Rossana Llenado is known in the Philippines as one of the early adopters when it comes to incorporating technology in education, or what we now simply call as “edutech” or “edtech”. She founded her own company, then a tutorial and review centre, in the late 90s when she was only 26.
In the recently concluded 11th Asia CEO Awards, Rossana was recognized as one of the Circle of Excellence Finalist-Awardees of the year. This, among the numerous awards and recognitions she has received over the last two decades, are just some of the reasons why an accomplished woman like her is put on the entrepreneurship map. What has truly made her succeed though – and it may sound a bit cliche – is her passion and purpose, which she luckily discovered early on life.
As mentioned, Rossana was one of the early adopters who discovered the benefits of technology in education when she submitted the first-ever computerized thesis in the Philippines. It was during that time when she saw firsthand just how beneficial access to the latest technology can be when it comes to education.
This epiphany led her to invest heavily in ensuring that her company stayed ahead in the EdTech game, whether in buying the latest hardware and software or continuously upgrading her team’s skillset and knowledge. To date, all of her company’s services are now online, and this is not just limited to delivering education to her clientele, but also in the company’s business processes.
In this candid, raw and authentic conversation though, Rossana reveals her humble beginnings as an entrepreneur. She also shares what makes her wake up every morning, what keeps her up at night; what she does to keep her business going for more than two decades, her struggles, and how she got into the edtech game.