One inspiring trend among entrepreneurs in the Philippines is the increasing number of businesswomen actively engaging in supporting and uplifting their fellow women.
Women are natural at this. They have the innate ability to mentor and lift other people — they do it at home with their children and they do it at work. When a woman, a mother especially, sees other moms struggling to provide for their family, it spurs them to do better at their own business so they could help other mothers.
Whether it’s to provide employment or help others upskill and discover their talents, moms get the job done. This is a powerful motivation for their businesses, the goal that fires them up to succeed and empower others in return.
This is at the heart of two businesses that began in the homes of two women of Madiskarte Moms PH (MMPH), an online community of mompreneurs that began during the pandemic to provide support for those seeking to supplement their income.
May Martin-Pimentel of MomsatWork and Digitalent, and Erica Rederico of Produkto PH are inspiring examples of mompreneurs becoming a catalyst for positive change in the lives of other moms. The help their businesses extend to other moms today has a huge impact on the future of the children of these families, who otherwise might not be able to go to school. These children might be our future teachers, doctors, programmers, inventors and entrepreneurs — who will hopefully do the same to others when their time comes.
May and Erica are among the winners at this year’s Gawad Madiskarte, mounted by PLDT Home to recognize innovative business and hardworking mompreneurs.
Uplifting indigenous Filipinos and their craft
31-year-old mompreneur Erica Rederico’s Produkto PH is the 2023 winner for Diskarteng May Puso, which recognizes those who infuse their businesses with a sense of compassion, empowerment, and social justice. Produkto PH curates, promotes and sells products made by indigenous communities in the country.
Her business model works both ways: it provides a marketplace for sellers and makes it easy for buyers to support them by having them all on one platform — digital and at select physical trade fairs.
Erica said that Produkto PH vets the products and the makers of these products, many of them engaged in traditional Filipino crafts. “We really filter out the products na sinasali namin — not just the products, but also the communities na sinasali namin,” said Erica. “We want to focus on homegrown brands and local products.”
Erica recounts stories of communities across the country, such as one hinabi weaver from Aklan who earned over P100,000 from two days of selling at their product fair in a mall. That was enough for the weaver to put up their own small shop and grow their trade.
“Nagiging motivation ko is the happiness I see from our local producers and the diverse range of products that we have in the country. Kahit saan ka tumingin, may produkto,” she said.
“I want to encourage other Filipinos to support local vendors because every small purchase makes a big difference and makes a big impact in the world we live in.”
Expanding an up-and-coming field for all
May Martin-Pimentel’s business, MomsatWork and Digitalent, offers to train and employ fellow moms as online virtual assistants who perform clerical tasks for clients both local and international. She won the Diskarteng Digital Winner at this year’s Gawad Madiskarte, in recognition of her ability to start and cultivate a bustling online business.
May had a lucrative career as an office manager and recruiter before she was laid off in 2016. As fate would unfortunately have it, her husband was also laid off at the time. Determined to help provide for her growing family with four kids, she harnessed her organization skills to start her management consultancy company and a recruitment agency to help other moms start their freelancing career as virtual assistants.
With her businesses, not only has May been earning more than the 6-digit salary she used to have, but she also finds fulfillment in offering other moms employment opportunities through paid and free training programs. These programs are designed specifically for hustling moms with topics such as time-management, finance, client-hunting strategies, branding, marketing and so much more.
“ I have found financial freedom, work-life harmony, and workload flexibility in the world of online freelancing. I also endeavor to help other mothers become boss moms in their own right and enjoy the same benefits,” she said. “I was able to bounce back and come out better and now, I endeavor to help other mothers become boss moms in their own right and enjoy the same benefits.
“After all, nobody understands a mother more than somebody who has been there.”
Check out Digitalent and Momsatwork on Facebook, and stay tuned for Produkto PH’s events. And be inspired by the entrepreneurial moms of the Madiskarte Moms PH community.