She Shines | Kwento ni Yona Signo: 2024 Women Changing the World Awards Finalist - video Dailymotion

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She Shines | Kwento ni Yona Signo: 2024 Women Changing the World Awards Finalist

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00:00As a woman, it feels empowering, it feels good when we see our fellow women

00:06who are supporting women empowerment, women supporting other women.

00:11And tonight, we will be joined by the Silver Awardee of 2024 Women Changing the World Awards,

00:19Yona Signo, to inspire us with her success story.

00:23But before we talk to her, let's watch this first.

00:28It's hard to be a mother and a business owner at the same time.

00:33From business works to personal life and family,

00:36everything needs to be organized and smooth.

00:40Despite the hectic and tight schedule,

00:43an award-winning Filipino-Australian mompreneur

00:46was recognized and counted among the finalists of 2024 Women Changing the World Awards

00:53due to her advocacy to help her fellow working moms.

00:59She was also nominated in 2021 as an AusMompreneur's Gold Award

01:04for Multicultural Business Excellence

01:07and one of the Top 100 Most Influential Women

01:10of a business and employment-focused social media platform.

01:15Let's find out her secret to her inspiring global business journey

01:19here on She Shines.

01:25And we welcome here on Rise and Shine Philippines, Yona Signo.

01:28Good morning, Yona. Good morning.

01:30Good morning. Thank you for having me.

01:32You're a little bit teary-eyed seeing the VTR.

01:34Yes, that took me by surprise.

01:37It was so nice to see my children and my mom too.

01:40That's very nice.

01:41All right. Well, let's get to know more about you.

01:44You have a very interesting story.

01:46You're a mom and you're an entrepreneur.

01:49And I understand you being a mom also serve as your inspirations to start your business.

01:54So tell us that story.

01:55Yes. So when I was, when my daughter Sydney was going to turn one,

02:00I was deciding whether I should go back to corporate world

02:03or if I should start something with my skills.

02:06And I wanted to spend time like most mothers.

02:08I wanted to spend time with my daughter.

02:10So I decided, okay, I'll start this business.

02:14So I became virtual assistant number one.

02:16Okay.

02:17And then so I got a client, got two clients,

02:20and then got three clients and I got really busy.

02:22And I thought, wait, I'm not spending time with my daughter anymore.

02:26So how do I grow the business?

02:28And being born in the Philippines and coming from the Philippines,

02:32I decided, why don't I go to the Philippines and grow my team from there?

02:38And so we packed up our bags, went to the Philippines.

02:42We held our first interviews and hired our first VA.

02:45And I guess the rest is history from there.

02:46And we just kept growing.

02:48Okay. So you are your first customer.

02:50You are your first client.

02:51And good thing that you are helping Filipinos to have an employment

02:55and also providing a platform globally

02:58because the clients are actually from Australia, right?

03:00Yes.

03:01So how big is this virtual assistant industry?

03:03And also for those who are not familiar with VAs,

03:06what do exactly they do?

03:08Okay. The virtual assistant industry is a global industry.

03:12And the pandemic has proven that anybody can work from anywhere,

03:17even from their homes.

03:19And so the industry grew even more.

03:22And so what we do as virtual assistants is we help business owners

03:26in Australia and beyond to grow their business with systems,

03:31with processes.

03:32So we help them with their general admin as well as specialist roles

03:37such as content creation.

03:39So yeah, we are a part of their team.

03:43When the business grows, we grow.

03:44So we really advocate for the business owners

03:47and be able to provide jobs as well.

03:50Are most of your clients also mothers or moms?

03:52Yes. Yes, they are.

03:53So it's so inspiring because as a mom,

03:57you get inspired by other mothers.

03:59Right.

03:59And when moms find a problem, they want to make solutions, right?

04:04And so I'm really proud of the fact that our team

04:07and I are able to provide these solutions or assist these moms

04:11to continue to pursue their passions and then turn their passions to profit.

04:16So, you know, it's so much empowerment.

04:18All right.

04:19So your organization, you increased 70% in clientele

04:22and expanded also in the Philippines by 40%.

04:26Wow.

04:26So what are the feedback from your Filipino employees?

04:29And also, why did you choose to employ Filipinos?

04:32What are the characteristics of the Filipinos that are helpful for your organization?

04:36Yeah, well, you know, everybody knows when it comes to service,

04:41great customer service, Filipinos have that.

04:45And we all know when it comes to Filipinos also,

04:48they really work and come from the heart.

