I started this blog — then known as “Truly Rich Mom” — because I was inspired by the teachings of Brother/Kuya Bo Sanchez. I also wanted to share our adventures as a then-missionary family and share mom-recommended products and services too. I re-branded to Truly Rich and Blessed last year mostly because I wanted to reach out to non-moms as well.

Still, you really can’t take the “mom” out of me, and I definitely can’t stop writing about things related to motherhood because, well, it’s an integral part of who I am. I also like sharing inspiring stories about how people are becoming “truly rich” (and blessed, in my opinion) in different aspects, especially when they are my fellow moms.

Truth be told, my husband and I are still trying to figure out what kind of entrepreneurship path is best for our family. In the meantime, we are learning all we can from Kuya Bo and other successful entrepereneurs.

One such entrepreneur is a fellow mom and my namesake as well — Tina De Guzman of Fluffy Pwets. I wrote about her last year for one of the Truly Rich Club‘s e-newsletters, which is exclusively for members. (I contribute there sometimes, as I do for other publications.) I’m sharing Tina’s story below, in the hopes of inspiring at least one of you out there to follow your business dreams! (Tina also gave birth earlier this year to their second child — congrats, tokayo!)

Starting a Passion-based Business: Be Inspired by the Mompreneur behind Fluffy Pwets

“Never give up. Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine.” This quote from Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba.com, can probably serve as inspiration for every entrepreneur out there, especially those who are just starting out, or want to start but don’t have the guts to do so.

The truth is, whether you’re just a newbie or a more “seasoned” entrepreneur, any business has its own set of challenges. Just ask Tina de Guzman, a lawyer, international development specialist, and the mompreneur behind “Fluffy Pwets” (www.fluffypwets.com).

Fluffy Pwets is the Philippines’s first and original brand of hybrid fitted cloth diapers in the Philippines, and all their products are individually handcrafted by Filipino women using both imported and local materials. Having expanded since its first appearance in the market, Fluffy Pwets now also offers coordinating clothing, accessories, and cloth diapering essentials.

Here, de Guzman shares a bit of her story with us – may it inspire us to pursue our business dreams and goals!

The “birth” of Fluffy Pwets

“My husband and I are cloth diapering parents. We would buy diapers locally and from abroad, and the choices in the Philippines were limited,” de Guzman recalls. “I did a lot of research, tested many different diaper types, and one day, we just decided to try making our own cloth diapers.”

At the time, De Guzman was working fulltime, and she is actually still employed to this day.

“It was very difficult to start a business while holding down a job, because you can only do so much within your supposed waking hours,” she shares.

“When Fluffy Pwets started getting hundreds of orders and we didn’t have enough staff yet, I ended up finishing Fluffy Pwets-related work at 5:00 a.m., leaving just enough time for me to hit the shower and get ready for my day job. It was crazy.

“Now, it’s more manageable. I am at risk of getting carpal tunnel syndrome though, because I handle our accounts mostly via phone and laptop, but I can’t say I’ve been forced to pull all-nighters like when we were starting out.”

The blessings behind having a business that you love

Despite all the challenges though, de Guzman says starting and running the Fluffy Pwets business is “very much worthwhile, especially if you believe in your product and there is good reception from your target market”.

“Anything worthwhile won’t come without challenges,” she emphasizes. “It’s overcoming those challenges that make your undertaking victorious.”

De Guzman shares that Fluffy Pwets has actually become a blessing of sorts to her. “Aside from the business side of it, I appreciate how my network has expanded because of Fluffy Pwets,” she divulges. “I’ve met a lot of people and made new friends who I wouldn’t have met through my day job.

“Also, it is so humbling and fulfilling to see photos of #FPbabies! Most parents send us photos of their babies wearing Fluffy Pwets diapers, clothing, blankets, and bags on their birthdays, photo shoots, and other special occasions. We appreciate that we’ve become a part of their lives.”

Simple but meaningful tips for starting your own business

Whether you’re employed now and hope to start a business based on something you love – like cloth diapering, as in de Guzman’s case – or already have a business of your own, you will probably find the following tips from de Guzman helpful:

1. Do your research.

2. Be original. Be the first and constantly innovate.

3. Prioritize customer service and excellent product quality.

4. Don’t skimp on investing on experts – be it expert craftsmen, illustrators, or marketing professionals.

If you want to get more inspiring and practical tips on how to be “truly rich,” I encourage you to join the Truly Rich Club. You may do so just by clicking here. 🙂 God bless us all so we may bless more people!