Lazada and She Talks Asia showcase inspiring stories of Filipina businesswomen

MANILA, Philippines — At the heart of Lazada's fast-paced world of e-commerce are its sellers. Not only does it foster business growth, but it also empowers individuals to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams and causes especially during their campaigns such as their Bonggang Birthday Sale this month.

To further support women entrepreneurs, Lazada has partnered with She Talks Asia to showcase inspiring stories of women who are making their mark in the industry.

In the hope of motivating others to pursue their purpose, Five Beauty’s Veronica Eala Garcia Tiny Buds’ and Tiny Buds’ Lorina Tan share their stories as they embark on their journey as women in business.

Veronica Eala Garcia of Five Beauty

When it comes to the beauty game, Veronica Eala Garcia is no newbie. In 2018, she first introduced magnetic lashes to the Filipino market through Luxx Lash, a premium, reusable and chemical-free magnetic lashes brand, a game-changing innovation in the lash industry.

Veronica’s passion in beauty and constant search for purpose kept her flourishing her entrepreneurial pursuits. After six years in the beauty market, she co-founded Five Beauty with marketing expert Isabel Regino, and actress Gabbi Garcia.

Five Beauty is a brand that offers five beauty essentials: cheeks, lips, brows, concealer and sunscreen. They knew they had to offer something different, so they decided to cater to women who want to simplify their makeup routines with affordable, high-quality products further revolutionizing the Philippine beauty industry.

In November 2023, the brand launched exclusively on the Lazada app, releasing their first collection: The Hybrid Colour Stick.

Although Five Beauty is a young brand, it has quickly garnered hype and made loyal customers.

According to Veronica, their partnership with Lazada has truly been beneficial in introducing Five Beauty to the market considering how hard it is to gain mileage for a startup brand. “What I appreciated about the Lazada team most is how they’re very collaborative. It’s not transactional. They really cared about, 'How do we make this work?' It was good because they were very open and they helped us find a way. The program in itself helps women entrepreneurs to reach the consumers, and that support is really huge," she said. 

Lorina Tan of Tiny Buds

For Lorina Tan, taking on Tiny Buds was a challenge considering that it’s a baby essentials brand and she was a single woman. When asked what challenged her the most in growing the business, she answered, “the challenge, really, was that I had no idea what I was doing. I’m not a mom so I didn’t think the way my customers thought.”

Lorin started her journey as Tiny Buds’ co-founder in 2013 when her mom invited her back to the Philippines to run the business with her. It was a challenge to run a baby brand despite being a single woman, but she made sure to turn this weakness into strength by taking time to listen and know her audience very well.

There were a lot of hurdles Lorin had to overcome to get where Tiny Buds is now. When she entered the company, Tiny Buds was already on Lazada for a couple of months but it wasn’t reaching its full potential.

It was in a call with Tiny Buds’ account manager in 2012 where Lorin had a realization about the shop’s underperformance and ultimately led her to understand the necessary steps for the brand's growth. It was here that she mentions the importance of humility in listening and learning from the experienced manager and Lazada, which significantly contributed to her e-commerce knowledge today.

As an e-commerce platform with the mission to help local sellers flourish, Lazada has been a catalyst in Lorin’s growth as an entrepreneur by providing her and her business the adequate support it needed to grow.

Lorin expresses her appreciation in Lazada for believing in their brand: “You need someone you look up to that believes in you. That’s what happened to me. Lazada took a chance on us, a very unknown baby brand back in the day. They showed us that if we just worked hard, strategized, and stood out, we could actually become what we are today.”

Fast forward to today, Tiny Buds has become a leading brand in baby care, with a dedicated and loyal customer base.

Women entrepreneurs and double standards

As Veronica and Lorina navigate the complexities of being a woman in business, there is a growing recognition of their resilience and determination in overcoming the adversities they faced.

Both have found their passion and success within the market and proved that success is not and will never be defined by their gender, but by their drive and resilience towards reaching their goals.

Veronica and Lorina's stories exemplify this resilience, underscoring the importance of amplifying such successes. By showcasing these narratives, more women can find inspiration and courage to pursue their entrepreneurial aspirations.

Read more about the transformative journeys of the featured Lazada sellers via She Talks Asia’s online platforms: shetalksasia.com and Instagram

Support female-owned businesses and shop Tiny Buds, and Five Beauty and enjoy P1,000 Lazada voucher, 100% free shipping, and up to 70% discount during Lazada’s birthday countdown from March 8 to 19.

Mark your calendars for Lazada’s Bonggang Birthday Sale starting March 24 (8 p.m.) to March 27 as more bonggang deals and discounts await. Check out now!