Isabelle Daza, Mark Bumgarner, Pam Quinones, Mark Nicdao, Sambie Tung, Mito Fabie share how they navigate their journey to success.
In this hyperactive, by-the-second age, no one is a stranger to the seemingly established practice of working on multiple passions at the same time. Hustling, as it has been branded, has become the standard, and for every pursuit, it is never enough to be complacent. No matter the industry, there must be eagerness and commitment to chase a rigor of excellence. For Isabelle Daza, Mark Bumgarner, Pam Quinones, Mark Nicdao, Sambie Tung, and Mito Fabie, fulfilling their goals is among the essentials of a meaningful life. As known figures in their respective fields, many wonder how exactly these powerhouses navigated their way to reaching their status at present.
Understandably, there is no set of guidelines to follow as each journey is different. The story of each of these strong and passionate men and women tells us what it takes to realize one’s potential, to break the barriers of the norm and reach achievement beyond the norm. No matter the industry they are in, this pursuit cannot be done alone. Try as the world might, there will be someone or something that functions as a support system to keep us on track, and in a technology-driven and reliant society, using a high-performing phone like OPPO Find X2 Pro is imperative to complete tasks and get closer to achieving their goals. You see, as we are literally and figuratively connected, innovations such as the OPPO Find X2 Pro is the necessary function that allows us to figure out and commit to that ultimate potential, whatever it may be.
As we get a glimpse of their lives online and off, it is obvious the journey to success is difficult, but indeed not impossible. But if their stories are any indication, the journey getting there is just as satisfying and inspiring as the success that is now synonymous to their name.
Happiness is Priority
“My definition of being ultimate is giving your very best at any given situation, whether it be work or family life,” shared actress turned entrepreneur, and veritable multi-hyphenate, Isabelle Daza. Living a life wearing many hats, from stealing scenes onscreen to opening businesses such as FRNK Milk Bar and Ride Revolution in the Philippines, and even being a hands-on mother, she admits that things do get crazy and intense, but she relies on technology to help organize her multifaceted life. With OPPO Find X2 Pro’s fast performance and connectivity, Belle is able to keep her schedule up to date, send files, and stay connected on social media – especially with the phone’s Ultra Vision camera system that lets her take images that capture her true vision for her businesses in clear and vibrant detail.
One might also wonder, what is her secret to success? “I want to redefine what success means for people. You know, they think success as fame, and having a lot of money, and being busy. But I think one trait that has contributed to my success is really being able to define what makes me happy,” she admits. Identifying the things and the people that truly make you feel happy and complete is a proper compass to follow in leading an ultimate life. She also makes it clear that pursuing what makes you happy doesn’t mean that you lack happiness now, “I think the most important thing is just loving yourself, where you are right now, and accepting that–saying that I’m enough.” Showing that taking care of yourself is key to progress in which we find our true selves, on that she shares, “I think as we grow, we have our goals grow with us. So, when you reach a certain goal, then it changes and it evolves. So I think my goals have grown and evolved because, you know, there was a time where I wanted to have a family and I wanted to have a child and now that I have it, what’s next?”
Taking Risks
Turning from sports to fashion, one may think Mark Bumgarner had completely shifted gears in pursuing a completely different field. Yet as he reveals, the two industries are more alike with the sense of harnessing essential values from navigating both landscapes. “I learned to be disciplined and work hard all the time, and [to be] gutsy,” he says. As an acclaimed fashion designer in the local and international stage, Mark treats every project as a challenge that motivates him to innovate himself. “Reinvent yourself and do new things you haven’t done before. Relevance and influence is key. I always make a point to grow,” he shares.
Among the most important aspects of his work is having clients approve the swatches of the ensemble he currently works on. To do this, he trusts the high-quality camera of his handy OPPO Find X2 Pro to capture the vivid and vibrant colors of the fabrics. Through the unique visual experience, he gets to highlight his creative vision and allow his clients to vividly see it in the quality it deserves. This works well for designers like him, who have now widened their scope to doing online transactions, virtual meetings and fittings to create that one-of-a-kind fashion moment. This kind of work entails dedication especially in the highly-competitive fashion industry, making it tough to establish one’s name. So, how does Mark do it? He says it is all about realizing one’s ultimate potential and in his case, it is “Being bold and being a risk-taker.”
It is never enough to be complacent and simply do what you like. For Mark, every project is a step to achieving his goals including remaining connected with loved ones. He strives to accomplish as much as he can whether in the country or abroad. Through his goals of further bringing his brand globally, he can harness the “power to influence and create change for the better.”
Finding the Balance
A well-revered name in the plane of fashion and styling, now running QURATOR Studio and Vestido, a fashion rental she co-founded last year, Pam Quinones is well-acquainted with having a hectic schedule. From coordinating with clients and her team to training them, a bulk of the celebrity stylist’s day is connecting with people. Thus, she learned to actively be in the present. It means “Honoring the process of getting where you want to be. [Live] in the moment and [do] the best you can.” Admittedly, this is tough to practice yet what primarily motivates her is her team. “I constantly nurture, train, and [push them to] be the best they can be. It unlocked my calling as a mentor, which I didn’t know back then,” she explains. Mentorship encourages her to become a better role model for them. What better way to do it than creating and fulfilling goals? Pam tells us she looks forward to developing the QURATOR Studio into a “stylist incubator or artist representation agency” that allows stylists to see how they can further improve.
