Uma never imagined that fried chicken would define her career.
Growing up, she explored different possibilities for her future, unsure of which path to take. Her life changed when she became a mother at 17. Suddenly, her decisions were no longer just about herself. She had a child to raise, responsibilities to fulfill, and a future to secure. Rather than allowing early motherhood to limit her ambitions, Uma turned it into motivation. She became determined to work harder and pursue opportunities that could provide her family with a better life.
Alongside her was Paeng, who would become not only her husband but also her partner in building a business.
Their relationship began long before the success of Paeng’s Fried Chicken. They knew each other as teenagers, years before their lives would become intertwined with the demands of entrepreneurship. Neither could have known then that they would one day be running a franchise with more than a hundred branches.
They were simply two young people figuring out life together.
And when the opportunity to start a business came, they chose to take that chance as a team.
Giving a Family Legacy a Second Chance
Long before Uma became involved, Paeng’s Fried Chicken already had a place in Boholano food history.
Built around a family recipe, the business had introduced generations of customers to a familiar local taste. But despite its history, the brand had yet to realize its potential for wider expansion.
For Uma and Paeng, reviving the business offered an opportunity to preserve something meaningful while creating a source of income for their growing family. In 2014, they started again with just ₱15,000.
It was a modest amount, especially for a food business. There were no guarantees that customers would return, that the operation would become profitable, or that their investment would last.
But they believed it was worth trying.
Their early days were humble. Uma recalled being happy when they sold around 20 chickens a day. Every sale mattered because every peso helped sustain their family. At that point, success did not mean opening branches across the Philippines. It meant earning enough to keep the business going and meet their family’s needs.
Paeng and Uma were not chasing a business empire. They were building a livelihood together.
As customers returned and demand grew, their small venture began showing signs of something bigger. What started as a means of survival was slowly becoming an opportunity.
When Two People Believe in the Same Dream
Building a business as husband and wife is not always easy.
There are financial pressures, difficult decisions, long working hours, and moments when personal and professional responsibilities overlap. Uma and Paeng had to navigate these realities while raising their family and growing a business they were still learning to manage.
Without formal business training, Uma learned entrepreneurship through experience. She had to understand pricing, operations, employees, customer preferences, and the financial decisions required to keep the business sustainable.
As the business grew, so did her ambitions. And throughout that journey, Paeng remained one of her strongest supporters.
Uma describes her husband as someone who believes in her ideas, including the ambitious ones that might initially seem difficult to accomplish. Rather than discouraging her from dreaming bigger, he has been there to support her as they worked toward their goals.
Their partnership became one of the foundations of Paeng’s growth.
They complemented each other, sharing responsibilities and finding ways to navigate the challenges of running a company together. Of course, they did not always agree on everything. Like any couple managing a business, they had differences in opinion and decisions to work through. But underneath those challenges was a shared commitment to their family and the business they were building.
For Uma, choosing a life partner is among the most important decisions a person can make. A supportive partner can help shape the direction of someone’s life, especially when pursuing something as uncertain as entrepreneurship.
In Paeng, she found someone who was willing to build that future alongside her.
Their success was not simply the result of one person’s ambition. It came from two people choosing to work toward the same dream.
From One Small Store to a Growing Franchise
As Paeng’s Fried Chicken gained customers, Uma and Paeng began expanding beyond their first location.
But growth introduced a new challenge: How could they bring their fried chicken to more communities without personally financing and managing every branch?
Franchising offered an answer.
Through entrepreneurship programs and support from the Department of Trade and Industry, Uma learned how a structured franchise model could help the business grow through partnerships with other entrepreneurs.
The opportunity changed how they viewed Paeng’s future.
Instead of limiting their ambitions to a handful of company-operated stores, franchising opened the possibility of reaching customers across the Philippines. What began as a family livelihood was developing into a business model that other entrepreneurs could become part of.
Still, expansion required more than enthusiasm.
Uma and Paeng had to build systems, establish standards, and ensure that each branch delivered the quality customers associated with Paeng’s. The brand’s strength came from its familiar Boholano taste, affordability, and connection to local food culture. Preserving that identity while growing became one of their most important responsibilities.
Each new branch brought them closer to their vision, but it also reminded them of the work required to protect the family legacy they had revived.
Building a Business Without Forgetting Family
Even as Paeng’s grew, Uma remained deeply connected to the role that first motivated her to pursue entrepreneurship: being a mother.
Running a growing franchise while raising a family meant balancing competing responsibilities.
For Uma, the answer was not necessarily achieving a perfect balance between work and home. Instead, she believed in being fully present wherever she was needed.
When she worked, she focused on the business. When she spent time with her children, she made an effort to give them her attention. Having Paeng beside her made that journey a shared responsibility rather than something she had to navigate alone.
Their relationship extended beyond business meetings, franchise decisions, and daily operations. They were also parents building a home and a future for their children. The business that began as a way to provide for their family had grown beyond anything they initially imagined.
Yet the reason they started remained the same.
The Love Behind the Legacy
More than a decade after they revived Paeng’s Fried Chicken, Uma and Paeng have helped transform the family business into a franchise network of 112 branches.
When Uma speaks about her journey, her gratitude toward Paeng is evident.
She recognizes the importance of having someone who supports her dreams, encourages her ambitions, and remains committed even when the path ahead is uncertain.
For Uma, their marriage has been more than a personal relationship. It has also been a partnership built on trust, shared responsibilities, and the willingness to grow together.
Their story offers a different perspective on entrepreneurial success.
Behind the branches, business awards, and expansion plans are two people who believed in each other long before the world recognized what they were building.
Paeng did not simply lend his name to the business. He stood alongside Uma as they worked to turn a family recipe into a growing franchise.
And Uma brought the determination, optimism, and ambition that helped carry their shared vision forward.
Together, they built something neither could have imagined in their early years
Dream Big, Start Small, and Find Someone Who Believes in You
Uma’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is simple:
“Dream big, but don’t be afraid to start small.”
She encourages people to begin with whatever resources they have, learn from their mistakes, and continue improving until they find what works.
Her own journey is proof that a small beginning does not have to determine the size of someone’s future. But there is another lesson in her story, one that goes beyond business.
The people who believe in us can influence how far we are willing to go.
For Uma, having Paeng as a supportive husband and business partner has been an important part of that journey. Today, Paeng’s Fried Chicken stands as a testament to Boholano entrepreneurship, perseverance, and the power of starting small.
Yet its most meaningful story may not be found in the number of branches it has opened. It is found in the two people who chose to build something together.
Because behind every successful business is a story of courage and sacrifice. And behind Paeng’s Fried Chicken is a love story about two people who believed in each other, dreamed together, and turned ₱15,000 into a legacy.