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.