the creative direction of the company.
Running a concert business must be one of the coolest and most creative careers in the corporate world. These businesses are usually run by big corporations due to its high-investment nature. Yet, the Uy siblings of Karpos Multimedia dove into this venture to have fun and make people sing (and maybe, dance, too!) to the music of the international bands of their choice.
“At first, Karpos Multimedia was a web-graphics company,” says Stephanie, 24, company president. “In 2012, we started venturing into concerts and events.” The business shift happened when one of their cousins, who works for a music store, introduced them to concert production. Stephanie admits that the shift wasn’t an easy transition, although it liberated her in a creative sense. “It’s super different, because in traditional advertising you have to follow the client, but with our new setup, we can do the things we want to do,” she recalls.
I came across their family business through Steph’s younger sister, Nicole Uy. During her undergrad years, Nicole used to manage a small online bag store named San-Sue. I got to meet her when she asked me to help her create the brand’s online lookbook for its first anniversary. That was the time I met the three Uy siblings. That time, they mentioned one of their upcoming concerts in 2012, Foster The People. Considering that the international band had a solid following in Manila then, the concert was a hit, and every bit of space in Araneta Coliseum was filled. They are truly taking this entertainment business seriously.
John Uy, 20 and the youngest of the seven Uy siblings, says they are in this business because of their passion for music. Being in the business helped him plan his future. “We can say that
in a new perspective.
it is rooted in the love of good music, and we really love what we do,” shares John, events head of Karpos Multimedia. “Compared to before when I was just going with the flow, now, I’m making plans for my life and what I want to do next. What bands to bring in?” he adds. Even if the three Uys are running the major parts of the company, they still listen to their father’s advice. “He lets us do our own thing. But then, for the corporate side of things, he knows best,” he says.
Perks
“I think we work together really well,” says Nicole, creative and marketing manager of Karpos Multimedia. “Especially when there is last-minute decision-making,” Steph adds. One of the perks of working with siblings in a company is when you need someone to lean on, even better when you’re all building the business. This makes it easy for a family to act as one. How they run their company is a reflection of how they deal with each other outside of work.
Ironically, work is still considered a bonding moment for the Uy siblings. Even if they try to get out of their office, their household topics are still going to touch on a certain project. “For us siguro, work time is family time, too. I don’t see it as corporate. It’s more of, like, we’re doing what we love,” John says. This shows how the family is tightly bonded and handles the business with a strong vision. “When we go to the mall, usually, our conversations touch on Karpos,” Nicole recalls.
Being family, the Uy siblings know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Knowing each other very well helps them get the job done. “I’m a worrier, and impatient,” Steph admits. Steph’s behavior is understandable, as she leads her siblings and must oversee the company’s overall growth. “Nicole is super nice,” John shares, then pauses. “When it comes to marketing, you shouldn’t be ‘too nice.’ You should still set boundaries.” On the other hand, John seems to be the one balancing his two sisters. Nicole describes him as a cool and “chill” person. “I don’t want to be worried all the time,” he says. He is the anchor that keeps his sisters sane in crazy times.
The biggest contribution of this family to the Philippine music scene is introducing the art and music festival trend to the country through “Wanderland.” They proved that Pinoys can run a well-oiled machine and organize a big event with big international performers like Neon Trees, Temper Trap and Nada Surf.
“Actually, I thank the Lord for letting us push through with Wanderland,” Stephanie shares. Wanderland almost didn’t materialize, she confesses. “I guess the timing was right on. There was less than two months to promote it, everything was rushed,” Nicole recalls the stress they’ve been through.
The Phoenix concert on Jan. 21 is the first major concert that Karpos Multimedia is offering Pinoy music lovers. It is also considered by the siblings as their biggest project as of this writing. VIP tickets are already sold out and only Gold tickets are still available for the public. They see a promising future for their family-run business. “We have super big plans and I’m really excited. I can see that we’re going in the right direction,” says John.