For most of us, new years spark feelings of celebrations and new beginnings. However, for a select few, it reels in a sense of nostalgia. These people often look back at how their lives have changed in just 365 days. They are in awe of how entirely different their year started versus how it actually ended. And, for one person in particular, this holds especially true. “Hindi ko akalain na mag-i-iba track ko. Who would have thought na mag-le-lead ako ng isang team?” Brand Republic’s first employee, Christine Camba, states.
Christine (or Tin as we call her) started out her agency journey wearing various hats. Though she was hired as an Admin Assistant, she helped in other tasks as well. She tried her hand in sourcing event suppliers, hiring other support staff, doing basic accounting, and many others, which she all did well thanks to her never-give-up attitude and commitment to continuous learning. “I wanted more from life nung nagsisimula ako – and to be able to do that, kinailangan maging fighter ako,” she says.
Looking back, one can see how much of a fighter Tin was even when she was just starting out. Coming from a big family that was a bit hard up on cash, she wanted to lift the burden of paying her tuition from her mom’s shoulders and help provide for their family’s growing expenses. So, at the young age of 18, she applied to be a cook for a Korean family. Though it was a good run, the pains of having to work and study at the same time took a toll on the young Tin as she started failing some of her classes. This situation then led her to make one of the biggest decisions of her life – dropping out of college – because she couldn’t afford letting go of work at the expense of a diploma.
After deciding not to pursue a college education, Tin took on one job after another. She worked as a waitress for a Korean Restaurant, which she said made sense after her contract as a cook for the Korean family ended. Sadly, the business folded and she had to look for another job. A few months later, she became a secretary for a local travel agency. However, the management style and poor treatment she experienced from the owners forced her to resign. Not long after, she found herself working as a lady guard for local security agency, Gaddi Force.
Tin’s stint as a security guard was the key to unlocking a huge career change. In fact, it was what opened the door to where she is now. After working tirelessly to prove herself as a capable lady guard (despite not having any background in security), Denis Gaddi, one of the owners of the agency, saw immense potential in Tin. He saw how dedicated she was to her job while also being very effective in handling the clients of establishments she was assigned to. “Nung nagstart si Tin sa agency, iba talaga yung tindig. Tsaka laging more pa yung ginagawa niya sa kung anong nakalagay sa job description. Plus, maayos din siya. Organized, eh.” This impression led him to recommend Tin to his brother, Jofel Gaddi, who was then in search for an admin assistant to help with the growing ad agency – Brand Republic.
Tin’s life in the agency was a series of fortunate events; and she proved her worth by always doing more than what was expected of her each time.
If she was told to come in at 9:00am, you’ll find her at the office no later than 8:30am. If she was called to help in an event, you’ll find her taking charge of the logistics. And if she was asked to buy supplies and equipment, she unfailingly negotiates the best rates with suppliers. This commitment to going beyond expectations led Tin to eventually learn about purchasing. In fact, for months, she helped sustain the company with the procurement projects she successfully managed.
Now, over the last few years, Brand Republic achieved great success as it took more and more jobs from well-known clients. Uncoincidentally, Tin’s knowledge and passion about advertising grew with every project. As such, when the company started a Special Projects Team last year, it was no surprise that she was asked to lead it. As someone who has successfully supervised numerous activation, manpower, and production projects with integrity over the years, she was the stand-out choice from the lot. Now, she is responsible for a growing team that handles various jobs including events, public relations, and many others.
Undoubtedly, Tin has gone far from the 18 year old who had to risk her future just to survive. She’s achieved immense growth and success all because she fought for a life that she wanted. Upon asking what her secret to success was, she pointed out one principle that has served her well over the years – the BLED principle.
Tin always begins something new. She pushes herself to try different things because she knows that there is no growth to be found in the familiar and comfortable. Given this, she recently trained to be a Marine Reservist for the Philippine Navy.
Apart from that, Tin aspires to continuously learn. It doesn’t matter if she has to do it by herself (hello Youtube) or if she needs to be a student again – the important thing for her is that she constantly gains new skills. In fact, she’s currently a student at John Robert Powers aiming to develop herself in public speaking.
Also, Tin consistently puts in effort. Whatever task she’s given, she makes sure to go above & beyond what is expected of her. Needless to say, this was the reason why she was the first to be given a dual role in Brand Republic as both Admin and Purchasing Manager from 2017-2022.
Lastly, Tin constantly dreams of doing, achieving, and becoming more. Despite all the setbacks she faced in life, she never stopped believing that she was meant for bigger things. “Iniisip ko lang nun, hindi ako hanggang dito nalang,” she says.
And so, this 2024, Christine is as ready as ever. In fact, she plans to make this her biggest year yet by further improving as a Team Leader. With this, she promises to learn about all the projects her team has – even the ones she’s never experienced before. She also commits to bring in even bigger job contracts for the agency. And finally, she dedicates herself to breaking all the barriers that the year has in store for both herself and Brand Republic.
Truly, there’s no holding Tin back.
She’s the first hire who’s just getting started.
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