Phillip Wong, founder of the Florida-based Deltana Enterprises, was a special guest speaker at St George’s College’s ‘A Knight’s Dialogue’ lecture series on Tuesday (September 23).

Phillip Wong, who graduated from St George’s  College in 1959, has been a fantastic donor to his alma mater, making significant contributions to the school’s well-being and granting a number of scholarships that have transformed students’ lives.

On leaving Jamaica, he migrated to Florida and started a hardware and locks business called Deltana, which went on to become a leader in its field, supplying all the American states and some of the biggest wholesale stores.

He built his business from the ground up, building crucial relationships, winning trust and respect.

Today, everybody wants to be an entrepreneur; people everywhere talk about making it on their own. But what does it take? Do you have the traits? Do you have the drive?

Along the way, Wong, a trained engineer, faced many challenges, encountered what at the time seemed insurmountable obstacles, but today he is a successful businessman who built a multi-million enterprise in the United States.

So, given what he went through, what he has seen over the many years, what, in Phillip Wong’s opinion, is needed to become a successful entrepreneur?

“I think the biggest thing needed is perseverance. You have to take the opportunity and run with it.  If I did not go to China with that one hinge to explore the possibility of having it manufactured, I would not be here today. Regardless of how dark it looks, you have to take the opportunity to go and do the best you can. You persevere and keep preserving.

“Years ago, I had a friend from Hong Kong, and he said to me, Phillip, I need to get some shark fins. In China and Hong Kong, shark fin soup is very popular, particularly at weddings. About 25 years ago, a bowl of shark fin soup was about US$25. It was a status delicacy if you wanted to get married.

“I had a friend from El Salvador who was the son of the minister of education in that country, and he said, “ Phillip, come down to El Salvador and I’ll show you how to get the shark fins.

“Now you have a 200-pound shark, of which you are getting between 15 to 20 pounds of shark fin, and then you throw away the rest of the shark back into the sea. The only way to get those fins was to go to El Salvador with cash because the fishermen would not accept any other form of payment.

“I went down to El Salvador, and those sharks were laid across the beach. We bought the fins and I was doing that business for about two years until the World Wildlife Fund and other international organisations wanted the practice stopped, saying it was cruel.

“At that time, I had to do this and persevere with it. Sometimes you must do what you have to do in order to do what you want to do. I didn’t know what to expect, but I went down to El Salvador and found the fishermen and went from there.”

Phillip Wong built and led an enterprise that brought him fame and fortune, and he has sought to give back and help others, particularly his alma mater, St George’s College. 

So what are the traits needed to become a successful leader?

“To be a leader, you must have determination and grit. You have to have a feeling in your heart that whatever you intend to do is the right thing for you. I had that feeling about most of the business ventures I entered, and yes, once in a while I failed, but I must say you should go with your gut feeling.

“ It is always good to know that you are on the right track. You must protect your name and reputation in whatever business you undertake; do not let that get out of hand. Keep your name, your character and your honour. Always do the right thing,” said Phillip Wong in the auditorium at St George’s College in Kingston.