By JOSE PAOLO S. DELA CRUZ
Whether in basketball or in everyday life, Kiefer Ravena always keeps his eyes on the ball. Shaped by constant training, unwavering discipline and calculated foresight, he fires his winning shot and secures the prize — not tomorrow, not a second later, but now.
For basketball aficionados, the name Kiefer Ravena often evokes images of glory in the hard court. And it comes as no surprise.
After all, this well-loved Blue Eagle has already amassed a number of feats in his collegiate basketball days at the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), when he was named “Rookie of the Year” in UAAP Season 74, “Most Valuable Player” in UAAP Seasons 77 and 78, and won gold medals as part of Gilas Pilipinas in the Southeast Asian Games on several occasions.
What may come as a surprise though is how Kiefer — a star athlete with a massive social media following — has also been working equally hard to secure his future outside the hard court.
“My mom [Mozzy Ravena] has been a very big influence when it comes to business. Even though my basketball career was shaping up well, she and my dad, [Bong Ravena] always reminded me that basketball won’t be there forever,” says Kiefer, who has since signed on to be part of the Shiga Lakes of the Japanese B.League.
Even in high school, Kiefer, with his mother’s guidance, would invest in stocks, real estate and other opportunities that would help grow his earnings from basketball. By 2016, Kiefer along with his friends and family also joined forces to open Ally’s All-Day Breakfast Place — the first business that he proudly grew from the ground up.
Learning along the way
Kiefer credits having good mentors such as his parents for his wise decisions and prudent choices towards money — choices that could often go awry, especially for a rising basketball star who could otherwise use his spare funds to splurge on the finer things in life.
It also helped that he found credible mentors along the way, ones who would help bounce ideas with him when it comes to assessing business opportunities. One of them is Cocolife president and CEO Atty. Martin Loon, who became Kiefer’s Political Science professor and confidant at the Ateneo, sometime in 2015.
“Kiefer is a practical, smart guy. That’s always been my impression of him. He’s not the bookish, theoretical type, but he has a deep understanding of how things work,” shares Martin, who Kiefer considers as one of his mentors in business and in life. It also helped that both gentlemen believe in the value of discipline and hard work — of being consistent and diligent — even though it’s often tempting to just call it a night and have fun.
That’s why when the time came for Cocolife to name a brand ambassador who appeals to a broader spectrum of clients — including millennials and Gen Zs — “The Phenom,” who also happens to be the first Filipino-born athlete to represent the Jordan Brand, was top of mind for Martin and the Cocolife team.
Kiefer the Cocolifer
While it was only recently that Kiefer officially signed on as part of Cocolife, he is no stranger to the world of insurance. In fact, his mom has already encouraged him and his siblings to invest in insurance as early as when they were in college.
“I grew up with insurance being explained to us in terms teenagers could understand. You invest this amount and you get this amount after a number of years, or if anything untoward happens. If you get sick, you get these health benefits to pay your hospital bills,” says Kiefer, now 28 years old. And while it was common for his acquaintances to ask why he was so into insurance even at a young age, the answer became very clear when the pandemic struck.
“I’ve always known it was important to invest in the future, but going through an actual pandemic emphasized that. It helps you secure, not just your future, but your life and those of the ones you love!” he says.
It is for these reasons and more that Kiefer and Cocolife have partnered to help more Filipinos secure their future early on. “When planning for your future, have someone who believes in your dreams,” Martin emphasizes. “Our brand ambassador, Kiefer, has always been focused on his goals — on the court and as a young man. He tells us that he earnestly believes in the importance of investing in one’s health, education, savings and retirement. Despite his status, Kiefer’s dreams are the same as yours and ours.”
The president and CEO, who was recently named as one of PeopleAsia’s “Men Who Matter” awardees, also added, “The younger generation seems more aware of the benefits of insurance, how it can impact their lives and how it can prepare them for the future. That’s the reason why we have millennials like Kiefer and we have a young team doing our marketing so that we may further convince the younger generation to start early in building a better you and a better future!”
And the basketball pro most definitely understands his latest assignment. “Through Cocolife, I hope to inspire and be a good role model to all Filipinos, reminding them that as long as they keep on working hard and focusing on their goals, they can reach it, for those dreams are never impossible to achieve,” concludes Kiefer.
