This Women’s Month, we are putting the spotlight on strong female entrepreneurs for our special edition of Style Visionary Cover Stories.
Being an entrepreneur takes a lot of risk-tolerance, self-discipline, hard work and a little insanity. Such characteristics are even more needed when you are starting from nothing.
With no handouts from wealthy parents nor gigantic capital, Lourgie Hernandez, diamond supplier, jewelry curator and founder of Lux Lourgie brand, knows a thing or two about being self-made. Unlike the Kylie Jenner’s of the world, Lourgie understands what it is like to be a breadwinner at a young age out of necessity.
Today, she is catering millon-pesos worth of real diamonds to the most affluent in Manila. On the side, she also co-owns a construction company she manages with her husband.
“Even in high school, I was aware that I had to help the family in making money because we were really struggling. So I would join beauty pageants or muse competitions during basketball tournaments just so I could take home 3,000 to 5,000 pesos,” Lourgie shared, the eldest of the two siblings in the family.
As soon as she finished her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication at Batangas University, she joined the corporate world at age 19. She worked as admin assistant for Batangas Electric Cooperative Inc., right after her internship at ABS-CBN’s Buzz Magazine. “It was my dream to work for a media company, but my need for a higher salary took the front seat at the time so I can provide for my family.”
After gaining years of experience, Lourgie braved being an employee at a construction company in Singapore. This was where she learned to take in an opportunity in a male-dominated industry. This is also where she taught herself how to have a side hustle that she never thought could be a full-blown business.
“I stayed in Singapore for 6 years, and halfway through, some friends in Manila would ask me if I could shop luxury bags for them in some high-end boutiques in Singapore. At first I was hesitant, but I gave in and learned the ropes of being a personal luxury shopper. At first, I was just catering for friends, then later on, clientele I did not know paid for my services, including celebrities,” she said.
She was met with a steady success in her personal luxury shopping business for a couple of years while in Singapore, when a bump in the road came. “I was scammed by one client, which would make me face millions worth of capital that would’ve turned into debt. I was so stressed, but out of the unfortunate event, an opportinity presented itself. The same scammer promised to pay me but not in cash, but in the form of a diamond.”
She got the diamond appraised, and she found out that it was not a natural diamond, or as valuable as she thought. “I think from that trauma, I really decided to learn how to distinguish genuine natural diamonds from fake ones. That’s how I met notable people in diamond appraisal and diamond supply industries.”
Her diamond supply today is coming from India, Hong Kong, Thailand and the USA which would cater to the most discerning jewelry-lovers in the metro. “All natural diamonds came from the earth, of course. But their monetary value is based on which diamond-certifying body they get their certificates from. And for me, GIA diamonds are the highest standard in the world. So I mostly sell GIA-certified diamonds.”
She is currently taking up a graduate course at Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the world’s most famous authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls that takes pride in its very high standards, to formalize her knowledge in diamond supply and authenticity. In about a few months, Lourgie is poised to finish her course to become an official gemologist, with the technical expertise needed to grade, buy, and sell diamonds. She has been already providing her consultancy on diamond expertise to a few of her clientele though, with the guidance from a gemologist mentor from the famous Villarica clan. Even in her YouTube videos, the model turned diamond supplier is educating viewers how to spot real diamonds from fakes.
“I never thought in my wildest dreams that I could teach myself how to make millions, or that I can build my own business from scratch,” she said. “From my own experience, business is a matter of your courage to take a leap of faith.”
Lourgie shared some of her cherished lessons from managing her own enterprise:
Take a leap of faith
“When my husband and I came back home to Manila from Singapore, we had to start all over, especially as former employees with side hustles. We took a leap of faith by starting our own business, which were our construction company and my jewelry and diamond business. We did not know if our risks would take off, but thank goodness, it worked out. It takes a lot of faith to transition from being an employee into being a full-time entrepreneur, but it is worth it.”
Set A Daily Goal
“I would admit that at first, I was the kind of entrepreneur that would lax and treat sales as a come what may thing. I realized along the way though that if I wanted my own business to really reach heights in terms of profitability, then it would take a lot of intentionality. And the key to that is setting a goal each day, like a sales quota. I disciplined myself into making at least one sale per day. When you set goals, the more you can hit desired results.”
Track Your Progress
“This is my favorite business advice: track your progress. Business can be challenging sometimes and it can be disheartening. But if you track your progress regularly, you will be reminded of how far you have already come. Like for me, I used to sell Casio watches, but now I am already making diamond-worthy transactions. Tracking your progress will let you know how far you have come, how far you will want to go, and can go.”
Have a strong mindset
“Business is a journey of ups and downs, but with a strong mindset and decision to succeed, you can overcome all hardships. Train yourself to have a strong mindset.”
Build a Strong Circle of Business Friends
“Women empowerment can start with building for yourself a circle of strong female entrepreneurs. Aside from building a network of clients, it is essential that you learn from other women entrepreneurs because they understand what you are going through when managing a business. It keeps your sanity afloat. I really take the time to learn from different CEOs from different industries because it is a rare and difficult thing to be an entrepreneur, so it helps when someone of the same wavelength can uplift you.”
Lourgie also believes that women empowerment can be as simple as embracing your femininity as the strength of your business.
“Some people would think that being soft can be a disadvantage in business. But for me, a woman’s empathy is a strong point in business. It is with our empathy that we can relate to our staff and cater better to our clients. Our empathy is what makes us better in building important relationships in business as compared to men.”
Lourgie Hernandez is wearing suits from Filipino fashion designer Ryan Chris, black pumps by Dior and jewelry from Lux Lourgie. You may follow Lux Lourgie on Instagram at instagram.com/lourgie_.
Words, Styling & Creative Direction: Marane Plaza
Photography: Emerson Evangelista
Makeup and Haistyle: Lihpchel Garcia
Image Layout: Angelo Garcia