Bella M. Owens

I attribute my success to my upbringing in the Philippines. My parents gave us the best opportunity and the best education. My father was a lawyer, my brother's a judge, and they raised us with traditional values. We were taught to play piano and given excellent education. The expectation was that I would become a doctor. My father was such a good influence for us, teaching us things that I now realize I've been able to apply subconsciously throughout my life. I was able to combine everything I learned through my education with the values my parents instilled in me. I always tell people that when you do advocacy work, if no one knows about the advocacy, it doesn't mean anything. But if you can combine advocacy with good leadership and good marketing, then you're gonna go really a long way. Coming from the Philippines, people are often surprised that I didn't go to school here in the U.S., but I was able to translate everything I learned there and apply it successfully here.

The best career advice I've learned is that as long as you are very good with what you do, you will excel. Where I came from in the Philippines, when you do pre-med or other work like social work or art, if you don't become a doctor, lawyer, or engineer, people think you're dumb. The expectation was very straightforward back then, and no one really mentored us about different career paths. But now I know that you can go to any school, and if you are really confident and you have everything lined up, you will have great success and you'll be fine. You can go to an Ivy League school, but if you're not really put together well, you're not gonna amount to anything. I try to guide my own children this way now, telling them that whatever you want to do, as long as you are very good with what you do, you will excel. It's not about where you go to school or following a predetermined path.

Be authentic. The world has so many problems out there, and I always tell people you have to really find your niche, where you can be most effective. Don't concern yourself too much with the little things of this world or get over-reactive with so many things. You have to really find where your talent, your skill, and where your emotional capacity is best, because there's always something out there to do. We just have to find them. It's about finding where you can make the most impact and focusing your energy there.

I cannot really say there are challenges, because everything so far that I've done, I always seem to prosper in doing it and end up on the up. Wherever I go, I'm always accepted and looked upon by people for my opinion and input in leadership capacity. Now knowing what I know, I am so thankful I was given this platform. The biggest opportunity I see is being able to combine the marketing and the advocacy work, which I think is very important but people overlook. Having done marketing, I always tell people that if no one knows what you're doing, it doesn't mean anything. How can you help someone if you're the only one doing it? You don't want to flaunt or sound boastful, but you're not going to be able to affect so many people if no one will benefit from it but a few people. When you're out there and people can see the impact you've done, then people will be inspired, people may be able to seek you and ask for help or guidance. If no one knows about the work, then it's immaterial. But I was able to really combine the marketing and the advocacy work that I think is very important that people overlook.

Whatever I do, I do it because I don't want it done to me. I don't want anyone really suffering, and if I can really help someone, I will. I know it's like a cliche that you want to be helped, but I'm fine with that. Whatever I do, I really do it because I need to help. Especially where I am now in my life, my kids are grown and they're all out, so I just do things because it's really something I truly enjoy doing and being of help to people. I never thought I would feel this way because before, I was selfish too, like every other individual out there. But I really realized now the value of giving back, which I never realized I'd be able to do in my lifetime. Helping and giving back are the most important values to me.