The Rise of VBC: A Masterclass in Life, Business, and the Art of the Comeback

When people in JCI Manila speak of Vincent Bryan Co, or simply VBC, they speak of him not just as an events pioneer, but as a living masterclass of lessons learned the hard way. His story is not of privilege turning into power, but of a man who built himself from the ground up, with every achievement earned through grit, mistakes, and persistence.

In the circles of Philippine expos and JCI Manila leadership, the name “VBC” carries weight. It’s not just a nickname for Vincent Bryan Co; it has become a brand, a persona, and a shorthand for a leadership style that is both unyielding and unapologetic. Known as the Prince of Expo and a respected LOM Legend in JCI Manila, he has mentored countless members with a mix of toughness and trust.

But his story is more layered than the titles suggest. VBC hails from a migrant Chinese family whose roots trace back to Binondo’s Calle Juan Luna, once the heart of Manila’s Spanish-era Parián district. His forebears were textile merchants who rose to prosperity, but entitlement never took root in the family. Even today, when VBC speaks, there is none of the coñotic lilt often associated with the graduates of exclusive schools like Xavier School or College of St. Benilde. His words are straightforward, grounded, and marked by a tone shaped more by discipline than by privilege.

Now, at 40, VBC is preparing to graduate from JCI Manila. His batch belongs to a unique era, when Bonifacio Global City was still “The Fort,” when clubs like Ponticello, Sibil, and Blue Onion defined nightlife, when Pier One was a daily hangout, and when the phrase “party animal” was still worn as a badge of honor. That was who he was once, until the hard lessons of life redirected him toward grit, vision, and leadership.

Lesson 1: Face the Loss, Do the Work

In 2002, while studying at College of St. Benilde, VBC fell into a situation no student ever wants: ₱600,000 in NBA gambling debts.

Unlike casual bets, NBA gambling required no upfront money, but when you lost, you owed. His mother covered the debt, but she did not allow him to escape its weight. Instead, she sent him to the United States to work it off. For 10 straight months, VBC labored without a single day off, earning $50 a day as a cashier, delivery man, and merchandiser at his uncle’s grocery. By the time he had saved enough to pay her back, she refused to accept the money.

The point wasn’t repayment. It was the lesson: hard work pays debts far more lastingly than cash.

“I’m from Greenhills, but I had no money then,” he recalls. It’s a reminder that addresses and appearances mean nothing without work and grit.

This experience of humility, sweat, and accountability became the cornerstone of his work ethic.

Lesson 2: Bet on Yourself, Even When the Stakes Are High

After returning and finishing college after 7 years, he joined MSI-ECS and IBM Philippines in Eastwood as a salesman. It was a steady career, but life changed when his then-girlfriend, now wife, Jade, asked him to join her events business.

The timing was rough. After some failed trading ventures that left him broke again, he faced a choice: wallow, or move. He didn’t want to lean on his parents. To stand on his own, he borrowed ₱250,000 from Citibank. But the loan alone wasn’t enough. VBC buried himself in the grind: no weekends, daily legwork, endless phone calls, and countless invitations to potential exhibitors.

“When we started, we had no weekends. We worked every day, visiting expos, handing out invitations, calling concessionaires. It’s the kind of grind you and Miguel should have done for the Heritage Street Fair, but that didn’t push through, probably due to lack of commitment and willingness to work.”

For him, this wasn’t simply joining a business; it was walking toward the vision. The borrowed money opened the door, but it was the relentless work that kept it open.

Lesson 3: Start Small, Learn Fast, Push Forward

The first Trendsetter’s Bazaar at Metrotent in Metrowalk barely broke even. It wasn’t a financial win, but it proved something crucial: the model worked.

The second event at the World Trade Center nearly failed. It faced dismal booth sales and ballooning expenses. The event looked doomed before it even opened its doors. They negotiated with the venue management and were forced into a harsh deal: postpone, but commit to two weekends instead of one.

What should have been the end became their turning point. The extension gave them time to regroup, and the gamble forced them to work harder. When the event finally pushed through, it not only survived but it also gained traction.

For VBC, a setback is never the end. It is a step back that creates space for multiple steps forward.

