Alon Braun

Alon Braun started his career as a programmer in the Israeli defense forces.
During this time, he built his first startup, Webstare, which was founded by
Apple Israel.

After his service, Braun joined the Hebrew University faculty of earth sciences
where he received his master’s degree in oceanography. From there, he
specialized in plant molecular biology, marine microscopy, and paleontology.

Alon split his time between Being CEO of performance marketing network
TalkingAds and CEO in Pathwwway Which is a full management customer
retention agency for online businesses. Besides his passion for science and
technology, his hobbies include businesses growth strategies and agile
methodologies development.

Related: Building Bridges Between the Americas Is Key for Global

Entrepreneurshp

Paul Kenny

Paul Kenny is an Irish entrepreneur who works primarily in the Middle East,
including Dubai. As a tech-focused entrepreneur, he founded Cobone. This
eCommerce site, similar to Groupon in other places, has been successful in the
Middle East and North Africa.

Kenny's company launched in 2010 and was sold to Tiger Global Management
for $40 million in 2013. The capital gave Kenny room to dust off his other
ambitions. He now works with Emerge Venture, helping to mentor and advise
companies all over the world.

Related: Global Entrepreneurship Support Network 1776 Chooses Dubai

For Its First International Campus
Paul Kenny’s star rose as one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the online space in
the UAE as his “daily deals” website Cobone flourished in the immediate aftermath of
the financial crash – when having fun for less was an idea that everyone in the country
could embrace.

Having sold it to Tiger Global Management for a reported $40 million, he has managed
to maintain his status as a dynamic young business leader with the establishment of
Emerge Ventures, an emerging market early-stage investment vehicle he co-founded,
and his other role as managing director of AYM Commerce, an investment holding
company specialising in breakthrough digital technologies and online business in the
MENA region.

Add in his previous career with Jumeirah Hospitality and then Emirates, where he
helped deliver record online ticket sales, Kenny is someone who, on the regional
business level, has worn a number of different hats.

He is a business coach to other business leaders, sharpening perspectives and

performance of senior management in large organisations. He is a razor sharp VC
investor who is notoriously hard to please, but win, lose or draw, will always leave a
start-up’s team motivated and ready to raise their standards.

He is a digital champion who helped shape the online grocery business in the Middle
East and North Africa.

And this coming February, he will be a mentor to the winners of the Global Student
Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA), for students who own and operate a business while
attending college or university. Those winners will be revealed on February 3 at Dubai
Knowledge Park.

Allen Lau

Allen Lau is a Canadian entrepreneur who is founder and CEO WattPad. He

has experienced failure and success as an entrepreneur. These situations have
taught him about business and life. Along with leading WattPad, Lau does angel
investing with his wife through Two Small Fish Ventures. He loves gadgets and
innovation.

Ronaldo Mouchawar

Ronaldo Mouchawar is an entrepreneur from Syria who is the co-founder and

CEO of Souq. His company is the largest ecommerce site in the Arab world and
known as the “Amazon of the Middle East.”
Mouchawar has built the company over the last ten years, receiving numerous
rounds of funding and growing it to over 2,000 employees. He also works with
other entrepreneurs to help them build out their businesses throughout the
Middle East and the world.

Related: Dell Launches Effort Supporting UN's 'Goal 8' to Enhance Global
Entrepreneurship

Nat Ware

Nat Ware is a young Australian entrepreneur who is Founder and CEO of 180
DegreesConsulting. This company specializes in assisting nonprofits and social
enterprises everywhere with affordable consulting services.

Ware's consulting group also provides resources that can help other companies
grow and succeed.

His idea was to tap into university student talent to provide the consulting. By
using this student talent, he has provided a way to keep the consulting fees low.

Ware's company is giving university students the type of experience they need
to enter the job market. This firm provides consulting while providing this talent
with relevant skills and knowledge.

Jehwan Park

Jehwan Park is an entrepreneur from South Korea who is also the founder
of Lumir, a company that makes lamps for developing countries. Park funded
his idea through Kickstarter and came up with an light emitting plasma (LEP)
lamp. Lumir is run by used cooking oil and kerosene.

