Sherry Bolisay. Photo by JL Javier
Triumph and tenacity define Sherry Bolisay’s journey as a woman of many hats, with ventures spanning the vast world of entrepreneurship and beyond
“I always felt like a rose among thorns,” remarks Sherry Bolisay. The entrepreneur describes her life in the business world as tumultuous and cutthroat, with many challenges that tested her mettle as a businesswoman throughout her career. Being in male-dominated industries was nothing new to Sherry, as she helped establish ABSHA Construction alongside her husband nearly two decades ago. “I would go to biddings and meetings as the only woman there, and it was really tough because all the competition I had to face were men that have had years of experience in this industry.”
Despite this, Sherry found solace in her ability to overcome the many difficulties she faced as she began to build the different pillars of her business for the past two decades. Setting herself apart from her contemporaries, she tried to focus her efforts on highlighting the beauty and aesthetics of construction through interior design. “The question is, how do we involve more women in this industry?” she asks. “As a woman in this kind of business, I wanted to change a lot of things about my [industry], and I believe we can be involved in different areas of this type of work from planning to execution.”
Sherry treated her career as a soldier on the battlefield, where patience served as her sword, and mental toughness as her shield. “I have probably slept amongst all kinds of dust and dirt just to see each project through.” One of the most notable projects that she oversaw was the development of the doctor’s clinics at the St. Luke’s hospital when it was still being constructed. “When we were helping build St. Lukes, we used to sleep in the lower basement of the hospital,” she says.
Aside from her dealings in construction, Sherry had also dipped her toes in other endeavors, hoping to inspire others through different facets of her life. Apart from ABSHA Construction, she also has responsibilities as a councilor in her province, and a teacher with a masters degree in education, all while trying to balance being a mother to her children as well.
“I had to stop school early when I first had my children, so I only had a highschool diploma. Eventually, I completed my college degree in only three years, took my masters after, then while I was still teaching and handling construction, I was inspired to also study in law school while juggling all of these responsibilities.” With these experiences, she chooses to impart her own learnings to future entrepreneurs and business women everywhere, highlighting the importance of both patience and tenacity as defining factors behind her longevity. Throughout the many facets of her life, Sherry hoped to leave behind a message that inspired women to keep pushing forward and to dream despite the difficulties of building a career. “As a woman of many hats, the one thing I want is for people to never stop dreaming.”
