The Nerve to Think Big
#GirlBoss. I just finished reading the book and found this quote on their Instagram page:
To think big. To start off thinking we can pull it off and then to go and actually do it. The nerve!Yes, nerves! I'll be bold enough to say that I've got a lot of those! And I think it's also the nerve(s) that may have been the cause of my hyperacidity, crankiness and stress the past few weeks. (Thanks for bearing with me, Gary!:( )I was beginning to wonder if I had become to ambitious as I'd set out to launch Mommy Mundo out of our Philippine shores and was getting ready to do this in the prestigious international event, CBME-SEA, the only business-to-business expo in South East Asia, where we were to be an exhibitor.Since I started attending expos and trade shows overseas in the parenting category, I've always envisioned having a booth and have our country represented in the industry. There were always booths from our ASEAN neighbors, Korea, Malaysia, even Vietnam and Thailand but never anyone from the Philippines. Why is this so? It isn't for lack of innovative products to sell and showcase. Being in industry, we have so much to offer. There is definitely potential so we may just need a bit of a push, or perhaps just a golden opportunity?I've also dreamed about bringing Mommy Mundo overseas, to reach out to moms outside our country, try to serve their needs, simply because we think moms abroad would have similar concerns and needs, and may find relevance in the resources we can offer. So we worked for months on our Mommy Mundo Singapore website and found the venue to launch it.So it happened. We launched MommyMundo.SG at CBME SEA, The experience was a memorable one. First I was happy and relieved my dearest partner in life and work, Gary aka @daddydribbles was able to drop work for a while to come with me, and rightfully so. Not only was he a big help psychologically and logistically, but because he is part of Mommy Mundo's growth as well.
**Feeling startup again! After 18 years in business, we are not new to this sort of work!
Me at our Mommy Mundo booth at CBME SEA. Proudly wearing our locally woven skirt by @AnthillFabricGoing global is a new adventure for us, and that is how i see it, an adventure. This adventure in particular was nostalgic more than anything because it brought back memories of the very beginning when I started Mommy Mundo on my dining table using Gary’s laptop and dial-up internet by PLDT, working at night as soon as I had put the kids (then babies) to bed.I had a staff of 1, a messenger who did deliveries and pick ups for me, but when he didn’t have anything to do id give him the yellow pages and ask him to use the landline to call everyone on it and after that send out letters to all the companies he could find in the directory via FAX.Back then I'd connect with moms via sms and email because there was no such thing as social media back. Dial-up internet made way for broadband but still wired to the telephone unit and modem. I'd be working in the office (I was working with friends on my other publishing venture) I would bring my then only baby Coby to work and everywhere else because he had major separation issues and I wanted to keep breastfeeding him.On occasion I'd be working from home when there were no meetings, and soon wireless internet happened and I could work on my laptop wherever I wanted, the beach, cafes, even the car while waiting for the kids to get dismissed from school.It was a blessing to be connected, especially now when I could do any work I wanted and just be connected to our well-grown community, even with just my smartphone in hand and the optimum signal of SMART.It's been 13 years, and now, with Mommy Mundo going global, I know firsthand the difference an empowered mom can make in her home, her community, and the world. How we can change mom mindsets, transform parenting practices for the better, improve lives, not only of fellow moms, but of children and of families that she pours her love and care on.
Thanks to my friend and content head Jing Lejano and Hashtag Digital for being my partners in our new website!)
Even if the journey to this moment took years and a lot of hard work, I'm grateful to have had "the nerve" to think BIG, grateful for the opportunity (to Louise and Melissa of UBM for allowing us to be a partner at CBME SEA) and grateful to have had the connectivity (Thank you PLDT!) #ChangingLives
Following are snapshopts from CBME-SEA where we launched Mommy Mundo’s first foray regionally and we were happy to be with some of our mompreneur friends who flew from Manila to Singapore for the show.We consider this group the first ever-Philippine contingent to attend CBME/UBM:
Joy, SG based mompreneur who was a big help to us at the event and Baguio-based mompreneur, Candice
Candice and Mi-Ann of BabyMama
Sherrie of Discovery Deport and Helen of Hatch and Latch
Nelson and Chrissie of Babyzone
Filipina mumpreneur Apple of Mum's Pick SG
Kia of Seve's Mom
plus this group of Filipino moms we met there
and our friends, Singapore mum advocates
Even Tina, Singapore-based daughter of my good friend, childbirth teacher, Rome Kanapi as thereand last but not the least, Anton Diaz of www.ourawecomeplanet.com who was in Singapore for another event made sure to see each other so he could congratulate us on our milestone!
Our Singapore launch was an awesome experience!
The fun mural art wall at the hotel we stayed in. More details on Hotel Tanglin here.We learned a lot from the talks
and connected with different brands from all over the world.
I enjoyed discovering so many quality products
bonding over food with friends from Manila,
and friends in Singapore.
With my cousin Celine, her hubby Rob, our friends Ria and Pierre owners of Fruit Garden Jams, during our dinner at Gordon Ramsay's Breadstreet KitchenWe even bumpred into our friend Jamie, owner of Cocoro Sugar, who was in SG for the Food Expo
and also my former client, Hilda, head of Hormel Food! We hadn't seen each other for so long, since we launched Spam Jam cafe in Glorietta more than 10 years ago!
Just goes to show that dreaming up things, taking steps towards making it real, gathering up the nerve to make it a success, plus having loads of fun while doing it can really make dreams come true just as we had in Singapore.
We’re gearing up for more for Singapore mums! To be in the loop, follow Mommy Mundo SG on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website and sign up for our mailing list. Click here!