PUSHING EVERYONE FORWARD

“When things are this bad, it ’s necessary to plan for the worst, but also to keep everyone’s hopes up that ‘this too shall pass,’” says TOBY CLAUDIO of their sports and fitness company’s vision for a better tomorrow

- KATHARINE ALAMARES

''I literally grew up in the store,” shares Toby Claudio. “I was [five] years old and was given my first job to sit on my skateboard and roll over all the freshly-laid tiles of our first Toby’s store in Greenhills.” The vivid memory of seeing the store open with his name on the sign realized the role he was about to play in what will become a family legacy.

His family founded and owns the full-line sporting goods store Toby’s Sports and its succeeding businesses, Toby’s Sports Arena, RUNNR, and urban athletic. These are all under Quorum International Inc, with Claudio currently sitting in as president.

When he officially stepped into the family business, he brought and spearheaded major projects like Toby’s Arena and the first RUNNR store.

This and his childhood memory took roots in his commitment to thrust the family business to greater heights. “Those two experiences really taught me the value of innovation and constantly finding ways to give customers something they didn’t know they wanted or needed yet,” he explains.

THE NEW ESSENTIALS

The long periods of quarantine in the country made online shopping the norm. But this means businesses that are out of or have yet to navigate the digital landscape suffered. Physical stores closed down indefinitely, including some branches of Toby’s Sports. Fortunately for the company, Claudio shares, “Fitness gear started to be treated as ‘essential items’ during the pandemic.”