Business owner Ederlyn Panopio’s rags-to-riches journey: Overcoming poverty
October 07, 2023—
The yearly family gathering for the Panopios was unlike others. For the rare opportunity to spend time together Ederlyn, her mother, and her six siblings would troop to the cemetery to commemorate any special occasion at his father’s grave. All of them were apart for majority of the year.
Thrust into a circumstance that had unfolded after the sudden death of her father – who was a fishball vendor – the then young Ederlyn, the eldest, and all her siblings were separated to live with their relatives. Her mother’s income from selling breakfast meals and snacks were inadequate to support their daily needs.
“It was the biggest challenge of our lives. We were not ready when my father passed away. We had no savings; we were deep in debt; and we could no longer pay the rent. My mother was not financially prepared to take care of us. Depressed, she was forced to make a choice to give us up. I lived with my grandfather; my siblings went to our aunties and uncles, while my mother stayed in Marikina. We endured that situation for 12 years,” Ederlyn said in Filipino.
The time spent apart had awakened in Ederlyn an unquenchable desire for that moment when all of them would live under the same roof. To do this, she needed to earn money. With the support of her relatives, she finished her four-year studies and earned her Bachelor of Science in Office Administration degree.
“I thought then that having a decent earning would be the answer to all my prayers. But for four years, I did not achieve any of my dreams.
She landed her first job then moved to another company in Cavite wherein which she dealt with international clients. She described her work as good but her income remained “very limited.” She was already providing for her family during this time, which included school support.
“I thought then that having a decent earning would be the answer to all my prayers. But for four years, I did not achieve any of my dreams. My budget was always not enough. I realized then that it would be impossible to get my family if I would only rely on my limited monthly income… One time, from the cemetery, my siblings asked me to treat them to Jollibee but I could not afford even that.”
Ederlyn’s life completely changed when she joined Santé International. It was a watershed moment for her and, in effect, her entire family. She was introduced to the Santé International business model through her friend, who invited her to come to her office. At first, she said, she thought they would just eat and hang out after work. Little did she know, her life would be fully transformed.
“I went to the office and I was asked to join a lecture. I sat in the front row. At first, I was skeptical of the whole process and was actually not listening to the speakers but there was this one person who opened up my mind. I was enlightened when this particular speaker encouraged us to act on our dreams for ourselves and for our families. We should not wait until the end to live the life we have always wanted. The speaker was right so I decided to give it a chance,” she said.
Ederlyn made this conscious decision in 2013. She started her Santé Barley business as her part-time career in which she allotted 2 to 3 hours of her time a day working on the business alongside her regular day job. Her desire to succeed, she said, was so strong that she would even go on leave so as not miss any training event.
It was not an easy start as she hit a few bumps along the way. One major challenge was the people’s wrong impression of the network marketing business. Like her, many were initially doubtful and were not too keen to join her network.
“I however understand them fully because I was once like them. When faced with skeptics, I would normally ask my prospects their issues and concerns in relation to the business. That way, I would be able to properly address their fears and right their wrong impression,” she said.
I was enlightened when this particular speaker encouraged us to act on our dreams for ourselves and for our families. We should not wait until the end to live the life we have always wanted.
Undaunted, Ederlyn remained persistent and her efforts – though not without challenges – had immediately paid off. She would not only hit her target income range of P5,000 to P10,000 monthly but she would also reach the Executive Director level a year after taking the Santé Barley path. It was also that time that she experienced her first plane travel going to Boracay. In 2014, she quit her job to become a full-time business owner and she did not look back ever since.
Her monthly income has grown steadily over the years with her average monthly income reaching P100,000. Her biggest monthly earning to date was P200,000 attained around 2016 to 2017. Her network has gone beyond the Philippines with her business reaching the shores of 10 countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. While most of her clients and business partners are overseas Filipino workers, she is now eyeing locals and other nationalities as well.
“It was a major factor that the Santé Barley products are all halal certified. Some locals, especially in the Arab countries, are buying the products because they have been tested and proven to be effective,” she said.
In fact, Ederlyn herself could vouch for the benefits of Santé Barley products. Her excruciating migraine and menstrual cramps had disappeared after drinking barley juice for around three to six months.
With all her achievements, Ederlyn had leveled up to become a Gold Executive, then Platinum Executive, and finally Diamond Executive Director from 2015 to 2016. The business has transformed every aspect of her life.
“I was very shy then but now I have gained self-confidence because of Santé Barley. I am now my own boss and I enjoy unlimited income because of this business. I have a higher purpose now,” she added.
She is slowly achieving her life goals one by one. More importantly, she bought her dream house where she, her mother, and all her siblings presently live. At 25, Ederlyn is living her ultimate dream.
“I am happy because my family is now complete. My mother is no longer washing other people’s laundry; we can eat wherever we want; and I can fully support my siblings’ education without worries. Moreover, we are able to settle all our debts because of Santé Barley. I wish my father was still here to experience a comfortable life,” she shared.
Despite her accomplishments, she remains persistent with new bigger dreams to achieve. She said she wants to continuously support her siblings’ schooling to ensure that they finish their dream course; travel with her mother to different countries; build her own resort; and help her fellow leaders attain their targets.
Ederlyn has fully attained the time and financial freedom she had longed for through Santé Barley and the perseverance and commitment that the business entails. What is her biggest learning out of this experience so far?
“As long as you have a dream and strong faith in yourself coupled with self-confidence, no one is going to stop you from fulfilling your goals. You deserve to be successful, happy, and have a better, high-quality life.”