Why Moms Should Root For Ourselves, According To CEO Nina Ellaine Dizon

01/07/2024

In an exclusive roundtable with Summit Media editors, Nina Ellaine Dizon, the CEO and founder of the cosmetic brand Colourette, opened up about the recent changes in her life, including her separation.

This and more are part of her new book, aptly titled Rooting For Me: Breaking Boundaries As A (Business) Woman, published by Summit Books.

The humble beginnings of CEO mom Nina Ellaine Dizon

Nina described publishing a book about her journey as a businesswoman "feels euphoric, nostalgic even." The book took a year to produce with the Summit Books team, and Nina hopes it will inspire aspiring business owners. which she hopes could become a source of inspiration or lessons by aspiring business owners.

The book lets readers in on Nina's journey, starting from her childhood, where she made and sold song lyrics to her friends, to her first online business venture—creating and selling logos for online shops on Facebook for Php 25 each.

That's where she learned how selling online can be lucrative, and thought of selling scrap soaps through consignment because she didn't have a capital at the time.

"From there, I developed my own online skincare brand named Fairness and Flawless. Nakaipon ako ng konting capital. And then I started to launch Colourette as a sub-brand. I really did not know that it was Colourette that's gonna propel me forward as an entrepreneur," Nina said.

Recently, Nina announced she secured $ 2 million in investments for Colourette. She reflected, "It's cliche, I always say it: Malayo pa, pero malayo na. Pero it pays kasi to give yourself some credit eh. Sometimes you get lost in the future, what your plans are. I'm still hungry, I'm still driven to achieve more, pero you don't get to sulk into the achievements. Kasi you don't get to live in the moment eh."

Personal challenges and separation

Nina shared the challenges of her separation during the book's production and fundraising for Colourette.

"I ended our marriage. And then I had to uproot my kids from the province.

And then now we live here in Manila. So it's like a full-blown transition talaga while we were writing the book and then while we were doing the fundraise," she said.

Parents can relate when Nina said that she couldn't even afford to grieve over her loss due to her responsibilities, "So may time yung pag-cry ko. I put it in the calendar. And then I cry only while I'm in the shower. Kasi I have to have meetings. I need to show up for myself, for my company, for work and for my kids. Kasi while it was a huge transition for me, it was an even bigger one for my kids," she explained.

"When my kids look unto me, like pag-teenager na sila, I want them to look at me as their mom and think na, 'Oh, my mom has very strong boundaries.' — Nina Ellaine Dizon

Nina shared that she's just happy that her kids understood her decision despite feeling sad about the situation. They are still adjusting, but they are moving forward nonetheless.

"'Yung period na yun of 2023 talaga, I was like, 'Lord, ayoko na maging strongest soldier. Gusto ko nang maging baby girl this year.' Pero yun kasi, parang ngayon na napagdaanan ko yun, everything happening all at once. And achieving this, like now I have a book. And just announced the fundraise. And you know, Colourette is getting the attention it deserves. Parang, okay, if I can go through that, I feel like I can go through anything—but I'd rather not."

Nina clarified that her separation was not caused by her career, but by not receiving the treatment and love she deserved. "When my kids look into me, like pag-teenager na sila, I want them to look at me as their mom and think na, 'Oh, my mom has very strong boundaries.'

She continued, "I want my daughter to say, 'I want that too.' I want the kind of relationship that would respect her, that would treat her well. Kasi I'm gonna serve as their example, eh. So if I can stand up for myself, I can't expect my kids to stand up for them too. That was my greatest realization, that kind of flipped me around. Bambi, she just turned seven the other day. And I want Bambi to look at me and say, oh, I want to be loved the way my mom is loved. Gano'n. So, nung na-realize ko yun, 'Okay. Goodbye.'

How Nina wants to raise her children

Nina shared with Smart Parenting the top three values she wants to instill in her kids.

1. Know your boundaries and enforce them.

Nina admitted that knowing her boundaries was challenging, but enforcing them was even harder. "When you know your boundaries, you're also gonna get the kind of treatment you think you deserve. Ngayon ko na-realize na I thought I loved myself. But maybe not enough pala for me to actually fight for the things that I want," said Nina.

2. 'I'm my kids' greatest influencer.'

While proud of her career achievements, Nina emphasized that what matters most is being present for her kids. "What my kids will remember will not be the investment announcement I'm making. My kids will remember the times that I was there watching them during their swimming competitions. The times that I sat down with them in the sofa and said 'Hey, how are you feeling? Let's talk about it.'

