Charmaine Ramirez

This one was hard to talk about. I left a secure job to go all in on @pwrforward and I still don’t have all the answers. The truth is, my previous role was taking up all of my energy. And I kept feeling like there was more I could be doing with the skills and knowledge I had. I wanted to put that into something that felt connected to the people and communities I care about. This is the start of a series where I’m going to share what building Pwrforward looks like behind the scenes. The real stuff. Not the polished version. So please follow along, I’d love to have you along on my journey ❤️ #careerchange #entrepreneurlife #filipinobusiness

A business incubator supports early-stage startups with mentorship, networking, resources, and infrastructure to help them survive and grow. They exist across Canada. For tech companies. For creatives. For specific communities. But there is not a single one built for Filipino Canadians. Our community values education. We pursue degrees. We get certified. But the gap between academic preparation and actually running a business is massive. Nobody teaches you how to pitch to an investor. How to price your product. How to sell. How to navigate the cultural dynamics that come with being the first entrepreneur in your family. And we think it’s time we address it. We’ll share more about our incubator program in the coming weeks and months but if you want to get involved early send us a DM, we’d love to chat 🙂 #filcan #filipinobusiness

First 90 days of @pwrforward . The honest version. We incorporated. Built a team. Signed our first partnership. Secured our Founding Partners. Did all the behind the scenes admin work. But truthfully, it was messier than it sounds. We kept pivoting, changing directions and found more mistakes than everyone noticed. But we’re in this and we’re taking you along the messiness of starting an organization and launching a program. We’re breaking it down piece by piece. What is the role of non-profits in community? How do non-profits make money? What is an incubator? #behindthebuild #filipino #entrepreneur #nonprofit

We learned a Tagalog word, Pakipot. It describes being so modest that you refuse help even when you need it. In family settings, it comes from respect. From not wanting to be a burden. But in business, that same instinct holds us back from asking for funding, taking up space, from claiming what we’ve earned through our work and effort. Do you agree? Disagree? We’d love to hear your thoughts 👇

Our people know the problems. They know they need funding. They know they need skills and connections. They know the existing systems weren’t designed with them in mind. But what people are waiting for is direction. Clear options. A next step. 🧭 That’s what the upcoming Meryenda Mixer is about. This one is focused on solutions. Not another conversation about what’s broken. A conversation about what we’re building to fix it. 🏗️ You’ll hear from entrepreneurs at different stages, people who are starting out, people who are scaling, people who have raised capital and grown teams. The goal is for you to walk away with something concrete. And Pwrforward is going to present the framework we’ve been building. A system designed to give Filipino-Canadian entrepreneurs access to the skills, mentorship, connections, and resources they need at every stage of their business. We’re not here to solve the problem for you. Founders build their own businesses. But we are here to build the ecosystem that makes it possible. 🫱🏽‍🫲🏾 We’re at 90% capacity so if you’ve been following along and wondering what’s next, this is it.

The world is changing. It’s okay to try something else. It’s kind of cringey to see myself online and on trend with this “career crisis”. But I actually don’t think it’s a crisis. I think it’s just a shift. And so many people feel it. But now more than ever, the world needs more (different) people to create. #community #career #business

✨If you’re ready and want to know what your next step is, come to our next Meyenda Mixer happening Thursday March 26th (info in bio) ✨ People keep asking how they can support what Pwrforward is building. And the honest answer is there are multiple ways, depending on where you’re at. If you’re early in your journey or looking to grow, come in as a Founding Member. That means showing up to learn. Attending workshops. Connecting with other entrepreneurs and professionals who are in the same stage. Sharing what you know in the areas where you have experience. The beauty of this model is that nobody is only a learner or only an expert. Everyone has something to teach and something to learn. If you’re further along, if you’ve built successful businesses and have capital, team, or space to contribute, become a Founding Partner. That’s the level where your investment accelerates the whole community. It’s legacy work. When you’re ready please reach out! Have a conversation with us and we’ll put you in the right direction. #meryendamixer #filipinoexcellence #filipinobusiness

