Yempo: Our Knight in Shining Armor
by Malou, Senior Accounts Specialist
To understand why I call Yempo our Knight in Shining Armor, let me take you back to where it all began.
I had always wanted to study Economics but back in 2000, computer-related courses were in high demand, so I took one. Shortly after graduating, I worked for a few months to gain experience before my uncle, who was then based in Saipan, asked if I wanted to work there.
Saipan may be a small island in the Pacific, but it is a US territory rich in opportunities. I spent five meaningful years there, gaining valuable professional experience, meeting people from diverse cultures, and discovering my strengths in organization and management. I started as an Office Administrator and eventually left the island as an Office Manager.
After giving birth to our daughter, the initial plan of my husband and I was to bring her to the Philippines while we continued working in Saipan to save for her future. However, becoming a new mother came with unexpected emotional challenges. I experienced intense separation anxiety – crying myself to sleep became a nightly routine after every shift.
Eventually, my husband chose to prioritize my well-being. He made the difficult decision for me to return to the Philippines to take care of our daughter, sacrificing his own comfort by staying behind and being away from us.
After two months as a stay-at-home mom, I felt the urge to work again. I found a job and, in less than a year, was promoted from Credit Collection Admin to Senior Admin, and later became Officer-in-Charge. Despite the growth, the role demanded long hours, overtime, and even weekends. I realized I was slowly losing the precious time I should have been spending with my daughter.
So, I prayed for a company that would allow me to have work-life balance – no weekends and reasonable working hours.
I sent out hundreds of applications and attended numerous interviews. Eventually, a company I was not familiar with hired me. At first, it seemed perfect: competitive salary and weekday work only. It was a startup with only about six staff members, supporting an Australian company. After a few months, we were assigned more focused roles, and given my background, I handled tasks related to Accounting and Finance.
The company was incredibly generous, and I honestly saw myself staying there long-term. Unfortunately, in 2016, a sudden turn of events occurred—we were all declared redundant as the company planned to cease operations.
While I was anxious about losing my job, a small ray of hope appeared. I was leading a team at that time, and all team leads were called in and informed that we were spared, along with a few selected staff.
This was where Yempo entered our story.
Yempo became our hope. CEO Michelle Fiegehen was introduced to us, and we were told that we would continue doing the same roles, serving the same client, only now, under Yempo. At that moment, I told myself that I wanted to stay – not just because I needed a job, but because I immediately felt that Yempo was a great company. True enough, Michelle proved to be very supportive, always approachable, and genuinely willing to listen.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. While many were anxious about losing their jobs, Yempo truly stood out. The company acted quickly, providing a work-from-home setup, complete with all the necessary equipment, while ensuring employee safety and maintaining the same benefits. The Admin team kept communication alive, ensuring that everyone was okay. And yes – I can confidently say that I am very happy working with Yempo.
Yempo is not just a company. It is truly the home of your dream job!