Dermatologist and woman entrepreneur.

Cudia, Cynthia P.

INTRODUCTION

"Skills and treating people right are my capital", says Audrey Claire Lucero-Camacho, a medical doctor with specialization in dermatology, who owns C&G Skin Solutions located at a mall in the city of Paranaque, south of the capital city of Manila, Philippines. Camacho proved her capability of being a professional dermatologist through exemplifying timeless beauty in any condition in life. Her appearance barely changed since we first met eleven years ago. Her beautiful and ageless features are still given emphasis by her white outfit. However, something in her is not the same. She is now glowing with pride and dignity with her newly found path, being a woman entrepreneur. The sections that follow discuss about her life story and the numerous experiences she had until she endeavored being a businesswoman.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

Camacho was born to a couple who worked in one of the government bureaus in the Philippines. Needless to say, they earned a meager income. She studied in a private school in Manila from kindergarten to high school. She was an average student and did not receive any academic honor award, but who fared better in special award categories such as loyalty and personality.

Camacho claims she went to high school before there was a "career week", a week designated so that students who are graduating from high school get oriented with different courses in college and the different fields or careers they could enter after completing their college degree. Unlike students now, Camacho did not have an idea of what course she had to take up in college so she simply took and passed the entrance examination to a bachelor's degree program in Medical Technology at Far Eastern University in Manila. Camacho reminisced of her enjoying her college life, although admitted that she was not too serious about her studies and simply wanted to pass her courses, complete her degree and work abroad for a good compensation.

After two years in her bachelor's program, she took the "battery examination" in the Institute of Medical Technology (Med-tech). Passing this examination allowed students to progress to their major proper, Med-tech. Among the four hundred students who took the exam, she was among the fifty students who passed.

Camacho then proceeded to taking courses in her Med-tech major. She found her junior and senior years to be very memorable mainly because of the challenging and stimulating major subjects she took. The subjects involved in-depth science subjects that are highly technical. She also appreciated a year of internship in major hospitals, namely, United Doctors Medical Center in Manila and Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City, Philippines, where she received the "Best Med-Tech Intern Award" from both hospitals. These awards surprised her since she remained undecided about her Med-tech career until she finally decided to pursue a medical program, which required her taking and passing of the National Medical Admission Test (NMAT), the equivalent of the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), which is required to enter medical schools in the United States and Canada.

She passed NMAT that qualified her to enter the program for medicine proper. She encountered a lot of challenges especially during the second and third years in the program. With hard work and perseverance, she surpassed them and moved closer to her utmost dream. Finally, she passed the medicine program on time, went on clerkship and internship which gave her experience with the management of patients and treatment of different cases.

Then came the big news in 1996: she passed the medical examination. This marked a new chapter in her life. She continued her journey as a general practitioner until she felt that she had to choose her focus.

DERMATOLOGY: HER SECOND CHOICE

She considered specializing in pediatrics but realized that she would not like to go on duty to hospitals because of the irregular work hours and shift changes. Camacho prefers to set her own schedule so that she could balance her time between her work and her family. She then considered her second choice, dermatology. This seemed ironic at first because she struggled with a course in dermatology while at medical school. To gain foundation for her career as a dermatologist, she finally decided in 1997 to take up dermatology training as a residency program with Dermatology Institute Foundation of the Philippines (DIFP). This training was the foundation of her professional career as a good dermatologist.

Notwithstanding the fact that dermatology in the Philippines has not yet reached its peak in the late 1990s, Camacho continued to pursue her training and improve her craft. She was inspired to complete her five years residency program. In 1999, on her second year of residency, she got married and then gave birth to a baby boy the following year. Then in 2001, came the biggest milestone in her career as a dermatologist: she was employed by one of the best dermatology foundation in the Philippines, DIFP under VBP Dermclinic. She was assigned as a consultant until 2005.

STARTING HER OWN BUSINESS

After seven years of obtaining knowledge and practicing her profession at VBP Dermclinic, she thought it was time to pursue her dream of having her own clinic. Her real motivation for wanting to start her own business was that she wanted to flourish and fully-utilize her God-given capital, which are her skills and capacity to treat people right.

The timing was perfect when in 2005 a mall opened up an extension to house medical and dental clinics. Camacho thought that she was ready to put up the business in a mall. However, she experienced some difficulties in planning it. Although her letter of intent to the management of the mall was approved, there were some challenges with regard to guidelines that affected the construction of the clinic. She encountered a big problem then because the total estimated cost for the construction was overwhelmingly above what was originally planned. This diminished her start-up capital but she was determined to push through with her business plans.

She knew that one possible way to get funds is to apply for a loan from banks. However, due to inexperience, she was not ready to pursue this means of financing because she knew that it would be difficult to start the business using a high-interest loan as capital. Also, she could have tried borrowing from her relatives but the risk of starting a family feud surfaced. She sought the assistance of a friend, who helped her raise the amount necessary to start the business.

