After reviewing my interview with our 11th Work-at-Home Mommy of the week, I kept on thinking how and where she gets all the energy to do all the things that she does. Imagine — she holds a full time job as a lawyer, she has a booming home-based business, and of course she is a wife, and a mother. I literally asked her what are the vitamin supplements she takes, if any, so i could try those out and get much needed energy.
Before i get carried away, i would like to first introduce to you:
happypinaymommy.com’s work-at-home-mom of the week # 11, Mommy Tina de Guzman of Fluffy Pwets Cloth Diapers:
Mommy Tina de Guzman started into the cloth diapering business following the birth of his son. Like any other cloth diapering mama, she wanted the best, the most “presko” (breathable) option for her baby’s bum. But the cloth diapers that provide that level of breathability are only being made in the United States at that time, and buying one would mean shelling out money for dollar-priced nappies and paying for international shipping cost.
Mommy Tina certainly knows that not all Pinay cloth diapering mamas can afford such, and that there is a possibility that some of those who can afford might think it is kind of impractical to get one for the cost. But since Mommy Tina believes in the type of product that she lets her child use, she wants Filipino moms to give Hybrid Fitted Cloth Diapers a try. She then decided to come up with her own line of handmade cloth diapers in 2013 and they are now producing baby and mommy cloth products that are beyond their HF line.
If you are aspiring to put up your own home based business, read on as you will surely learn a lot from our interview with Mommy Tina.
Here is an excerpt of our interview with her:
Happypinaymommy: When did you decide to be a WAHM?
Mommy Tina: Actually, I’m sort of a hybrid myself. I have a home-based business and I still work a full-time day job as a lawyer. While still pregnant, my husband and I were already considering using cloth diapers for our son. We started with the usual option, which are pocket diapers; but I wasn’t satisfied. I researched and tried other cloth diaper systems, and stumbled upon fitteds, a design that doesn’t use laminated cloth. By August 2013, my husband and I already started on our little project. We produced our first protoypes sometime in November 2013. We have not stopped production since.
(Post continued below)
====================================================================
You may also want to read:
- Happypinaymommy.com’s WAHM of the WEEK #10: Mommy Lan San Juan-Perez of Mother Nurture
- Where to buy Cheap and Cheerful Christmas Decorations
- Local Breastfeeding Information – Where to buy efficient and hardworking pumps, online shops that sell mother’s milk tea and other milk boosters, where to buy hands-free pumping bra and other pumping supplies
- Legitimate ways to earn income from home
- Where to buy affordable Nebulizers
- Online shops that sell Christmas Costumes for Babies
- Local Cloth Diapering Information – local detergents that are safe for cloth diapering, locally available washing machines that are great for cloth diapers, Survival tips for Condo-living families etc.
- Christmas Gift ideas for Babies
- Where to buy Materials for your DIY CD Project
=================================================================================
HPM: What made you decide to be a WAHM?
Mommy Tina: We took a huge risk in deciding to start Fluffy Pwets cloth diapers. At the time, hybrid fitted diapers were unknown to cloth diaper users in the Philippines. Cost of importing materials are high, and if people don’t support the product, all the work would not be worth it. However, we were met with a very warm welcome from the cloth diapering online community, and most of the new friends I made from November 2013 remain close friends and supporters of Fluffy Pwets! The main reason we decided to start Fluffy Pwets are we want to use the most breathable option for our baby, and we wanted to provide Filipino moms a more affordable option as opposed to buying imported diapers. A big bonus for us is that we were able to provide livelihood to three local, skilled seamstresses!
HPM: What is the greatest challenge you have faced in relation to being a WAHM?
Mommy Tina: First, starting out when no one has heard of your product before, trying to get the word out and presenting hybrid fitted diapers as a better option. Second, finding the time to do everything. When we started, I was personally cutting each and every diaper. The first few months, I would cut fabric up to 5 am, then take a bath and prepare to go to the office. Literally “walang tulugan”. My husband had his hand injured from putting all the snaps. Up to now, we are still very hands on, such that when we meet moms in bazaars or other mommy events and they tell us their names, we really know them! Third, copying is too common. A lot of our former clients started making similar products.