Park helps people in countries like India and Indonesia enjoy light. Despite
serious energy shortages there is still the need to curb carbon emissions. Park is
able to supply light with a source of oil and kerosene that is usually wasted.

These international entrepreneurs share a passion and vision for solving many of
the world’s social ills. By leveraging technology and innovation they drive
change across numerous industries.
Many of these international entrepreneurs also prove that countries do not need
borders. They opt to work in different areas of the world from their own.

These companies collaborate with businesses, entrepreneurs, and investors from

all over the globe.

As this list of incredible minds illustrates, international entrepreneurs are not

limited by gender, age, background, location or preconceived notions.

I began my career as a software engineer and an application developer at Capital

Headquarters Artillery Unit. I participated in military projects for the Republic of Korea to
develop C4I missile control software to communicate with assigned generals. I joined
KakaoVX as a structural framework engineer, developed the world's leading in indoor
golf simulation. My main responsibilities were to design and manufacture the sensors,
physics control program of the simulator, develop related graphics software and design
solution for improving realism. I was involved in a government project called Artificial
Intelligence Detecting System affiliated with the Ministry of SMEs. To challenge myself,
by using my creative and cooperative skills, Computer Science is not only my major but
it is my passion. Making me both excited and driven to the top for my dreams.

7. Ishita Anand

Ishita Anand is an entrepreneur from India who is the founder and CEO
of BitGiving. Anand's company was the first online social crowdfunding
platform in India. The platform has partnered with all types of charities to raise
money for those in need from India and Nepal. Anand's work has benefited
everything from sporting events to aid after the 2015 earthquake in Nepal.

Prior to starting this company, Anand worked as a freelance filmmaker in India

as well as was an intern for Ogilvy + Mather. She received a bachelor’s degree
in English from Delhi University.

8. Alexander Naydenov

Alexander Naydenov is a Bulgarian entrepreneur who now calls Germany his

home. He is co-founder of PaperHive, an online co-working hub that is a
resource for scholars. This resource is a place to collaborate, share, and annotate
online texts.
Naydenov is also co-founder and chairman of Where Ideas Find Their Home, a
social entrepreneurship incubator. His business has helped numerous non-profits
and furthered many social initiatives. Naydenov has a bachelor’s degree in
economics and master’s degree in business and computer science. Alexander
also started IdeaHub, a German startup weekend series.

9. Hind Hobeika

Hind Hobeika is a female entrepreneur from Lebanon who founded Instabeat.

She developed her company after being a professional swimmer. While training
and competing as a swimmer, Hobeika noted a gap in the market for products
that served these professional swimmers.

Hobeika recieved third place in Qatar’s Stars of Science Competition and first
prize at the MIT Enterprise Forum, Pan Arab Business Plan Competition. Using
funds she raised from crowdfunding and traditional investment sources,
Hobeika is working to bring these products to market.

Toshiki Abe

Toshiki Abe is a young Japanese entrepreneur who founded Ridilover. This is a

young travel company that arranges tours to social sites and political events.

These events include the Rokkasho nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. While Abe
started Ridilover in a student group, it has quickly grown to encompass all types
of tours. This type of tourism reflects the growing interest in current social
issues and activism.
Local

George Yang
 Share

"You have to think thrice before going into this business," master McDonald's franchisee George
Yang tells Entrepreneur. It took him five years to convince the All-American hamburger
chain to do business in Manila, and competition was fierce when he finally opened the first
McDonald's branch in 1981. After all, he had to introduce the global brand to a local market that
already had a long-standing favorite fast food chain. Yang says it wasn't easy, but with the help of
his son, Golden Arches president and CEO Kenneth Yang, the Filipino-Chinese entrepreneur
says the key to his success was adapting to the local culture.
John Gokongwei Jr.
 Share

John Gokongwei’s rags-to-riches story is one of the most inspiring tales in the local business
scene. His humble beginnings more than 60 years ago include selling soap on his bike and
peddling goods in Cebu. Today, he's the chairman and founder of JG Summit Holdings, one of
the biggest conglomerates in the country. "You have to save money instead of spending all of it,"
Gokongwei tells Entrepreneur. "Look for areas [where] you can compete in. Work damn
hard. Most importantly, you have to love it."
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Deepak Ravindran
He founded Quest technologies which lets people answer
someone else’s question which has been asked by a text
message. His primary company was Innoz Technologies which
was behind ‘SmsGyan’ handing internet’s knowledge to people
via texts. His latest venture is Lookup, which is a local
commerce messaging app which lets users chat with local
businesses and shops.

