Fully Avon-nized!

I really don't know how to start my blog on the things that happened last week. I think it deserves a long post because for one, I've survived one year in the company. Hooray! I think it's just apt to write about it. However, a lot of people think that I've been more than a year with Avon. As what they always joke about, 1 Avon year is equivalent to 5 human years. Lol. Also, of all the jobs that I had, this job made me feel stressed, happy, fulfilled, tired, frustrated, excited and sad all at the same time. This job is the closest thing to what I really wanted to do. Although the job still requires a lot of Math & Analytics (and I really hate least like Math and Analytics), this job makes me connect with people. If my ultimate complaint in my previous jobs is that I only interact with my computer, this job makes me communicate to people of all levels and that makes it more interesting.

So what happened last week? I remember posting a picture with a caption "I can't adult today. Please don't make me adult" last Monday because last week was a busy (and busy is an understatement) week. We were able to execute not just one event but six events in 4 days. Preps were done months before but it seemed like we were never ready. Things/decisions were made up to the last minute.

I remember a month ago during the August events kick off meeting when we were given our tasks... I was tasked to lead the Field Team Conference (FTC) AND the Recognition Night. In previous years, two individuals would lead separately the two events. But I was given those two. I remember rolling my eyes 360 degrees back then and I was like, "WTH? Seriouuussslyyy?! and this is on top of my 'daily' workload which I cannot handle anymore". I was tired. I was working overtime even on weekends. And tired/busy is an understatement. There were even times that I was already getting sick because of stress. And I wanted to give up. Work life balance is very important to me and this job doesn't give me that. I'm on the verge of quitting. Personally, handling those two events should be an easy peasy work for me (heck, I love coordinating events) but what really annoys me are the challenges that I have to bear while doing it -- decision makers are indecisive and sometimes most of the times fickle, even the menial tasks needs to be approved (case in point, it took more than a week for a powerpoint template -- yes, just the template -- to be approved) and even things were already approved, in a snap of finger, decisions were altered just because. Add to the fact, the processes were not clear and orderly. 

So the pre-production was really a hassle. I have to coordinate with the suppliers of our event and they were all rushing me because they cannot finish the script/program flow because the decision makers were constantly changing their minds. As iiiiiiin. Just to give an example, for the Recognition Night we all agreed to have 9 models. Agreement was done since July -- I have already picked who the 9 models are and already informed them of the rehearsals. Last Tuesday, together with the suppliers, we already had the rehearsals with the models. After the rehearsals, I talked with the senior managers and told them rehearsals were already done and showed them the scripts to be read during the catwalk. Lo and behold! Suddenly, they thought of having 15 models instead of 9. My thought bubble was like, "Talaga??!Magdadagdag tayo ng models? At talagang ngayon kung kelan 1 AM na, magpapatawag ako ng additional models?!? At talagang ngayon kung kelan tapos na ang rehearsal at tapos na ang scripts at ang powerpoint?? TALAGA NGAYON NYO NAIISIP YAN KUNG KELAN BUKAS NA ANG EVENT???" I really wanted to faint. It's like they really want to do the impossible. I don't know how I managed it, but I was able to pull it through. We HAD 15 models. There were also moments like while the event is ongoing, we are revising the scripts/flows of the program. NAKAKALOKA. I think this job, if not for anything, made me really really really flexible... and patient. 

I was tasked to handle only two events but in the end, I handled 4 events! The SCO Meeting in the morning and Recognition Night were held last Wednesday. Field Team Conference and Chillax Night were held last Thursday. I was only able to breathe last Friday. Sadly, we don't have a holiday because we had our National Sales Convention on Saturday so last minute preparations were done on Friday. Plus, I also had to check the Division Breakouts and had to distribute the giveaways/food stubs last Friday to the different Function Rooms where the Field Team were doing their Division meetings. Feeling ko kabisado ko na lahat ng Function rooms sa EDSA Shangrila by heart dahil nakailang pabalik balik ako. Hahaha!

Tuesday: During our pre-production meeting with EDSA Shangrila. I was able to meet the big bosses of  Shang & they were all nice!

Day 1 (Wednesday): Sales and Channel Ops Meeting at Isla Ballroom, EDSA Shangrila

Day 1: with my very hardworking staff 

During rehearsals of the models - right after the SCO meeting and an hour before the Recognition Night

my only picture during Reco Night (blurred pa haha!). Thanks Via for lending me your dress and for the quick meet up at the Fort last Tuesday. Haha! Wala na kasi akong panahon talaga maghanap ng damit. :)

Day 2: Field Team Conference at Garden Ballroom, EDSA Shangrila Hotel

 We had Jim Paredes as our guest speaker

Day 2 OOTD lol

Hosting for Avon TV...Dream come true lol (and I've always dreamed of becoming a courtside reporter back in college haha!)

interviewing Georgina Wilson 

To tell you the truth, this post is not about the rants on how tiring/draining my job was. Because in all honesty and sincerity, I loved doing it because of the fulfillment it brings. I learned A LOT of things -- from coordinating to different suppliers and to being OC even to the smallest details. I was able to interact with the Field Team from Wednesday to Friday. But on Saturday, I was able to meet the Avon Ladies -- the ladies who have been working hard and whose lives were touched because of Avon. I volunteered was volunteered to be the host for Avon TV so I was able to interview the Avon ladies as they enter Araneta. And one question that I ask them is, "Bakit kayo proud na part kayo ng Avon?" And they will tell me, "Ay Ma'am dahil sa Avon, napaaral ko anak ko.. napagawa ko bahay namin.. nagkaron ako ng pangkabuhayan, nakaahon kami sa kahirapan etc.." It was so heartwarming to hear. During the event, some Avon ladies would come up to me and say, "Ma'am thank you ah, inalagaan niyo kami dito. Sobrang spoiled kami sa stay namin sa Shang." "Ms. Patty, salamat nag-enjoy kami." "Ma'am, alam niyo kung di dahil sa Avon, di kami makakarating dito.. first time kasi namin magstay sa magandang hotel".. Those lines made me feel warm inside. It made me feel that my job is fulfilling knowing that I was able to help other people in my little ways. It made me remember the reason I told the HR during my interview why I wanted to join Avon -- I wanted a job that can help other people. I know I've been ranting about how tired/frustrated I was because of my job -- I still don't deny that it is tiring and frustrating -- but I'm happy that in some ways, it is rewarding. The sleepless months and stress that came with it, it was somehow worth it. Kakaiba yung feeling pagakatapos ng event...parang "Seriously? Nagawa ko lahat yun?!" I'm also elated that after the FTC and Recognition Night, some members of the Field Team will come up to me and say, "Uy congrats Ms. Pat, ang ganda ng event ngayon ah. Nagenjoy kami." "Congrats Ms. Patty, natapos mo na yung event. We are all happy. Thank you..." Those words... are the things that I just needed to hear para maayos ang sugatan kong puso choz! Hahaha! 

Happy Anniversary to me!

P.S.

I'm going to post about how awesome the El Gamma Penumbra's performance during NASCON. They truly captured the journey of an Avon Lady. Haha! After their performance, I told Jen (my Finance partner), "Friend... ang fulfilling ng work ko. 'Di na muna ko magreresign. Hahahaha! Thanks to El Gamma"

P.P.S.
Thank you to my ever supportive bf who drop by Shangrila just to have a quick dinner date with me. :) I know I've been grumpy for the past week but you've been patient with me. Babawi ako, promise.