8 Life Lessons Benthings Learned While Building His Coffee Shop

Less than a week into launching his first business venture, BeanDay, esports star and MLBB content creator Ben Maglaque—better known as Benthings—reflects on the surprising life lessons he’s picked up from brewing coffee.

In an exclusive interview with ALL-STAR, Benthings shared life lessons he learned while building his new dream from the ground up.

1. Nothing Lasts Forever, So Prepare While You Can

“Hindi talaga panghabambuhay ang esports career. Lahat may hangganan,” (“An esports career is not forever. Everything has an end.”) Benthings told ALL-STAR. From the moment he started as a pro player in MPL Philippines, he knew it was only temporary and fleeting. He was one of the lucky few whose career lasted relatively longer. For the first time, he’s ventured into business and decided to put up a small cafe. He considers BeanDay as a safety net.

“Na-realize ko na may panahon lang talagang nakalaan para sa iyo pero huwag mong aasahang habambuhay ka sa ganoon,” said Benthings. (“I realized everything has its time, and you can’t expect to be there forever.”)

Benthings was able to save a significant amount of money from his prize winnings while he was at TNC and Aurora, and from his content creation side hustle. He used that money for the starting capital of BeanDay.

2. Support Systems Matter—Especially Your Partner

“Mas pangarap ito ng misis ko kaysa sa akin… parehas naman kaming mahilig sa kape.” (“This was more of my wife’s dream than mine, but we both love coffee.”)

It wasn’t supposed to be called BeanDay at first. In fact, they already printed posters with the name BeanThings on it. But Ben felt uneasy. “Dapat kasama wife ko sa ‘IGN’ ng business namin,’ he told ALL-STAR. So they changed it and included Dayen’s name. Hence, BeanDay, a portmanteau for Ben and Dayen. “It also means coffee every day!” said Benthings. It was Dayen’s lifelong dream to put up a coffee shop. She helped Ben plan, design, and operate the whole business.

“Passion niya talaga ito,” said Benthings. “Kung hindi dahil sa kanya, wala ito.” According to Ben, Dayen also helped finance the business from her savings. It turns out, building something meaningful is easier when your partner dreams with you. From budgeting to brainstorming, his wife Dayen was there for every cup and crack in the wall.

3. Build From Scratch, Even When It’s Messy

“Yung dingding, halos bibigay na isang ulan na lang!” (The walls were about to collapse with just one more rain!)

Renovating their café from near ruins was a humbling reminder that sometimes, you have to start from the ground up—literally. The process taught him patience, grit, and the power of seeing potential even when everything looks worn down.

Below are photos of the shop before renovation:

After renovation:

4. Don’t Rely on a Single Source of Income

“Kapag umasa ka lang sa sahod, baka hindi siya umabot sa six digits talaga. Hindi ka makakapundar ng gusto mo.”
(If you just rely on your salary, it may not even reach six digits. You won’t be able to build what you want.)

Benthings wouldn’t have been able to build his dream coffee shop if he was complacent with a single source of income. He knew he had to grind. From MLBB prizes to content creation and live streams, Ben diversified his hustle. The same strategy applies to business—don’t put all your beans in one brew.

5. Celebrate Wisely, Grind Consistently

“Noon… every sahod ko, labas! Kain sa labas.”
(In the past, every paycheck, gone! I always ate out.)

Early in his career, Benthings admits to blowing through his paychecks. It was only later that he learned how discipline—not dopamine—leads to real reward. Now, he advises others to save celebration for actual milestones, not just weekends.
“Hindi every day off ay kailangan i-celebrate. Mas okay kung i-grind na lang at mag-ipon ka.” (“Not every day off needs to be a celebration. It’s better to use the time to grind and save up.”)

7. You Can Cry Over a Game, But Never Over a Cup

Asked which is scarier—failing in business or losing a match—Ben doesn’t hesitate.

“Matalo sa esports! Kasi sa esports, iyak ako nang iyak!”
(Losing in esports! Because I’d cry and cry!)

“Kapag natalo ako sa negosyo, pwede naman ako magsimula ulit. Pero yung sa esports? Yung emotional investment mo at yung oras mo, ang hirap. Hindi mo mababawi.”

(“If I lose in business, I can always start again. But in esports? The emotional investment and the time you pour into it—that’s the hard part. You can never get that back.”)

There’s something more emotionally taxing about losing a tournament. Business? You can always start again. Esports? You never get those moments back. Not everyone has the courage to dive into a new venture the way Ben did—but maybe that’s because he’s already lost so much in esports, he no longer flinches at the thought of risk.

8. The Real Championship Is in Real Life

“Gusto kong mag-champion sa totoong buhay naman.”
(I want to become a champion in real life.)

He may no longer be on the MPL stage, but Ben is chasing a different kind of trophy: a peaceful, purposeful life. With every customer who walks into BeanDay, every brew made with intention, and every small win with his wife, he’s already earning stars where it matters most.