On Course: Dive Into the Lives of This Month's Cover Stars and How They Follow Their Path to Success - LA Lives

“What does it mean to be at your ultimate?” It’s a question that’s simple, but requires every ounce of thought and a careful string of words. For this month’s cover stars, the definition of being at one’s ultimate varied from doing your best everyday to defining “ultimate” as an on-going goal. We interviewed Mark Bumgarner, Pam Quinones, Isabelle Daza, Mark Nicdao, Mito Fabie, and Sambie Tung, and picked their minds on how they define being at their ultimate, how they strive to reach it, and what factors help them fulfill their goals.

Isabelle Daza

With beauty literally running in her veins, it’s no wonder Isabelle Daza has grown to be one of the country’s darlings. But more than just a pretty face, she also balances being her own boss and a hands-on mom. As someone who was born with more advantages than most people, one would expect Isabelle to rest on her laurels. But that is far from her reality. When she’s not spending time with her son, you can find her managing her businesses, FRNK Milk Bar and Ride Revolution. Social media has made it easy for her to reach her brands’ audience online through images and witty captions. Using her OPPO Find X2 Pro, she’s able to take vivid photos for her online content with minimal to no editing needed, bringing the ultimate visual experience in the palm of her hand. Her responsibilities also require her to always stay connected to her OPPO Find X2 Pro, which has sufficient power to get her through her day with no concern about battery life. And although she has big plans for her brands, her biggest goal is having her son grow up happy and content the way she, herself, is striving to be. “That’s a very simple goal, but in a time where we constantly see what we don’t have, I feel like it’s an inner struggle.” This mindset of hers has trickled down to her idea of success, and how she plans to continuously pursue it. “I want to redefine what success means for people. Everyone thinks success is fame, or money, or being busy, but I think one trait that has contributed to my success is really being able to define what makes me happy. And that took a long time to get.” Whether it’s with her family or her businesses, Isabelle makes sure to give her very best at any situation. And with her perseverance, there’s no doubt she’ll continue to soar above the rest.

Mark Bumgarner

His name is stitched on the back of some of the most beautiful dresses. Once a racecar driver, Mark Bumgarner has shifted gears and taken an unexpected turn to the path of fashion. “I had a career in the past in sports. People might not think it’s similar to fashion, but I think I learned most of my best traits from that, like being disciplined, working hard all the time, and being gutsy.” As a designer, he aims to reflect his aesthetic and creativity on how he presents himself, his personal wardrobe, his creations, and even down to his gadget of choice. The OPPO Find X2 Pro’s sophisticated design and top-of-the-line camera provide him with an ultimate visual experience while supporting his journey on the global fashion scene and adhering to his ethos. “I want to continue making beautiful clothes for different types of people, but the end goal is the world. To me, being my ultimate self means being bold and a risk-taker; to have some kind of power to influence in any way I can, and create change for the better.”

Pam Quinones

A simple dare from Pam Quinones’s husband has ultimately led to her success in sustainable fashion. Her impeccable taste in clothing is unmatched, but her dedication to provide practical couture to women supersedes that. Her businesses, Qurator Studio and Vestido Manila, focus on giving sensible solutions to women’s fashion woes. Through these companies, Pam was able to not only demonstrate her prowess as a stylist, but also unlock her calling as a mentor. “Because there’s 14 members in the team, I feel like I have 14 children who I constantly nurture, train, and push to become the best that they could be.” With clients left and right, she relies heavily on a gadget that can take her from task to task with ease. Between examining fabric textures and color-coordinating, you can find her exploring new fashion styles and sharing them online. Through the OPPO Find X2 Pro, she’s able to translate her latest finds to crisp photos with true-to-life clarity. Her detail-oriented nature is complemented by OPPO Find X2 Pro’s superior screen display, providing her with the ultimate visual experience. Because she’s a hands-on businesswoman, she also personally curates her businesses’ social media accounts–making her heavily reliant on her phone for her day-to-day online updates. As a multi-faceted person juggling multiple responsibilities at a time, Pam has neatly segregated her priorities to reach her ultimate potential: her career, her family, her health, and the people around her. “Being your ultimate self is when you get to balance these four different things. Do your career really well. Spend time with your loved ones and really be in the moment with them. Make an effort to invest in your health. And also be conscious about the people around you and if you can add value to them. I think if you get to do all these four things very well and push it to the limit, that’s what ‘ultimate’ means.”

