My brothers, Fred and Ben, and I would sit down with our mother, Nanay Coring, every Thursday afternoon for our National Book Store management committee meetings.

National Book Store was her first baby. She and our father started it back in 1942.

Nanay went to the office practically every day till she was 91 years old. When she stopped going to our regular Thursday meetings, I started visiting her at home instead. I love listening to Nanay tell stories about her life peppered with so many interesting anecdotes and lessons. Lessons for success in business and in life in general.

These are her stories.

—Cecilia Ramos Licauco