Salvador Albia, a mechanical engineer, established his own backyard enterprise, the
Tropics Agro-Industries, in 1975.

Initially engaged in the manufacture of tractors and threshers, Albia, after a number of
years, created a brand that is now familiar to the Filipino public – KOLBI (reverse
of Bikol).
KOLBI started as Albia’s invention of his own version of Philippine-made rice mills, after
realizing that there is a growing need and potential in the post-harvest industry.

He then expanded his business to other agricultural equipment such as grain dryers and
corn processors.

The continuous expansion of Tropics Agro-Industries has shown Albia’s capacity to

innovate – and to take risks. As an entrepreneur, he saw the strengths of the agricultural
machineries industry – the strong market, the availability of skilled manpower, and the
availability of technology and basic production facilities.

Even with his accomplishments, he has faced the challenges of high and oftentimes
foreign exchange-dependent cost of raw materials as well as limited working capital for
production.

Albia worked through these challenges by seeking financial assistance.

Under the National SME Agenda, the Department of Trade and Industry endorsed
Tropics Agro-Industries to the SB Corp., which in turn released P1.5 million with a loan
term of three years. Albia used the amount to purchase raw materials and equipment.

Albia’s company has since expanded into the manufacture of other products, including
the newly developed re-circulating grain dryers and post-harvest equipment
for piliprocessing.

Tropics Agro-Industries is now making millions from his successful venture and its
assets have reached P7 million.

From simple tools, KOLBI now boasts of a factory armed with a complete array of tools
and equipment, undeniably benefiting the Bicol region.

Another engineer, Florenio Regala, used to work as a busboy and helper in his
family’s carinderia (eatery).

During his free days he sold sinapot around town and worked as a shoeshine boy,
making his own money in the process.

Growing up, Regala displayed the traits of an entrepreneur in the making.

With his much accomplished academic years, he started a new life in America with his
own family and found a job as an electronic assembler.

After several years of hard work and perseverance, he eventually became part-owner of
a company he worked for.
Working for himself, he used his house as a company operation facility. His living room
became his business office; his garage, a laboratory for research, design and
development; and his backyard, an outdoor testing laboratory.

During this time, he developed inventions that received patents from the United States
Patent Office.

In 1999, while visiting his hometown of Nabua in Camarines Sur, Regala noticed the
absence of first-class facilities for conventions and lodging that would cater to all. The
lack of clean facilities, toilets, and parking areas were factors that influenced him to
establish the Macagang Business Center that same year.

At present, the Macagang Business Center is a first-class tourist accommodation

facility, complete with all suite rooms, gym, wellness center, three swimming pools, lazy
river, hot and cold Jacuzzis, nine-hole mini-golf course, basketball court, twin tennis
courts, skating park and a 20-foot wall climbing facility.

Regala has successfully created synergistic and related jobs and services to the local
community, as well as adjacent towns and cities.

Recognition

Because of these accomplishments, Albia and Regala will be recognized as two of the
Most Inspiring Bicolano Entrepreneurs on Jan. 30 at the Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express
Caravan, the first this year of the continuing Go Negosyo campaign spearheaded by
Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Jose Ma. Concepcion III, at the Camarines
Sur Convention Center.

Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express is presented by the Philippine Center for

Entrepreneurship in partnership with Camarines Sur Gov. Lray Villafuerte, and with the
support of the Micro Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Development (MSMED) Council
led by Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila.

