his team at work. He recounts, “My main concern was to keep our teams afloat and take the punches for a couple of months,” Ferdi recounts.

A slow and thoughtful regroup, however, saw light shine at the end of the tunnel. “Since my main bread and butter is PR and communications, we were able to strategize early on to help out clients without having to put monetary pressure on them,” he explains. Not only did they shift more focus on the digital landscape, they made sure to give their media partners support in every way possible. “We are proud that support without looking at the bottom line has fortified our relationships with our clients,” the astute entrepreneur shares.

Business trips are no longer as frequent as they once were for this consummate jetsetter, but life goes on. Ferdi now finds himself flying out to check on projects regularly, which means being away from his daughter for prolonged periods. “I take precautions very seriously—getting tested on a regular basis and going on quarantine before and after every trip. It’s my way of protecting my loved ones and ensure they are well,” he explains. After all, if there was one valuable lesson learned from the pandemic, it’s to love, protect and nurture relationships.