We recently connected with Mia Balingit and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Mia, thanks for joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?
To be successful is to be rooted in your passions and create opportunities for yourself and those around you.
Honestly, when I first started Perfectly Pinay, I had attached my number of sales to the way I perceived “success”. Yes, in today’s society you “need” to make money, but I’ve found that success isn’t only reflected by the numbers we have in our bank accounts. Something that most people may not know is that my business actually made significantly more money when we first started. At the time, I was cranking out new sticker designs every week, and my Saturdays were dedicated towards shipping out orders and reaching out to customers. Even though we were making money, the way we were making it felt really ingenuine and surface-level. Because of this, I got burnt out and had to have multiple shop closures.
When I rebranded Perfectly Pinay to really focus on the things that mattered to me, that’s when my definition of success shifted. I know I wanted to be intentional with my art while also building community, and that’s exactly what I do now. For me at this moment in time, I define success by how the community responds to what I’m offering. Whether that’s in sales, event sign ups, or simply reaching out and having meaningful conversations – if our community is growing, I’m happy.
Mia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Perfectly Pinay was established in October 2021 as an online platform to empower others in their Filipinx identity, especially folks who identified as Fil-Am, through art and conversations. We initially started out by exclusively selling Filipinx-inspired stickers and cup designs, but as the business and the community developed, so did the mission of Perfectly Pinay. We are now more community-centered and driven than ever; we focus on leaning into vulnerability, community building, and identity empowerment through Transformative Art workshops, journaling circles, and identity apparel + accessories.
Perfectly Pinay upholds the idea that no matter how someone may identify, they are deserving of love, support, self-care, and representation. Our overall goal is to create inclusive products and spaces that empower folks in their own identity, and encourage the community to reflect, create, and uplift each other while amplifying the Filipinx-American experience and the communities we’re rooted in.
I think something that sets us apart from other projects in the same space is that we are genuinely community and experience-centered. We provide at least one free art or journaling workshop a month for the community and provide various free digital downloads to help promote reflection and self care. We are able to continue delivering high quality workshops and resources for free because of supply and in kind donations from folks who believe in our mission and see the value of our work. All of our apparel designs are also inspired by real-life experiences, so every design is intentional and represents different elements of life and growth.
How did you build your audience on social media?
It’s all about being authentic and creating spaces for conversation! I try to be as engaging as possible on my Instagram Stories, and I try to make a variety of Reels to post to my feed. I see social media as a tool to build trust with your community; if people feel that they really know you and your brand, they’ll be more open to engaging with you through DM’s, comments, and even sales. My advice to someone just starting to build their social media presence would be to get comfortable talking TO and WITH your audience, and don’t afraid to get creative and be a little cringe-y! You never know what your energy and efforts will attract, so just put it out there!
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Things that I thought were “normal” were actually really harmful towards myself and my wellbeing; since starting Perfectly Pinay, I’ve found myself in spaces that held toxic Filipinx culture accountable. The biggest thing that I’m continuing to unlearn is the constant need to please others and the need to constantly be hustling. When I first started my business, I was a full time student working a full time AND part time job just to get by. All of my “resting” time was dedicated towards building my brand. It got to the point where I was severely struggling with my mental health, and I crashed and burned. I was always physically sick, and my mind was always cloudy.
When I was ready to make a shift, I sat down and mapped out my life. I placed myself and my happiness at the center, and things just began to work out. In life, and in business, if you don’t prioritize rest and self-care, your body will MAKE you prioritize it by shutting down. There will always be things to improve or projects you want to take on, but you’ll never get the chance to do them unless you prioritize your wellbeing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.perfectlypinay.com
- Instagram: @perfectlypinay
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miabalingit/
Image Credits
Christopher Muzar