Content creator Jenela Tuguinay-Cachero's journey into investment was inspired by her mother's sage advice: gold is a reliable investment.
This is precisely why gold was among her initial investments.
She told PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), "Actually, specifically sa gold po talaga ako na-in love, nag-invest."
This love for gold led her to become the ambassador for Amara Shia Jewelry.
Jenela was once a beauty queen and is now a social media influencer boasting 2.3 million Facebook followers, 1.6 million TikTok followers, over 80,000 YouTube subscribers, and more than 150,000 Instagram followers.
In this PEP.ph interview last December 7, 2023, at a hotel in Pasay City, Jenela recalled how her mom's investment in gold got them through hard times, especially with medical expenses.
She said, "Dati po, nung hindi pa tulad ng buhay ko ngayon, yung gold po talaga yung nagsalba sa buhay namin.
"Mahilig po yung mom ko sa gold. So every time magkakaroon po siya ng pera or ayun po, nagkakaroon po siya ng sahod, in-invest po niya sa gold.
"Kapag dumarating po yung time na nangangailangan po kami, for example po, nagkasakit po kami ng mga kapatid or yung lolo po namin, doon po siya humuhugot, sa mga gold na in-invest niya.
"So doon po nakita talaga yung importance ng gold at parang ano... sabi ko, 'Kapag ako rin nagkapera in the future, mag-i-invest po talaga ako sa gold.'
"So by that, nakikita ko po yung pinahihirapan ko, na-i-invest ko po, and alam ko na pinagpaguran ko po yung mga jewelry na yun."
Read: What 585, 750, and other number markings mean in gold jewelry
JENELA investing in JEWELRY
Jenela, like her mom, doesn't just buy any kind of gold or jewelry, "Importante sa akin na yung mga jewelry na sinusuot ko may significance po sa buhay ko.
"Gusto ko po yung mga sinusuot ko, may memories na kasama. Yung mga kapag sinuot ko, makikita nila agad na, 'Si Jenela yun!'"
New to investing in jewelry, Jenela mentioned that Shina Aquino, the owner and founder of Amara Shia Jewelry, has been her guide during her purchases.
"Simple lang rin po and hindi ko mahilig sa extravagant. But gaya ng sabi ni Ma'am Shina, kung meron po, puwede rin naman."
During the press launch of Jenela as the face of Amara Shia Jewelry, Shina shared some valuable tips when buying jewelry—foremost, to research on the seller thoroughly before making a purchase.
Shina said, "Kahit online, inaano ko pa rin yun sa mga client na kahit walang silang store, as long as makita mo na they are trusted talaga.
"So puwede po kayo doon. And. of course, mas plus points po talaga yung may store."
Shina also stressed the importance of inspecting the quality of the items before making a purchase.
"Of course, dapat po, i-check din natin yung quality. Yun po yung pinaka-importante.
"Quality of the item na bibilhin mo kasi po hindi po basta-basta ang pera na ilalabas natin sa jewelry."
Lastly, Shina emphasized the critical role of excellent customer service when it comes to purchasing jewelry.
She highlighted that beyond the quality of the items and the reputation of the seller, attentive and responsive customer service can significantly enhance the overall buying experience.
She told PEP.ph, "Ever since I started po talaga sa online is yung customer service.
"Yun po kasi talaga yung para sa akin na doon ka po magtatagal as a business.
"Yung customer service mo kasi aaning mo po yung ganda ng inyong product, ganda ng inyong store, ganda ng inyong mga ginagawa.
"Kung yung customer service po is bagsak, wala pa din po. Para sa akin po, isa po yun sa binabayaran natin."
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