Marvin Agustin has established himself, first and foremost, as a showbiz personality.
What began with a Mister Donut franchise in the early 2000s eventually grew into a restaurant empire, with Marvin becoming involved in more than 40 restaurant ventures in the Philippines.
Indeed, he has proven his mettle as a successful restaurateur.
As an actor, he remains active to this day. Among his showbiz commitments is an upcoming teleserye that marks his reunion with his long-time onscreen partner, Jolina Magdangal, on TV.
He’s also ready to embrace another role in real life.
In a recent interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), he reveals plans to transition into a life coach, with the goal of mentoring the leaders of his companies.
He tells PEP: “So, the ones that I'm currently managing, ito yung sa bago kong company, KAEN, is the one that I just opened in Poblacion, the back of Rockwell,” referring to the open-flame bistro.
“Cochi, the one that received the Michelin Bib Gourmand,” referring to the distinction given by the Michelin Guide to establishments that offer good-quality food at affordable prices.
Marvin continues, “Mr. Monk in Eastwood, that's our dimsum and Chinese roast.”
He also manages FHF Noodle & Dimsum House; Minna Japanese Restaurant in Seascape; Marvin, his online cakes and pastries business; Sumo Samm his 21-year-old Japanese restaurant; Wolfgang Steakhouse’s Il Lupino, an Italian restaurant located in Opus Mall.
Having built several food businesses, does Marvin feel that he has achieved entrepreneurial success?
“Hindi pa,” he answers succinctly.
“Doing business is like learning a lot about yourself. I still have a lot to learn about myself. That's why parang ang dami ko pang gustong ma-discover na puwede at kaya kong gawin.”
It is apparent that Marvin puts considerable creative thought into every restaurant he opens.
Case in point is KAEN, his latest business venture, which he launched in July 2026.
“It's me going back to basics. It's me simplifying flavors, taking out the complications, but going straightforward with highlighting the local produce of the Philippines.
“So, that's KAEN. KAEN, in Tagalog, is us gathering and inviting people to eat, but in Japanese, it's flame because it's an open-fire concept.”
He describes that the method of cooking of the restaurant is “open kitchen,” where customers can openly see how their food orders are cooked and prepared the old way.
Marvin adds, “Wala kaming gas, all wood and charcoal.”
The he gives more details about his current ventures: “I have three groups. So, the ones that I've mentioned, the recent restaurants are the ones that I'm managing, the other brands are being managed by my other partners.”
FROM GENERAL MANAGER TO COACH
Currently, Marvin is the general manager of his businesses, but will soon assume the role of a coach, as part of his company's expnasion plans in 2027.
“I'm now turning myself into a coach to my leaders, because I need to empower new leaders in our company for us to be able to scale and expand.
“As much as possible, I shouldn't be part of the operations anymore, that's why I have ongoing mini-MBA for my managers that includes actually, my sister.
He further adds: “If you want to expand, you need to expand the skills of your employees, of the team, and the leaders that you are working with, so, nandoon yung role ko ngayon: from an operator, now, I coach my leaders.”
MARVIN’S SECRET TO SUCCESS
Aside from the business side, Marvin is not abandoning his showbiz career.
His TV5 teleserye with Jolina, Mommy Guard, is set to air on the second week of September 2026.
So, how does Marvin juggle both responsibilities, considering that each one demands time and effort?
“I guess it's really figuring things out and finding what matters most,” he responds. “For me and for what I do in my life, I choose the things that I do. Intentional siya.
“I seem to be doing a lot of projects, but I chose them. I chose to work on them. And I like them, I enjoy them, and it's fueling me. It’s as simple as that. It's giving me energy to do all of that."
“Hindi one size fits all ang buhay natin. Hindi ibig sabihin madami akong ginagawa ay yun ay sign ng success para sa ibang tao,” he clarified.
“Again, what I've said, I'm doing things intentionally. I choose the things that I wanna do. Hindi siya padamihan, kundi pilian ng makabuluhang bagay na gusto mong gawin sa buhay mo.
“So, find what would make them happy and what would make [others] around them happy.
“Doing business or being an entrepreneur or having that entrepreneurial mindset is constantly looking for making lives better for others.
“Hindi lang siya sa pagnenegosyo at pagkakaroon ng bottom line at top line at maraming pera. Of course, that's business. Yun yung lifeline ng negosyo.
“But, minsan, kailangan nating ma-figure out kung ano ba talaga yung purpose at yung lalim kung bakit natin ito ginagawa.
"Para, just in case we go through challenges, we go back to that purpose. We go back to that core. We go back to that vision, yung lalim, para kahit mahirap na siyang gawin, gagawin mo pa din kasi nga meron kang kailangan panindigan.”
When asked about his investments, Marvin says, “I invest in my business. That's where I invest my money on my business.”
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