One of the most rewarding things about being a journalist and events host and emcee is meeting a lot of people. Some of them turn out to be your kindred spirit, and eventually a friend that you will treasure forever. I feel blessed to be working with star-maker and entrepreneur, Monet Lu and of course, Lou Raton, brilliant fashion designer and founder of Miss Philippines USA, as not only do I have meaningful and fun projects in California, USA, but I also get to meet beautiful people with golden hearts... one such maven is no less than Miss Patricia Odette Tam, who I know consider as my "Ate" and even my inspiration as her tale of bravery and wisdom is truly something that make us, Filipino-Americans proud!
Odette boasts of excellent and world-class academic credentials! But it is not just her impressive educational background that got her to where she is now, but I believe, her humility, creativity and grit; and most of all, her generous, kind heart! Below is an excerpt from the Monet Lu PR team story published in magazines and broadsheets in the USA. Meet miss the founder of Vince Jacob Advance Skincare, Patricia Odette Laguda Tam...
If you haven’t had the honor of knowing Patricia Odette, then you’re missing out on a lot. Whenever she walks in, the place simply lights up. It’s quite hard to tell if it’s her long, lustrous locks, her immaculately smooth skin, or that genuine, megawatt smile that perfectly mimics the scintillating gleam in her kind eyes. Or, it can also be her infectious laughter that is reminiscent of the happiness and love that her life brims with. Odette is someone so alluringly down-to-earth and winsome, that you completely forego the fact that she is the total definition of “belle of the ball.” Odette was born into wealth but refused birthright to define her, breaking boundaries and making waves on her own, since moving to the United States of America. She most recently launched Vince Jacob Advanced Aesthetics, the product of her dreams, founded on her impressive education and artful skills, but most of all, infused with a heartwarming inception story of compassion and friendship. Indeed, Odette is able to instantly connect with those blessed enough to cross paths with her, be it one of her clients at her celebrated beauty center, or just one of her growing number of friends, family members and admirers, who just can’t help but be inspired by her substance and timeless elegance.
A shining star in Business and Beauty
There is a line from the iconic song, “Patricia,” by English rock band, Florence + the Machine that goes, “Oh Patricia, you’ve always been my North Star. And I have to tell you something, I am still afraid of the dark. You take my hand in your hand, from you, flowers grow. And do you understand with every seed you sow, you make this cold world beautiful.”
This song referenced the North Star, better known as Polaris or Pole Star, a yellow-white supergiant fragment within the Ursa Minor Constellation to describe a woman named Patricia. The Polaris is the night sky’s brightest variable celestial body and has thus been the subject of various literature as a reliable navigation tool back especially prevalent during the medieval period. This song rings true for Odette, the same meaning applying to who she is as a woman; no less than one of Newport Beach, California’s finest entrepreneurs and community leaders, fittingly the latest recipient of the honor, “Woman of Distinction in Beauty and Skin Care” in the most recent Beautiful Life Awards USA.
Truly, just like some legendary icons throughout history, who had followed the North Star as a guide to their ultimate destinations, Odette proves that she, too, has her own built-in North Star, and that is her very own radiant heart, a reflection of her beautiful face, a compass that has led her to high places in society, but most especially in the hearts of the many people whose lives she continues to touch.
Her name translates to, “Noble and Wealthy”
As an undisputed luminary for beauty, health and youth, Odette, whose birthdate auspiciously falls during this year’s Chinese Lunar New Year, had more than just the Chinese tradition and her birthday to celebrate; the who’s who in Newport Beach gathered for the formal launching of the much-awaited Vince Jacob Advanced Aesthetics, where Odette even gave away several gift cards to some of her lucky guests!
The Legacy Nightclub and Lounge, Newport Beach California was the locale that held such a magnificent milestone in Odette’s life, and as the name of the venue suggests, the fete was a testament to the legacy that Odette continues to carve out. And how fitting is it that the meaning behind her very name, Patricia Odette, is “Noble and Wealthy.” Truly, there is power in names, and this lovely woman is living up to both names she was given at birth, and even going above and beyond these two qualities.
Through the realization of her latest project, Odette was able to further cement her reputation as a self-made entrepreneur capitalizing and continuously utilizing her exceptional education in Nursing, Biology and Aesthetic Medicine, but the best part is how she takes the bar higher by adding a special advocacy by way of Oncology Esthetics.
Clearly, Odette is no parvenu when it comes to business and beauty. While she may have been born with a silver spoon, being a member of a wealthy and influential Filipino-Chinese family, she already learned top stand on her own and build her own financial legacy. After dabbling in various businesses ranging from lending, jewelry and pawn shop operations, all of which are owned by her family, Odette decided to move to the USA and better herself more. She completed a beauty course in Garden Grove California back in 2014, and then passed the state board. She then obtained advanced training in the American Board of Aesthetic Medicine in San Diego, California, proving that excellence never stops honing itself.
Odette never allowed her privileged background to keep her from soaring, and boy, how she soared! She has let her entrepreneurial spirit propel her to various heights, and she doesn’t stop there, for she has found the greatest treasure in serving individuals, especially those who have been affected by terminal diseases such as cancer.
Odette’s Art, a Matter of the Heart.
In spite of today’s various exciting scientific breakthroughs, especially in the realm of medicine, the world has yet to find a cure for cancer.
And while the rest of the world laments over this, Odette, on the other hand, has found a way to make a difference. She may not hold the cure for this disease, but she has the cure to heal everything else that comes with it, such as discriminating against cancer patients. In fact, her aesthetic center, Vince Jacob stemmed from the time Odette and her dear friend who had Stage 4 cancer were humiliated and turned away after asking for spa and facial treatments. Instead of being upset, she was able to turn it around, coming up with a solution that benefits many today, as Vince Jacob is quickly gaining ground especially in servicing oncology clients.
Sometimes, the cure is right in front of you, and Odette proves that it’s all just a matter of opening one’s eyes to realize a need that you can satiate or better yet, opening one’s heart, to make a big difference. And Odette does it all: offer a cutting-edge, sustainable business, that provides exceptional and inclusive beauty services while looking as great as she does!
What’s in a Name?
Odette clearly appreciates an affinity for names, and that’s also why she cleverly fused the names of her two beloved sons, Vince, her older son and Jacob, her adorable little boy, as she birthed her present baby in Vince Jacob Advanced Aesthetics. And it is also quite uncanny how she ended up choosing names which almost mean the same in nature. Of course, Jacob means, “to overreach,” while Vince means, “the one who conquers.”
Her two sons, her pride and joy merely echo exactly how she perceives the world; reaching above and beyond, conquering obstacles that may have once put her down. And all these are very apparent not just in the way she is both a medical professional and a businesswoman, but with also every single hat that she wears: as a beloved sister, a loving mother, a trusted friend and a renowned icon beyond just the Filipino, Chinese and American community.
Patricia Odette is truly the epitome of Modern Woman: savvy and educated, yet never resting in her laurels, always inquisitive and ingenious, reinventing herself as time goes by. While Ms. Tam makes it a point to be graceful and elegant in all times and dressed to the nines especially in her recent birthday batch and business launch, she will always have that vivacity and genuine kind-heartedness that is simply, Odette. Her benevolent and generous nature will surely guarantee an outpour of graces for the many years to come, because Odette knows how to impart her wisdom and blessings to those around her. -MLV
