Dr. Karen Remo, a Filipino businesswoman, has made an indelible mark in media and entrepreneurship. In an exclusive interview with CNN’s “The Final Word,” hosted by senior anchor Rico Hizon, she discussed her journey, from humble beginnings to international recognition. Dr. Remo, honored as the Entrepreneur of the Year in the Gulf Capital SME Awards in 2020 and recipient of the 2022 Presidential Award, shared her thoughts on these accolades, noting their significance for both her and the Filipino community.
Read: Filipina CEO in Dubai wins ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ award at Gulf Capital SME Awards 2020
Hizon highlighted that Remo’s achievements are particularly inspiring given the male-dominated landscape of the Middle East. She explained, “we Filipinos are primarily known as OFWs. But increasingly, we’re becoming more of entrepreneurs and professionals. I am very proud and humble at the same time to be receiving this award and inspiring others as well.”
Dr. Karen Remo’s journey began with a deep desire to share information. She described how, as a child, she couldn’t afford newspapers and would eagerly read any source of information she could find. She recalled thinking, “One day I will own a newspaper. I will give it away for free, anytime, available anywhere in the world.” This dream led to the birth of The Filipino Times, which has now grown to be seen by 4 million people in 236 countries.
The Filipino Times serves as a vital platform for the Filipino community worldwide, combining local and international news, business stories, features, and profiles of inspiring individuals. Remo explained, “It’s a combination of community, national stories, business stories, features, and also profiles of people like you who are seasoned and we would like to know how you become like this. So you also inspire others to become like you.”
Dr. Remo’s dedication to the Filipino community led her to provide both an online news portal and a physical newspaper distributed for free across the UAE. As she stated, “We started with the news online site, and then one year after, we’ve launched the newspaper. We have 60,000 free newspapers every week, distributed nationwide in the UAE.”
Dr. Remo’s success goes beyond media. She has ventured into organizing the largest Investment Summit in the Middle East, facilitating significant investments in the Philippines. She explained, “We’ve raised billions of money for the Philippines, and not only for the Philippines. The Philippine president will also be going to the UAE this coming November for COP 28. Investments are actually flowing from the Middle East to the Philippines because we are offering a lot to the world.”
Read: PPIE 2023 successfully concludes with thousands of attendees, esteemed speakers, leading exhibitors
Balanced and unbiased reporting is a core principle of the Filipino Times. Dr. Remo emphasized the importance of presenting both sides of a story and adhering to the rules and regulations of the UAE, even while delivering the truth. “You cannot be balanced if we don’t show you both sides. The rules in the UAE are unlike what’s happening in the Philippines or in the West. We respect the rules of the land, while at the same time, we are very much passionate about delivering the truth.”
Read: Isang dekada na tayo, ka-TFT! Celebrating 10 years of remarkable achievements
Dr. Remo’s inspiring journey has not been without its share of challenges.
She acknowledged the importance of learning from failure, stating, “A lot of failures come before you actually get the success.” She identified three key factors for entrepreneurial success: excelling at something, finding a market willing to pay for it, and building a sustainable team.
She noted, “If you deliver what you’re really good at and make people’s lives better, the results and growth will come naturally.”
Dr. Remo also shared an inspiring perspective on her journey as an entrepreneur. Apart from acknowledgeding that failure often precedes success, she also shared that her inspiration to run her business comes from a combination of her customers, who have become partners and friends, and her desire to create positive change.
She drew inspiration from her early interest in journalism, driven by a passion for telling the truth and impacting society. As she explained, “What inspires me is doing something I love the most, which is creating narratives and storytelling, and through these stories, you know, make life better, a little bit, one thing at a time.”
Her ultimate ambition is to create a team that loves what they do and grows together globally. She expressed, “My ambition is to really to create a team, having this group of people who love what they’re doing, who will do continuously, and then we grow together globally.”
Dr. Karen Remo’s journey from having aspirations as a child to having international recognition is a testament to the power of dreams, hard work, and the determination to give back to the community. She continues to inspire entrepreneurs worldwide with her passion for creating narratives and telling stories that change lives.
Related stories:
- Proud Batangueña: UAE-based Filipina CEO bags special award from Philippines’ National Economic and Development Authority
- Philippine President confers highest award to UAE-based Filipina business leader for fostering positive relationship between UAE and Philippines
- UAE-based Filipina CEO bags back-to-back wins in PH Presidential Awards, Migration Advocacy & Media Awards