Mark Nicdao

His lenses have captured everything from special moments between power couples in show business to striking high-fashion poses that have been used in glossy magazines. With a keen eye for details, Mark Nicdao is able to encapsulate a thousand emotions in a single photo. But his journey to success wasn’t always picture-perfect. “You can’t just be ‘ultimate’ in a day. It’s a path; it’s a hard road to take. So if you were to ask me how to be at your ultimate, I think I’m still on that path.” Known as one of the masters of photography in the country and even internationally, he definitely knows how to work any camera handed to him. But he admits that the OPPO Find X2 Pro’s camera gave him a shock with its first-string features, giving him an ultimate visual experience on the go. He was able to explore and execute multiple shoot ideas in a short amount of time with the phone. Because of its convenience and outstanding specs, it was easy for him to successfully attempt new photography ideas even in the comfort of his own home. With a whole portfolio consisting of celebrity shots, magazine covers, billboard images, and gallery-worthy pictures, Mark is yet to stop at his profession. Riding the wave of his success, he’s striving to tell stories in stills to the world, one snap at a time.

Sambie Tung

ClassPass has garnered the interest of gym buffs all over the country, thanks to the company’s country manager, Sambie Tung. As one of the leading women in the realm of fitness and tech, Sambie strives to prove each day that women belong at the top. “Fitness, tech–these are industries that are predominantly male-centric. So for me, being one of the female executives in my field makes me feel very proud. I want to continue being an influence in my industry, and make sure that I represent all Filipinas in an international workspace, and do it in the best way that I can.” Between being the local head for ClassPass and a full-time dog-mom and wife, Sambie makes sure to squeeze in some workouts to take care of her health and well-being to help her stay on track of her goals. “For me, being the ultimate version of myself is when I feel like I’m able to achieve the perfect balance of self-care and making sure that I’m able to get all of my work done.” As she’s dashing from meeting to meeting within the country, she stays in touch with the international executives of ClassPass on her phone. With her colleagues working in cities like Singapore and New York, Sambie manages to catch up with her emails in real time. This digital nomad lifestyle enables her to lead the company wherever she is while tending to her own needs, tying the best of both her worlds together seamlessly.

Mito Fabie

Better known as Curtismith, Mito Fabie is an indie singer, rapper, and songwriter. The young artist has reinvigorated hip-hop in the underground music scene of Manila with his poetic lyrics, fresh beats, and all-around musical ingenuity. But the budding lyricist has yet to be in full bloom. To him, reaching one’s ultimate means to always be in progress. “Personally, I will never consider myself to be somebody who has nothing left to improve on in his craft.” As a man of culture, he’s heavily influenced by prominent figures in the world of thought leadership. “I’ve related to the 7th habit of Stephen Covey, which is sharpening the saw.” He explains this idea as always striving to attain the perfect version of yourself. “There’s always going to be something you need to improve on, regardless of what craft or at what point you are in your life.” Every day is different for him, and every day presents an opportunity for him to explore new limits and boundaries that he can push. Some of the things he practices daily is working on the mind, body, and soul. “I feel like these activities are what prepare me for whatever activity I have to do for work. It’s very indirect because meditation, working out, and reading don’t necessarily have to be involved with the craft. But when I do these things correctly, it eventually translates into a better version of my craft.” With a world of opportunities at his feet and his whole life ahead of him, we’re excited to see what Mito has in store for years to come.

As pioneers in their fields, Mito Fabie and Sambie Tung give due credit for their progress to their self-discipline, focusing on their well-being, and feeding their mind and soul. Aided by the OPPO Find X2 Pro, Mark Bumgarner, Pam Quinones, Isabelle Daza, and Mark Nicdao are able to realize their goals in a more modern method, equipped with the latest technology. Our March cover stars show exactly why they belong at the top, and prove they’re the ultimate at what they do.

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