This was supposed to be Monday Reflections, and then I blinked and it’s Friday 🥲 But I promised myself I’d do this, so I’m just gonna keep going anyway! In between events, legal agreements, baby showers, and the ube craaaaze, still need to take a few minutes to reflect. #Wins ✅ Joined the @scotiabank Women’s Initiative at the @pwhl_sceptres game. I love meeting other business owners, because it’s amazing how much you’ll learn if you just ask. What’s their largest revenue line? How are they dealing with tariffs? If you’re curious. Just ask. ✅ Community wins when we collaborate. And we’re glad to have been part of @sineinstitute for another year! #Lessons ‼️ When we started @pwrforward , we just hosted events every few months. But building a non-profit is a WHOLE new game 😅 …what I didn’t realize was how particular I needed to be with setting up the organization… like governance, accounting, legal frameworks. … it sounds boring lol but I know setting foundations strong now is 🔑. #Nonprofit #Building

Episode 2 of Behind the Build. 🎬 We hosted our first investor dinner and the biggest lesson had nothing to do with the money. It had to do everything to do with how we were asking for it. We spent weeks iterating. Changing. Getting feedback. Changing again. And every time we thought we were done—there was more. But it was never going to be perfect. So we got up there. Made the case for why Pwrforward’s mission is worth investing in. Because we BELIEVE in the Filipino-Canadian leaders and entrepreneurs that will walk through our doors ready for more. If you’re ready too, join us at our next Meryenda Mixer. It’s time to invest in each other. Link in bio. #BehindTheBuild #Pwrforward #FilipinoCommunity

We had a roundtable recently and asked our community a simple question: “What does success look like for us?” The room went silent. We followed up. “What would it look like if we got past crab mentality?” Same thing. No answer. And it made something clear. We are incredible in crisis. When something goes wrong, we show up. We rally. We give everything we have. But when it comes to planning for what’s next, for long-term advancement, for building something that outlasts the moment, we don’t have the language for it yet. One of our advisors introduced us to a Tagalog term, pakipot. It describes being so modest that you refuse help even when you need it. In family settings, it comes from respect. From not wanting to be a burden. But in business, that same instinct holds us back from asking for funding, from taking up space, from claiming what we’ve earned. This is one of the biggest things we’re working through at @pwrforward And I’m working through it too, in real time. #filcan #filipinobusiness

Every Monday ✨ I promised myself I would take the time to reflect on the last week and be intentional about my wins and lessons 🙌🏽 #Wins ✅ I was invited to Shabbat Dinner by a mentor, hosted at @thecollectivemakom . It was great to meet investors and founders from other communities. There is REAL POWER in a a collective experience, and being in rooms with other people who have walked the path before you is going to accelerate your learning. Get in there. ✅ I’m pushing myself to prioritize creating first thing in the morning and it’s been a game changer. It might seem like I do a lot, but it’s also a process of learning to manage the self-doubt and anxiety that creeps in pretty often. So creating, and putting myself out there is a HUGE win I want to celebrate 🤗 #Lessons ‼️ @Pwrforward hosted our first ever SobraMesa Dinner connecting Filipino Investors and it was one of the scariest things I’ve had to do. What you see are these photos, but behind the scenes, were late nights of adjustments, budget reviews, and feedback that ripped our pitch apart 😆… but at some point, the feedback won’t make a difference anymore, you just gotta go do the damn thing. Hope y’all are taking 5 mins to reflect too, now go and enjoy the week! Happy (almost) spring 👊🏽 #dinner #pitch #learn

Welcome to Episode 1 of ✨Behind the Build ✨ Every week, we’re sharing all the behind the scenes work to reach champions for Filipino-Canadian businesses and community members. Last week we joined @pinoysonparliament and @kabangkacanada to meet incredible young Filipino Leaders who are showing up and advocating for the community. If you’re a business-owner or thinking of starting a business one day, policy decisions play an important role. Make sure you’re checking in with your city, and other representatives on resources that may be available to you. For more info on access to funding or other resources, sign up for Pwrforward’s newsletter. 🔗 Link in bio. #entrepreneur #filipino