The art of business

MANILA, Philippines - Art comes in different forms and sizes, and so does success. This particularly proves true for three Filipino entrepreneurs whose vision of triumph is as clear-cut as their pursuit of their passions in life.

For hairstylist extraordinaire Lourd Ramos, renowned fashion photographer Xander Angeles, and dance guru Jennifer Real-Lim, being able to pull off a rewarding career in the arts is to be considered a success in itself, because it takes courage to carve out a niche in today’s competitive market.

For Lim, owner of Orange Dance Studio, she regarded her love for the body’s grace and movement as her perfect business tool. But before dipping her toes in the multifaceted world of entrepreneurship, her mother warned her that one had to be exceptionally good to be recognized in the business.

However, she persevered. Despite graduating with a degree in Interior Design, she followed her heart and pursued a career in dancing. For her, it was a calling... and a gift to her students.

After graduating from college, she got a job offer as a choreographer for a group in Miriam College. She took on the challenge, her team winning several competitions. Soon a lot of other budding dance groups sought her expertise.

From there, Lim, together with her then boyfriend, Dexter, “who is now my husband,” she said, decided to put up a studio where they would teach more people to realize and develop their full potential in dance.

Since day one, it was clear to Lim and her husband that Orange was intended to become a means to change lives. More than it being a secret to success, such business direction seemed to be a personal mission for the couple. “That as we train people and develop their passion in dancing, we also mentor them in transforming to be better people,” Lim concluded.

Image of success

For Angeles’s part-the lens man known for his signature high-fashion photography that exude sharp, strong colors and contrasts-success meant waiting for the perfect break.

Just a little over a decade ago, Angeles, a fresh graduate from University of Santo Tomas, was looking for a steady job that would be an outlet for his creative energies. His job search started with an application as graphic artist, but he failed to get it. As luck would have it, he wound up an apprentice of Dojo Palines.

There, he admitted to receiving just a daily allowance of P100. But the rewards seemed unlimited as he learned almost everything he needed in the business of photography-from lighting techniques, production set up, down to doing the tasks of messenger and camera cleaner.

When his stint in Palines was over, Angeles, now armed with new knowledge and skills, realized that he was equipped to put up his own Edge of Light Studios. For starters, he contacted all the modeling agencies and offered to shoot their models’ portfolio free. This strategy paid off.

Today Xander has become one of the most sought-after photographers of his generation, even exceeding the artistry of his contemporaries. He is also fully booked -shooting Philippines’ most elite models and celebrated celebrities for the top fashion and lifestyle magazines, top brands, top products, and the list goes on.

His success may be greatly attributed to his patience. He waited for that picture-ready timing to launch all of his ventures. When that time came, he sure did stand out.

Crowning glory

With hair as his main tool to create his masterpiece, Lourd Ramos however found his success in the form of an impulsive decision.

On his 31st birthday, he suddenly had that urge to give himself a present that would soon define his future. In 2010, he launched Creations, his own salon at the posh Glorietta 5 in Makati City. Of this, he said, “Since I am [named] Lourd, I wanted to create beautiful things.”

With his already impressive resume, Ramos was almost sure to embrace success with his new endeavor. It was because through the years, he had already won numerous awards in the field of commercial and high-fashion hair styling. He was chosen as make-up artist of the year by Studio 23 in 2010; he was grand winner of Davines Italia Philippines in 2007; fifth place in Davines World Style Contest in Spain and L’oreal Colour Trophy Finalist in 2007, among many others.

The only business mantra that kept all things going for Ramos was to make people “happy and fabulous.” Such was a serious task for him. He was moved to create a new phase in everyone’s life by the mere act of enhancing their physical beauty.

These days, his business is continuously booming, with loyal clients from the fashionable world of showbiz, as well as from the hectic corporate world. Despite being one of the most in-demand hairstylists in the country, he remains grounded and hands-on with his business-from choosing his style team, services, down to the designs. 

All these success stories have become an inspiration to many other aspiring young, Filipino entrepreneurs. Their brave entrepreneurial journeys are set to be recognized at the upcoming Young Entrepreneurs Summit of Go Negosyo-an advocacy of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE)-slated on Sept. 23 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

During the summit, PCE will be awarding Lim, Angeles, and Ramos as among the new batch of Go Negosyo’s 2011 Young STARpreneurs who have helped instill an entrepreneurial culture to battle the problems of unemployment and poverty in the country.

According to Go Negosyo founding trustee Joey Concepcion, granting the awards is a way of recognizing people who bravely took charge of their lives and made the most of their resources and abilities to transform these into viable enterprises.

“It is because we believe in the capacity of Filipinos to address poverty in the country by engaging in entrepreneurship and developing an optimistic, passionate, innovative, and resourceful character,” Concepcion said.

The third Young Filipino Entrepreneurs Summit, themed Be Smart, Be Enterprising, aims to gather together the entrepreneurs of tomorrow, youth from different high schools and colleges, to reinforce an enterprising spirit and to empower them with the relevant entrepreneurship tools to help them move up in life.