A LADY with a tele-serye-like story, Lyn Macanas, should inspire other single moms not to stop dreaming and continue pursuing their goals.

Lyn’s rise to the top was not served to her on a silver platter. It took her years of struggle and hard work to get to where she is now.

Her resilience and life journey are inspiring, real-life telenovela. Knowing how she eventually succeeded will inspire other ladies to also pursue their dreams.

Lyn recalled she used to walk nine kilometers to go to school. “I also go to the farm, tend to animals, but I needed to do that to survive,” she shared. “I didn’t have a mother. I was given to strangers, but I still tried to study despite experiencing abuse.

“I had to work hard in Samar just so I could eat. I used to get fruits from trees. I just kept on telling myself, ‘time will come that I will succeed.’

“I attended college by riding trucks, had to be with other folks and sold cookware, in order to save money for my tuition fee. Thankfully, I got to finish college. I thought it was going to be okay after that.

“I went abroad as an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) in Damam, Saudi Arabia in the household of a meat dealer from whom she experienced abuse. She managed to return to Manila through the wife of her boss.

She remained in Manila and struggled to raise her two children with no work, so she decided to leave again, this time to try her luck in Taiwan as a factory worker.

Life didn’t become easy still, as Lyn had to struggle juggling between two jobs – selling apparel to her fellow OFWs at the export processing zone in Taiwan and work inside the factory.

Thinking she had saved enough money sent to the Philippines, Lyn opted to return home only to find herself without a husband and no money. She was left alone to fend for her family.

She decided to start a sari-sari store and even sold barbecue in front of her house. A life-changing opportunity came when a construction company moved in to fix the roads in her neighborhood.

Her store catered to the workers and the owner of the construction company offered Lyn a job.

“I believed I only succeeded when I started to become a liaison officer in a construction company,” said Lyn. “I learned the ropes.”

Lyn left the construction company and decided to put up her own. That was the start of her Chrizmarie Builders and Construction Supply.

Lyn only wished to survive after having her own construction company. Now, she is venturing into cosmetic line.

“This (cosmetics) is something that I really wanted because I have daughters,” she admitted. “You can really achieve what you want by focusing, praying for it, then I think everything will fall into place.

“What keeps me inspired are the hardships that I went through. I had to do it and endure everything for my family. I only dreamt about this before.”

All organic skincare utilizing French and Spanish technology will now be within reach in the Philippines and the region.

Two huge corporations – LM Make-Up and Skin Care (a subsidiary of Chrizmarie Builders and Construction Supply from the Philippines) and Vega Natural Thailand – finally inked their partnership agreement to come out with skincare products for the Filipino consumers this 2025.

The event was graced by Madam Lyn, the CEO (chief executive officer) of Chrizmarie Builders and Construction Supply and LM Make Up and Skincare Corporation, Phrathonmsak Techavetcharoen and Kwan Wannathong, president and CEO, respectively of Vega Natural Thailand.

Meanwhile, Madam Kwan likewise started from humble beginnings. She used to sell fish balls in Bangkok. Madam Lyn was touched when she learned the latter’s early struggles.

The CEO of Vega Cosmetics, Madam Kwan also lived on a dream. “I thought about how to make that dream come true,” she said.

“I built my business in manufacturing cosmetics and partnered with clients to work along the way. In the beginning, Madam Ly and I talked about this in Thailand and I could feel how strong her energy was.

“She went to our factory and saw how we took care of our people around. That touched my heart seeing that when we seriously talked. I felt Madame Lyn was really good inside out. That was the opportunity she was waiting for.

“Our families also got to know each other. Her family took care of us when we started working together. We will bring out the best products here in the Philippines and other parts of the world. We will succeed together.”

The individual stories of both ladies were certainly awe-inspiring. Their pursuit of something deeper is more significant to do because they are the ones who did all the hard work. They both deserve to succeed.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Leah C. Salterio