Stories of makers who kept showing up

For makers, small business owners, makers-turned-small business owners, showing up to do the work every time is what matters. It takes a kind of quiet courage to do it. It’s not the kind that needs a GRWM reel, nor a shiny Instagrammable version of success. It’s more like when you need to drag yourself to your work space even when ideas feel stuck, the orders have slowed down, or the future is uncertain. For makers, their time to create is also a time when resilience is hammered out, one imperfect day at a time.

We look back at many of the makers and small business owners who have faced burnout, slow seasons, shifting markets, and personal setbacks, and kept creating anyway. From learning to adapt to a new business model to discovering new products to craft when one’s main line slowed down—their stories prove that resilience isn’t about constant growth or flawless execution. It’s about persistence. “Still trying” isn’t a consolation prize. It’s a badge of honor.

Anthill Fabric Gallery: Building trust

When it comes to Anthill Fabric Gallery, the social and cultural enterprise working with indigenous weaving communities to create contemporary and circular designs, resilience is woven into every thread. From the start, their mission was to honor the Philippine’s rich weaving traditions while creating sustainable livelihoods for the local communities. But staying true to it meant weathering slow sales in the beginning, long days, and the delicate work of community development. “[It] was the most difficult part. It’s really about building trust in the partners you work with,” shared Anya.

Because she was also advocating for circularity in fashion (through initiatives like their zero-waste program), Anya approached Jamie Naval of Barrio, a textile recycling hub, if they could work together. Jamie shared how working in a social enterprise can be very tiring and Anya knew what she was going through. “We're at the end of our rope and that’s when we thought maybe we should tie the rope [together] so it will be longer,” recalled Jamie. Together, they’ve shown that when vision and purpose are shared, what feels like the end can actually be the beginning.

Cut the Scrap: Drawing back and getting bigger

Just like Anthill found new strength in teaming up with a like-minded partner, Cut the Scrap discovered that collaboration can be the key to surviving and even thriving through difficult times. When owners Kai Docot-Tolentino and her husband, Mond, had to scale down their woodshop during the pandemic, they needed a shift in mindset and a willingness to ask for help. They didn’t want to close the woodshop for PWDs, started by Kai’s father who was a PWD himself, but they had to rethink of other ways they could help PWDs. “We were in the mindset na we could only help if we’re the ones employing them,” said Kat.

The couple made a choice that surprised even themselves: they opened their doors to other woodshops. Because they were more willing to ask for help, Kat explained, “We’re now at a place where we’re now helping to provide business for them. When we were afraid to draw back, that’s when it became bigger.” By collaborating with partner woodshops, they were able to keep the cycle of upcycling alive. They focused on community instead of competition. It’s a reminder that resilience doesn’t always mean growing bigger—it can also mean growing together.

Gouache: Rethinking its rhythm

For Louie and Ann Poco, being able to keep making their waxed canvas bags was about crafting a way forward even when the market shifted. Resilience meant rethinking their rhythm and they learned how to rethink their business model, plan around seasonal buying habits, and more. When they had to adapt to a different design process and business model during the pandemic, for example, it wasn’t to chase constant growth but more of to keep going steadily.

Ann, together with Roma, in this episode, also discussed several ways to get one’s business on track even when you feel that it’s stuck or you’re still mustering the courage to go after your big dreams for your small business. For them, you can take it as a time to look at your data, to see which part of production you need to focus on. Ann shared, “Ang daming data points, but if I really need to narrow it down, it’s the data that can help me with planning and strategy, to survive!”

Danger in Design: Self-care, an act of resilience

There was a time when Elly Ang had to decide if she had to close her shop because nothing was moving during the pandemic. Instead of closing her online shop in Etsy, she stuck with it, improving her customer service game. “If I didn’t stick with it, I wasn’t going to earn money,” she said in this episode on the online pivot she had to do for her enamel pin business. Good thing she did, because it was a time when more people got used to shopping online and delivery services eventually got streamlined.

Through it all, Elly had always stressed the importance of having a community of fellow creatives you can lean on and being kind to yourself in the process. In this episode about achieving one’s goals, she shared how we all have to remember to be kind to ourselves. “If I set a goal and I did my best, there’s not going to be any guilt. You’re only human trying to create things, you’re not a machine.” Her journey as a maker shows us that self-care can be an act of resilience.

Izzo Shop: Evolving and staying curious

Like Elly and many other small business owners during the pandemic, the lockdown was more than a disruption. For Madz Sablado, who owns Izzo Shop, it was a test of creativity. With her main products—bags, organizers, pouches—suddenly harder to sell, she started exploring other designs and offerings. “You have to constantly evolve,” she said, admitting that some of the designs she had over a decade ago may not sell so well today.

Letting curiosity guide her craft, she asked herself how people could still use her bag organizers or what people needed during the pandemic. “Yung nawawalan ka na ng hope sa business and then this idea comes to you and it actually works, that’s the best feeling,” she explained when she found a way to keep making new products. What Madz was able to do is proof that a maker’s curiosity can be just as important as their craft. Watch it here.

Popjunklove: Choosing progress over perfection

Our own Roma and Maan will be the first to tell you that they’ve made many mistakes and mess ups, and they’re still here. The duo behind Popjunklove (and Common Room!) have learned to own those bumps on the road, turning them into lessons instead of regrets.

When they recently looked back on being able to stay in the business for over a decade, one of the lessons they shared was about choosing progress over perfection. Roma’s advice to fellow makers: “There will never be a perfect collection… instead of overthinking it, release it to the world, let the world comment on it and help perfect that idea.”

Maan adds, “Experience is really your best teacher.” While listening to podcasts, watching YouTube episodes, or reading books and blogs about being a maker or small business owner, she believes, experiencing your own mistakes and triumphs will help you to keep showing up because it stays with you. “What you learn through experience, mas tatatak sa ‘yo yung learning.” Their story is a testament to persistence—the kind that says, “We’re still trying, and that’s the point.”