Category: Community

“I just wanted to hoard washi tapes,” Jenny Trinidad-Carlos, owner of Art & Sky, would say. She was just hoarding art materials for her own enjoyment, but because she couldn’t help her business-minded self, she thought of a way to sustain her own passion—by creating a business out of it.

A Manila-based boutique arts and crafts store, Art & Sky sources washi tape, paper products, craft tools, and party supplies and sells them online. On top of this, Jenny also co-owns a real estate business called Brick & Click with her husband. She’s my cousin, by the way, and as someone who grew up with her and saw her early dreams of establishing her own business and doing what she loves, I couldn’t be any more proud and happy that she actually ends up living her dream.

That said, Jenny is one of the first people I talked to about establishing Pursuit Community in the Philippines. She’s a creative soul and an experienced business woman at the same time, and I just know that there is so much she can impart to struggling creative business owners about pursuing passions and how to make a living out of them.

And so we invited her to share her story at the Pursuit Manila Made with Love gathering, and her testimony has left all of us feeling inspired and empowered to take God’s lead and use our God-given gifts to pursue what He has called us to do.  Continue reading “Art and Sky: Taking God’s Lead and Pursuing a Passion Business” →

Here’s a quick trivia. In the very first Pursuit Manila gathering, when we had to work with a very small budget and weren’t sure yet if anyone was going to show up at all, Playtime Cakeshop sent us some of their specialty krinkles without expecting or asking for anything in return.

And well, if you’ve joined our gatherings or followed my blog recaps, you know that since then, yummy (and pretty!) pastries are always part of our gatherings (and flatlays!) ;)

What I’m really trying to say is, Playtime Cakeshop has played a special role in the early beginnings of Pursuit Manila, and I’ll always be grateful to Thessam, founder and chef, for her generosity. One can expect that someone who’s got a heart as generous as her must have a really humbling and inspiring story to begin with. And so today in our Dream Chaser series, Thessa shares the story about how she pursued her calling as a pastry chef and successfully built a brand out of her passion.

Read on and learn from her! Continue reading “Playtime Cakeshop: How to Build a Sustainable Business from Your Passion” →

This year I have gotten to know a lot of amazing moms who are rocking their creative businesses while also caring for their homes. As mothers, we know exactly what we want for our young children, and some of us are quick to address these needs and meet this specific demand in the market. In fact, many of these passionate family-centric brands came about because of the desire to do work that matters within the confines of home.

One of these passionate mompreneurs I happened to have met this year is Liza Esteban of Saab & Meelo. I met her as one of our sellers at the Pursuit Manila Fair, and have gotten to know her a little bit through our gathering last month.

Saab & Meelo has been in business for 4 years now, with Liza creating unique head pieces and accessories for little girls. I asked her a few questions about how she established and continuous to manage her business, alongside being a house wife and raising kids. Read on and start taking notes! ;)  Continue reading “Saab and Meelo: On Loving Every Part of the Creative Process” →

I came across Peachy.ph sometime last year, a blog about arts and crafts and motherhood and everything in between. When you visit her blog, you’ll immediately think, “oh wow, everything is so peachy!” and conclude that that’s probably the reason why the blog is called such. And then you learn that her name is indeed, Peachy, and everything starts to make more sense!

Personally meeting Peachy through Pursuit Manila and getting to know her a bit more is one of my unexpected blessings this year. One late night over Viber messages, I have gotten a glimpse of Peachy’s heart and I knew that I have gained myself a new friend. (Ashushu!)

More than the pretty little things you see in her blog, the arts and crafts supplies you find in her online shop, and the adorable polymer clay art that she creates, Peachy also shares her passion and experience to help others figure out how to start their own craft businesses.  Continue reading “Peachy’s Craft Shop and Polymer Clay Art” →