The event will be graced by Sen. Manny Villar and Presidential Management Staff
Secretary Cerge Remonde, who is also the chairman of the Cabinet Oversight
Committee for MSMED and recently inducted press secretary.

Member-agencies will also be present to reach out to the participants. Go Negosyo

mentors and entrepreneurs will also be joining forums to share their stories and
business advice. Governors and local leaders from all the provinces in Bicol will be
there as well.

Go Negosyo sa Bicol Express is also made possible with major partners: the Camarines
Sur provincial government, PLDT SME Nation, Smart Communications, Globe Business
Solutions, RFM Corp., National Bookstore, PAGCOR, The Philippine STAR, San
Miguel Corp., Condura and Insular Life.
Go Negosyo also thanks its event partners V-cargo, Kettle Korn, and Select Media;
media partners QTV 11, GMA 7, NBN 4, Philippine Daily Inquirer, ASPAC-LAW, and Full
Circle Communications; and government partners Department of Trade and Industry-
Bicol Regional Operations Undersecretary Merle Cruz with Bicol regional director Joy
Blanco, SB Corp. chairman Vir Angelo and president Benel Lagua, Department of
Agriculture, and Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Department of
Science and Technology.

Mariano Raceles, a farmer in Bicol, always had a fascination with mushrooms. Back in
2013, he was motivated to give his outdoor mushroom plantation an upgrade.

Fast forward to 2016, the joint efforts of Raceles and the Department of Agriculture –
Regional Field Office in Bicol through Pedro Oliver, regional focal person for mushroom,
have led to the establishment of a community-based organization of mushroom growers
– the Bicol Entrepreneurs’ Association for Mushroom or BEAM.

With beneficiaries in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Masbate, and
Albay, “Bicol’s Community-Based Mushroom Project” aims to provide local farmers with
an additional source of income and livelihood.

The DA, in partnership with the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), accomplished
this by spearheading the production of pure culture and quality spawn bags which,
Oliver said, are “key components to the sustainability of mushroom production.”

“The project is made up of two components: on-station and community-based enterprise

development,” Oliver said.

Age is truly no bar for these young Indians who have set
out to break stereotypes and carve out a unique niche for
themselves. Read on to know more about their stories..!

MALACANANG PALACE --- Ma. Lydia Perez Lomibao of Naga City and Canaman, Camarines Sur who
owns and manages J. Emmanuel Pastries – The House of Pili, exporter of quality pili nut products, has
been hailed as one of the country’s inspiring Filipina entrepreneurs for 2017.

For the past 12 years, Go Negosyo has recognized women entrepreneurs from various fields for their
successful and inspiring entrepreneurial journey, which is hoped will empower the next generation to start
their own enterprises.

For the past years, the awarding ceremony was held at the World Trade Center in front of thousands of
Filipina entrepreneurs and students. But this year it was special because the President himself was
present to lead the awarding rites here in Malacanang.

President Rodrigo Duterte personally handed out the trophies to the awardees, together with Executive
Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, SM Investments Corporation
vice chairman Tessie Sy-Coson, and Sta. Elena Corporation CEO Alice Eduardo.
“More Filipinas are becoming leaders of their respective industries, contributing significantly to their
institutions and making remarkable major strides that uplift the living conditions of their families and
communities,” the President said in his speech as guest of honor.

Ms. Lomibao, along with 7 other awardees, were recognized under the micro and small entrepreneur’s
category where 99.6% of the enterprises in the country are from this sector. Despite their size, they are
committed to reach their own success.

Medium to large entrepreneurs were also recognized, such as Felicia Atienza of Chinese International
School Manila, Ana de Ocampo of Wildflour Café & Bakery, Anne Gonzalez of Terry SA (distributor of
Havaianas footwear), Sheree Gotuaco of Omnimoda International, Gina Lorenzana of Unilever
Philippines, Rebecca Mills of Asia CEO Forum, Mary Ann Montemayor of Villa Margarita Hotel and
Catering, and Evelyn Palomo of Great Image.

Also honored who themselves have mentored and empowered fellow entrepreneurs were Pacita Juan,
Doris Ho, and Sen. Cynthia Villar.

