We had the good fortune of connecting with Chris Yap and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chris, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am originally from the Philippines. I was sent to the US back in 2005 together with my family by my Philippine employer to actively promote the Philippines as an outsourcing destination of the world. As a result, I was part of that team that helped generate over a million outsourcing-related jobs in the Philippines.

My story was probably one in a thousand. Being sent to the US from the Philippines with an investor’s visa, all-expense paid by the company was a very rare opportunity for any Filipino. I took this opportunity to give back to the Philippines by creating high-paying jobs while helping companies in the US reduce payroll operating costs by as much as 50%.

This opportunity compelled me to establish my own outsourcing company Gabtech Global where I can extend the benefits of outsourcing not only to Fortune 500 companies but to SMBs as well while I continue to grow the Filipino workforce. To date, we have grown our Philippine staff from 2 personnel when I established in 2017, to over 100 personnel ranging from recruiters, IT professionals, software developers, accountants, and virtual assistants.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My company Gabtech Global is a global staffing company that augments US staffing needs with Philippine-based professionals. The value we provide is that we can provide candidates in two weeks instead of two months while allowing our clients to save as much as 50% in payroll costs.

I was able to grow to where we are today by finding the right team players to help me operate the company and service our clients. When this happened, this allowed me to focus on sales which I was able to grow through strategic partnerships I’ve developed over the years.

It was never easy. I’ve had plenty of tearful nights because of lost clients, or delayed client payments while worrying about how to pay the piled-up bills and payroll. I had to borrow money from our 401k to sustain our operation at some point. It took us 4 years to be able to finally make money and pay myself. Commitment to why I do what I do is what kept me persevering despite the challenges. I was committed to my mission and that kept me going.

What I’ve learned is that committing to your mission on why you started the company in the first place was everything. When I was challenged with sales during the first 2 years, I looked at other opportunities to generate revenue but not realizing that I was only getting distracted. When I refocused on our core competence but only changed the service model, that is when we grew and started adding new and bigger clients.

If there are two things I’d like the world to know about Gabtech Global, they would be:
1. I helped my fellow entrepreneurs grow their businesses significantly through my staff augmentation solutions; and
2. I improved people’s lives in the Philippines by providing them high paying jobs.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
On the day he arrives, I’ll cook my famous prime rib for dinner – famous among my family and friends, that is. Then enjoy the karaoke over another bottle of wine.

On the next day, I’d take my friend hiking at Camelback Mountain then head out for brunch at Hash Kitchen. Then drive around the neighborhood of Arcadia, Phoenix, and Scottsdale. For dinner, I’m grilling some pork bellies and pompano served with some steamed prawns and Dungeness crab.

On the third day, I’d take my friend to Sedona. We’d take the trolley that features the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Afterwhich, I’d take them to the vortex near Sedona airport and then have lunch at Tortas De Fuego. We’d drive to Grand Canyon after and immerse ourselves in the magnanimous beauty of mother nature.

On the fourth day, I’d take them trekking at my backyard trail in Vistancia. We’d set up a camping table and chairs at the peak of an easy hike mountain with breathtaking views and have brunch with homecooked longanisa (Filipino pork sausage), egg, and hot coffee. In the afternoon, we’d hang out at the clubhouse pool and do nothing but chill.

On the last day, I’d take them to Joe’s Barbecue in Gilbert to enjoy the best barbecue in Arizona before I take them to the airport.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am forever grateful to my former boss, the former CEO of DTSI, Miguel Garcia for choosing me to head the business development team in the US over my colleagues. He gave me the soil to plant on. I am forever grateful.

Moreso, I would never have been able to bring out the best in myself if not for my best friend, my wife, Eizel. She is my rock. I would have never been able to achieve what I’ve achieved so far without her.

Most importantly, I am grateful to God, our creator for giving me life to serve Him and His people.

Website: https://www.gabtechglobal.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyapaz/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.yap.10/

Image Credits
Credit to Gabtech Global, LLC

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