Construction then followed but it required careful budgeting. She kept the minimum possible financial exposure and the risk involved in the start-up without discounting the projected image of the business. After about four months of construction, her clinic named C&G Skin Solutions was finally opened on November 28, 2005. Soon thereafter, she had to address the following questions:

   Who are my potential patients?
   How can I attract prospective patients?
   How will I price my services?
   Can I survive the critical first six months of operating my business?
   Are my staff members properly trained for this business?

In order to manage the business effectively, she believes that involvement in the daily activities of the skin clinic is one of the best strategies that she must employ, which means that she has to be the dermatologist-entrepreneur of C&G Skin Solutions.

As a dermatologist, Camacho's passion and dedication to work made her an even better doctor. She always considers her patients as friends. She tries to know them personally by hearing their life stories and plans, sometimes even their problems. She ensures that, as their doctor, her patients could trust her. She believes that she has to keep the doctor-patient relationship with a sincere attitude. She makes the patients feel loved and taken care of and, at the same time, will be direct in telling them only the appropriate treatment applicable to the case. She clarifies some erroneous beliefs and gives information that is based on accurate scientific studies. She orients her patients with the treatments or medications they have to undergo.

In addition, she familiarizes the patients with the procedures, especially the limitations and benefits of the treatments. Whenever possible, she would usually state, "Not all treatments are applicable to all patients because there are certain limitations and exceptions. As a matter of fact, there are dermatology cases where you cannot do anything anymore". Inasmuch as she wants to give her patients the best possible remedial measures, only realistic possible results are discussed and no fancy promises are held. Consequently, she finds herself in a dilemma when she sees how their hopes vanish.

On the other hand, as an entrepreneur, she always takes into consideration the fact that the workforce is always behind the success of a business. This is especially true in service-oriented enterprises like her clinic. She also acknowledges that handling people is a challenging task. She cannot avoid occasional personal problems and attitude of employees that sometimes affect their performance. However, she still manages to establish and maintain a good employer-employee relationship. She ensures good communication in working with her employees. She also invests in her employees by sending them for trainings and seminars that will help them perform their duties efficiently.

One of Camacho's remarkable characteristics as an entrepreneur is her fairness. While instilling learning and discipline, she recognizes the efforts exerted by her employees. She promotes fostering an optimistic and conducive working environment. She gives reasonable and corresponding incentives for their dedication to their jobs. She believes that directing and motivating personnel is a key strategy that will greatly help to achieve the ultimate goals of the business.

Furthermore, Camacho admits that dermatology practice is very dynamic as it constantly adapts to meet the changing medical challenges of society. Thus, there is a need to keep abreast of the updates in all the procedures that they perform. Likewise, the machines and equipments in this business need to be upgraded swiftly. For instance, while most laser machines are costly, they require upgrading every two years. Although she discloses that this is a big concern in her business, she responds by finding the best partners in her business who provide the best but reasonable resources and supplies.

Aside from financial constraint, Camacho considers the economic condition of the country in planning for her business. The present economy of the Philippines makes it risky to expand her business, especially since dermatological services would be given lower priority during times of crisis. On the other hand, she also considers what some economists say, that during economic crisis, there is an upward trend for cosmetic business.

Nevertheless, Camacho is one of the aspiring entrepreneurs who started small but is dreaming big. She has overcome obstacles and envisions of growing her business, for example, by catering to clientele from different social status. In the past, about 70% of her clients were from the business sector and working people; 10% were housewives and students; 10% were overseas contract workers from abroad; and the remaining 10% were former Philippine residents who have out-migrated but are on vacation in the Philippines.

To remain competitive as well as increase her profits, she plans to continue researching and formulating new skin products and services as well as acquire more machines. In addition, there are plans for business expansion, especially by focusing on opening up more clinics/branches in different locations while, at the same time, maintaining the quality of products and services offered. This will increase her capacity to offer products and services both to existing and potential clients.

I see Camacho as a strong woman who blossomed throughout the years. Despite the obstacles that come along her way, she demonstrates the characteristics of an inspiring entrepreneur. She is true to her vision in business while, at the same time, meeting her responsibilities to her family. She manages to motivate her employees through leadership by example. No matter what difficulties and challenges she faces in her business, she responds with perseverance to go above and beyond generating a profit by capitalizing on her skills and her belief in treating people right. To her, treating people right means treating her employees properly, treating her patients honestly and treating her partners in business fairly. These are the foundation of her enterprise. She is now at a stage where her potentials and aspirations in life are being revealed. As she continues with her entrepreneurial journey, she relies on her optimistic business perspective and looks forward to acquiring new knowledge through continued education in her profession as dermatologist.

Camacho has shown that success is possible by being determined to achieve her goals, passionate at work and toward her business, sensitive to the needs and insights of clients and employees, and vigilant in reinvesting her profits in line with her vision. She exemplifies an ordinary woman whose motivation led to extraordinary achievements in different fields and in her profession, both as a dermatologist and as a woman entrepreneur.

Cynthia P. Cudia, De La Salle University-Manila