Over 400 guests filled the Rizal Hall of Malacañang and congratulated this year’s awardees.

The House of Pili

From humble beginnings, J. Emmanuel Pastries-The House of Pili that Lydia co-manages with husband
Joseph was funded by P500 that remained of their wedding kitty.

Through perseverance and assistance from concerned government agencies, J. Emmanuel Pastries grew
into a P30M family enterprise. A Presidential Awardee four times over as endorsed severally by DTI, DA
and DOST, Lydia’s company was first recognized as a Gawad Saka Awardee in 2007 for High Value
Commercial Crop Category for its calculated transformation as a world-class food processor of the
indigenous Bicol nut, pili.

She was soon a regular exhibitor carrying the Philippine flag in various trade fairs in Japan, USA, China,
Thailand, Hongkong, and recently in Paris, France last October 2016. Her products are now exported to
Japan, Korea, China, and the USA.

After the event in Malacanang, Lydia immediately flew to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia for the ongoing Halal
conference where her array of pili nut pastry products are also being exhibited. J. Emmanuel products
which are also Halal-certified have caught the interest of investors from Muslim countries, such as those
in Indonesia and Malaysia, and the Emirates in the Middle East.

Always looking forward despite the material returns that her company is already raking in, the Lomibao
couple instituted the first Pili Contract Growing Project named PILIpinas which encourages local farmers
to plant more pili trees because their future harvests are guaranteed to be purchased by Lydia’s company.

A 2016 Halyao awardee, Lydia’s nomination to the Inspiring Filipina Award 2017 was endorsed by the DTI
Bicol Regional Office and the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI).

The Halyao Awards is an annual search for Outstanding Bicolano Businesspersons who are being
honored for their exemplary performance contributory to the Bicol Region’s socio-economic development
and nation-building. The awardees traditionally come from the field of business, entrepreneurship, public
service, community involvement, and care for the environment.

Go Negosyo

The annual search for enterprising Filipina is a project of Go Negosyo, which is chaired by
businessmen/industrialist Joey Concepcion, in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry
and the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship.
The women are being honored “because aside from taking care of their families, they still have time to
pursue their dreams and lead enterprises.”

For many years, Joey Concepcion has been at the forefront of honoring women entrepreneurs across the
nation. In fact, since its inception in 2005, Go Negosyo has already awarded over 200 outstanding women
entrepreneurs for serving as inspirations in their respective fields.

The Inspiring Filipina Entrepreneurs Awards highlights the strength and perseverance of women
entrepreneurs in the ever developing landscape of entrepreneurship in our country. jbp

Yco Tan can still remember it clearly: the day he decided that he
deserved a better life.

He was only 17. The eldest boy in a Filipino-Chinese family, he had been
his family’s breadwinner for as long as he could remember.

Yco was walking through a flooded market that day carrying a

basketful of tomatoes. He had been doing the same thing almost every
day for the last 10 years, but his heart seemed to carry the weight of
the rainclouds that particular day.

The Tan family got by on the meager income from their stall in the
local market where they sold tomatoes and onions. Every morning, Yco
manned the stall then went to school at 5 pm. After school at 10 pm,
he would go to Divisoria to find anything else he could sell.

He wouldn’t call himself business-minded then. "Business-

pilit (forced)" would have been more apt, he said.

On that fateful rainy day, the 17-year-old Yco trudged towards the
delivery truck with his basket. He waded through floating trash and
rotten vegetables, and just before he reached the end of the road, he
saw two rats swimming beside him, as if they were racing him to dry
ground.

“Is this really all my life can be?” he recalled asking himself. “There
must be a better plan for me,” he said, while crying.

The rough way up

From that point on, Yco was willing to jump at any chance to get a
better lease on life.

That opportunity came when a friend invited him to apply at an agency

looking for Filipinos who want to work in Saudi Arabia.

Since Yco was only 19 years old at the time, they had to rig his
application to make it appear that he was 21, the minimum age
requirement for applicants. It was a common practice among OFWs
back in the day, he shared.

