Making their Dreams a Reality

The HUMAN BRAIN weighs 1,300 to 1,400g by nature. It is a 24/7 workstation of our body, receiving in and sending out impulses, hormones and bodily fluids just to sustain life. As God had put it atop our bodies when we were created to roam in the world, it serves us well for everything about us is technically ruled by it, physically and mentally working hand in hand with a powerful will.

"WILL", as defined by Google, is the faculty by which a person decides and initiates action. I'd say it dictates the human brain when you need things to get done. I'd say the will is a powerful force, a kind of drive that determines what you would or would not do based on a lot of points: personal reasons, future consequences and level of difficulty in having it done. And the following people had taken this leap for "willing" to put up their own businesses in no other time but "now".

For my "Lifestyle Weekend" special, I'd like to feature Dazha's creativity, Berna's drive and Ria's passion in coming up with their on-line shops. Amongst other things, for making their DREAMS a REALITY as these on-line shops have flourished into something greater than what they had expected.

1. EVER AFTER
  - had been put up by Lady Dazha Dacanay early this year. I know this girl as one of those independent women who are the hard working kind but owns a genuine smile to keep you up light on your toes. She loves to dress up with unique accessories and shouting colors. Working in Hong Kong had given her a chance to express her self more with its different style and limitless opportunities. Hence, she said, putting up an online shop would help her out in earning extra income. Determined with her goals and focused when she wants to pursue something, she had partnered with Ms. Berna Pacia in nurturing her idea of traveling to China to buy cool pieces and re-selling them. She adds her personal touches on some goods to make it unique and cool. As how internet had made wonders to a lot of people, Dazha used Instagram for the people to get hold of what she's selling. And may I suggest that you find it as she truly has a taste for classic pieces that will surely be the talk of the fashionistas. This had caught my eye.

Besides the idea that she's putting extra embelishments and decors here and there on some pieces that she's selling giving it her personal touch, she is also fond of D-I-Y accessories that accentuates a normal get up. She decides on concentrating on this more as friends started to use her necklaces in a show for the launching of her own "Ever After" accessories. I purchased 4 of these cute wrist bands for my own. (I match my blue, neon orange, neon pink and/or neon yellow wrist bands with a casual white shirt for my simple get up to have a kick!) They cost HK$10 each and are worth it for sometimes, I use it to tie my hair as a ponytail band. Such a versatile piece! I love good finds like that.

Here is one of the first necklaces she had made. People had defined it as elegant, sophisticated and one-of-a-kind design. One friend of ours described as very "2-Broke-Girls"-ish. The necklace that the rich girl in this series was wearing gives the same vibe.

For now, she is busy gathering up swimsuits for the coming Summer season here in Hong Kong and for those who are bound to the Philippines for a getaway since April and May are the country's summer months. Here are some of the sexy patterns Ever After is offering.

So, please don't hesitate to look up _everafter_ in Instagram if you want to kick off your style with this wow Ever After touch!

2. ig.Lesias'
         - was put up interestingly by performers and partners Berna Pacia and Japs Iglesias. When I asked Berna how they came up with this online shop, she described, "The shop's name was a mixture of the "family name" and our medium which is instagram. "ig" for instagram but making emphasis to the letter L (hence, the period in between) coz' we wanted the Lord to be the center of our lives and our 1st family business."

As performers, they believed in the freedom of dressing up according to who you are, what you're most comfortable with and how you wanted to make a statement. Way back when they belonged to a dancing group in the Philippines, their production numbers required costumes that are of their own taste. Most often than not, they had caught themselves buying costumes and at the same time, clothes that they can use outside the shows like going to the malls, hanging out or during night outs. This way, they can save up their own moola and not buy too much which will end up getting wasted.


They started small, doing trial and error since their target
buyers are co-performing artists and fashionistas. They've posted up personal finds in Instagram, initially for personal use. They love to experiment with colorful, printed, unique and weird cuts. And so, these photos had attracted friends asking Berna if she was selling them. They thought, they could go extraordinary with their products as this puts up the scale of their retail to greater heights because they would want to go above as compared to what's familiar to the Philippine market. She was never scared to take the leap and had willed to go where the opportunity had taken them. And coming to Hong Kong helped them out a lot! "Hong Kong fashion is perfect!", according to Berna. Besides the fact that she loves dressing up according to her preference, she loves posting fab finds in Instagram until one friend had commented, "Why won't you shop for us who truly admires what you always get triumphantly?" And then she had given it a great thought and came to a fabulous conclusion, she gets to shop and earn at the same time. She mentioned that December of 2012 had been a blessing to them that they were able to launch the online shop by January the next year.

They proudly launched their first ever bazaar (April 6-7) in the Philippines and they're getting more and more excited with what this would eventually pave for them. They are aware that Instagram won't be there forever but they are willing to innovate their medium as technology also changes. They plan to do this as a long term investment and asset and they aim to make their own fashion line in the near future. My friend, Bobby got me and Hogan Casio watches from Berna. A his and hers which really are classic pieces I truly adore. Though I'm more of wearing Hogan's. I love anything manly when it comes to basic accessories.

She is currently employed in the happiest place on Earth and they believe that it works both ways. She doesn't want to waste her time as there are a lot in her hands right now. She was blessed with a stable job and she wanted to make the most out of it by also maximizing her potential as an entrepreneur. Find them in instagram: @iglesiasph.

3. REETAIL FRENZY 

I've performed with Ria since I was still in my college days and I know how frantic she is when it comes to shopping. It's just her passion. And now, she had chanelled that energy into something that would bring her back funds, instead of spending a fortune. 

Ria is also known as Ree, hence, the name of her online shop. Similar to Berna's experience, Ria always get compliments on her own good finds from every place that she visits. She loves traveling and shopping so she thought, combining the two would be an edge into coming up with an online shopping account via facebook and instagram. 

Ree is balanced with how she chooses pieces to sell. She loves the basics but she loves making a statement with it. Her online shop offers fabulous street-chick combination of clothes to street glam wear. She has a bubbly personality but owns a glamorous way of pulling every get up. But what I like about her is that she emphasizes that girls-next-door could be kick-ass cat walk rippers by being the real you, not being afraid of standing out and keeping it simple all at the same time. I notice her style goes from making just a piece or two stand out to carry everything else. She is careful in going overboard with what she wears and so she shares this ideal to the other retailers out there.

You can connect with her thru facebook: www.facebook.com/reetail.frenzy

and instagram:
www.instagram.com/reetail_frenzy


I got a blue shirt from reetail frenzy and I will post the picture soon once I have worn it in style. Thanks to Hogan for shopping it for me.

So, there you go. Hope you'll get to try out some of their pieces and tag them as you post up a photo of you wearing it. One thing about starting entrepreneurs: they are FEARLESS! They use their mind in nurturing the dream that their hearts had been so passionate for from the start. Now you can do that too. Open your eyes as you take that walk. It might just spark that fire in you to start up the business that you had been thinking of doing since the beginning. Or you just might come across the opportunity you have been waiting for.

Remember, "If there's a will, there's a way!"