As if growing and nurturing a ten-hectare Cavendish Banana farm is not yet a handful, 35-year-old Davaoeña Jee Ayuste throws two more balls into air—managing two facial and slimming branches and leading the district-wide Council of Women—and juggles them all remarkably well.
Harvesting the Success Planted with Seeds of Determination
Growing up in an agricultural-based environment with Cavendish Banana farming as a primary industry, Jee Ayuste, decided to put on the farmer’s boots in 2011 and started planting one of the biggest Davao del Norte’s dollar earners, “Our local agro-climatic condition is favorable for this kind of venture and its market system is in place. In the past, this venture is dominated by multi-national companies. But when opportunities became open for independent growers, some of my friends got into this and have become successful. These factors have motivated me to pursue,” shares Jee.
Peeling one Banana’s skin at a time, Jee painstakingly learns the ins and outs of producing a class-A quality crops, “Growing cavendish banana is very challenging. Because it is a commercial commodity and for export, it needs to meet the quality standards of the export market. It requires intensive land preparation, farm management, quality control, and assurance.”
What made Jee stay in the farm is her eagerness ‘to support their province’s banana industry and local farmers and to provide jobs for her community.’
A cluster of bananas is not always on its glorious color and shape and just like any other businesses, banana industry has also its share of environmental challenges.
“The market is very fluid and we are facing the threat of the panama disease. But I’m getting technical support from experts and from other banana independent growers through sharing of learning and experiences including best practice examples,” Jee optimistically declares.
Having the Heart to Urge On
With the pandemic leaving no industry unharmed, Jee admitted how they have been trying to hold up, “The hardest part for the business was during the first three months of the lockdown. Mobilization and logistics were hampered. We have to go through all these health protocols but which are essential to keep our people safe.”
Having the no-retreat-no-surrender heart, Jee trudges on, “We are in extra-ordinary days, in difficult times. But we are resilient people and we learn how to adapt, adjust and overcome difficult situations. I have to go through several adjustments from closely monitoring the farm, harvesting to bring the farm to market with high level of caution due to the pandemic.”
From Seeding to Slimming: Owning One of the Leading Facial and Slimming Centers in the Country
Believing that taking care of our largest organ is of paramount importance, Jee franchised a brand—Skin911 Facial and Slimming Centre—that offers facial and skin services, treatment, and products closer to people at an affordable price.
Jee went through a proper and intensive training in this industry to make her customers feel satisfied and make them leave the clinic glowing and happy. The first branch in Lanang is operating for almost two years now.
True to her words that health and wellness comes first to her, she opens her second branch last year, “Tagum City is the capital city of Davao del Norte and it’s an hour away from Davao City where the first branch is. It’s more accessible for my friends and other customers who reside within the Province to go there. Also, there is good opportunity for the place by offer them an alternative skin clinic.”
Due to the health crisis that left her no choice but to reshape and restructure the clinic’s safety measures and systems, Jee made sure that they are ready to welcome again customers and clients with ‘skin emergency needs’, “We have already reopened. The physical space is being adjusted to basically attune to the health protocols and ensure that health standards are practiced. With our staff, we need to put on protective essentials.”
Being the Woman of Power in the Banana Capital of the Philippines
As the significant other of the Representative of her district, Jee fulfills the duty of building and establishing partnerships (especially with the private sector) to strengthen collaboration in some of the service activities for the district. She supports Cong. Aldu’s legislative priorities and social service programs, particularly health-related.
With a lot on her plate, Jee lets us take a bite or two on how she is able to give equal time to businesses, community, family, and herself, “It is always a balancing act, time management and planning. Of course, not putting my personal growth and my love ones on the sideline.”
When asked what does success look to her, Jee ponders on how much the word actually weighs, “It’s a personal outlook and how I have affected the people around me. Success to me is looking at my aspiration taking shape, benefiting my staff, workers and making a difference in their lives, seeing satisfied customers with happy faces, people who tell me their lives have been changed positively.”
Having to plant the seed of hard work while slimming down doubts and hesitations, it’s no wonder why Jee stays on top of her game whether in the farm industry, the beauty empire, or in her community.
Who knows? Jee may think of another business she wants to venture in when the time feels right. After all, she is someone who can’t withdraw from innovative efforts that can aid her staff and workers to see a glimmer in everyday life.
Visit Skin911 Facial and Slimming Centre Lanang and Tagum Facebook pages.
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