For almost two decades (18 years to be exact), Chris Galang was helping customers and small business owners at Wells Fargo through everyday challenges. While he worked across a variety of roles, from front-line banker to ATM product management and regional marketing, it was his time connecting with entrepreneurs in Small Business Banking that helped spark everything that would come next.
When he was fresh out of college, Chris got the call from Wells Fargo and started his career as a personal banker. Meeting other people at the bank, many with their tenure in the double digits, gave him an idea of the kind of work environment he could look forward to. Long-term careers, opportunities for internal mobility, and a culture that rewards curiosity. A year later, he moved to San Francisco and accepted a role as a product manager for Wells Fargo’s ATM business - a position that was a stretch for him personally. Looking back, Chris asked what had set him apart for this opportunity given the brevity of his resume at that point in his career. The answer wasn't experience or credentials. It was his willingness to learn and his ability to build genuine connections with people.
Chris’ career eventually led him to small business banking. Working closely with small business owners and local communities, this experience reinforced everything he had learned about building relationships. Making the effort to understand and connect on a personal level helps strengthen professional relationships, and trust can open more doors than practical expertise alone. Settling into this role, he also learned firsthand about the challenges that businesses face daily. How do you manage cash flow? How do you get money to build the business? How do you attract and retain customers?
Putting himself in their shoes also had Chris reflecting more on his own career path, specifically dealing with imposter syndrome and finding the courage to make big changes. In his own words, “The solution to imposter syndrome is trusting that you can learn. I've found that the people who are the most honest about what they don't know are the ones who get the most help.” Being vulnerable creates opportunities to learn from one another, and those shared experiences become the basis for trust. Chris had always been drawn to entrepreneurship, and this role allowed him to dig deeper and solve problems for business owners while learning about their experiences at the same time.
Approaching his 40s, Chris turned his focus to what he still wanted to do. He’d accomplished so much at Wells Fargo and built a (double-digit) career to be proud of, but he didn’t want to be left with “what-ifs.” Equipped with his experience in business principles, a great network of people, and a growing conviction that this was the right time to make his move, he decided to start his own business.
In December 2025, Chris launched Kampeon™, a Vitamin-Enhanced Sparkling Water brand inspired by the flavors and memories of his Filipino heritage. Named after the Tagalog word for “champion,” this brand became an opportunity to share stories, celebrate culture, and build a new legacy. Just months after launching, Kampeon had already exceeded expectations with high customer demand fueling its early growth—an exciting and promising challenge to have.
Relationships are still the key to Chris’s work. In a world driven so much by personalized algorithms, human faces and human stories still cut through the noise to create real connections. As he grows Kampeon, and builds relationships with retailers, customers, and fellow entrepreneurs, many of the lessons that shaped his Wells Fargo career continue to guide him. Curiosity, authenticity, and a willingness to learn and connect have been his constants. They’ve also created the perfect foundation for him to keep building. And we can’t wait to see how Chris’s small business continues to grow.
