People often ask what is the secret to success, and one of the answers is to find what your passion is. Fortunately for some, they have known what they want in life at an early age. I know a lot of entrepreneurs who have discovered their passion while they were still kids and have sustained it as they grow up. The fact that they love what they are doing has been their fuel to achieve their dreams and be what they want to be.

Going through the entrepreneurship path is not easy. There will surely be problems that can discourage you. But if an aspiring negosyante is driven and he loves his craft, these problems will turn into opportunities for him to grow. This will be their difference from other entrepreneurs, whose attitude is not as positive.

I met Rubby Sy last March when she was chosen as one of this year’s Women Starpreneurs. At eight years old, she already knew that she has the passion for beauty. However, she was born to a middle class family, and she only has enough to get what she needs. But her Chinese parents have taught her and her siblings the value of hardwork. If she wants to have the things that her more affluent friends have, she will have to work for it.

And so, she began working as a clerk and cashier at her parents’ auto supply business. With her allowance, Rubby was able to save and buy the things that she wanted, from food to clothes and small accessories. She kept this passionate attitude going until she graduated at the Ateneo de Manila University, where she had degrees in Management Engineering and Economics.

Upon graduation, she was accepted at Citytrust Banking Corp., which is one of the most respected banking institutions in the country. Unlike other fresh graduates, Rubby was able to fully adjust to her new position. She became a top employee in a few months’ time, and her driving force was because she was constantly challenged to meet targets at specific deadlines. But her love for beauty never left her.

In 2001, during a trip to Tagaytay, Rubby thought of a business idea of having an out-of-town spa to provide relaxation for employees after working during the weekdays. The idea transformed from a simple spa into a face and body center, which provides skincare services at a more affordable rate. The first clinic was constructed in SM Megamall in Ortigas, a location that is more accessible to employees and spa enthusiasts.

However, Rubby did face some problems. At that time that Flawless was established, personal care is virtually unknown. There are existing skin care clinics in Metro Manila during those days, which cater to clients who can afford to pay. But she remained positive and stuck on with her plan. Eventually, the clinic experienced increasing sales, with loyal clients coming on in the succeeding months. She changed the trend of how Filipinos think about personal care by making it more accessible to the public.

Flawless Aesthetic Clinic now has more than 30 clinics nationwide, and for 11 years it has maintained a good reputation of providing premium skin care. It has won several awards as the Outstanding Retailer of the Year from the Philippine Retail Association (PRA), and as a testament to the excellent customer service, quality products and services that it provides, Flawless has been inducted in the PRA Hall of Fame.

Rubby also has received citations for her work as Flawless’ CEO, one of which is being awarded as a Go Negosyo’s 2012 Women Starpreneur. Despite her success, she still remains hands-on with the company and with its operations. Lately, she is focusing on expanding the brand further. Her mission is not only for her business to grow, but it is more on continuing her vision to allow every Filipino to take pride in their appearance without the guilt of spending excessively.

As she moves toward another phase in her business, I asked her: For being an entrepreneur who has defied the challenges with passion and perseverance to promote beauty to the rest of the Filipinos, do you believe that now is our time? How do you intend to help see this come to reality personally and through Flawless?

“Yes it’s about time. We have everything to gain from this renewed optimism felt by Filipinos in the country and in different parts of the world. The possibilities are limitless with an enterprising mindset. With Flawless’ well-thought out business model for franchising, hopefully more Filipinos may eventually turn into entrepreneurs, and share with our vision to bridge the gap between quality beauty treatments and products, and the budget conscious mass market with affordable services, in accessible locations.”

Just like most entrepreneurs who have made it, Rubby Sy has continued to nurture her entrepreneurial spirit by sticking to where her passion is. Sometimes, for a person to succeed in business and in life, all it takes is the willpower. Everything else will follow if one has conditioned his mind that he will make it through all obstacles.

We in the Go Negosyo family would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family of the late Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Jesse Robredo. A lot of good words have been said about his meaningful legacy of serving the country and the way he dealt with the people around him. He was such an amazing man. He truly inspired us, especially those with advocacies that also help change the lives of many Filipinos. I was not fortunate enough to have met him personally, but I can say that he was a very progressive and developmental leader, as he has allowed DILG and the LGUs to participate in the many Go Negosyo sa Barangay free seminars we have mounted, together with the Center for Future Leadership and DTI-PTTC. Sec. Robredo believed in the importance of training and expanding the mindset of our barangay officials nationwide into becoming more developmental and entrepreneurial to drive more investments and progress in the localities.