From the Classroom to Chocolea: How Thelma Gecolea and Cheng Pabilonia Built a Partnership Through Business

Once professor and student, now business partners and friends. The two women behind Chocolea's journey with Starkaffea Corporation share a story of mentorship, entrepreneurship, and learning from each other.

Years ago, Thelma Gecolea was Cheng Pabilonia's professor at Centro Escolar University. Today, the two women find themselves sitting across the same table again, but their conversations are no longer about classroom lessons. Instead, they're discussing business plans, customers, costs, and the future of a Filipino beverage brand.

For Thelma, who spent much of her professional life in communications and storytelling, becoming an entrepreneur was unexpected. Cheng, meanwhile, founded Starkaffea Corporation and now serves as its CEO.

The two reconnected before the pandemic, never imagining that their reunion would eventually lead to a business partnership and, more importantly, a friendship.

Together, they are growing Chocolea, a brand under Starkaffea Corporation that offers chocolate drinks made with coconut sugar. Its cacao and coconut sugar are sourced from Cotabato and Davao, reflecting the brand's connection to local ingredients and Filipino enterprise.

Interestingly, their former roles have taken an unexpected turn. The student has become a mentor, teaching her former professor the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, while Thelma, now a Chocolea co-owner, brings decades of communication experience to the business.

“Today, we learn from each other,” Thelma shared. “She brings her entrepreneurial perspective, energy and ideas, while I contribute my years of experience in communication, storytelling and connecting people with ideas.”

Alongside their colleague Jay Yap, the women navigate the challenges of developing Chocolea and other Starkaffea products, including Kaffea Premium, Kaffea Black, and Kaffea Blend.

Their partnership does not mean they always agree. There are different opinions, difficult conversations, and decisions that require compromise. But for Thelma, these exchanges are part of building a stronger business.

And like many small businesses, their journey has come with challenges.

Rising costs, changing consumer preferences, competition, and the pressure of standing out against bigger brands are realities they continue to face. There are moments when the future feels uncertain and progress seems slower than expected.

“There are days when I wonder whether we are moving quickly enough,” Thelma admitted.

But through those uncertainties, she has learned an important lesson. “I have come to understand that strength is not about never feeling uncertain. It is about refusing to let uncertainty stop you.”

Beyond the products, both women are part of a business that depends on the farmers supplying ingredients, the people working behind the scenes, the partners supporting their vision, and the customers who believe in their brands.

For Thelma, there is also something meaningful about building a business alongside another woman. Women often carry multiple responsibilities, from careers to families, while continuing to pursue their own ambitions.

“We often know what it means to carry many responsibilities at once,” she reflected.

Now in her retirement years, Thelma continues to discover new lessons through entrepreneurship. Cheng, too, continues learning as they navigate the future of their business.

Chocolea, whose name was inspired by Thelma's surname, represents more than a beverage brand to her. She hopes it continues to grow as a reflection of Filipino ingenuity, local enterprise, and people willing to pursue their dreams.

What began as a professor-student relationship has become a friendship built on shared goals and mutual respect.

And perhaps the most beautiful part of their story is that neither woman has stopped learning.