Luck was in his favor, as Yco’s application passed. His friend, however,
didn’t make the cut.

In 1984, 19-year-old Yco, along with 35 other Filipinos, flew to Saudi

Arabia to work.

Yco Tan with his co-workers in Sarawat Superstore, Jeddah, KSA. Photo courtesy of
Yco Tan

Yco started working as a warehouse man for a department store,

earning SR850 every month – barely equivalent to P5,000 at the time –
a high salary for someone his age back in Manila. Young as he was,
however, Yco had big dreams and “clamping cans” in a warehouse
wasn’t going to be his life.
The young Yco had his eyes set for a promotion, even though he knew
he didn't have a strong chance, since the company rarely gave
managerial positions to Filipinos. “The biggest challenge is still
discrimination. At work, everybody knows that it’s the Filipinos who do
most of the job. But when it comes to promotions, the last people
they’d consider are Filipinos,” he said.

This reality didn’t stop him from chasing his dream. When his
supervisors noticed his dedication, Yco was promoted to work on the
shop floor in just two years.

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MANAGER. Because of his dedication, Yco Tan was given a managerial position just a
few years after he started working. Photo courtesy of Yco Tan

His dream didn’t stop there, either. He eventually worked his way to
becoming junior manager, and then an assistant manager.

Yco couldn’t get a higher promotion than that since the position of
store manager required a college degree. After he insisted on it, Yco’s
company offered to send him to school in exchange for years of service
in the company. Yco took the offer and went to study marketing and
management at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. After 3
years of studies, he went back to Saudi, finally as a store manager – a
feat that no other Filipino in their company had ever achieved.

As manager, Yco led a staff of 175 people from 16 different countries.

Having to work his way from the bottom up worked to his advantage:
Yco knew the company better than anyone. Overall, he'd stayed with
his employer for 18 years.

With his remittances, he sent his siblings to college. One became an

engineer, another an accountant, and the youngest, a physical
therapist.

"Kung hindi ako umalis, siguro kahit isa sa amin ay hindi makakapag-
college(If I didn't leave, perhaps none of us would have been able to
get a college degree)," he said.

While in Saudi, Yco met his wife, Elizabeth, a nurse at a private clinic
in Jeddah. They have 3 kids: Joshua, Eryka, and Matthew.

Homecoming

Having to fly from one branch to another eventually took a toll on Yco’s
health. He was diagnosed with chronic sinusitis. In 2002, he decided to
return to the Philippines.

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Yco, who had met success in Saudi, suddenly had to start from scratch
again and build a new career in the Philippines.

He and his wife first tried their luck with a sewing business,
manufacturing uniforms for the Philippine National Police (PNP). It
didn’t work out well because of late payments.

In the early 2000s, beauty parlors were popping out fast all over the
country and Yco partnered with his sister-in-law to start one. Their
relationship turned sour and the Tans decided to open one in Bicol
themselves.

Yco had always thought big. He wanted his salon to be nothing less
than great – a business mentality that, he said, is rare in the provinces.
He needed a sizeable capital for the venture so Yco applied for a
livelihood loan from LandBank. He got a P300,000-loan.

The Tans opened their first salon, EveGate, in Tabaco City, Albay, which
quickly became a hit among Albay’s middle class. They paid their loan
immediately and opened other branches in the region.

Yco soon ventured into other businesses, all in the beauty and
wellness industry and under the banner of the Tanvera Corporation.
They opened Salon de Estudyante, a hair salon for the masses; Fresh
Up Nail and Body Spa; and Spalon, a high-end salon and spa.
As of writing, the Tans have a total of 16 salons, spread all over the
Bicol region. Their 17th branch is set to open this year.

They branched into the distribution business through Adams Housing

Salon Supply which distributes salon supplies, formula, and equipment
in Albay; and also the Evegate Technical Development Training
Academy, a TESDA-accredited school for aspiring beauty and hair
technicians.

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Team effort

TAN FAMILY. Yco Tan with wife Elizabeth and their 3 children receive an award.

