Former pageant queen Genecia Alluora Luo on empowering women and building a trusted beauty brand through Shopee livestreaming

As a former Miss Singapore Universe second runner up and Miss Singapore International, entrepreneur Genecia Alluora Luo (@geneciaalluora) is no stranger to the spotlight.

She has built up multiple business streams, having been an online business mentor, occupational therapist, and cafe chain owner. Now, through her platform and voice, she’s carving out another stream of income for herself, while empowering other women to do the same.

She does so by leveraging the power of livestreaming on Shopee. However, her journey hasn’t always been smooth sailing. Back in 2013, when she started her own skincare business ALLUORA, her biggest struggle was a common one for many entrepreneurs: getting the word out about her brand and finding customers.

Things changed in 2020 when Shopee invited her to set up shop on its platform. “Shopee provides a ready base of customers, and takes care of attracting and converting them into sales for us,” she says.

How Shopee supports online entrepreneurs

Shopee simplified the process for Genecia as it oversaw marketing, logistics and campaign cycles, so she could focus on scaling her business.

Livestreaming proved to be a further game changer for her business. It enabled her to not just sell her products, but also connect with her customers in real-time, getting instant feedback on their concerns about skin pigmentation and dark spots.

All this didn’t happen overnight. The competitive nature of livestreaming saw her clocking 12 to 16 hours of livestreaming daily when she first started. She was also able to tap on Shopee’s promotional campaign periods, such as 11.11, and push promotional vouchers to customers.

During last year’s 11.11 campaign, she raked in sales of five figures in just a 90-minute livestream.

Behind the scenes, Genecia works with Shopee relationship managers who guide her through campaigns, share updates on voucher drops, and support her in creating product bundles.

The business has grown so much that she now has more than 10 affiliates working with ALLUORA, on video content as well as livestreaming. The brand, which is self-funded and profitable, has steadily grown while clinching multiple awards. Her eyes are set on growing it further across the region.

More than just building a business, she also hopes to empower women and provide them with an alternative source of income.

“It’s a way for women to find their financial independence or gain re-entry into independence,” she says, adding that training with ALLUORA and a studio space is also provided for her affiliates.

Her goal is to help other women succeed.

“Shopee has made it so simple to push products. All you need is a phone, Wi-Fi, a tripod, and a little courage. We coach women to share products they believe in, and earn commission without holding stock. Start small. Learn fast. We do this together,” she says.

“I know what zero feels like. I’ve failed, learnt, and kept going. My work now? To shorten your path from stuck to unstoppable – so you don’t have to do it alone. Together we are unstoppable.”

With Shopee’s user-friendly tools, women entrepreneurs are not only growing their businesses, but also uplifting other women along the way.

Join Genecia as she shares more about her entrepreneurial journey with Shopee at Finding your Niche Online (18 September, 5-7pm), a fireside chat on kickstarting and growing an online business, brand or side hustle. Sign up here!

PHOTOGRAPHY: Lawrence Teo
ART DIRECTION: Adeline Eng & Ray Ticsay
STYLING: Donson Chan
HAIR: Peter Lee
MAKEUP: Lasalle Lee
COORDINATION: Chelsia Tan

Outfit: Cotton blazer, cotton vest, and cotton pants, Coach. Neck tie (worn as shawl) and shoes, stylist’s own