Judie Gabato achieving biz success and paying it forward

CEBU, Philippines – Being the family’s breadwinner at the early age of 14, Jude ‘Judie’ Gabato, 27, painstakingly saved a portion of his earnings because, while he works to fend for his family, he is also aiming high to achieve his dream.

Having worked as an assistant of a well-known makeup artist in Cebu, Judie had this one burning dream that one day he could turn his God-given gift into a formal enterprise.

A proud transgender, Judie admitted that as a child, he had to keep his keen interest for girly stuff and in fixing one's hair and putting colors on their faces from parents and family.

Not until he became the family's main provider – a livelihood sourced from the very thing that used to anger his father specifically. Judie is the fifth among seven children.

"I accepted hair and makeup jobs, not only because I love to beautify a person, but because I had to help my parents and send by siblings to school," Judie said.

However, considering that he only charged P150 for every hair and makeup job. No matter how much he earns for a day, Judie never missed to allocate a portion of his earnings for his "piggy bank." Not even a single compromise, he recalled, until his savings grew to over P600,000.

He said while he works to feed the family, he has also set his focus on building a dream for himself. One job at time.

Today, Judie has two beauty salons, located at Upper Don Bosco, Apas (near IT Park), and in V. Rama street.

Once Tasted Always Wanted

For his loyal clients, Judie's touch is known in the category of "once tasted always wanted" kind of experience. This brand of his, created by them (clients) made him one of the budding and sought-after make-up artists and stylist, if not total beauty consultant in Cebu.

Aside from having an eye to easily spot beauty in someone, Judie guessed that his lucky-charm is carried through by his honest dealings and service – doing his strokes from the heart and with gusto. All the time.

"I don't say to a client she looks good in an outfit or the color of her blush when actually she’s not, just to flatter and make her come back. I will always tell the truth. I would rather lose a client than tell a lie," Judie said.

What actually fattened Judie's savings, which helped him build his first dream salon was the surprise extra-payment or tips given by his happy clients. Otherwise, saving up P600,000 for two years could be an unrealistic amount for a service that only charges P150 per job. Not to mention, his responsibility to pay mounting expenses at home.

Leaving school turned Judie into a 24/7 makeup artist and stylist, working like a machine if there's ever such a thing.

"Sometimes, I'd wish there are more than 24 hours in a day, so I can serve them all."

After he opened his first salon in Apas last year, Judie proceeded to open the second branch nearer his home in V. Rama, to help struggling beauticians to earn good income.

Pay It Forward

While he is able touch his dream and live in it – an entrepreneur in the beauty salon industry, at the same time provide a comfortable life, decent home for the family, Judie seemed to be addicted to dreaming. Nobler though this time.

Currently, Judie is birthing another dream. This time is to help gays like him, and beauticians too, who are struggling in their craft and are usually cash-strapped

"I want to pay it forward what I have now. I can well relate to them. I want them to dream like me and most of all not squander," he shared.

At present, Judie is employing talented gay dreamers, also men and women who have the type of skills that a beauty business needs. Initially, 10 of them are regular employees, the others are hired based on special projects or peak months.

Aside from good and reasonable pay, Judie also makes time to train and mentor them in becoming good stewards of their money.

"For me, this is my true business--empowering others to become successful."

Although, his experience and fruitful track record speak loudly of his credibility in the expertise of beauty, Judie also is sending himself to formal educational institutions to further expand his wings –professionally.

He recently got a certification from an intensive Hair and Make Up Training in Singapore. He also attended several training courses to sharpen his skills in beauty expertise at the Technical Educational Skills and Development Authority (TESDA).

Money in Beauty

Judie admitted that he is well aware of the competition, cutthroat in fact, in the salon and beauty nooks industry in Cebu, but he said he only knows one thing – he has his honest-to-goodness way of service, which is the blueprint of his business culture.

With that, he is confident that his "neophyte" salon business could go a long way.

Because of this, he is all the more determined to expand his chain of salons as he clearly sees that business of beauty is an all-season good money-maker, if only one is observant and wise enough to follow its harmonious flow.

This early, Judie is slowly spreading his little empire in venturing into fashion design. Judie now makes his knack for fashion design another money making venture, as he started to create designs for insistent clients who want him to design their gowns for grand events, or to casual and daily fashion ensembles.

From merely fixing women's hair and make their facial features more beautiful, Judie is also starting to build his little empire in fashion design.

He believes that his eye for beauty that has been sharpened over the years would not only limit to one aspect, but total package for dressing up.

"Some of my clients would ask me to design gowns or casual attire for parties for them, and they like them," Judie continued sharing.

Right now, his salons also display his creations, and also hone aspiring fashion designers, as well to turn their talents into money.

"People, especially nowadays, women in particular pay and invest for something that makes them beautiful," he quipped.

This is where Judie saw the gigantic potential for artists, like him to turn their talents into fold and grab the opportunity. After-all he realized that to make money and live a good life is not that too elusive.

The magic, he believes only lies in doing the "best" in every job. A masterpiece in every creation – a client, at a time. (FREEMAN)