It’s the new age of women and we look up to beautiful women who have great stories to tell. We’ve listed down some of the women who inspire us to reach our dreams and do good for the community. We also look up to women entrepreneurs who led their businesses to reach their full potential. (This list is in no particular order.)
23 Strong Women That Will Truly Inspire You
Bianca Araneta-Elizalde
Photos from Bianca’s Instagram account: @biancaelizalde
Organic food is something that many Filipinos are looking for these days. Wholesome Table owner Bianca Araneta-Elizalde found an opportunity to share her love for food through this business venture. Though most people may think healthy food isn’t delicious, Wholesome Table proves otherwise. Each dish is carefully crafted to be delicious and healthy – made from fresh, natural, and organic ingredients. Bianca has always been vocal about her love for food and health. She also shares how her family has a lifestyle that is true to her business goals of inspiring everyone to make a healthy choice with every dish that is ordered.
Karla and Kim Zulueta
Photos from Aperitif’s Instagram: @aperitif_ph
If you love wine and cheese, you have probably heard of Aperitif. Sisters Karla and Kim are the women behind this powerful brand who started with graze boxes and soon expanded to catering. Now, they have a retail store in SM Aura Premier. Their flagship products of graze boxes are on top of mind when people look for executive gifts. Their catering services are also a crowd favorite with their cheese raclette pasta, cheese and cold cuts, and even macarons and ice cream tables.
Dr. Kaycee Reyes
Photos from luminisce.com
Skin care is very important and Dr. Kaycee Reyes of Luminisce Skin Clinic makes sure that the treatments that her clients get match their lifestyle. We remember sitting down with her and asking how she juggles her career and family. She said it was hard work, but is very thankful for her husband who loves and supports her chosen business and career. Luminisce recently opened another branch in the Podium following the success of their first clinic in BGC.
Margarita Forés
Photos from Margarita’s Instagram account: @margaritafores
Named as Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2016, Margarita is really a force to reckon with. She openly battled and won over thyroid cancer in 2006, and she currently owns and operates Cibo, Lusso, Grace Park, and Alta. When it comes to her businesses, she wants to predominantly work with organic ingredients.
Amina Aranaz-Alunan
Photo from Amina’s Instagram account: @aminaaranaz
Aranaz and the School of Fashion and Arts founder Amina Aranaz is definitely a fashion force. With Aranaz going global and being available in major cities around the world, her accessories are a must-have for every fashionista. Amina vows to champion Filipino creativity whether through her fashion school or her accessory brand. Both businesses are leading in the industry and are taking the bar higher to produce quality talents and products.
Sheila Marcelo
Taking care of everyone is embedded in every woman’s DNA. This is why Filipino-American Sheila Lirio-Marcelo of Care.com is someone who truly inspires us. Care.com is the world’s largest online destination for finding family care. Sheila shares that her business really came from when she needed help as a mom and her father had a heart attack. Sheila helps people find child care, senior care, special needs care, tutoring, pet care, housekeeping, etc. through her website. She is one of the few women in the tech entrepreneurship industry to raise more than $35m in venture capital funding.
Trish Lim
Photos from Trish’s LinkedIn account: trishlim12 and Woven’s Instagram account: @woven.ph
Start-up business Woven Handicrafts owned by Trish Lim is giving new life to the traditional ‘banig’. The company’s products are from Basey Samar and are made with dried ‘tikog’ leaves and dyed ‘buri’ strips. They offer bags, wallets, and gadget sleeves for the millennial market.
Nanette Medved-Po
If you have purchased Hope in a Bottle before, then you have helped build a classroom through the company Generation Hope Inc. What you might not know is that the founder of the company is an award-winning actress, philanthropist and businesswoman who is more known for her career in the entertainment industry. She graduated Summa Cum Laude in Babson College with a degree in Finance and Entrepreneurship. The company sold 15 million bottles that helped build 57 classrooms for 12,500 children in the Philippines.
Reese Fernandez-Ruiz
Photos from reesefernandezruiz.com and Rags2Riches’ Instagram account: @rags2richesinc
The beautiful Rags2Riches creations came from the founder’s feelings of unfair trade and social injustice for the Payatas community where the products are made. Reese shares that they want to provide livelihood and programs for their artisans. Aside from beautifully made items, the company aims to represent the Philippines in the international fashion retail scene.
Anne Curtis-Smith
Photos from BLK’s Instagram account: @blkcosmeticsph
Actress/endorser/host/singer/businesswoman, she’s multi-hyphenated and there is no stopping her. Despite having a very hectic career, Anne managed to launch a makeup line during the period of her wedding. We always wondered how she did it. Wedding, business and showbiz career all at the same time? Anne is the co-founder and the creative director of BLK Cosmetics and it has come a long way since it was launched. The brand now has beauty counters in leading malls nationwide and will be opening their flagship stores soon.
Yuki Tansengco
Photos from Instagram accounts @shopstylecat and @yukitansengco
Blogger and entrepreneur Yuki Tansengco says her knack for business started when she was still in college. She shares that she sold accessories and everything she made when she was studying. She then went around the world to find inspiration for her business Style Cat. They sell handmade resort bags with impeccable weaving techniques by different crafters from all around the Philippines. The products are available in different stores in the Philippines and two stores in Singapore including Marina Bay Sands.
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