As young as he is, is on his way to the top of the retail game

his 26-year-old is wise beyond his years. Michael Concepcion dove headfirst into the fashion and retail industry at the age of 21. He founded Ronnie & Joe Optical Salon, a premium independent eyewear destination with over 35 exclusive brand partners, and became the official franchisee for Adidas Originals in the Philippines. He also opened the awardwinning boutique, Commonwealth, which specialises in select international menswear and footwear. Ronnie & Joe, named after his grandparents, marked his venture into the industry. It took him two years to develop the concept, finding a partner in a mentor and a role model. “I was lucky to be surrounded by people who had such great experience and knowledge. Everything was so new to me, so I had to learn so much so fast. When I find something that I am passionate about, I am not one to simply sit back and enjoy it, I need and want to be involved.” In 2014, Concepcion hustled his way to find people who knew all about eyewear and learnt as much as he could. He flew to New York that summer and cold called the brands he loved. Concepcion showed up at their office, knocked on the door and got a five-minute meeting with the president of Ronnie & Joe’s first big brand. “I was so nervous because I was so new to this; I did not have the experience and I was young, but they saw how much this meant to me and how passionate I was about it. It worked out well.”