Hi! I’m Gelyn (jeh‑leen), a Manila‑born entrepreneur and mother navigating life in Germany with global roots and imperfect German. My background spans advertising, finance, and brand strategy, with chapters in Shanghai—consulting for luxury brands such as Cartier, Luxottica, and Dolce & Gabbana—and in Mexico, where I launched a marketing consultancy. In 2020, I founded Polkaducks in Germany, a company that is centered on creating value-added children’s books and toys…and later expanded in the Philippines where we currently serve as the official book partner of Pottery Barn Manila. In 2025 I launched Mama macht Markt and foundHerMarkt, initiatives designed to support women through entrepreneurship, motherhood, and the transitions in between.

Now living in Munich with my family, I continue to build businesses centered on creativity, community and meaningful connection.

Photo by: Emma Gorman