HARD work, persistence and encouragement from her aunt paid off for 42-year-old Mary M. Gekin as she grew her direct selling business in Mandaue City.
Gekin, who hails from Butuan, came to Cebu in 1993 to find a job.
She ended up working in the direct selling business of her aunt and earned at least P3,000 a month.
After seven years, her aunt, who saw her drive to earn more, encouraged her to go into the business of direct selling cosmetic products from Avon, Personal Care and Hairway.
“My aunt said that I could earn more if I registered because I will get the full benefits of a dealer compared to just selling under my aunt’s account,” said Gekin.
She took her aunt’s advice and started going into the business herself to earn more especially since she had a family to feed.
“I worked really hard to earn more because this is the only way for me to earn while also taking care of the kids,” said Gekin.
Her hard work paid off and soon she became a sales leader in Avon, earning at least P7,000 every month.
Still this was barely enough for her and her husband’s income as a furniture factory worker to raise their family of six.
However, she continued to work hard and managed to send their children to school. Two of their children are in college while two others are still in the elementary grade.
Gekin said she planned to set up a sari-sari store where she could also display her cosmetic products.
“My direct selling business has grown and I have my own inventory displayed at home. I can expand that area and also sell other products not necessarily from a direct selling company,” said Gekin.
Gekin is one of the 20 women entrepreneurs in Mandaue City selected for the Search for WINNERS or Women In Need Now Entrepreneurs and Rolemodels organized by the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry for their annual Mandaue Business Month celebration last August./Reporter Aileen Garcia-Yap