Who or what is your inspiration in business?

I’m inspired by founders who build brands that shape culture, not just sell products. Companies like Aesop showed that beauty can be thoughtful, design-driven, and rooted in ritual. My time working on global campaigns at Nike also showed me the power of bold storytelling. Those influences pushed me to create Halik – bringing Filipino botanicals and traditions into the global luxury beauty conversation.

How do you stay motivated?

I stay motivated by the belief that representation in luxury matters. The Philippines is rich in botanical ingredients and wellness traditions, yet they’re rarely centered in global beauty. Building Halik is my way of changing that. Every product and story we share helps bring Filipino culture into the conversation. When your work represents something bigger than you, motivation becomes momentum.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would invest the funding into scaling Halik’s next phase of growth: expanding our product development and storytelling around Filipino botanicals. Part of the investment would support our upcoming clean pet care collection, extending our philosophy of gentle, plant-based care to animals. The rest would go toward content and education that helps introduce Filipino ingredients and traditions to a global audience.