Ynna Asistio finds a new best friend
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Showbiz News
Ynna Asistio on being a jewelry shop owner, "I can be me and show the real me."
"Diamonds are a girl's best friend," says Marilyn Monroe on her hit song in the '50s.
This may seem true to actress Ynna Asistio who finds a new best friend in diamonds.
In fact, she got very interested in diamonds that she went abroad to become a specialist.
Now, she runs a jewelry shop called Radiant Lux Jewelry with her friend Happy Marnique.
In an email exchange with GMANetwork, Ynna related how her interest in jewelry started.
"It started when my dad died last 2017 when Happy [my business partner] was there for my half-sister Abby Asistio. Happy ask me if I was interested to become her business partner, " she recalled.
At that time, Ynna admitted, "I have NO IDEA about diamonds at all!"
"But when I was young my mom used to collect all kinds of jewelry and also customizing her designs.
"I had no interest at all."
After a little more convincing from Happy, Ynna thought hard about it before saying "yes."
She explained, "I prayed and reflected on in it because, for me, yes, it's easy to sell diamonds most especially with all my connections, my mom's connections, and also being in the showbiz industry.
"I'm sure it'll be easy to sell but then again, I'm a kind of person who would think about something and also learn about something before I choose it."
This was what prompted Ynna to study diamonds before getting involved in the business.
She related, "I told Happy that I was willing [to be her business partner] but I don't want to sell for the sake of money.
"I told her that I want to study about and learn about diamonds, so last June 2018 we decided to study at Gemology Institute Of America (GIA), which is the top 1 diamond grader in the whole world.
"We took a five-day course at GIA's main headquarters in Carlsbad, San Diego, California.
"It wasn't easy! On the fifth day we had to do the practical exam to examine two diamonds with a limit of 1 hour per diamond.
"We were able to finish the test but I actually failed. Hahah! Happy got her certificate."
Good thing failed students were given three chances to retake, so Ynna studied harder with the help of Happy, who trained her at their shop for almost a month.
In August 2018, Ynna scheduled a retake at GIA in Hong Kong, where she finally passed the exam and became a certified diamond grader.
First-time businesswoman
As an actress, Ynna says there's a "huge" difference between show business and jewelry business.
But she said, "I'm well-adjusted na sa work ko. I can still be and artista and still be a jeweller."
Then, she noted, "It's actually a bit similar. From the waiting time, to work time, and how we communicate with clients and artists.
"Yung difference lang siguro is hindi ako umaarte kapag nagbebenta ng diamonds.
"I can be me and show the real me, not like kapag artista, I portray different roles and characters."
As a businesswoman, Ynna acknowledged her mom, Nadia Montenegro.
She said, "She's been doing catering and food business for a few years now so I see how she manages and runs her business."
She also thanked her partner who made the adjustment easier for her.
Ynna said, "She's a business person, her whole family are so every time I'm with them I learn a lot of things from them most specially on the business side."
Coping with COVID-19
Like other businesses, Ynna's Radiant Lux Jewelry was also badly hit by the pandemic.
But right now, they're slowly getting back to business.
"We started doing client calls again this month only," Ynna said.
"Usually, we would ask clients if they are willing to meet us in person, but some clients would rather do transactions over the phone.
"When we entertain clients we do client calls with facemask and we disinfect them before entering the office.
"So we do safety precautions and procedures before doing client calls.
"And by God's grace, since we opened again clients are overflowing not just personal client calls but also through social media."
