By YUGEL LOSORATA
How many times have we heard couples say they thrive by not minding each other’s work? There is the familiar setup of a man going out to run the business while the wife stays home to take care of the children and cook for her husband.
This works for many couples because it is less complicated and has been traditionally tried and tested.
Alan and Amabel De Leon, Filipino immigrants to the United States who married 25 years ago, knew from the start that they wanted to do something impactful. They tied the knot not simply to settle down, but to build a service brand that would give them greater security and room to flourish. More importantly, they chose a venture that would allow them to partner with and help others. They decided to become entrepreneurs.
It was a big plus that they were both health care professionals. Alan worked as a clinician specializing in occupational therapy, while Amabel spent her first years in America working as a nurse.
Once married, they decided to focus on one thing together: running a home health company.
Vanura Homehealth at 25
Vanura Homehealth Services took off the same year they married. It was their big move from employees to business partners and company owners. Their exposure to hospitals and clinics led them to care for recovering patients in their homes. They carefully tapped nurses, health care staff and home health advocates to help them deliver the necessary services.
Under the guidance of the De Leons, Vanura nurses became admired caregivers and, in some cases, family friends to their patients.
The business grew as the couple also managed another responsibility crucial to their journey: raising a family.
Their story is worth telling because they found success in both business and family life, with Vanura growing from a small office with a small staff into a highly regarded home health brand, eventually leading to the opening of other sites and related companies.
Vanura is celebrating its 25th year in business with a major event scheduled for Oct. 17 at Bridges Auditorium in Claremont, California. Iconic balladeer David Pomeranz, a family friend, is among the featured entertainers.
At home, they were blessed with three sons, Alec, Aaron and Andre, all fast becoming smart young gentlemen. Their parents raised them with an emphasis on humility and spirituality.
Amabel said, “When we first began our journey, we were simply building a company—clocking in, showing up, and doing our best each day. The work was tiring yet rewarding, always filled with purpose.”
While hopeful, they did not initially envision a future in which they would employ hundreds of professionals from diverse backgrounds. Over time, hard work and a strong sense of purpose helped them turn Vanura, based in Rancho Cucamonga, into a recognized name in the Inland Empire and beyond.
The growth led to multiple companies, including home health offices that now operate on their own: Optima Care, Care Dimensions of the Desert and Vanura Arizona.
“When we started, we were the president, the therapist, the clinician, the driver,” said Alan, who grew up in New Manila and studied at the University of the Philippines before flying to Florida for a job opportunity.
Alan, whose training in the Philippines included work at Manila Doctors Hospital and St. Luke’s Hospital, explained how they strengthened the business: “We developed the art of team building, making sure that the office atmosphere is good.”
Alan and Amabel’s chemistry
A God-centered sense of leadership has guided Alan and Amabel since Day 1. No shortcuts. No under-the-table deals. Everything, they say, is done properly and professionally, with process and paperwork, good faith and fairness.
While Alan brings precision and structure to the business, Amabel, who carries fond memories of the pineapple-growing region in Mindanao where she was raised with her brothers, Junjun and Dindo, is the equally important free spirit. She acts and speaks with the eloquence of an intelligent mind and a God-fearing soul.
The combination has proved effective, reflected in the companies they have built. These include Averti Care, which handles remote patient monitoring; EdZen Solutions, which deals with medical and lifestyle products; Vanura Hospice, which carries the Vanura brand name; and DeNu Consulting, which serves as the nerve center of the group of companies, where the couple maintain separate offices.
Having their own spaces allows each of them to maintain a sense of individuality. But when Alan and Amabel walk out of their offices to attend meetings and special occasions, sometimes many miles away, they take the road together.
With their strong belief in partnership and togetherness, they have helped cultivate a community of professionals and caring individuals. They embraced the word “Firehouse” as a way of bringing themselves together as one family, whose passion for meaningful work and human care comes from the fire within. Meetings begin with prayers, teams are led by competent and compassionate leaders, and work is carried out according to guidelines and their shared values.
Outstanding entrepreneurs
Alan and Amabel are beloved by many of the people they lead. They do not seek attention or demand respect. The recognition they have received, they say, has come through years of work and service.
Amabel, who reflected on hardship and resilience in her part-self-help, part-memoir book, “Bloom on the Battlefield,” shared: “Many people believe leadership is about power. In reality, leadership is about service. It is about sacrifice, vision, discipline, and the willingness to carry burdens so others may succeed. True leaders do not ask, ‘What can people do for me?’ They ask, ‘What can I do to help others grow?’”
The De Leons were recently recognized by the TOP (The Outstanding Pilipinos) Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship and by the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Los Angeles as recipients of the Modern Entrepreneur Award.
Alan added, “The journey of leadership is not always easy. There will be challenges, criticism, setbacks, and moments of doubt. But those moments are not meant to destroy you. They are meant to shape you. Every challenge builds strength. Every responsibility builds wisdom. Every sacrifice builds character.”
