SOCIAL ENTREPRENURSHIP

Jamie Tan, Founder and President of V&M Naturals

What made you decide to start V&M Naturals?

The opportunity opened up in 2008 when a relative from Australia introduced Emu Oil and sent a
sample for my cousin to use for her psoriasis. Her case was so severe that her legs were flaky and
bleeding and that she could not even wear pants anymore. My cousin used it on her legs and there was
a huge difference after using it. I blogged about the effects of Emu Oil and found out there were so
many people who were experiencing the same thing. That's when I decided to start Venus and Mars
Naturals with Emu Oil as the product, using my savings and with a bit of support from my family.
Eventually, I expanded to other items and the rest is history.

What's the best thing about V&M Naturals?

The best thing about our brand is seeing how our clients' health and well-being are improved through
our line of natural, healthy, and safe cosmetics. We also take pride in the fact that we advocate a waste-
free world by coming up with eco-sustainable campaigns that not only promote healthy skin but also
minimize our impact on the environment while we do business.

The entrepreneurs I chose for this activity are Anna Meloto-Wilk, Dylan Wilk, and Camille Meloto. These
three entrepreneurs are the founders and owners of the brand “Human Nature.” I’ve been patronizing
the brand for years now, but I’ve come to love them even more after learning about the story and the
people behind its success.

The top qualities I admire about these three entrepreneurs are that they are pro-Philippines, pro-poor,
pro-environment, goal-oriented, and philanthropic. Anna Meloto-Wilk, Dylan Wilk, and Camille Meloto
started Human Nature after learning about the growing trend of affordable, natural, and eco-friendly
products entering the mainstream market. Subsequently, they envisioned a business that would
produce high-quality and Philippine-made natural products. They’ve partnered up with local
communities to source out their ingredients, and to provide them livelihood as well. At the same time,
they invested in giving them skills training, sustainable technology, and infrastructure to improve their
output and quality of life. By 2011, Human Nature earned the Cruelty-Free seal of approval and they’re
the first cosmetics brand in the Philippines to do so. In the same year, they were also recognized as
Social Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young. As social entrepreneurs, they focus on making a
positive impact on the world as they are with making money. They do not try to maximize their profit at
the expense of the environment or people, and they actively try to empower and uplift the local
communities. After all, giving back and being in service to others is more rewarding than any other
business success.