04:50And so I think that is a massive asset

04:53because Filipinos and our team,

04:56we become a part of the business owners and the business.

05:00And, you know, for us, it's all about making sure

05:03that we are all aligned in pursuing our values

05:08and being able to just work as a team to help the businesses.

05:14Okay, with the core of your business,

05:16like helping Filipinos to have a global opportunity to work

05:20and also helping other women, especially moms,

05:23you received this award, no?

05:25Yes.

05:25And I understand the ceremony was held in London

05:28and was handed to you by the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson.

05:32Wow.

05:33Thank you for representing the Philippines there

05:34because the awardee here is a Filipino-Australian,

05:38but you were mentioning that you are really a Filipino by heart.

05:41Oh my goodness, yes.

05:42I was born in the Philippines

05:44and we migrated to Australia when I was five.

05:46But at the core, I am very much Filipino.

05:49That's good to know.

05:50Alright, tell us about the ceremony.

05:51Yeah, the ceremony, I was so happy because they announced my name

05:55and I was like, oh my God, you know, it's exciting.

05:58But to be able to represent the Philippines,

06:02it was really nice for me because from the very beginning,

06:05I wanted to give the Philippines a global platform

06:09in terms of our professional services.

06:11So to be awarded this was really an affirmation

06:15that the drive and my purpose to be able to show

06:20that collaboration is better than competition

06:23and that there is strength in cultural diversity.

06:26It was really an affirmation of that.

06:27Congratulations.

06:28We are proud of you.

06:30Alright, I was mentioning earlier that you were a little bit teary-eyed

06:33when you saw the pictures of your family, of your children,

06:36and with that, it only shows that family is really,

06:39that you are really number one priority.

06:41Absolutely.

06:42So how is it being a mom?

06:43And also, what are your pieces of advice to other mothers out there

06:47who would also like to, you know, have multiple passions

06:50and also would like to be a girl boss?

06:51And also, of course, you know,

06:53the responsibilities in the family will not be left out.

06:55Yeah, I think first of all, for all the mothers out there,

06:59breathe.

07:00Inhale, exhale.

07:01That would be helpful.

07:02That's the easy things.

07:03But I think, you know, one of the practices that I do is,

07:06you know, to always come from the attitude of gratitude.

07:09So let's always remember what is,

07:10what are the things that we can be grateful for.

07:13And also, always remember why it is that you started,

07:18why it is that you do the things that you do.

07:20So whether it's your children, your husband, your family,

07:23always remember that.

07:24And at the very end of the day, always believe in yourself.

07:28I think backing yourself is important

07:30because that is where it starts off with.

07:33So those are the things that I would recommend.

07:36So really just coming from a place of gratitude

07:39and believing in yourself.

07:40Very good pieces of advice to all the mothers out there.

07:43And also, I'm not yet a mom,

07:44but, you know, I have friends who already have bigger

07:47responsibilities now that has the same of my age.

07:51And they were telling me that it's very hard.

07:53It is, yeah.

07:54You know, you have a lot of responsibilities

07:56and sometimes they lose hope.

07:57Yeah.

07:57And I think that's a valid emotion that they feel.

08:00What advice would you give them?

08:01If there are mothers out there now, you know,

08:04losing hope already and it feels hard to, you know,

08:07every day you are faced with different responsibilities.

08:10Yeah.

08:10I mean, I mentioned it already, but breathe.

08:14Breathe.

08:14I think it's really important because it's one of those

08:17things where we just forget to do those things.

08:19And so, and I think for all the mothers out there,

08:23if you're struggling, put your hand up,

08:26say that you need help because in anything,

08:29in motherhood and in entrepreneurship,

08:32it takes a village.

08:33So, we just need to acknowledge for ourselves

08:36the time that we need help and it's okay.

08:39You're not alone.

08:40You're never alone.

08:41And so, really just remembering why we started

08:44and allowing other people to help us,

08:47I think is something that will keep us going.

08:51And also, may I add, they can also hire a VA.

08:54And that's her, yes.

08:56Well, thank you very much, Shiona,

08:58for your very inspiring story.

09:00Thank you so much.

09:01And thank you for helping also Filipino women

09:04gain employment through your organization.

09:06Thank you.

09:07Thank you very much, as we say in the Philippines.

09:08Thank you very much.

She Shines | Kwento ni Yona Signo: 2024 Women Changing the World Awards Finalist

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