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Lei Ermitanio: The Purpose driven mompreneur

  • Nira Macaspac
Two of the most challenging roles a person can undertake are raising a family and starting a business, but would you agree when I say that such roles are the most rewarding ones, too? I would. 

Being a mom and managing a business requires patience, hard work, perseverance, mental and physical toughness, and love above all. Doing one or the other on its own is difficult enough, but in this time and age, more mothers are changing the way they think about work once they start a family. They’re choosing something different: self-employment.

Mommy Lei

Lerma Ermitanio, more known as ‘Mommy Lei‘, is one example of women killing it as a #mompreneur. This month’s cover queen embodies a feminine who can bounce back from adversities and rise above her challenges. As an entrepreneur, a mother, and a community builder, Mommy Lei has quite a lot on her plate, but she manages to live her life day by day as she dumps the stigma that a woman can only be successful in one area.
 
Mommy Lei is a mother to 3 beautiful kids. She is also the Founder of MOMpreneurs Club PH, an online community for mompreneurs where members can crowdsource ideas, give recommendations, and even promote their businesses. Lei is also the founder and CEO of Belle Âme Essentials, a beauty and personal care brand.

The Business

Belle Âme Essentials started as a provider of personalized scents used as presents and event giveaways. Now it has expanded into offering beauty and personal care essentials intended to provide innovative but affordable solutions for common skin issues of every member of the family. Apart from this, Lei also wanted to offer business opportunities to fellow Moms (or Moms at heart) by being a distributor or reseller of their products.
 
Lei admitted that building a business while raising a family is a challenging journey that led her to a state of depression.

"After some failed businesses in the past that led me to a bout with depression, Belle Âme Essentials was my redemption. I launched this business in 2015, fulfilling my desire to make my passion a profitable venture. The brand was originally about creating custom-made perfumes and other bath essentials intended for events giveaways and gift-giving. However, in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic started, we pivoted to survive. Under the new sub-brands of Belle Âme Essentials, we then launched innovative skincare products that are made from natural ingredients. Who would have thought that the pandemic will push me to pursue my long-forgotten dream?

Lei Ermitanio

The Community

One of the struggles this mompreneur had when she was starting out was finding support. Recognizing the needs of a mompreneur motivated her to start an online community to help fellow moms on their entrepreneurial journey. In 2018, MOMpreneurs Club PH came to life. It is a free online community of 10,000 Moms who are into entrepreneurship where the members and Lei serve as a support group to their fellow Moms who need guidance, answers, and even moral support whenever they need help and encouragement. They also offer free webinars and resources that can help them in their journey as mompreneurs. 

Bouncing Back like a #Bossmom

2020 was a challenging year for most businesses. Lei, being in the events and beauty industry was hit hard. She said that it was her kids and the community that motivated her to move forward.
 
As the founder of MCPH, she knew she had to set an example of resilience, that pushed her to rise again. Since most of the members were affected too, she felt she needed to stand up and help them to become motivated and let them know there’s hope to bounce back.
 
According to Lei, she also saw the need to pivot because she wanted to show her kids that despite the struggles, God will always give us ways to get back on our feet. 

"My brand Belle Âme Essentials is a reflection of me. I am uniquely made. My experiences molded me into the person I am now. The passion, the care, the love that my brand offers is different from the others. Our products may be innovative, but more than that, it's the genuine care- the Mom kind of care, the Mommy Lei kind of care - that sets us apart."

Lei Ermitanio

A Purpose-driven woman

Lei thinks she still has goals yet to meet and some promising plans for her business and community. She gladly said that her heart is in a happy place and she has so many things to be grateful for- family, the opportunities and blessings from God, and the experiences and lessons she learned in her journey as a mom and entrepreneur.

"I am proud that I was able to touch lives and somehow became a part of their journey to success. I am proud because I found my life's purpose."

Lei Ermitanio
She also mentioned that an entrepreneur, whether you’re a mom or not, should adopt a mother’s skills. 

"Moms are naturally resourceful, patient, dedicated, problem-solver, and most importantly, resilient. All of these mentioned, when applied to a career or business, will help one succeed. "

Lei Ermitanio
Belle Âme Essentials has a new product line called Hello Radiance. This set of products is infused with a special ingredient that no other local brand has. Besides that, women don’t have to worry about harsh ingredients as these products are safe for tweens, teenagers, pregnant and lactating moms.
When asked for her message to women who are interested in starting and growing a business, here’s what she said:

"Determine your biggest WHY. Life is full of bumps, detours, and what seem like dead ends. There will be times when you will feel like giving up, and this is why it is important to know and remind yourself of the reason why you want to reach the finish line."

Lei Ermitanio

What's Next for Mommy Lei?

Let us be the first to spill this wonderful news! Mommy Lei’s book is coming this year! We’re looking forward to the release of Mommy Lei’s creation, “Bounce Back like a #BossMom.” In this book, she’ll share her personal stories of overcoming challenges and tips on how to bounce back gracefully from our obstacles. 

Follow Lei Ermitanio

You can follow mommy lei and join her community through the following social media accounts:
Business:
 
Personal Page:
 
MOMpreneurs Club PH
FB Page and FB Group: MOMpreners Club PH
About The Author
Nira Macaspac

Nira Macaspac

Nira is a digital media publisher and the editor-in-chief of Featuredph. She is a
branding strategist and an advocate of women empowerment. She has worked as a content producer for different digital media publications in Asia and the Philippines such as Marketing in Asia, Manila Bulletin, StyleMNL, and When in Manila. She's an entrepreneur and an internationally certified Life Coach. She has coached several women about business and personality development. Visit her website at http://www.niramacaspac.com

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