For Filipino entrepreneurs, finding the right business partner can mean the difference between modest success and remarkable growth. That’s exactly what Powerhouse Tools offers its franchisees: a partnership built on quality products, reliable support, and a proven system that has grown into a nationwide network.
Three entrepreneurs exemplify what’s possible when ambition meets the right partnership: Lester Yee, who saw potential in provincial hardware markets; Katrina Cambe, who learned that success is built on relationships, and lastly, Anabel Hilario who pioneered the opening of Powerhouse’s first store in 2021.
Scaling Powerhouse across provincial markets
Lester Yee brought serious credentials to Powerhouse Tools when he joined three years ago. As president of the Esprutingkle Group of Companies, he oversees more than 100 businesses spanning multiple franchise brands. His portfolio includes 7-Eleven, Shakey’s, Caltex stations, Max’s Restaurant, and investments in hotels and resorts.
An Antique native, Yee recognized early that rural communities have strong spending power but limited access to product variety. When Powerhouse Tools presented its franchise opportunity, he saw potential immediately. A pioneer in power tools franchising in the Philippines, Powerhouse Tools could fill a crucial gap in provincial hardware markets. Operating costs are lower outside major cities, the competition less intense, and the demand for quality hardware strong.
His objective was also to stimulate provincial economies by creating business and employment opportunities while helping residents “beautify or improve their homes.”
In three years, Yee established four Powerhouse stores across key provincial locations: two branches in Antique (Culasi and San Jose); one in Ipil, Zamboanga; and another in Isabela, Basilan.
Yee’s CPA background proved invaluable for financial literacy, inventory control, and cash flow management. But financial acumen alone doesn’t guarantee success—what sealed his confidence in Powerhouse was the support system. “The franchise group of Powerhouse, they are really hands-on. Even the owners are very hands-on. They make sure that whatever you invest, you can recover eventually in the period that they set as a standard,” Yee said.
Yee’s success has fueled aggressive expansion plans. To accommodate Powerhouse’s growing product lines, Yee expanded his branches by 100 square meters. To ensure consistent product availability for fast-moving items, he’s planning to build a warehouse. Three to four more Powerhouse stores are also in development for Siargao, Nueva Vizcaya, and Coron, Palawan. His vision is to open as many stores as possible, eventually placing a Powerhouse in every municipality.
Building customer relationships
Katrina Cambe came to Powerhouse Tools with a construction business background. When the pandemic hit in 2020, she watched food franchise investments struggle or close. The experience pushed her toward a more stable sector.
Hardware and power tools fit perfectly—the industry is rooted in ongoing demand. Cambe ventured into the Powerhouse franchise in 2023, managing branches in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, and East Fairview.
What surprised her most wasn’t the product line or profit margins, but the nature of the business itself. “It is not just a retail business, it’s also a relationship business,” Cambe said.
For instance, when customers seek advice about which product fits their needs, Cambe’s team conducts product demonstrations. Cambe notes that aside from the quality products, customers appreciate the service and guidance.
Cambe’s team’s hands-on approach extends to personally visiting construction sites, metal shops, and woodworking areas to offer demos and seek clients. They also handle product deliveries themselves. “Nothing beats the face-to-face transaction,” Cambe emphasized.
This method works. Customers share that they view Powerhouse Tools as a one-stop shop. Cambe also recounts an experience with an air conditioning contractor who, after purchasing a welding machine, returned later with referrals—a perfect example of how good service builds strong relationships and drives repeat business.
Cambe is now preparing to expand to a new location in San Jose Del Monte, about a drive away from East Fairview. She’s confident that her relationship-centered approach, combined with Powerhouse’s superior after-sales service, will continue to differentiate her stores from local competitors.
The first Powerhouse store owner
If anyone embodies the Powerhouse Tools success story of starting from scratch, it’s Anabel Hilario, the very first franchisee to open a Powerhouse Tools store.
Hilario’s entrepreneurial journey began humbly in Raon, Quiapo District—a bustling hub known for its power tools and electrical supply shops. She and her family initially started as sidewalk vendors selling street food before shifting to power tools and welding machines in a bangketa in Raon. Later, someone offered them a space inside a store, marking their transition from small-scale vending to formal retail. She went on to launch AC Hilario Enterprises, which now has over nine hardware branches across Metro Manila, Laguna, Bulacan, Batangas, and Pangasinan.
Hilario’s years of experience running her own hardware stores gave her deep insight into customer needs, inventory management, and supplier relations—knowledge that proved invaluable when Powerhouse Tools began developing its franchise model. As its first franchise partner, she helped pilot the concept, offering on-the-ground feedback that refined store operations and product mix. Her pioneering store not only validated the business model but also became a blueprint for future franchisees.
The first Powerhouse store opened in September 2021 in Raon. Since that pioneering store, Hilario has expanded to five other branches: Sangandaan in Quezon City; Biñan; Baliuag; JP Laurel in Lipa, Batangas; and AJC in Alaminos, Pangasinan.
Hilario’s operation rests on three pillars: product quality, comprehensive after-sales service, and genuine customer relationships. These allowed her business to weather the difficult pandemic period and emerge stronger.
She admires the company’s strategic decision to expand through partnerships rather than company-owned outlets. “Hindi nila kinalaban ang sarili nila,” she notes. (They don’t compete against themselves.) This partnership-first model allows franchisees like Hilario to grow without worrying about internal competition.
The Powerhouse franchise system has been instrumental to her success: merchandising support, fabrication assistance, expense management guidance, and technical service backup. This comprehensive support structure enabled her to scale efficiently while maintaining consistent quality across all locations, making her an integral partner in the brand’s nationwide expansion.
What sets the Powerhouse partnership apart
Lester Yee, Katrina Cambe, and Anabel Hilario’s stories show that Powerhouse Tools doesn’t just sell franchises; it also builds partnerships.
The brand supports multi-brand franchise operators entering provincial markets, helps construction professionals transition into retail, and enables pioneering entrepreneurs to scale. The brand ensures franchisees have everything they need—from physical tools to business systems—to succeed.
As Powerhouse Tools continues its nationwide expansion, the company invites aspiring entrepreneurs to join its growing network of partners—empowering more Filipinos to build thriving hardware businesses that uplift their local communities.