Money never sleeps
MANILA, Philippines - Iam not an heiress.” Touted by some as a sort of local Ivanka Trump, it might surprise you when these words come tumbling out of Divine Lee’s mouth. Evidently, this savvy businesswoman has a few things to clarify. “Contrary to popular belief, I’m not getting that big pie. That’s my dad’s, not mine,” she says, matter-of-factly, with no tinge of resentment.
Even as a child, Divine never felt all the talk about her being privileged. “My dad provided well for us, but never spoiled us. If I asked for something and he said no, I would find my own way to get it.” This motivation is what made her enterprising early on, with the grand goal of having “gimmick money.” “I wanted to go out with my friends. Since I wasn’t given a lot of money, I had to find ways to make it. I modeled on weekends then used my earnings for nights out.” Convinced that she was destined to become a Victoria’s Secret Angel, Divine moved to Hong Kong, hoping to support herself from the tons of money she expected to make from modeling.
Papa don’t preach: Contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t familial ties but a scrappy work ethic that made Divine Lee. “What I have now wasn’t just handed to me.” Unfortunately, things didn’t come easily. “I had trouble making ends meet, so I started to buy and sell. I would sell clothes from Mango and Zara, which we didn’t have here yet. Then, I sold cell phones and bags to my college friends. Until (eventually) I was selling houses. I didn’t realize that I was already in real estate. In my head, I was still just selling things.”
Aside from marketing the family business, Globe Asiatique (GA) properties, Divine expanded her trade to other developers. This is where she started making real dough. “There was an opportunity in doing interiors for the units I was selling. I gathered my architect friends, put up a firm called Jagnus 10, then started bidding on minor projects painting, finishing, things like that.” Again, here was Divine starting small, working her way up scale models turned into rooms, rooms turned into buildings.
“I was getting more business from contractors other than GA. My projects had little to do with my dad.” In fact, Divine coyly admits having to befriend people within GA to get insider information. “He would have never given it to me! Even until today, I’m just an employee there. I’m not sure why people think I’m a privileged heiress. That’s not accurate. What I have now wasn’t just handed to me.”
Familial ties that bind
Though Divine is only moderately involved in her father’s business, she understands the woes of many kids who feel uneasy about inheriting a family trade. “I get it not liking the business, it becoming more of a burden than a blessing, even the pressure of filling in your parents’ shoes. But you should give it a try. Malay mo!” She continues, “I think kids these days are better equipped, with education, technology, and their parents’ experiences, so there’s every reason for them to succeed. The thing is, you can’t just slack off even if something is given to you.”
As for all our other big dreams, she adds: “You know, it’s all about perspective. In some ways, family ventures are convenient because the groundwork is laid down already. Do things on the side, which is what I do with Luca clothing stores and Mansion club. Being in the family business doesn’t mean you’ll lose your soul and be miserable.”
As we wrap up the shoot, Divine goes back to her laptop, checking her tweets and responding to fan mail. She explains, “I put up this blog because I felt that people had an image different from who I really am. I put this up because I wanted to have a voice of my own.”
Clearly, Divine is out to make a name for herself, to create her own claim to fame. Evident in her drive and output is an innate capability to build her own empire from scratch, just like a true self-made magnate.