3. Life is a continuous learning curve.

While her journey has been long and meaningful, Nina acknowledges that she is still a work in progress. "Hindi mo pala talaga alam lahat. Hindi mo pa pala napagdaanan ang lahat. And kahit na I feel like, hey, I'm 30, I'm already old, hindi pa ito yung Nina sa endgame. I'm still continuously improving and changing as a person because priorities can change. And that's what's currently happening to my life right now."

Nina said she's recently found balance in her life, and she's no longer in a fight or flight mode all the time. "I've learned to accept mistakes. I've learned to accept na failures. I've learned to accept rejection. I've learned to accept feedback and criticism. And now I know what to do with those things.

Hindi na siya kailangan na defense mode all the time that I'm perfect because reality check, I'm not."

Nina on self-care and support system

For Nina, weekends are sacred for self-care, spent staying in bed and watching her favorite series. However, she stressed that self-care also involves relationships.

"Self-love also comes from the relationships na you tolerate. Whether it be the friends that you currently have, your relationship with work, your relationship with your partner. Kasi if you do not take care of the boundaries that you have, how you feel na you should be treated, what kind of treatment you are receiving and tolerating, then no matter how much skincare you do or how many massage sessions you get, stressed ka pa rin. 'Di ba?" she shared.

She continued, "It's not easy. It's not overnight na parang, 'Oh ito yung boundary ko, i-enforce ko na siya today. It's a constant battle pala to really stand your ground and be true to yourself na parang, are you strong enough to walk away? Because sometimes you're not. And that's okay. The time will come.

Pero it's how you pep yourself up to be like, okay, I'm not comfortable with this.

If this pushes forward, then I'm gonna walk out."

"It was my mom who was my first-ever employee. And up to now, she is my warehouse manager." — Nina Ellaine Dizon

Nina attributes her success to her mom, whom she considers her biggest support system.

"When I feel like I don't have the time to do a certain thing, like to enroll the kids in school, 'Ma, pa-enroll naman ng kids sa school.' Or mga kailangan samahan si Bambi sa birthday ng kaklase. It really is my mom."

She added, "And even from the start when on this business journey, it was my mom who was my first-ever employee. And up to now, she is my warehouse manager."

Nina explained, "I believe in myself because she always believed in me. And I also shared this na parang, bakit ako sobrang confident guys sa katawan ko? My mom never body shamed me. She never told me, 'Uy, ang itim mo. Uy, ang laki ng braso mo. Uy, wag ka magshorts kasi ang pangit ng hita mo. Siya pa yung bumibili sa akin ng mga spaghetti strap nung bata. Ako kahit na hindi pa uso crop top, naka crop top na ako. Kaya lagi ako naka shorts."

"She always made me feel like I was the most beautiful girl in the world. And that's something that I want to impart to my daughter also. I want her to know that she's the most beautiful girl ever," Nina said.

Nina on finishing her studies after dropping out of college twice

Due to financial constraints, Nina revealed she had to drop out of college twice. Until finally, she took the ETEEAP, an alternative learning program of the Department of Education, which allowed her to get a degree in Business Administration, Major in Marketing Management at the Lyceum of the Philippines.

She shares this with parents who want to do the same, "My mindset naman as a mom is, again, I want to be an example. Ang hirap naman to encourage them to finish their degrees, 'di ba, if I had the opportunity and I didn't take it. So, I want to be able to tell my kids na, 'Uy, ako natapos ko.' So, therefore, kailangan matapos din natin, guys."

Message to parents who are juggling parenthood and business

For parents who are wearing multiple hats, Nina shares this advice, "Kapit lang It's not gonna be easy. Wala namang nagsabi sa atin na madali siya, eh. Pero it's always gonna be worth it if this is something that you really want to pursue."

"In fact, I think parenthood is not a [hindrance] for me, but it was the drive. Because when I had Nathan, my son, that's when Colourette also started. Because finally, I had someone to provide for. I needed to secure his future.

Kaya ko talagang pinag-pursigihan ko si Colourette."

She tells parents to embrace the journey, "But also, don't forget what really matters.

Rooting For Me: Breaking Boundaries as a (Business)Woman will be launched in Fully Booked BGC at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 28, 2024. It will be available in all major e-commerce platforms like Lazada soon after, and in other major bookstores over the next week.

Interview by Yuuki Dela Cruz