This is the story of Maricor Flores, a woman who keeps a clear definition of beauty as she builds an institute that opens its doors to dreamers in the industry.
Related: 30 and Thriving: The Evolution Of MEGA
I was sitting on a brown couch lined with an Hermes throw blanket and pillows while reviewing my boards for the photoshoot. To my left, a La Chaise by Charles and Ray Eames rested untouched, waiting for the woman of the hour. A grand piano flanked by tall potted plants and a red velvet throne stood by my right. In front of me, concentric platforms acted as a center table, topped with a stack of designer fashion books and some family photos. The space was well-kept, tastefully arranged, and carried an air of success. A house says a lot about the person living in it, and while that can easily be said about Maricor Flores, there’s more to her story that precedes the grandiose aesthetics.
THE SEEDS OF SUCCESS
Maricor Flores, or warmly known as “Cor”, is a woman who has always had a clear direction in life, even through situations that, for most, would seemingly derail you from your path. “I often tell people that when they get pregnant at 17, people will often tell them that their life is gone and their dreams have vanished. That was not true for me. It gave me a new lease on life because I realized that I wanted to make something out of myself,” she mentioned.
Even before the age of adulthood, Cor had the odds stacked against her. But as she expressed, “I had no time to spare and I chose to be a fighter rather than wallow in sorrow.” After dabbling into the worlds of women’s apparel, property development, and hospitality management, Cor honed in on the beauty industry and quickly set up her own company. In 2010, South Care Cosmetics Manufacturing Inc. was born out of a backyard, housing 12 hard-working teammates and amateur workspaces.
Cor has always known where she wants to be, and is determined to work hard to get there. That’s probably the reason why even as a backyard soap-making business in 2010, Cor referred to herself as a CEO. She has gone on record to define this self-given title as “Carry Everything On my own”. This sense of leadership and initiative arose not from competition or ego, but rather from a necessity to build a successful business. This pure intention eventually instilled some grit behind the glamour, still felt today as she continues to etch her name in the annals of the beauty industry.
The formal title of CEO is something she proudly carries today, and rightfully so. Being involved in a development, production, and distribution company for beauty brands is no easy feat. “With prudent financial management, good business strategies, and of course, fostering the trust and confidence of our clientele, we grew from MSME to a major player in the industry,” Cor affirmed. The company now boasts a workforce of over 400, a far cry from the humble dozen that kick-started this dream.
NEW FIELDS TO EXPLORE
Reading through various notes and definitions by business coaches and analysts Reveal the top-most responsibility of an effective CEO: setting the overall vision of the company. Often misconstrued, a vision is not a run-through of company objectives within a certain time period, or some abstract hodgepodge of promises and aspirations without concrete basis. Rather, a vision is meant to be an inspiring story about the future based on a logical extrapolation of the present. For Cor, she is steadfast in realizing a future where anyone can be their own CEO and spread the joys of beauty: “The motivation to stay and grow [within the beauty industry] always emanates from the fact that we help those who want to start their own business, and help a lot of unemployed individuals build their dreams through a company that can be proudly be part of.”
Cor has recently made strides in this goal through partnerships with the likes of Ian Veneracion and Jinkee Pacquiao in launching their own labels. The overwhelmingly positive reception towards these launches is a testament to the still fast-growing beauty industry in the Philippines. “The beauty industry continues to flourish despite the pandemic. With the new normal way of life, more people stayed at home due to lockdowns, and most of us had more time to rest as we chose to take care of ourselves. Now more than ever, skin care products are selling like hotcakes because people have finally realized that taking care of your skin is not a luxury but a health necessity,” she explained.
Merging the visions of innovation and competition, as well as promoting accessibility to quality skin care, Cor now expands her portfolio by introducing a renowned global brand that brings over 100 years of skin care experience: Instituto Español. Boasting state-of-the-art technology that has made its products globally competitive, Instituto Español brings prestige at a more accessible range, keeping beauty aficionados at par with the global quality standards. “Among all the territories in the globe, the Philippines is one of the last countries to have this brand. So, it really means a lot that we are the ones given the chance to bring this product to the Philippine market,” she expressed.
HER TRUE COLORS
Right as we were about to capture Cor’s glory in the midst of her own living space, she quickly got on a video call with a friend to share her look, panning around her body to flaunt her dress and leaning into the camera to focus on her peachy make-up. But instead of snapping a few photos for socials, or taking a quick video for TikTok, she took a few minutes to chat on call with a genuine tone of excitement while still carrying that unmistakable confidence.
Cor has always regarded herself as a people person, valuing interaction more than visual recreation or digital immersion. This is evident in her usual daily routines, as she detailed: “My day usually begins early because I always make sure that my children’s needs are provided well. From preparing their food and clothes, to taking the time to talk and share moments with them, my life revolves around my home…In the evening, I usually have business meetings but as much as possible, I make it a point to eat dinner with my family.”
Her fixation on all things ravishing, evident in her wardrobe of vibrant dresses and a stunning collection of handbags, is something she doesn’t shy away from. However, in the realm of beauty, her values and perception extend beyond the confines of material possessions. Beauty, according to this queen of cosmetics, is not about the products you use or even the perception and reception of your image online.
Heart, body, and soul. It seems that Cor has all of these checked out—a loving wife and mother to her family, a hands-on CEO ushering new names in the industry, and a strong woman of faith. While it may be rewarding to revel in the successes of providing avenues of creative expression and a personalized vision of beauty through her company, Cor never forgets to stop and smell the roses.
As we out our devices down to ready the first shot, Cor said her goodbyes on the video call, assumed her position on the La Chaise, and gave a soft yet stern look at the camera—a signal for us to proceeded with capturing the grace and grandeur of a woman that carries everything.
This MEGAWoman feature on Maricor Flores is also seen in MEGA’s Anniversary 2021 issue now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.
Photography KIERAN PUNAY of STUDIO 100
Text KRISTOFF SISON
Art Direction EL PEREIRA
Styling STEPH APARICI and OLI SARA
Makeup SHONE SENDON
Hair ARIELLE DACU
Shoot Coordination ERICA LUNA, LOUIS ESGUERRA, and MJ ALMERO
The post Maricor Flores Is Inspiring Women To Be Self-Made CEOs appeared first on MEGA.
0 Comments