Lesson 4: Scale Relentlessly Until You Own the Space

Trendsetters quickly became a giant in the events space. At their peak, they were mounting 26 events annually; two in a month, sometimes simultaneous expos running across SMX, World Trade Center, and Megatrade.

Exhibitors lined up in such numbers that many had to be rejected.

Guests came in such droves that doors sometimes had to be shut because the halls were over capacity.

In 2016, they launched the Travel Fair at SMX, a sprawling spectacle covering 7,500 square meters across three halls. In 2017, they unveiled the Toast Wedding Fair, which elevated the standard of luxury wedding expos in the Philippines.

By 2025, VBC was not only co-organizing an expo with his JCI Manila brothers but also tapped by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to lead a government-sponsored wedding expo at SM Aura, with fellow Jaycee Jack Salamia as Programs Director.

Scaling, for VBC, wasn’t just about numbers. It was about building credibility so strong that even government agencies trusted him with flagship projects.

Lesson 5: Lead with Standards, Build with Trust

In 2021, his drive and persistence were tested again when he led JCI Manila’s first nationwide vaccine project at the height of the pandemic. What began as a bold idea turned into one of the largest fundraising efforts in the organization’s history, raising a staggering ₱11 million. It was made possible through the financial stewardship of then Executive Treasurer Christian Barry Ang and the tireless work of LOM Director Carl Ang. The project earned him the title of Best Member of the Year, cementing his reputation as someone who delivers impact when it matters most.

VBC’s mentoring style is tough, and I learned this when I served as shadow chairman for the 74th JCI Manila Induction and Turnover Ceremonies. LOM Director  was the official chairman, and VBC served as my commissioner. With only 8 days to prepare in the middle of a pandemic, every day was a barrage of pressure. He gave me an unfiltered stream of curses, sometimes every few minutes, forcing me to focus, toughen up, and sharpen execution.

But his toughness was anchored in trust. Asked about his proudest achievement as GGMM Chairman for the 75th Anniversary of JCI Manila, he didn’t boast of numbers. He said:

“I’m proud that the tasks were properly delegated and everyone worked. No one left his post.”

The results proved it. The 74th Induction brought in almost 400 attendees despite pandemic restrictions. The 75th Anniversary Grand GMM drew nearly 800 attendees, the largest in JCI Manila history.

In 2023, he admitted something personal.

“My heart told me I wanted to level up in leadership in JCI Manila.”

Both Sinag and LFG approached him. He could have stepped into the spotlight. But he let it go.

“The desire to have a child and build a family mattered more. That remains one of my biggest what-ifs.”

It was a reminder that sometimes success is knowing which race not to run.

Lesson 6: Keep the Fire Burning

A lot of people today like to call themselves “self-made,” but with VBC you can actually see it.

From bazaars to travel expos, wedding fairs to government partnerships, he keeps moving, adapting, and innovating. His journey shows that resilience is not just about recovery; it is about transformation. Failures became fuel, risks became momentum, and victories became springboards.

Everything he has today: every opportunity, every business, every network, is the byproduct of hard work, grit, and the refusal to settle.

The VBC Playbook

1. Face your failures head-on. Own the mistake, then do the work to pay for it.

2. Bet on yourself. Borrow if you must, but pair it with relentless effort.

3. Start small, but don’t stay small. Let early wins feed your growth.

4. Negotiate under pressure. Crises can be launchpads in disguise.

5. Lead with standards and trust. Push hard, but empower people to own their roles.

6. Stay relevant by innovating. Yesterday’s victories don’t guarantee tomorrow’s success.

From the textile stalls of Binondo’s Calle Juan Luna to the packed halls of World Trade Center and SMX, from the nightlife of The Fort’s superclubs to the leadership halls of JCI Manila, Vincent Bryan Co’s story is one of discipline and transformation. He is a self-made leader whose journey proves that when life kicks hard, the best response is to stand, work, and keep walking toward the vision.

P.S. This wasn’t meant to be a tribute to VBC. I only wanted to extract life lessons that others could learn from. But after sitting with him, listening to his unfiltered stories about how he once gave me a full day’s taste of “putang ina” and blunt honesty in every sentence, I couldn’t help but admire him more. For his simplicity. For his directness. And for the life he has built not out of luck, but out of sheer, relentless hard work.