“Insist, persist, and never give up”: Beicy Vargas

By: Juan Carlos Monzón. Journalist, Communications Advisory Office

Beicy Vargas studied Business Administration at night and recalls that her time at university left her with a strong sense of the value of persistence, because to start or grow a business it is a fundamental element that is rarely learned in the classroom.

Vargas never imagined working in any country other than Colombia, but she has now been in Peru for 18 years. Her story in that country is linked to the Colombian Red Cross. “I was a volunteer, and at some events I met some people from the Peruvian Red Cross. Later, in 2002, they invited me to visit their country on vacation, and I didn't think twice; I went as a tourist. I returned and found out a few months later that there was a vacancy with them. I applied and got the job.”.

Later in her journey as an immigrant, she was fortunate enough to meet an executive at the surfing federation. “We became friends, and one day he called me to offer me the position of administrator. I resigned from the Red Cross and worked there for two years. Afterward, I took a break from that work for a while, and then they called me back to coordinate the various championships they organize. Each event has a head judge and a team of judges, and I act as a liaison between them and the sports director to ensure everything runs smoothly,” she explains.

And so she's been in that country for quite some time now, but what made her decide to stay was love. "I met my husband, who is Peruvian and works as a pharmaceutical chemist in a hospital. We fell in love and got married in Lima. There was chemistry," she says with a smile.

Now, like any good Colombian entrepreneur, she combines that job with one at the multinational beauty products company Mary Kay, headquartered in the United States. “I started working there by chance. A friend introduced me at an event to the company's CEO, Patricia Tucker. I was there hoping to get some creams as a gift,” she says with a hint of interest, “but after listening to this woman, I was motivated to join the business. At first, I was a consultant who didn't pay much attention to it, but last year I decided to commit fully and was appointed director. Now I have 56 people reporting to me,” she says proudly.

When asked what memory she cherishes from her time at the University of Cundinamarca, she doesn't hesitate to say, "My professors always told me that I should insist, persist, and never give up if I wanted to achieve any professional or personal goal." She elaborates, "I studied at night because I worked during the day and volunteered with the Red Cross on weekends, but my goal was to become a professional and practice my profession, and I've achieved that thanks to the message I received back then, a message I'd like the new generations to understand just as clearly.".

This woman, with her infectious laughter and strident voice, has an optimistic outlook on Colombia thanks to her many years abroad, which have given her a panoramic view of our situation. “Our country is a paradise, and the sad thing is that we don't realize it. Here, there's only coast, jungle, and mountains, while we have five very fertile regions. Add to that the fact that the Peruvian coast is very arid. Our nation has two coastlines, and the cities are relatively close to each other, while in Peru, the closest city to Lima is an eight-hour drive away!”.

That's why, at the end of this interview, her longing for the country comes to the fore, and she affirms that "when I'm old, I want to die in Colombia," she concludes.

At the University of Cundinamarca, we continue to strengthen our relationship with our graduates. If you would like to share your entrepreneurial or professional growth story and inspire others, please write to us at the following email address: [email protected]

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