Pam is pushing Vestido as well to educate people on sustainable consumption. “Vestido is motivating to inspire and educate more people into buying less and renting more,” Pam says, “You don’t have to buy all the time; buy [what is] quality.” Of course, achieving these goals would be impossible without honing her own skills. As a designer and a mentor, she has to remain inspired. What better way to do it than going online to see the works of her fellow creative minds? OPPO Find X2 Pro perfectly captures the crisp and impeccable details of photos posted on the web, allowing Pam to fuel her own creativity and reflect this on her beautiful designs.
Exploring the digital space where there is an abundance of aesthetics fuels and informs her art, in the same way, it seamlessly flows into the work that she does, juggling and keeping track of a multitude of tasks almost all at once with the help and innovative convenience of her OPPO Find X2 Pro. With all these in mind, Pam is learning to balance different aspects of her life in equal parts. For her, this is the way to realize her ultimate self.
A Personal Pursuit
Success never comes easily to those who seek it; this is a common idea when it comes to pursuing one’s full potential. Mark Nicdao is no stranger to this sentiment. A renowned photographer and artist, he instills that reaching the ultimate is never a comfortable one, “It’s a path. It’s a long, long path, and it’s a hard road to take. So, if you’re going to ask me on how to be ultimate, I think I’m still on that path.” Usually, when the topics of goals and aspirations are put up, the ideas that come to mind are the grand achievements. Recently, he has been venturing into videos. The OPPO Find X2 Pro steadily records movements and reflects vivid colors of scenes and landscapes, making it the perfect tool for Mark to fully express his creative vision. Yet he points out that reaching one’s ultimate doesn’t have to be met with adulation. “I think ultimate peace is more of what I want. When you hear ‘ultimate’ it usually comes with ‘ultimate greatness’ but for me, I strive more just to do my best and actually make myself happy.” Expressing gratitude to yourself is as much of an ultimate state than it is to receive it externally.
A more internal view on achieving the ultimate, on grounds of becoming better, Mark enjoys the idea of pushing oneself further. “I love challenges so that keeps me motivated.” He continues that when you have that motivation and you have it set, nothing can stop you from reaching it. “I have goals in my head, I have plans, and nothing in the way for me to actually thread it.”
Focusing On the Self
As a female executive in the male-dominated industries of fitness and technology, Sambie Tung doesn’t allow herself to hold back. Being the Creative Manager of ClassPass PH and co-founder of Odd Job Bob demand her to be a go-getter, after all. Amid the tough competition especially in an international workplace like ClassPass, she stresses the value of being courageous enough to ask questions and enjoying the process of learning. Albeit difficult, she strives to be the best version of herself. With the practice of listing down priorities and checking off items from the list, she gets a sense of fulfillment that inspires her to do more, to do better. Yet with her packed schedule, Sambie never forgets to look out for her well-being. “You can’t be at your most ultimate if you can’t take care of yourself,” she says. “You really have to take time to rest, study, learn, grow, and everything else will follow.”
Through her career, she is delighted with how it brings the importance of health and wellness to Filipinos. She explains, “[I love] the job I’m doing because it’s impacting people in a positive way, knowing I inspire others to lead a healthy and active lifestyle.” It teaches Sambie she is capable of doing more than what she thinks she can do. Yet as she emphasizes, she must balance between performing well in her career and caring for her health. This allows her to equip herself in navigating the journey to reach her uninhibited ultimate self.
Constant Progress
For Mito Fabie, better known as Curtismith, achieving your ultimate isn’t an end state, but a continuous endeavor. “My definition of being ultimate is progress … there is always something to be improved in whatever craft you’re in.” Signifying that true fulfillment comes in always striving to be better. “I [relate] to the seventh habit of Stephen Covey, which is sharpening the saw,” he says, adding, “There’s always going to be something that you need to improve on, regardless of what craft or what point you are in your life.”
As a music artist, Mito understands the drive to always evolve, “Personally, I will never consider myself somebody who has nothing left to improve on in his craft.” Pursuing a better version of yourself is at the core of his idea of being ultimate and the hunger to keep going is what manifests it. In the music scene, the concept of evolution and progress is always something that is key for an artist–to express your growth and maturity over time through your art, which is why Mito is always on the move every time he gets his next idea, “If I really want something, I’m going to do whatever I can to get it. And as long as I’m not stepping on people’s toes, and as long as I am not doing it for the wrong intentions, then more often than not I’m just gonna go for it.”
There are many things to learn from the differing paths presented by these talented and driven individuals. From taking risks to taking care, you can take away a piece from each of their stories and apply it to your own. Oddly enough, one consistent thing that all six had in responding to the question of pursuing their ultimate is they took their time in answering. They pondered over it before imparting their perspective. They were confident of what they were doing, they were committed to what they had to accomplish, but they never thought of what the ultimate end for all of it was. Yet one thing is definite: they reached what they could achieve to the best of their abilities. With this, being ultimate may not be an end goal but a state of constant work, of constant quality, of constant pursuit of excellence. For those with a high-speed life, a high-functioning and reliable phone like OPPO Find X2 Pro is the best partner. It stays at pace with those whose passions and goals drive them to keep moving forward. For as long as you are always on the go, you’re ultimate.
To know more on how you can uncover your ultimate potential, visit the OPPO Philippines website.
Photography MARK NICDAO
Art Direction SUZANNE ALLBABIDI
BTS Photos MIGUEL ABESAMIS and FLOYD JHOCSON of Studio 100 Shoot Coordination ZAIRENE SAN MIGUEL and PEACHES GARCIA
Shot on location SIREN STUDIOS
