Member Spotlight: Olen Juarez-Lim

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT:

MS. OLEN JUAREZ LIM, AICI CIP

BY SONIA DUBEY DEWAN, AICI CIP

This member spotlight I bring to you a pioneer image consultant, Ms. Olen Juarez-Lim. She is a Certified Image Professional, Etiquette and Protocol Consultant, Certified Professional Courtesy Coach, Personal Branding Strategist, Certified 360Reach Analyst, and Certified Social Branding Analyst with 15 years of experience. She has learned from the industry’s best in business, communication, and presentation and shares her rich experience in this section. Read along to know more about Ms. O.

1. How did you get started in image consulting?

I got started with image consulting in the mid-1980's when I was an assistant to the director/teacher of a personality development school. Even before that, I was a fashion and commercial model and had an interest in personal development. I was mentored by the best socialites and was a beauty contributor, stylist and writer for Cosmopolitan Magazine. I was invited to join academia as a college teacher for Personality Development at St. Scholastica's College and also was Corporate Affairs Director for Slimmer's World International and Mondragon Industries.

When I realized people were asking me to speak, write, and be a credible resource on beauty, fashion, health, and etiquette, I quit corporate to work on my own. I figured that if I have to be a credible source of anything, I need to be certified and educated correctly in my areas of expertise. That's when I met Christina Ong and Lynne Marks in 2005 and became an AICI member in 2006. Forward to 15 years later, OJL Consulting is a mother-daughter tandem and proud to have my legacy to pass on.

2. What do you do in your business?

My red-carpet clients are corporate businesses, executives and professionals, institutions, media, academies, and individual clients. I consult on wide variety of topics such as beauty and fashion, health and wellness, customer service, and luxury retail.

I enjoy conducting programs on Civility at Work, Social Competence, and Systems Thinking for leaders, helping companies towards culture change and leverage to have the only Master Status Certification in the Philippines.

I'm in my element when I do Brand coaching as it’s a blend of my fashion, media, and image experience in a mix. I contribute to articles for magazines and online and do speaking engagements, television, radio, and online resource guesting. I credit my work experience in retail, fitness, beauty, fashion, and media that provides me a wide variety of topics and knowledge to share. I like to evolve, practice what I preach, and stay relevant to the times. It’s a constant learning curve. By sticking with the process of my personal growth, trying never to give up, learning to overcome setbacks and obstacles, and trying new strategies, a powerful metamorphosis happens.

3. What is image consulting like in the

Philippines today, compared to when you started?

When I started over 15 years ago, image consulting in the Philippines was uncharted territory. There was not much awareness of how the impact of image building concerned business goals, but personality development as a personal goal was more the thing. I am proud to have promoted image consulting as a career and the need to be certified.

4. What was the biggest challenge in your career, and how did you overcome it?

Attracting and developing new clients, finding and retaining my team, maintaining profitability, and balancing work-life were some usual start-up concerns. Landing and maintaining clients, learning new technology and resources, dealing with challenging economy, and now global uncertainty, are some of the roller coaster rides I have experienced.

What I have learned over the years is that there will always be challenges to overcome. When there is a continuous challenge, there is learning and growth. Many projects and people I have worked with have become sources of problems, knowledge, inspiration, and wisdom. The distinctive challenges, diverse inputs, and perspectives provide tons of reflection and takeaways that make the job a fulfilling experience.

I am lucky that my passion is my work, and I'm focused on doing what I love and staying true to the mission of my work. Every project is an opportunity to practice, and practice is key to mastery. I have expanded and learned new skills, as it's important to reinvent and evolve. I also learned that not all clients are the perfect fit for me; the flexibility and control over project choices and schedules hold me accountable to do the best I can.

I always try to be the best in what I do and provide value to my clients. To reach a wider audience and clientele, I am fortunate to have my daughter, Miakka Lim, on board. Her broad experience in media, sports, beauty, and retail has added more diversity as to market reach and service offerings.

5. You have served several leadership positions in AICI. Tell us about them, and what made you get involved in AICI leadership in the first place?

Stepping up to leadership positions is never easy. It's about balancing your business and commitment to AICI. There's always a sense of fulfillment to contribute and leave a bit of legacy in the organization. I would like to think the leadership positions gave me confidence in my capabilities and strengths. Early involvement in the (now defunct) ambassadors’ committee, which involved recruitment

and chapter development, enhanced my leadership abilities, strengthened intercultural communication skills, and allowed me to develop friendships globally.

