Today, as we celebrate the achievements of women, it brings us great pleasure to highlight the inspiring journey of Carel Lee Tan, a remarkable young businesswoman. Her story is a testament to resilience, courage, and the embodiment of success.

The pandemic,  which gave mankind a lot of time to.ponder and assess their lives, while at home during the worldwide lock down, turned out to be an eye opener and a catalyst for Carel.

Keen eye

Amidst the turbulence of the global health crisis, Carel, who has always been an enterprising individual with a keen eye for opportunity, embarked on a remarkable journey of entrepreneurship.  This led to her creation of One Hectare Creative Grounds- the largest space in the Metro for creativity and celebrations.

Today, One Hectare Creative Grounds, stands out as one of the most sought-after studio and event spaces, catering primarily to B2B clientele. Since it opened, it has collaborated with renowned publications and companies such as Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Preview, Nylon, Mega, Converse, Newmonarq, and Barenbliss,  big names all in the Philippines and international scene.

K-beauty purveyor

Her story began when Carel forayed into the beauty industry during the pandemic. Recognizing the burgeoning demand for Korean beauty products in Southeast Asia and the challenges of purchasing beauty products amidst pandemic restrictions, she launched a subscription-based K-beauty business. This venture not only capitalized on rising Korean beauty market trends but also filled a crucial need in the market.

Creating One Hectare Creative Grounds

However, Carel didn't stop there. Observing a growing demand for studio spaces and foreseeing a surge in demand for events and exhibitions post-pandemic, she envisioned repurposing unused space to meet this need. With an architectural background and a passion for real estate and entrepreneurship, she transformed an abandoned property into a versatile commercial space – One Hectare Creative Grounds.

For sure, transforming this space into One Hectare was not without its challenges. From the initial stages of demolishing, moving, and organizing to the reconstruction processes, and various installation procedures, including tiling, piping, electrical, ventilation, painting, plumbing, and paneling, she and the team faced numerous obstacles. However, through her leadership and perseverance, the group successfully made half of the space fully operational within a year.

From ground zero

"One of the most challenging aspects of the process was the optimization of space and creating a manageable business model with an efficient operational system,"  Carel shared with DAILY TRIBUNE. "Transitioning from ground zero to a fully operational space was undoubtedly a challenging journey, but witnessing the growth and development along the way has been incredibly fulfilling."

The result has been one amazing establishment. One Hectare Creative Grounds stands as a testament to Carel's vision and tenacity. Offering versatile spaces for events, meetings, photoshoots, and exhibitions. It has become the go-to destination for creativity and celebrations in the Metro.

An inspiration to her gen

"We plan to open up more spaces in the future," Carel said. As she has proved herself this early as a great success,  she has inspired other young people, professionals, and would-be business executives and leaders, with her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment. In this case, she is a trailblazer when it comes to transforming spaces into thriving hubs of innovation and celebration.

In our conversation, I asked Carel her motivation to start this business, and she replied, "Having lived a life on the move, I've come to appreciate the significance of having a space to go to, whether for work or rest. I am all about developing a scalable business model that enables me to repurpose more unused or underutilized spaces out there. It is definitely an exciting journey."

Knowledge searcher

And how does she improve her entrepreneurial and knowledge? She candidly replied,  "I continuously seek knowledge and insights in my entrepreneurial journey. I prioritize learning by immersing myself in case studies, drawing insights from established entrepreneurs' experiences, and actively researching to keep up with market trends."

This proactive approach allows her to adapt my business strategies and offerings to align with market demands, ensuring relevance and competitiveness.

Empowered by knowledge

"I have so much more to learn about the business world, and I am always eager to further expand my knowledge base. I recognize the importance of continuous learning, especially in today's dynamic markets. This is just the start…"