LADY OF THE MONTH: AMEYRA ROSALES – LADIES WHO ONLINE

It was only last year when a good friend introduced me to Ameyra, a soft-spoken artist from Iloilo. You can’t imagine how smitten I was with her side hustle that I wanted to buy everything she created! Her creations truly spoke to me in more ways than one, and for that, I will always be a fan.

Tata, as her friends would call her, is a Corporate Communications Manager in the Philippines. She also started her business, SARTCAST from the ground up in the middle of a pandemic. “If that makes me sound crazy, then I probably am. I like to think I’m quirky, and my quirks are my superpower (aside from being a woman) because one of those quirks is that I would try everything at least once in my life, and that has led me to start my own business, and just power through with the amount of creativity that I have,” she shared.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE | Tata guarantees that she makes time for everything. “There is a time for work, a time for designing, a time for organizing orders. I make sure those pockets of time don’t overlap. I focus on work when it’s time for work and the business when it’s time for business. But I make sure I take a break when it gets a little too overwhelming. The thing about following these schedules that I’ve set for myself is that it has so far prevented me from burnout because at the end of a hectic day at work, I know I can look forward to doing something I love.”

SUCCESS HABITS | The illustrator/designer sticks to a schedule and learns to compartmentalize. She also knows that there is no perfect time to work. “You can’t wait for the perfect day, time, or temperature of your coffee – you just have to hunker down. Otherwise, you won’t get anything done,” Tata shared.

A STRONG FEMALE LEADER | When I asked her what’s been the most significant barrier in her business, she replied, “I’m going to be a bit forward-thinking here and maybe, if and when I approach investors to drive my expansion, my being a woman and the target audience of my business (women) might pose certain barriers. But even then, I don’t think being a woman should be considered a barrier. Certain investors might think a woman-led business may be subject to a woman’s whims and fancies, but I can always take control. At the end of the day, I don’t worry because I’m in control.” 

LEARNING FROM MISTAKES AND HAVING NO REGRETS | For Tata, starting her business was the hardest step of all, aside from choosing to stay in her current profession. “I haven’t always been the happiest at work, but I recognize the practicality of having a stable job and a steady career. After all, I have had to take my starting capital from my salary.”

Along the way, she’s also made a lot of mistakes like being too excitable, not doing enough research & development, and making rookie mistakes such as being careless. “I’ve certainly priced my products lower than I should have, but I’m learning, and I’m looking forward to the new year armed with everything that I’ve learned,” she shared. She loves where her business has taken her and has no regrets about starting Sartcast. 

WORDS OF WISDOM | Tata wants the next generation of young women to succeed in the workplace or business and imparts some great advice for all the ladies who are dreamers and achievers like her. “It’s okay to take a break and ask for help, and most importantly, regardless of age, you can always start again. I am also doing all this while being treated for depression, and every day, I wake up scared that my illness might make me want to stop and drop it all. But here I am so far – several months in operation, neck-deep in candles but loving it. I guess the biggest lesson here is to never underestimate our power.”