A Local Beauty Queen and Fashionista Turned Online Entrepinay

At 5 foot 6, without her stilettos, May Ann Maris Bugarin of Alaminos City, Pangasinan is taller than most her contemporaries. Because of her height, white complexion and amiable face she started joining beauty pageants at age 12. Upon her entrance during the nationwide Carinderia Fiesta 2015, held at World Trade Center she commanded the attention of the crowd. She may have not won the crown but she was the crowd’s darling and known as the “hakot” awardee.  

 

May Ann Maris Bugarin is born from a lower middle-class family where her father cannot have a job due to his lung cancer (died on her College years) and her mother is the sole bread winner of their family. In the provinces, joining beauty pageants is a way of earning like amateur singing contests. To help the family she started joining pageants and winning them at the same. Some of her notable beauty pageants were:

·         MS. NO to Alaminos Cityhood - Title Holder

·         Ms. Alaminos – Ms. Flawless and Top Five

·         Ms. Glamour of Hundred Islands –- 2nd Runner up and Best in Talent

·         Ms. Agno- Title Holder and Best in Casual Wear and Swimwear

·        Carinderia Fiesta 2015 – 2nd Runner Up, Best in Talent and Best in Kusina Wear

Due to her passion for Beauty Pageants, she is also into fashion and life style. Got married four years ago and focused on being a house wife, all is well until her husband finished his contract in his online freelancing work for years that led to their financial breakdown. Due to the financial crunch they are suffering, a revelation suddenly appeared to her. Beauty is only skin deep, to survive in this seemingly cruel world she must be an entrepinay and help her husband. Beauty slowly fades as one ages and learning entrepreneurial skills, marketing and business is a lesson that must be learned at an early age.

The starting point is the problem. She tried looking for online freelancing jobs like her husband, and started a small time data entry work. But it did not last also. If ever she puts up a “sari-sari store” she needs capital and almost all her neighbours already have one. But the point is, she is not happy with such business concepts. What she loves to do is read, browse and look at Social Media (especially Facebook) on fashion trends, beauty tips and lifestyle news, she is also into online shopping.

By December 2016, she met MyDivisoria PH in Facebook, where it advocates online reseller programs for anyone interested at no cost... It was actually the fashionable dresses that caught her interest and how economical it is. So she tried online reselling and was trained online by MyDivisoria PH co-founder Karlo Alamares. That is the start of her online entrepreneurial journey. This time she felt happy! She is doing something she is passionate about and earning at the same. There are birth pains and struggles, that made her want to quit. But her resilience and training during her beauty pageant days of staying poised under pressure is what kept her on. She never thought that being a beauty queen and fashionista is a plus in business. So it is important to know your passion so you can have your niche and target market. 

Now as the distributor in the City of Alaminos, she already has a number of resellers under her wings and turned her passion into profits. As MyDivisoria PH is expanding its advocacy and innovating the business, May Ann Maris Bugarin is excited with the development of the company as she wants to prove that adversity is an opportunity to excel.

In ending, May Ann Maris Bugarin is now looking positively for 2017. On the darkest part of her life despite of being a beauty queen and a local celebrity, she was so depressed and full of negativity. But as a beauty queen if ever there are problems faced thrown in your way, continue your catwalk, hold your head high and face the crowd.

About May Ann Maris Bugarin:

Other than being a local beauty queen and fashionista, she is a Walking Dead and Game of Thrones fanatic. She believes that being beautiful does not mean wearing expensive clothes and accessories, being beautiful is knowing how to stand for yourself as a lady and helping your family.

For more details, click: https://www.facebook.com/mayann.m.bugarin

For more details about MyDivisoria PH: https://www.facebook.com/MyDivisoriaPhilippines