MATT Nieto has always been as a business-savvy person.
That's why when the opportunity knocked, the gutsy Ateneo playmaker willingly took the chance even if the country is still under quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy is in shambles.
Enter 1975 Old Fashioned Burgers.
Launched late last month by Nieto, his best friend Kim Nadal, and JM Cancio, Enter 1975 Old Fashioned Burgers is a delivery-only service of grilled 100-percent Brazilian beef burgers.
"Kim and I have been playing with the idea of putting up a business for a couple of months now. Even before the pandemic started, I was already nagging him to look for a business opportunity. And what we have now is a result of luck being on our side," he told Spin.ph.
"One night, Kim texted me asking if I wanted to sell burgers, and ako naman when it’s business-talk, I’m all ears. So the three of us met and the proposal by JM looked promising."
Nieto was captivated by the concept of 1975 Old Fashioned Burgers, which is anchored on a 45-year-old recipe from Cancio's grandmother that was passed down to the next generation, beginning with the shaping mold itself.
"I’d like to believe that without the year 1975, we won’t have this burger business today. Yan kasi yung taon na nabili ng lola ng partner namin yung pang hulma ng burger which is what we still use to mold our patties," said the former Ateneo star.
"So you can be sure that the burgers our customers get are a timeless classic and are prepared with a wisdom that goes back over 45 years," he shared.
It also helps that this business is also for a cause: part of the profits will help fund Cancio's dreams of becoming a pilot. That, to Nieto, was the clincher.
"It was a yes for me," said the former Ateneo guard, who was drafted by NLEX this season before being loaned to the Gilas Pilipinas pool.
Nieto also owns dog shop One Big Bark with his former teammate Thirdy Ravena. This latest venture was hatched after the group learned that the Cancio family had a burger joint in Marikina back in the good old days.
"My friend says he never really thought of having a burger business, and that the opportunity to start this just presented itself when Kim learned that his co-worker’s son was into cooking and once had a burger shop at a young age of 16.
"So one time, he told his co-worker that if ever his son wants to re-launch his burger business, just let him message my friend," said Nieto.
"That’s really what we want to sell here: the story. We want to bring burgers that are first loved by the children and grandchildren of a family in Marikina back in the 1970s to countless customers who long for a classic, simple, old-fashioned burgers that will bring them back in time."
Nieto said that 1975 Old Fashioned Burgers did have its fair share of struggles, with the global COVID-19 pandemic hampering their production and forcing them to only operate during Tuesdays, Thursdays, and weekends.
But to him, the limited stocks only adds to the allure of the burgers.
"Our target per delivery day usually is 200 orders of burgers kasi ayaw namin ng sobrang dami para na rin ma-preserve yung quality. Kasi ang pinaka-important sa amin ay ma-satisfy namin yung customers namin," he said.
There are already a lot of satisfied customers.
Their clientele includes friends like Kiefer Ravena, Gretchen Ho, as well as personalities like Yael Yuzon and DJ Bigboy Cheng, all of whom are delighted to have a taste of their classic brioche and oatmeal bun burgers.
Nieto has yet to start his PBA career but he's already looking beyond it. The 23-year-old court general knows that his life on the hardcourt won't be forever, and there's no better time for him to prepare for his future than today.
"Alam ko naman din na hindi pangmatagalan ang basketball cause of age or injury, kaya as early as now, I try to learn and see what other ventures I could do besides basketball," he said. "Para after ng basketball career ko pag matanda na ako, meron akong other sources of income and hindi lang ako naka-depende sa basketball."
Nieto also has sound advice for fellow athletes who want to dive into the world of business.
"Just keep on trying and looking for opportunities. Ako kasi, I like hustling talaga. Side hustle is very important to me and doon mo makikita ang ugali ng tao. Also my friends and teammates are very important to me, so find a group of friends who will inspire you to become better and productive person.
"And lastly, in order to find what really suits you, you have to love and enjoy what you are doing," said Nieto. "Just keep trying new things until you find that one business that will succeed."
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