The Real Deal: Glenn Estrabillo

Glenn Estrabillo

He was once turned away because of his youthful looks; something he “blames” on a good stock of Filipino genes, which generally dictate that you look like a teen well into your twenties. Yet – armed with the knowledge that he had something to offer the world of business, he persevered. Besides, he knew that someday, the “flaw” for which he had been shunned by lenders and brokers on the real estate scene would work to his advantage.

“When I first started out investing in real estate in the early 2000’s, I was turned down by almost every lender and mortgage broker in Hamilton due to the fact that my Filipino heritage had blessed me with the characteristic of looking MUCH younger than I actually was and so nobody would take me seriously when I was searching for access to capital. One bank advisor even commented that I look like I’m his niece’s age (which was 17years old), even though I was 24 at the time. Thankfully, after perseverance combined with a strong will to succeed I eventually did secure financing and now, I am proud to know that even when I’m investing at the age of 60 or 70, I will still look like I’m 40 and won’t be turned away because I look like I am too old!” he said; half-jokingly, half-meant.

This is the journey of Glenn Estrabillo: CEO, entrepreneur, book author, philanthropist, lover of the sand and sea, and Filipino-Canadian achiever.

Kuyas trump kulay

Glenn is a second-generation Filipino-Canadian, having been born in Canada to Filipino parents who immigrated in 1973. His father, originally from Magliman in the city of Pampanga, started out as a radio technician and engineer for Motorola in Hamilton; a job which he held for several years before starting up his own telecommunications business. His mother, who hails from Tuguegarao in Cagayan took on a nursing post at a hospital in Hamilton.

“My parents were blessed to have such a strong community of immigrant Filipino-Canadians; since in the late 60’s and early 70’s, 3 major hospitals and 2 large steel companies began hiring with huge demand, drawing in many others from the Philippines to Hamilton. Many of these early settlers still remain close friends with my family to this day,” Glenn recounted.

In his experience as a second generation Filipino-Canadian, he thankfully did not have too many obstacles to face. Challenges were few and far between, though he points out that his ethnicity and colour proved a bit of a strain during his growing-up years. But Glenn took it in stride. Besides, he had his two kuyas (older brothers) to soften that blow; trumping over whatever issues kulay (colour) may have brought on.

‘Growing up I did face challenges being of different colour and ethnic background than my peers in elementary school. Fortunately, that impact was tempered due to my older brothers paving the way and taking most of the brunt of that challenge,” he shared.

Empowering others

Several odd years later, the once slightly ethnicity-challenged youth is now a successful 35-year-old businessman who is definitely at the top of his financial game. In fact, some years back, at the age of 28, Glenn found that he could comfortably retire if he chose to.

However, numerous people – eager to emulate his formula for success – sought him out for his time and mentorship. Glenn decided to create a structure that had the potential to empower and enable others to succeed for themselves.

This is the origin of 1Plus12; a company Glenn, along with some business partners, conceptualized from this eureka moment.

The three P’s

Essentially, 1Plus12 is an education company that focuses on developing people into financially independent and free human beings, with the help of three P’s: produce, protect, and perpetuate.

“Based on 50+ combined years of real estate and investment banking experience, we have created a curriculum that enables people to produce, protect, and perpetuate their wealth while simultaneously elevating their character to be a match for their ever expanding wealth. Essentially, we teach people how to invest in assets such as real estate and mentor them to apply what we teach so that effectively they earn while they learn,” he detailed.

Uplifting Filipino-Canadians

Glenn is happy to share that the company has set into motion a financial revolution in the lives of many – including his fellow Filipino-Canadians. “The impact of 1Plus12, specifically on the Filipino-Canadian community, has been that several members of my family and friends who are Filipino-Canadian have prospered financially and are currently investing to expand their wealth,” he said.

Outside of the company structure, Glenn’s effort to uplift his kababayans (fellow-Filipinos) extends to his philanthropic commitment to various scholarship foundations. Among these is the United Filipino Canadian Seniors Association of Hamilton (UFCSAH), which holds an annual competition for the children or grand children of its members, awarding the winner a scholarship for post-secondary schooling expenses. Yet another is the scholarship competition held by the Pilipino Community Association of Hamilton (PCA.) His dedication to helping set young Filipino-Canadians on a good, solid path even had him serving as president of the Hamilton Filipino Youth Club (HFC), at some point; likewise filling the position of the group’s past representative on the advisory council for the Hamilton Filipino Community Center (HFCC).

Living life to the fullest

Perhaps among the biggest pluses of financial freedom and independence is the ability to actually live life; to the fullest extent possible. To be able to do the things you dream of doing and not just slave away at a desk for hours on end. This ability is, indeed, something towards which many of us aspire; and something which remains a luxury, still.

Glenn shares that he enjoys traveling to beautiful beaches and destinations the world over, relaxing on a hammock or on the sand, and playing beach volleyball.
He likewise reveals a significant other in his life, saying that he is “currently in a powerful relationship with Lella Satie, an actress who lives in New York.”

As for brain fodder, among Glenn’s top books to recommend would be Axioms of Freedom Books 1 thru 13 by 1Plus12 ; Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles; Rich Dad, Poor Dad and Cashflow Quadrant, both by Robert Kiyosaki; and a book he has written, entitled Transformational Real Estate.

Courage to transcend

What moves Glenn’s heart? He answers, “watching people demonstrate the courage to transcend the limitations of their past whether self-imposed or inherited and achieve significant results that for themselves were historically deemed improbable or even impossible.”

He dreams of further empowering and enabling thousands of families to live financially independent and free lives. As such, Glenn vows to “continue strategizing with my partners at 1Plus12 to expand the scope and reach of our programs and workshops into the GTA and westward into the Kitchener-Waterloo area so that more families can have ready and available access to the difference that our curriculum makes.”

Sound advice

Best advice he’s ever been given? “To always ask myself two questions: 1) Who am I? & 2) What is my life for? And then true-up my day-to-day actions to be consistent with the fulfillment to the answers to those questions in my life.”

Glenn has advice of his own to give to those who wish to take the first step towards freeing their lives, and it is truly sound advice: “Find a mentor who is currently doing, having, and being what you desire to do, have, and be; BUT has also been or started off where you currently are financially. AND THEN do everything they tell you to do to expand and grow your wealth and your character.”

Financial freedom and the character to support it: lofty ideals, now within our reach. It’s time to grab a hold of these.