Big shoes to fill: Living up to his mom’s legacy

Karl Antonius De Pio

CEBU, Philippines — It may be too early for Karl Antonius de Pio to get on board the business that his late Mom founded. But certainly, his well-developed agility made him more ready. A man ahead of his time.

At 27 years old, Karl partially took the other shoe of his mom, the late Carmel de Pio-Salvador to continue the family's successful business in freight services. The other shoe, meanwhile is filled in by his step-dad Gino Felino Salvador.

Carmel was an inspiring woman, a business leader, and a silent philanthropist. She brought her Global Carrier Philippines company to the top, but she had to leave earlier than expected—losing her battle from cancer.

She may have left physically, but her garden continues to blossom, now nurtured by the two men in her life, — husband Gino and her first born Karl.

Softening the ground

Fresh from the devastation of grief and unspeakable pain, the company and its employees also had to heal from the loss of their beloved founder. The company needed a strong hand to keep its heart beating, and soften the ground, which immediately dried up after Carmel left early this year.

Karl took the challenge of taking over his mom's other shoes. Few months after, Global Carrier’s public face is back on the ground. He is not only the captain of operations of their growing business, but he selfishly gave himself to serve the business community—just like his mom.

Karl is heading this year's Cebu Business Month's (CBM 2018) Innovation Exhibition as chairman, organized by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI).

He is also a trustee of the Philippine International Sea Freight Forwarders Association (Cebu Chapter).

These past few months have been Karl's soft and fertile ground to start, as this season also blessed him with the greatest gift he ever could ask for—the birth of his baby girl Bella Mae, on May 7, 2018 to be exact. With this perfect alignment, Karl is certain he is up for something. Perhaps, that something is larger than life.

Personal journey

After high school, Karl started his personal journey alone, away from the security and lavish care of mom and family.

He took his college education in Manila.

After completing Political Science at De La Salle College of St. Benilde, he traveled to several countries.

He knew he had to know himself first and immerse his soul to different facets of life experiences—to get to know his inner self, its purpose and meaning.

He said traveling or visiting other countries is good, but nothing is more educational than living in a strange culture, and teach yourself to adjust in a complex environment, a neigborhood far more different from home.

Karl lived and studied in different countries like China, United States, and worked in Canada. He communed with different cultures in his early 20s, and savored those years without apology.

His personal journey taught him treasured lessons he never learned in school--knowing himself and cultivating an attitude of well-roundedness, being grounded and understanding that the world is a tapestry of cultural differences. Being able to adapt easily is a skill relevant to success and everyday living.

It was Karl's personal journey that molded him as a man ahead of his time. Grasping the wisdom of the well experienced people ahead his age. A maturity that he gifted to his Mom's legacy — a leader, a big-hearted boss and a woman who touched the hearts of thousands.

Two Magic Mantras

A deep and highly intuitive person, Karl's secret to maintaining a zen disposition and self-assured composure amid pain and challenges, is living by his two magic life mantras:

1.) The answer won’t always be known if you won’t try

2.) There's always home to go back to after everything.

When his Mom was diagnosed of breast cancer in 2015, she was already preparing Karl for the bigger assignment ahead.

Karl gave up his Canadian permanent residency status to spend quality time with his Mom and family at the same time help the company that also feeds the growing families of its employees.

"I was shadowing her. She was grooming me," he recalled with fondness, quickly adding that he was at first astounded how big the network his mother built, and meaningful relationships she made.

At first, he admitted that he was a bit intimidated by the role of his mother in the company, in the community, and in the industry she was in.

Holding on with these two magic mantras, somehow put him on the ground again and try his best to be the male version of Carmel, or even better.

University of Life

Although, Karl acquired several degrees here and abroad to broaden his theoretical know-how on diverse fields of discipline, he is more sharpened by the "university of life", living and working in countries very far from home.

While in China, Karl took up Mandarin, partly to prepare himself for their company's China expansion.

But China gave him more than just speaking and understanding its language. He learned the art of versatility.

"Culture in China is very interesting. It is also a melting pot of diverse people coming from different cultures. I learned how to survive alone. I found myself in China," he shared.

In western countries like United States and Canada, Karl developed the skills of efficiency and straight-forwardness.

He completed a couple of specialized programs in Stanford University Continuing Education in United States, including project management, social media marketing of brands.

He worked for an immigration consultancy firm in Canada where he helped Filipinos to achieve their Canadian dream. Karl was able to assist hundreds of Filipinos get permanent residency in Canada in his two-year employment experience.

"I found the meaning of being alive in Canada," he said with utter conviction.

For him, his Asian immersion taught him the art of cultivating relationship, while western influence balanced it with direct-to-the-point kind of dealing with business and life.

Karl brought home his balanced way of facing the daily grind—in business, and in personal life. And he owe this to the university he called life.

Fulfilling Mom's Dreams

While Karl's brother Leeu Salvador is still in his teenage years, Karl is determined to start fulfilling their Mama's dreams this early.

Carmel left a bucket list she never get to actualize in her lifetime. These are: to build the company's own building; expanding presence in China; and making sure the families of employees are well taken cared of.

Karl is taking these desires of his Mom personally. This is part of Karl's bigger assignments, on top of being the director for operation of Global Carrier Philippines.

Building his own name

Armed with impressive professional backgrounds, and readiness to participate in the business jungle, Karl admitted that he has yet to prove himself and build his own name—apart from being the "son of Carmel" attached to him.

The moment he officially joined the company, Karl felt the gap.

"They didn’t really know me. I still have to prove myself to them [clients, industry and the community]," he expressed with candor.

And he understood, it is a long journey.

They say "progress is not a straight line." Karl is not in a hurry to make his own mark. But one thing is profoundly sure, he will not tarnish the beautiful name his mom left—a legacy larger than life.