The chapter position was more personal as it was a way of giving back to the Singapore chapter, where I've been a member for over ten years. It's a way for me to reciprocate the support they have shown me and ensure the success and stability of the chapter. They are like family, and I would travel for a day or two to attend board meetings and special chapter days.

After a few years of not assuming leadership roles to focus on my business, it was wonderful to be part for the Conference Committee for AICI’s Chicago Conference with Valeria Doustaly and the GG team. I have experience mounting professional events and was excited to contribute.

Getting involved in any level of leadership position may sound self-serving as we earn points, but you want to make the organization better and support what it represents. Serving and bringing your skills and energy to the table benefits the organization and you. Don't join only for the title and do nothing; it’s a disservice.

I would recommend exploring where you can contribute. I would even suggest increasing the number of leadership points towards the CIP. This

way, we have more people getting involved in AICI, making it a more robust organization.

6. You're one of only 100 Certified Image Professionals (AICI CIPs) in the world. Why did you seek your CIP certification?

Those three letters carry a big responsibility. I've been in the industry for quite a while, and my mentor Christina Ong urged me to go for it. It's a tedious task of putting all your records and life's work into a file. I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I would pay particular attention to submitting a portfolio that speaks of who I am and what I have accomplished and represented.

The CIP designation is a gold standard (CIM is Diamond to me) and shows the world you have an extensive knowledge base, experience, and applicable skills to train and deliver results. Colleagues will expect even more from you, and clients see you as the expert that you are. Having the CIP designation raises the bar on other's expectations of you, and that pushes me to be even better.

I always expect to produce exceptional work and strive to keep ahead of the game. It gives me a sense of professional and personal achievement, knowing I have the skills and commitment to high ethical and professional standards. The value increases, and I'm able to put a premium on my services.

7. The AICI July 2020 Issue talks about rebuilding your business post- COVID-19 pandemic. Tell us your views on the same?

COVID-19 is a global event and challenge that changed our lives at an unprecedented speed and scale. The shock to our livelihood is of a magnitude beyond what we can imagine. The economies and businesses are struggling, especially if you are a small/medium others. That's empowerment – doing your thing while

business enterprise.

Everyone is trying to figure out the next normal, so resiliency is critical. I am reshaping my business plan and strategy and identifying fresh opportunities as life resumes. I shifted customer connections online, invested, acquainted, and deployed virtual platforms to connect with clients. My experience in media platforms comes into play. I have been invited to several live platforms to speak on positivity, new etiquette, and civility and to talk about opinions and perspectives during life in quarantine. Brand relevance is also my faith and to the people I love. Remember why you

critical. We sacrifice brand trust when we stick to our comfort zone.

As consultants, our job requires live, face-to-face interactions. To take that away leaves us scrambling for what to do next. We need to be creative about the brand experience. I'm listening and learning from my clients about how they reinvent, taking the cue to adapt it in my business. I reach out to my coaches, collaborate

8. What's your best business advice for other image consultants?

My best business advice for image consultants is you are only as good as your last job. I've had that in my head since day one, so I take nothing for granted. I'm grateful for every opportunity, big and small. When there's a misstep, I learn from it. There are no mistakes, only lessons.

Be great at what you do so you can be happy for respecting other people's choices. Stay true to your mission and be authentic. At these times, people can see through and sense when someone is driven or posturing. I'm a creature who strives for excellence, and I know that is quite a feat, especially when excellence is not everybody's cup of tea. But I learn resilience and just try to be the best example I can be. Take care of yourself, reinvent, and hold yourself to high standards.

There will be many trying times, especially at these COVID times. To keep the flame burning, I turn to with associates, and remain open to what can be.

started your passion, your mission. Be guided to do what is right.

SONIA DUBEY DEWAN, AICI CIP, is an Image Consultant, an International Keynote Speaker, and an Entrepreneur. She is the first Internationally Certified Image Professional (CIP) in India chapter by Association of Image Consultants International (AICI), USA and also the President of AICI India-New Delhi Chapter.

Sonia is the Founder and Managing Partner of Indian School of Image Management, providing education and training solutions to aspiring Image Consultants.

Dubbed as a "Fairy Godmother of Transformation" by a leading news publication, Sonia is passionate about sharing her views on Image Management, Personal Branding, Positive Body Image, Entrepreneurship, and Women Empowerment. She regularly features in various news channels and publications in India and Mauritius. She is the Editor-in-Chief of AICI Global Magazine.

She quotes, "You are your most valuable asset, start investing in it today."