Millie de Luna-Daluz on health and wellness, the life of an entrepreneur-creator, and the importance of supporting people for growth.  

Multi-faceted millennial Millie de Luna-Daluz believes that being a passionate marketer means looking into people's everyday wellness problems. “While our challenges around health are unique, there are solutions that can be shared,” says the creator-entrepreneur. “For mothers, it’s homemaking. For executives, it’s running companies. For fitness enthusiasts and athletes, it’s performance. No matter who you are — it’s about having enough energy to do any role to the best of your ability.”

Exuding the same positive, excitable energy she dreams everyone can experience, Millie has chosen as her life purpose (alongside being a wife, daughter, sister, and friend), that of a health and wellness advocate, “which isn’t just about looking good but being holistically healthy,” she states.

   
This is an impressive feat given that officially, she serves as Chief Transformation Officer for their family conglomerate, Activasia and the A+ Ecosystem. ”I grew up surrounded by people who are highly motivated, intelligent, and creative problem solvers,” shares the Ateneo Management Engineering alumni, “but as a rebel at heart, I wanted to start a business which spoke of my focus for an optimal lifestyle.”

Interning after graduation as a market researcher looking for products that fit the local market, Millie became acquainted with UK brand Ancient & Brave, which she instantly fell in love with.   

“We built a healthy relationship with the brand and were lucky enough to have the role of east asian distributor by the ever-inspiring founder, Kate Prince,” Millie recalls, “the vision she has for Ancient + Brave strives to set a new standard for wellness while being grounded on values that resonate with so many today - championing ancient ingredients that work, in brave new innovative formats.”

Championing  a “choose-everyday” wellness lifestyle supported by the purest products made from the best ingredients, Millie found not just a stepping stone towards aesthetic success, but a way of life towards true health.   

In Fitness and in Wealth

Millie knows that keeping up with her many roles requires her to be fit. “I was a spinning instructor before the pandemic, and when our studio closed, Tiktok, Instagram and the vibrant online culture of jumping and dancing with rope made me a creator,” Millie shares.

A chaotic person who has difficulty conforming, Millie admits having routine is beneficial— helping calm the sometimes million thoughts that run through her head.

“I take an hour for myself after I wake up, get some extra energy out, calm down, and prepare coffee with my collagen and MCT oil,” Millie says. Having such rituals signals to her that the day is about to start. She then proceeds to write her list of things to do down.“Being intentional is so important.”

Millie then springboards from morning traditions right into the boardroom. “Most of my work days involve meetings, one after the other,” she explains, aligning everyone’s goals and inspiring them to get things done, “I’m fortunate enough to work with a lot of amazing people.”

Long-term, Millie hopes to expand Ancient and Brave’s line-up with more products and distributing to a wider area. Their “Brave Tribe” is quickly attracting a strong following online, of mostly “well-informed people who do their research, are aware of the importance of health, and loyal to their rituals.” Most of all, Millie says that their girl boss, super mom and fitness enthusiast fanbase are drawn from people who have personally tried (and loved), their products. “We’re very customer-obsessed,” Millie proudly states, “we obsess over buyers, employees, suppliers…we’re always looking at how we can collaborate, solve problems and serve their needs better.”

Millie believes that true success isn’t necessarily defined by numbers such as sales or market share alone, but rather “living a life of purpose doing everything one believes in and enjoys.” For her, handling the most loved collagen brand in the world, sounds like a lot of fun. But as with many things in life, having the right people along for the ride, matters.       

Supporting Characters

Having an already highly social work environment can get hectic at times, which is why Millie makes it a point to keep her closest relationships as healthy as possible.

She confesses to indulging in burgers and coffee, as well as going out with her husband on breakfast food trips. “It’s annoying sometimes, because (Dominic) can eat anything and won’t gain weight!” As well, diet sometimes takes a back seat while having long brunch chats with her best friends “where we share and learn from each others’ lives.”

For inspiration on the fast lane, Millie looks to the frenetic precision of F1 racing. “I’m fascinated at the efficiency and teamwork of the principal, the engineers, the pit crew, and the drivers. It really shows how being around the right people works. Also, that while competition inspires you to move forward, being motivated to do better than one’s previous times are far more effective.” In particular, she is also a fan of Mercedes boss Toto Wolff (“Who is always evolving his brand, whether in dominance or defeat.”).

      
But for being her number one biggest and best mentor and boss, Millie says that no one will ever replace her father, Manny de Luna. “He’s always trying to ask himself what he can do next,” Millie recalls, “he’s very passionate, and very lucky in business.” She says that her father’s tenacity has resulted in the 20 some companies she now helps care for. “He’s relentless in his pursuit of what to do next, and solving problems of others who need help. Job creation is the advocacy he has chosen – and ironically, the job is never done.”

But as the vanguard for the next generation, Millie has three by words she lives by. “Kindness, excellence, and wellness,” she shares before expounding. She says that one can never do wrong when acting from a place of kindness. Excellence and aiming to do the best at any undertaking is a habit. And wellness "should be a non-negotiable part of life, because it keeps us moving forward and evolving.”

As someone committed to health and wellness, Millie de Luna-Daluz is certainly fit to lead a tribe of similarly wellness-focused individuals, as Ancient and Brave’s South East Asian boss taps into a market increasingly aware of the value of being young and fearless.

Get in touch with Millie thru her instagram @milliedeluna and, email millie@aliveco.ph and millie.deluna@activasia.com

—alike.com.ph

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