Ynna Asistio, daughter of veteran actress Nadia Montenegro, is making a name for herself not only as a young star but as a businesswoman making a mark in the jewelry industry.
There are risks to starting an online jewelry business. But what others consider risky, Ynna sees as an opportunity to do better. Her interest in the jewelry industry started when she was young, constantly seeing her mom dress up for various roles in the shows and movies she was cast in. At that early age, she was already dazzled by the glimmer of jewelry, particularly diamonds.
Fast forward to 2018, she has become a certified diamond specialist after graduating from the Gemology Institute of America (GIA) in Hong Kong. Together with her friend Happy Marnique, she started a business and called it Radiant Luxury Jewelry.
Ynna knows there are many established jewelry shops in the Philippines. They aim to master their business. If a diamond has four important C’s — cut, color, clarity and carat — so does Ynna’s jewelry business strategy: customer, cost, convenience, and communication.
“We make the experience memorable. We do more than just take care of our clients. We’re the only jewelry shop in the Philippines that offers create-your-own, so they get the chance to create their rings themselves,” the 30-year-old diamond specialist shared.
While other stores ask for a customer’s preferences and price range, Radiant Luxury Jewelry gives the full experience of making engagement and wedding rings. Ynna and her business partner Marnique teach their clients how to look for the four Cs and determine the important details of a diamond to make the experience not only fun, but also a chance for them to learn.
Like many businesses, their business had to stop operations during the first few months of the lockdown last year. Ynna, amid unfortunate events, knew that this disruption signaled the start of everything going digital. Because of this, PLDT Home Biz became her business lifeline.
“Internet connection is very crucial especially now that all our products are available online.
To communicate with our clients, we use Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp and other convenient social media platforms. Having PLDT Home Biz as the source of strong and reliable Fiber internet connection is essential now,” Ynna shared.
Connections matter a lot for Ynna. Her network of industry friends, loved ones, and strong following of Radiant Luxury Jewelry’s social media accounts helped a lot in establishing what the business has achieved over the years. This year, Ynna is optimistic that her business will eventually expand and come out stronger than ever in the market.
