How Motherhood Made Me Better: Turning Challenges into Creativity

Patricia Ocampo Gonzalez and Margaux Romero Alampay aren’t just the visionaries behind Coral Manila, a local swimwear brand—they’re both mothers. Between the two of them are eight kids: Patricia has five and Margaux has three. Through motherhood, they discovered Coral Manila’s heart and purpose. “I think we started the business when we were new moms. We started brainstorming for Coral while I was pregnant with my firstborn, and we launched it when my firstborn was five months old. So, I don't really know motherhood without Coral,” Pat shared in an interview with Smart Parenting. 

Margaux, Coral’s designer, also drew inspiration from motherhood: “Being a mom changed my perspective on swimsuits.” She explained, “Of course, before, you could wear anything, it was easier to just wear any swimsuit, right? But after motherhood, my body changed. It changed the kind of swimsuits that I choose for myself because I still want to look stylish and pretty. But then, I know I have to hide certain parts, and I have to be more strategic about the coverage. What needs to be covered, what can be more exposed, things like that.”

She applied her own experience to refine her designs, “It's a common problem, not just for moms, but for women in general, ‘di ba, the puson? That’s what we try with the fabrics that I choose and the designs. We try to be strategic with the designs to cover areas that need to be covered.”

“That's why we started the brand. Kasi, before, it was hard for us to find one-piece swimwear that still looks stylish and not just athletic. Or old-fashioned,” Margaux recalled. Now celebrating its tenth anniversary, Coral Manila has spent a decade creating a ‘Filipino swimwear line that balances comfort, coverage, and style. “Having our own business has allowed us to be flexible and available to our children through the years, which is definitely, I think, the perk of freelance work or starting your own business,” Pat said.

Yet combining motherhood and entrepreneurship isn’t easy, Pat admitted, “There’s this constant push and pull between our different priorities. Sometimes motherhood invites you to lean into that more, and sometimes there are seasons also wherein your business requires more of you.”

Beyond being visionaries, Pat and Margaux lead a team of mostly women sewers, many of whom are breadwinners. When asked about moms’ unique strengths as leaders, Pat reflected: “One, the ability to multitask. I feel like we've grown in that as mothers because it's required of motherhood. That has carried over in the business.”

She continued, “Number two, the nurturing side of ourselves. We're treating the people who we work with not just as tools or as objects, but as people. We look for how we can take care of them, how we can be a part of their growth, their spiritual growth, their professional growth. That's multitasking, that's nurturing.”

“And then, I think the ability to sacrifice. Motherhood also asks that of women, and I don't think sacrificing is a negative thing. I think sacrificing allows you to grow as a person in generosity and in self-control and your willpower, your personal willpower. So, we've been asked of that as mothers, and we're also asked of that as business owners.”

As a designer, Margaux considers other moms’ needs: “Speaking as the designer, it's more of knowing the common problems of moms. Also, that mindset na, when you're at the beach or when you're at the pool with your kids, we know that you have to chase them. You'll carry them, you'll run around with them, and you want to play, you want to enjoy.”

“But we also worry about, ‘Am I covered enough, may lalabas ba, may matatanggal ba na strap?’ So, that's why also we make the swimsuits. We make sure there's enough coverage and comfort, and we test them out ourselves, you know, with our kids and make sure that they are ready for those activities,” Margaux explained.

Pat and Margaux also shared their biggest challenge in being a mom and a leader at the same time: “Madami,” “Everything going on. Life is crazy all the time.”

“There's always something coming up with the kids and with the business. The biggest struggle really is finding that balance and also being willing, like as a business also, you know, sometimes you can't stop. Sometimes, you have to continue, even when everything is going on. Sometimes, no sleep. And most of the time, having to choose what to prioritize,” Margaux said about the challenges of doing both her roles.

Pat added, “I guess for me, my struggle is always, am I mothering you or am I your boss? The lines sometimes get blurred because you want to push people to excel and deliver their best work. But you also want to be a safe space where they can share their concerns and grow. So, for me, what are the lines? The professional lines, the boss lines, and the instinct to mother a person, to nurture a person.”

Finally, they shared how motherhood made them better, as a person and as a leader: “Motherhood made me better because it helped me realize that the world does not revolve around me. And life is better that way, life is more joyful that way, life is more fulfilling that way,” Pat said. Margaux echoed her message, “Motherhood made me better because motherhood made me a giver. And by just being a giver, I think that has affected so many areas of my life already.”

If you’re looking for career inspiration, check out Crissy Talks HR on Instagram. Crissy Rollan—HR and Talent Consultant, Executive Coach, and founder of Qubel Recruitment—shares tips, purpose, work etiquette, and more. With over 72,000 followers, she inspires young graduates and seasoned professionals alike.

Crissy speaks from her solid two decades of experience in Human Resources, with expertise in executive coaching and leadership development, recruitment strategy and talent advisory, and organizational design and culture consulting. As she introduced herself, Crissy added after her professional career, “And most importantly, I’m a mom to Chance and Rise, plus my two fur babies, Steph and Klay.”

“Becoming a mother changed everything I thought I knew about love, purpose, and leadership. When I lost Chance, it changed me even more,” Crissy started to share. Chance is Crissy’s eldest son, who sadly passed away as a baby.

