25-year-old entrepreneur shares her success story, plus tips on how to become your very own boss.
Most of us 20-somethings have dreamt of living "the life" - no work, no boss, no commute, no traffic, and no annoying co-workers we've tortured repeatedly in our minds. We can do whatever we want, spending money on the things that make us happy.
Sadly, our lunch break daydreaming is the closest we'll ever get to living this dream.
But for this young entrepreneur, her Social Media cleverness have turned her into her own boss, and now she doesn't have to daydream anymore.
Shaira Habon from Manila has already made a name for herself as a entrepreneur to the stars. At just 25 years old, Shai established Shy Shop, a one-stop online store that now has six brick-and-mortar branches in the Philippines and thousands of customers all over the world. She also has a network of celebrities she sponsors.
In 2010, and fresh out of college, the Communications graduate started a small online business on Facebook. Having always enjoyed selling little trinkets since she was young, opening a business wasn't a hard decision.
"With a very limited capital, I decided to purchase accessories from a local supplier and post photos of them online. My initial buyers were friends and relatives," Shai recounted.
Juggling her day job with her online business, hard work soon paid off and she was able to branch out to a larger market. The young entrepreneur partnered with local businesses to produce her own merchandise that were a hit all over Asia. Through Social Media, Shy Shop was able to reach consumers in countries like Brunei and Malaysia. This also led her to start importing items from China, Korea and Thailand.
"At present, Shy Shop serves as a one-stop shop where people can get almost everything they need - from beauty products, to clothes, bags, kitchen and baking tools, and other household materials at very affordable prices," the proprietress highlighted. The store has more than 60,000 Likes on Facebook and close to a hundred thousand followers on Instagram.
Shaira has also been sponsoring celebrities, athletes, and online personalities aside from reaching a global market.
"I usually send out some of our items for them to try and endorse on Social Media." This is aside from being featured on TV and radio programs.
With the impressive fruits of her labor, Shai has already left her day job to concentrate on growing Shy Shop. When asked about the perks of having her own business, the young owner was quick to answer, "I am the boss of my own!"
"Being an entrepreneur [especially of an online business], gives me the freedom to work anywhere and anytime I want. I manage things the way I want," she added.
She also acknowledges the benefit of having "no more expensive fares, no long travel time, no deadlines."
"I also get to earn more than when I was a regular employee."
While being a boss comes with a lot of responsibilities, Shai is proud to say that her business venture has taught her to be more mature and dependable, adding "I am capable to provide for my own family."
When asked what advice can she give young people thinking of pursuing their passions, Shaira has these tips:
1. "Take Risks."
You'll never know what could be if you never try.
2. Pursue your Passion.
"It might be a cliche but it is true. We only have one shot in life so we have to go after what we really want," Shaira shared.
3. Never think your dreams are too big.
"Whatever profession you want to have or things you want to achieve, keep them valid by walking persistently towards those goals."
You can check out Shy Shop store at Facebook.com/ShyShop and on Instagram.