Motherhood Trained Them For Business: How 4 Women Launched This Local Clean Skincare Brand

Vicki Reece said, “If you need to get something done, ask a mom. If no one else can do it, she'll find a way." 

The quote holds true for Filipino skincare brand Pure Culture. The label that champions world-class skincare was conceived by Alex Gentry, Rina dela Calzada, and Kim Reyes-Palanca. All of them are mothers who cannot help integrate their experiences into the Pure Culture philosophy. Recently, they also welcomed Stephanie Oller, fellow mother as well, as CEO for the brand, proving Pure Culture’s steady growth since its launch in 2022. 

According to its website, Pure Culture sets out to be "compassionate for country and planet". While it certainly gives off a luxurious vibe with ingredients such as Bulgarian rose, green caviar, and wild algae, its price points are reasonable. Many products are priced under Php 1,000 each.

Smart Parenting had the pleasure to zero in on each Pure Culture founder to figure out how and why being a mother is perhaps the best pre-education into entrepreneurship. 

In this feature, Pure Culture also proves how the current corporate structures can learn from one of the busiest, yet most underpaid—underappreciated, even—jobs in the world. 

Work-life-motherhood integration

One common thing all  four co-founders share is a discipline with their own schedule. This is work-life integration at its finest as they seamlessly transition through various roles between the different phases of the day. They start off by answering emails around 9 AM then ending the day with school pickups and time with their spouses. 

Some days are crazy, of course. Rina notes, “It’s always a busy day, a non-stop grind. I attend to my small family in the morning, try to squeeze in some exercise, and then work starts right after.” 

Kim, who goes for a Pilates workout before the hustle starts notes that, as much as mothers always priortize others first, there must be a pocket of me-time. “One of the best things we could do for ourselves is to have some quiet time in the morning, before taking on our multiple roles and responsibilities.” 

Days are packed so nights tend to be sacred. Alex who also works on Sprout Solutions, an HR tech company she founded with her husband in 2015, says, “I end the day with an early dinner and special playtime with the kids before starting on their bedtime routine.” 

'I always share that the better mother I became, the better leader I become.' —Alex Gentry, Pure Culture co-founder

Stephanie stretches the day by starting early, “Every day starts at 5 AM. The first hour is to work out It keeps me centered, sane, and focused.  Work starts while everyone else is asleep.”

Despite the non-stop demands of each role, Kim underlines a need to be adaptable. “I sometimes call my ‘to-do’ list my ‘wish list.’ Like most moms, I want to accomplish so much in a day. But as a mom, I have to accept that there's a possibility I may not be able to do all the things I’ve set out to do. Plans and needs always change, and I will have to prioritize depending on how the day goes.” 

Pandemic baby 

There are countless lessons the pandemic forced on us. For the Pure Culture women, it was the essence of time. The contrast of long hours in a day with the urgency of the global crisis, Pure Culture became a response to a need for purpose. “The pandemic made me rethink life and realize that anything can happen,” Rina says. “So, if you want to do something, create something, do it now.” 

Contrary to what other people might think, being a mom wasn’t an obstacle in a starting business. It was probably the best jump-off point. Rina continues, “To be honest, I didn’t really feel that being a mom will hinder me from doing something. I always believe in time management. What's important also is that you get your family on board, explain why you’re doing it and get their full support.” 

'Being a mother adds to running a business instead of it being a deterrent to success.' —Kim Reyes-Palanca, Pure Culture co-founder

There is a certain heart and homeliness to Pure Culture in their approach—from products to marketing. Kim, a beauty editor for years, always saw the need for a clean Filipino beauty brand. “During my 30s—wellness and holistic health was something I was very passionate about and I leaned into it in preparation for my 40s. Mindfulness, being self-aware, working on my wellness and wholeness, these are what led me to the wellness rituals I subscribe to.” 

The sacrifices might be long hours on Zoom between the founders, countless nights of research and product testing, and the challenges of startup entrepreneurship. But, what is that compared to what children demand from their mothers? 

Alex’s part of the Pure Culture story gives also testament to finding a venue to foster a woman’s capabilities outside rearing children. “It was deep in the craziness of growing Sprout that I actually stumbled upon my love for formulating, which eventually led to the founding of Pure Culture. Soap making was gateway—it was my escape from the chaos of tech—and I did it just as a hobby for years. It was when I formally studied Organic Skincare Formulation with UK-based Formula Botanica when I knew that the hobby had snowballed into a full-on obsession, and it was hard to stop after that.” 

RELATED: Love Bonito Co-Founder Rachel Lim On Motherhood And Business: Our Well-Being Will Impact Our Children

Raising a business

The founders of Pure Culture prove that if not for being a mother, they wouldn’t find what it takes to create the label. They re-write the narrative that mothers and what they value have no business in the workplace. In fact, with the pandemic shifting how we look at economic growth, we could all use a lesson or two from the women who raised us. 

There is no clocking out of being a mother, true, but overtime at work isn’t the most productive approach. Stephanie says that being a mom helps you enforce boundaries, that is always important in any scenario. 

“The word 'mom' can never be attached to the word ‘boundaries’. There is just zero of that when you're a mother. Howeve, in a business or career setting, this is something we value and reinforce.”

Alex, on the other hand, says, “I always share that the better mother I became, the better leader I become.” 

She also shares how some parenting books are about the same advice you will find in building a healthy work enviroment. 

“Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina says give kids freedom within a controlled environment. Multipliers by Liz Wiseman says give your team the responsibility to decide within their bounds. Happiest Toddler on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp says speak to them in Toddlerese, or speak to them in their own language.

“Strategize by Roman Pichler says the same thing when talking to different groups within the company. Growing Up Brave by Dr. Donna Pincus says to encourage, instead of praising kids to put them in a growth mindset. Radical Candor by Kim Scott says being specific about what’s great rather than just saying “good job” inspires growth rather than plateauing.”

Rina points out how the strengths of a mother are also the exact same strengths in a business owner. “Being a mom makes you more patient. You don't get bogged down with the small day-to-day things but rather overcoming those moments to see the bigger picture. When those days happen, moms can be able to jump back and focus on what needs to be done to arrive at the long term goal.” 

RELATED: Running a Small Business Is Tough: 7 Mompreneurs Share Their Biggest Lessons

Job description

Kim summarizes why moms make for ideal entrepreneurs, “Moms run a household, full-time! And this trait that was once overlooked by companies, is now recognized as crucial  and valuable skills in a corporate setting.” 

She continues to points out that keeping a healthy household utilizes the same skills needs to make a company grow such as strategic planning and straight-forward decision making, along with attention to detail. On top of that,  there is also that touch others may not have until they have kids. Kim says, “We are committed yet compassionate, we have good time management, we are resourceful, we know how to build a support system, we know how to care for our tribe. Being a mother adds to running a business instead of it being a deterrent to success.” 

Visit purecultureph.com to know more about the brand and its products, which are also available on Zalora.