HPM: What advice can you give to those who may want to become a WAHM?
Mommy Tina: Pray. Keep the faith. God’s guidance will lead you to success. Be original. Find or develop a product/service that you are really passionate about, and study it. Respect fellow mompreneurs and they will help you out. Employ experts. There are many aspects in running a business, and getting people on your team who are the best at what they do are worthwhile investments. For example, I am a lawyer, not a seamstress, but our team is composed of TESDA-trained seamstresses who have more than 15 years of experience in the textile industry. Husband and I still make all creative decisions, but we are happy to say that our team has now evolved into one well-oiled machine!
HPM: Who inspires you?
Mommy Tina: My family. Our son was the reason we got into this business in the first place. My husband is as hands on as he can be. Our parents and siblings support us all the way. Our clients. Since we started and remain an online business, we get to interact with our clients. We share their happiness when they score rare prints or complete their stash. We’ve made friends way beyond our usual circle.
HPM: How does your husband/partner support you?
Mommy Tina: My husband was our very first master snapper. Up to now he is our official photographer for products and models. He does a lot of back-end support work, without which our operations would not work as smoothly.
HPM: Tell us more about Fluffy Pwets Cloth Diapers, and what makes you proud of your cloth products?
Mommy Tina: We make hybrid fitted cloth diapers (with various customization options), and matching shirts, tops, dresses, and accessories. We make swim clothing also – rashguards and trainers. We are especially proud of our customer service. We are the only local diaper maker who have 1 year warranty on our products. We also have FP Rewards. Each diaper purchased from us earn 1 FP Heart. Collect 12 FP Hearts and get ONE FP diaper free!
And just like our usual WAHM of the WEEK Features, we also asked for testimonials on Fluffy Pwets Cloth Diapers.
Mommy Al Mondz shared this review with Mommy Tina: “Since hybrid fitteds are not waterproof and they’re suggested to be paired with a cover if you intend to use them for longer hours, I was curious how long they can survive before they get wet. We use Fluffy Pwets 5hours max. And so, we decided to use it overnight to see how long it can last. Bawat gising ni Singkit to breastfeed, I’ve been touching his bum to see if it’s already soaked. Surprisingly, 8pm-8am ay hindi man lang basa ang outer layer ng FP! I was really impressed, Tina.”
Another avid client is Mommy Roselene Redondo. “If one is produced out of love and passion, then expect it to be something out of ordinary. This is why FP stands out on its own. FP was my Tisoy’s first hybrid fitted (HF) diaper. I thought I could not afford one for him. Then I met Tina, one of the most generous, genuine “virtual momma” I’ve known in the cloth diapering circle that I was once in. She happily shared, how she loves it when her own son wears HFs, and yes, mahahawa ka talaga sa pagka in-“love”. More when she shared with me that she is going to start making HFs here in our country. I was so excited for her, because I knew she’ll be successful in her plans; and for the mommas and babies of course because they can experience HFs, in a much friendly price and just within their reach. No need to stalk and spend tons for the shipping costs if it’ll be purchased internationally.”
Mommy Roselene added “I’ve seen how FP has started and from then on, I knew in my heart that they will go a long way. We may have a very few pieces from FP but I made sure that Tisoy’s first and last HF diaper (before he was fully potty trained) were Fluffy Pwets. FP will always be a part of our cloth diapering journey. I still kept the 1st HF (from the first batch that they made) that I bought from Tina, wala pang label yung HF na yun. We will forever treasure it and the friendship I made with the momma behind all of these. Thank you for spreading the HF love and keep it up, Fluffy Pwets!”
So there you have it. Hope you have been inspired with the WAHM story of Mommy Tina. If you have a Work-From-Home-Mom that you would want to be featured, please feel free to head on over to my Facebook Page and leave me a message. Please hit the like button too so you could receive updates from Happypinaymommy.com directly on your newsfeed.
A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!
Leaving you with an excerpt of Mommy Tina’s Guesting at –of course my favorite TV show – Kris TV:
