Building Ecosystems, Not Empires: Gelaine Santiago on Culture, Identity, and Ethical Business
This week, I’m closing out the season with a conversation that looks a little different. Most of our past guests have been service-based entrepreneurs, but today we’re diving into the product and retail side of things. My guest is Gelaine Santiago, an award-winning entrepreneur who lives and works at the intersection of entrepreneurship, social justice, and cultural identity.Gelaine is the co-founder and CEO of Cambio & Co., a Filipino jewelry brand, and Sinta & Co., which focuses on Filipino weddings. Both companies are rooted in sustainable livelihoods for artisans in the Philippines. In this conversation, we talk about the realities of running a women-owned, impact-driven business—navigating tariffs, centering cultural identity, and building ecosystems that grow collective wealth and joy. IN THIS EPISODE:How Gelaine winding path—from HR to social entrepreneurship—shaped her perspectiveThe challenges of leaving corporate life and the misalignment of HR with worker advocacyReal stories of navigating racism, bias, and microaggressions in the workplaceWhy she and her partner started Cambio & Co., and the pivot from a global marketplace to focusing on Filipino artisansWhat it really takes to build a retail brand rooted in social justice and cultural prideTimestamps: [00:05:00] – Growing up Filipino and Chinese, middle child of five, immigrating to Canada at age three, and later reconnecting with Filipino heritage in her twenties[00:09:00] – Working in HR and talent acquisition, discovering misalignment with corporate values, and realizing she loved people and branding more than serving executives/shareholders.[00:24:00] – Early struggles with slow sales, hustling through pop-ups and farmers’ markets, and facing depression while juggling side jobs.[00:27:00] – Discussion of the challenges and myths of e-commerce versus the realities of building a brand.[00:29:00] – Building supply chain infrastructure, running logistics in-house, and creating meaningful livelihoods for their team.[00:31:00] – Sourcing products that reflect cultural heritage, using significant materials like gold and pearls, tied to Filipino history[00:37:00] – Building a values-driven business model, and how it differs from exploitative capitalism.[00:41:00] – Launch of sister brand Cinta Weddings, born from the couple’s own challenges in incorporating Filipino traditions in their wedding.[00:44:00] – Challenges of balancing both brands, with Cinta sometimes getting less attention, leading to intentional prioritization.[00:50:00] – Challenges of running an intentional e-commerce business with small-scale artisans in the Philippines, and the strain of infrastructure gaps.[00:59:00] – The importance of community support, and how leaning into values attracted aligned collaborators and customers.[01:08:00] – Closing reflections on building ecosystems, not empires, and what it means to create interdependent businesses rooted in collective thriving.Too often, entrepreneurship conversations center on service-based models, leaving out the unique challenges that come with building product-based businesses—especially ones led by women of color. Gelaine's story is about more than just business growth; it’s about reconnecting with heritage, challenging stereotypes, and creating wealth that’s collective rather than extractive.
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