Today we’d like to introduce you to Leila Amerling.
Leila, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am half Filipino and half American. I grew up in the Philippines but have spent almost as much of my life living here in Boston. Having lived here for so long I still miss and long to be around filipino culture and interaction, especially food. Unfortunately for me (and for many Boston-based Filipinos it turns out), most of the Filipino groups and meetups I’ve heard of are located in the outskirts of Boston, which is not ideal. So, I decided to take it upon myself to figure out a way to elevate the filipino culture in Boston proper whether it be opening a filipino restaurant downtown or starting something where filipinos and filipino “lovers/friends” can gather and get to know eachother.
A little over a year ago, I met two women, Bianca Garcia and Trish Fontanilla who turns out, have the same passion and mission. We realize that there are more of “us” out there with the same sentiment. We decided over a T-bone steak one night that we would do this together. So we started BOSFilipinos.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a challenge at times…
Even if you think starting something can just be a project or a hobby, you really have to see it like a job. You have to dedicate a lot of time and effort, as much as you would any project at work and likely even more. Expect to spend lots of late nights just talking about little things, like the shade of blue in your logo, should you have a logo. Or even getting a website up and running.
I just became a new mom a couple of weeks ago so it will be interesting to keep up with all of this. But hey, if other working moms can do it, so can I!
Another challenge is keeping yourself excited, all the work and late nights can make it less exciting as the weeks and months go by. You have to remind yourself that this is your baby! If you start losing interest and the spark is dying, re-evaluate what will make you excited and re-ignite that passion again.
Also, if you have more than one person making executive decisions, make sure it is clear who is responsible for what task. This will keep you and your business partner(s) from butting heads, too much…
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about BOSFilipinos – what should we know?
Professionally, I am Program Manager at Boston Children’s Hospital in the Innovation and Digital Health Accelerator. Primarily, I manage all of our events, which in turn coincides with what I do with BOSFilipinos. As Chief Fancy Officer, I like to think I’m responsible for keeping our group socially interesting. We want BOSFilipinos to be a gateway for Filipinos and non-Filipinos to meet and get to know each other as well as the Filipino culture. I focus on finding creative ways to do this by organizing and promoting fun Filipino-focused events and meetups all around Boston. I want to be a wing woman or matchmaker if you will for the Boston-based Filipino community. I try to set up our Filipinos to get to know one another and engage in conversation. I also introduce Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike to our culture and food.
When my kitchen isn’t being renovated (I’m on my second renovation in 3 years), I also like to cook and host themed dinners (ie wine tastings, baby showers, etc). One of my favorites is the Filipino potluck dinners that happen every other month. We call ourselves the Boston SiniGANG – a play-up of the word “sinigang” which is a type of Filipino food. I like to jazz up my kitchen and dining table with Filipino flair (ie. dress up the table in fresh banana leaves, give Filipino party favors on special occasions) and try to invite a non-Filipino to the dinners so to expose other to our food. My co-founder Trish introduced me to the group actually. And it was through this group that Trish and I decided to start BOSFilipinos.
Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
1. Network Network Network! The more people you meet and talk to, the more people will know about your business, brand and YOU!
2. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and ask for help! People actually love to help.
3. K.I.S.S. – Keep it simple stupid. Whether it’s a business idea, side project, cooking a meal, building a website, anything! When you start with small ideas, a ripple effect will likely follow and create a big impact. Setting small, achievable goal will provide you with upward momentum and a better chance of reaching your ultimate goal, like building a successful social group or business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bosfilipinos.com
- Instagram: forforkssake
- Twitter: LeilaAmerling
Image Credit:
April K Photography
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