Socorro Ramos, founder of the country’s largest bookshop empire started out as a simple saleslady in a bookstore whose red-and-white plastic bags have become the name that the Filipino people know today as National Bookstore.

Now, she lives true to the company’s nature, with the documentary featuring “Bukas Aklat” mobile library project for schools who cannot afford to put up the facility for their students.

The life of National Book Store founder Socorro C. Ramos should serve as an inspiration to the younger generation on how to hurdle the numerous challenges thrown our way. Her success, not just in business but in all aspects of life, stresses the importance of focus, dedication, hard work, education and other important values.

In an interview with BusinessMirror, Ramos, fondly called Nanay Coring, shares her thoughts and experiences on building National Book Store, her family and the important values that made her an entrepreneur and individual par excellence.

What is a typical day for Mrs. Socorro Ramos?

I am up by 7 in the morning. I take fruits and milk for breakfast. My whole morning is almost spent making and receiving calls to and from area managers, branch managers and my department staff. I go to work after lunch. Because I live with my older sister, the cook usually prepares a very lean lunch consisting of vegetables and fish. This is a very dry meal. That is why I enjoy every minute when I am eating outside the house.

My afternoon is mostly spent on meetings with publishers, dealers, customers and branch visits. In the evenings, once in a while, I attend social events like branch openings, book launchings and association meetings. I am not an early sleeper, I get to sleep around 2 am to 3 am so I read two to three newspapers at night and watch late-night TV.