Basketball Star Kiefer Ravena Invests for the Future with Cocolife

Basketball star Kiefer Ravena talks about shooting his way to the top and investing for the future with Cocolife

Popularly known as the nation’s favourite sport, basketball with its arduous facets attracts many aficionados. One to heed the call at the young age of four is Kiefer Ravena who hails from a family of athletes. He fervently nurtured his gift through the years, rising to become one of the country’s most stellar talents in the sport.

“The work you put into your craft will really tell how far you will go,” he says, recounting how basketball had evolved into a more serious endeavour for him in high school. That was when he realised just how resolute he was to face hours of practice, as well as make the necessary sacrifices to become the best. “There are a lot of things you might want to try when you’re young. But when I started playing, I knew this was it for me,” he adds.

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Indeed, from his earliest stints in the sport, Ravena has been known to be a natural leader among his peers, setting a prime example for the next generation to look up to. Apart from his illustrious years at university and with the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), he cites the times he has represented the country internationally as the proudest moments of his career thus far.

Now in his second season with the Shiga Lakestars of Japan’s BLeague, the phenom’s influence only continues to augment and transcend even beyond the court.

He has signed with many famed brands over the years, granting him a sizable following on social media and proper stardom in local entertainment. “One thing I learnt from my parents is that basketball is not forever. You must make your money work for you by putting it into the right places,” he shares.

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“As a professional basketball player overseas, now is the best time for me to see what I can do with the money I’m earning, so that it can help me retire here in the Philippines.”

As he entered the industry at such a young age, Ravena was also fortunate to grasp the value of investing, gaining wisdom from his mentors and colleagues early on.

“My manager, Boy Abunda, once told me that there are not a lot of investments that will guarantee your money back, so you have to be willing to take the risk,” he details. This has helped him diversify his portfolio and learn the ropes himself. “Of course, there will be losses along the way, but that’s where you learn where to put your money in the future. Starting out very young allows me to have a bigger learning curve, so I can make mistakes and make the right decisions when it matters most.”

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Conscious of his role in inspiring the youth to take similar steps, Ravena has notably been carving a shared path and pursuit with homegrown insurance provider Cocolife and its President and CEO Atty Martin Loon, an Atenean like Ravena who also served as one of his mentors through the years. “We both believe in the Filipino people,” he beams. “It’s huge knowing that we can help the future of the country. We’re blessed to have a platform where we can share our knowledge as much as we can.”

The seasoned playmaker further likens investing to his craft, saying, “For us athletes, our bodies are our capital. We must take care of our mental and physical health because it’s the longevity of your career that allows you to play and earn more.” In regard to finances, he adds, “We’ve heard many stories of people making it, and just as fast as they get there, they get back down due to mishandling their money or failing to take care of their earnings”. With this, Ravena highlights how Cocolife can provide a familial and secure environment, ensuring customers that their investments lie in good hands for the long run.

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His final word of advice to the youth is simple. “Converse with different people on how they handle their money. A CEO does it differently than somebody who works a nine-to-five job. You’ll be able to learn a lot of things from listening to their experiences; and that’s what I try to do every now and then, so that I can mix what they impart to use myself and share with others as well.”

Indeed, it doesn’t matter if you are an aspiring athlete or not—we can all glean some insights from Ravena’s purpose-laden ventures on and off the court. As an exemplar of resilience, strength and skill for the next generation, his life’s journey shows that there is no limit to what a person can accomplish.

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Credits

Photography: Jan Mayo

Hair: Moriel Flores

Make-Up: Johnson Estrella

Location: CWC Interiors

Production: Nick Valera, Bianca Simeon

Mac Fabella

Contributing Writer, Tatler Philippines

Trained as a student journalist, Mac’s knack for writing was a serendipitous discovery. Years later and she can’t imagine doing anything else. When she isn’t typing away on a story, she revels in being lost in a new city, revisiting a cosy film or sitcom, and idling away with her dogs.