Yco said his secret to success is the cooperation of his whole family in
running the business. “It’s a team effort,” he said.

Because of his experience, Yco is in charge of the overall management

of their business while Elizabeth takes care of training their
employees. Son Joshua handles human resource and marketing.
Government agencies have recognized the family's efforts. The
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Region V honored
Yco and his family with the Model OFW Family of the Year Award for
2012, while the Department of Labor and Employment gave their
company the Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship Award.

They also received the 2012 Outstanding Non-Agri-based Entrepreneur

Award and the Gawad Entrepreneur Bagong Bayani Award from
the LandBank of the Philippines.

Giving back

The Tans’ success goes beyond awards. With their businesses, they are
able to give at least 250 people regular income, including persons with
disabilities (PWDs).

Yco said the decision to hire PWDs was influenced by their house help
who was a deaf mute.

"So everytime na nagtetraining si misis, nakikita namin siya na parang

very attentive. Interesado siya. And when my wife asked her kung
gusto niyang matuto, sabi niya very much willing daw siya,” Yco
shared. After this, the Tans made sure to hire at least one PWD for
every salon and give PWDs scholarship to their school.

(Because once, I had a helper who was deaf and mute. And everytime
my wife was training, we saw that she was very attentive. She was
interested. And when my asked her if she wanted to learn, she said
yes.)

In partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development

(DSWD), the Tans also give free massage and physical therapy training
to different communities in Bicol, automatically hiring the top 5
students of their classes.

Their salons are also required to organize at least two outreach

programs every year. They usually go to remote communities to
provide free haircuts, manicure, pedicure, and massages.
The Tans have also hired capable senior citizens in their salons who
are tasked to provide "motherly care” to their staff. Working in a
beauty salon, Yco said, can be an empowering experience and will give
the elderly a chance to be productive again and to feel good about
themselves.

“If we hire them, they become busy, earn money, and at the same time,
become more beautiful. They get a reason and the means to dress up
again and look good,” he shared in Filipino.

The former OFW is the co-chairman of the UN’s Joint Migration and
Development Initiative (JDMI) in Bicol, leading programs aimed to help
families left behind by OFWs.

Advice to OFWs

Having come far from selling vegetables at the local market, Yco has a
lot of wisdom to share to OFWs pining for success.

First, he said, is to plan for their homecoming and business early. “I

don’t want them to make the same mistake I did where I only thought
about doing business when I’m already back,” he said.

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"Habang nasa abroad ka palang, pagaralan mo na ng mabuti.

Kailangan you come home prepared. You do a project study. You do a
business plan. Lumapit ka sa gobyerno kasi government has so many
things na ibinibigay like free training. May mga loan pa sila,” added.

(While you’re still abroad, study it carefully. You have to come home
prepared - make a project study, business plan. Reach out to the
government because they provide a lot like free training and loans.)

This will help the OFW make calculated decisions and make sure that
their hard-earned savings won’t go to waste.

Yco also said that OFWs need to learn to trust the government more.
“Before, galit ako sa gobyerno. Feeling ko kinukuhanan lang nila
ako (Before, I was mad at the government. I felt like they’re just
getting money from me). But I realized that we can actually help each
other, like when I got my livelihood loan from LandBank,” he shared.

The OFW’s family must also realize that each member has a role to
play in the success of the family. In his case, he shared that he
couldn’t have been where he is now if not for his wife. “Habang si
mister ay nasa abroad, si misis sa Pilipinas ay maaaring magnegosyo
na (While the husband is abroad, his wife in the Philippines can start a
business),” Yco said.

Yco also said that an OFW and his or her family must choose a
business that they are really passionate about. This would help make
any task seem easy. “Kung ‘yung ginagawa mo ay ‘yung gusto ng puso
mo, napakaikli ng 24 hours sa 'yo (If you’re doing what your heart
really wants, 24 hours would be too short for you),” he said.

As for Yco, he just keeps on moving forward. Just as he did when he

was young, when he waded through the murky flood to reach his
destination, he knows that challenges will keep on coming as he
strives to reach his goals. – Rappler.com