“Chance didn’t just make me a mother—he taught me how to mother, how to lead, and how to live with greater intention. Every late night, every quiet cuddle, every milestone we celebrated—even the painful moments—formed the foundation of the woman I’ve become,” Crissy shared how their time with Chance shaped her as who she is now.

“His presence in my life showed me what it means to be fully present. His absence taught me that love doesn’t end—it expands. Because even when a mother’s arms are empty, her heart still holds more than words can say.”

She applied these lessons to her career: “As a leader, I began to shift from performance to presence. I learned that real strength is often found in being soft. Showing up with empathy, grace, and humanity matters more than any title or metric. That the greatest influence we can have comes from leading with heart.”

“There are still days when grief catches me off guard. But I no longer run from it. I honor it. Because Chance’s life—though short—was filled with purpose. And I carry that purpose forward in the work I do and the way I live,” Crissy continued.

“Motherhood didn’t just change me. It broke me, rebuilt me, and revealed to me the kind of woman I want to be: grounded, grateful, and fiercely full of love.”

Crissy’s reason, purpose, and drive go back to being a mother, “I am—and will always be—Chance’s mom. And because of him, I lead with more faith, more heart, and more courage than ever before.”

Lastly, Crissy shared how motherhood transformed her, “Motherhood made me better at embracing my brokenness with grace. It taught me that healing doesn’t mean forgetting—it means loving even through the pain. It opened my heart in ways I never thought possible, giving me the strength to walk with others in their grief, especially moms who have lost their little ones. Motherhood gave my sorrow a purpose and turned my pain into deeper compassion. It didn’t just make me stronger. It made me kinder. It made me whole in a different, more beautiful way.”

In a profession dominated by men, Sheila Catilo has carved her path as a lifestyle photographer specializing in women, kids, and milestones. A wife and mother of three girls, she’s been capturing moments for twenty years.

“My dad gave me my very first point-and-shoot camera when I was 9 years old, and I brought it with me everywhere,” Sheila recalled.

“As a kid, I don’t think it ever crossed my mind to consider photography as an ambition or to pursue it as a career. It was such a constant part of me that it didn’t feel like it was something I would do as a job, per se, and I think it’s the reason why every shoot is personal for me. It’s not just work, it’s a chance to do something I love and share it with people. My goal has always been to give every photo I shoot a heartbeat, because the more I feel when I shoot, the more an image means to me, and the more it resonates with the people who see it,” Sheila told Smart Parenting. 

Sheila credits her mother’s diligent documentation as her inspiration: “It was someone else’s motherhood that inspired me. I always give my mom credit when it comes to my passion for taking pictures of EVERYTHING.”

“Mom was extremely diligent in documenting our childhood. Whether they were major milestones or snippets of our daily lives, we had albums and albums that often became go-to references for what year something happened, who we were with, what our favorite colors, characters, food, or hobbies were, and so on. I still wholeheartedly believe that these became the building blocks of our core memories. Because of that experience and my love for taking pictures, I have made it my mission in life to help families document their memories so that they have images to bring them back to those fleeting yet special moments, just like we did,” she explained. 

As a mother of three, Sheila has learned to be more intentional: “Motherhood has taught me to be more intentional in the way I approach situations and life in general.”

“I’ve always been a very emotional and sensitive person, and I think I still am—but being a mom and experiencing what it’s like to wear multiple hats all at the same time while making sure you are on top of things trains you to be prepared for almost everything. It’s been both fulfilling and humbling to look back on how much I’ve evolved since I had kids,” she continued.

“Because when you start to realize that you are responsible for someone else’s well-being and how much influence you have on the way they will turn out as humans, it makes you more mindful and pushes you to be a better person for their sake.”

She applies this mindset to her clients: “This mentality trickles down to people I encounter and work with. I may not get it right all the time and things don’t turn out the way I expect them to sometimes- but one thing’s for sure - I always try my very best to do right for those under my care.”

As all mothers would agree, juggling motherhood and leadership brings challenges, and for Sheila, “I think the biggest challenge is knowing that every decision I make will affect both. My family will always come first, but at the same time, my work is very personal to me as an artist, and what has allowed me to support my loved ones.” 

“I’ve come to accept that there is no perfect balance, but there can still be healthy co-existence between the two because being a mom and photographer has opened so many doors for us as a family to experience things and go places. It’s a gift I will never take for granted.” Sheila believes motherhood made her better, “Motherhood made me better when I least expected things to get any better."

She added with a story, “When I was pregnant with my third child, my husband and I decided I needed to step back and take an indefinite break to focus on our growing family. I had no regrets looking back, but I have to admit—I had fears about giving up my job—fear that I would be forgotten and wouldn’t have a career to go back to. Fear of not being able to pick up where I left off and relearn what I knew I was good at. However, having that season as a full-time mom paved the way for a journey of discovering my calling as a family photographer and storyteller. I had more experience that helped me connect with the families I photographed and gain a clearer perspective on what’s important. It gave me a deeper sense of purpose—to create images that become heirlooms for every family I photograph.”

What she thought was a career break transformed into a greater purpose and meaning.

These stories prove that motherhood isn’t a hindrance to pursuing what they love. Their advocacies and passions don’t stop them from being the best mothers they can be. Motherhood made them even better—both as moms and as leaders.