We recently had the chance to connect with Nia Hammer and have shared our conversation below.
Nia, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I’m wandering along a path. We often think of paths as clear and direct, and wandering as aimless, but why must they be mutually exclusive? To me, life is like a park with countless intertwining trails. You start walking, and before you know it, you’re following a creek or crossing a suspension bridge. You might pause to admire the view, take a fork in the road, or even double back. No matter what, you’re still on a path.
I call it directional wandering, moving with curiosity and trust that each turn you take carries meaning.
For me, that means filling my life with food, creativity, and hospitality. I wander, but I wander forward, embracing every opportunity that feels true to the path I’ve chosen.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Nia, and I’m a Treasury Analyst by trade and an ate or tita by night. In the Philippines, ate means older sister and tita means aunt, both embody the kind of person who loves to care for others. That’s me. I love feeding people food that makes them smile, food that warms the heart. The kind that feels like eating at your grandma’s house, made with love, quality ingredients, and genuine care.
That feeling is what inspired Manalo’s, our Filipino meryenda pop-up. Meryenda means “snack” in the Philippines, but to us, it represents community and connection. We named it after my grandmother, my lola, Norma Mercado Manalo, who once ran a small food stall, a kanto, back home. Manalo’s is an ode to my entire family, those who have nourished us with both food and wisdom. In many ways, it’s our way of continuing their legacy and working toward the dreams they had for us.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I never thought I was good at anything. Honestly, I didn’t even think I could be good at something. I never won raffles or awards, was never number one at anything. Even in the gifted program, I always felt behind, slower than everyone else. And truthfully, I still move slowly. I’m rarely the first to finish anything (don’t bet on me in a race).
But I’ve learned that I don’t need to be the best to be good at something. My pace has become my strength. It gives me space to think deeply, to create, to connect ideas in ways I might have missed if I rushed. I no longer crave recognition to feel proud of my work. The constant need to compete used to chip away at my confidence, but now I measure success differently. I don’t strive to be the best, I strive to be my best.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Through suffering, I became humble. Humility taught me patience and perspective. In times of success, our minds are filled with possibilities. We feel unstoppable, and failure doesn’t even cross our minds. But suffering brings us face to face with failure. It forces us to make hard choices, and sometimes, we don’t get them right. We stumble, we fall, and we learn.
If you’ve never fallen, you don’t truly know what it means to rise again. That experience changes you. It gives you the ability to connect with others on a deeper level. It teaches patience and compassion because you recognize that everyone is fighting their own battles. We’re all living for the first time, we all make mistakes, and we all suffer. Suffering reminded me to see people as they are, human beings, and to treat them with the same kindness and respect I hope to receive.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Hard work is the cultural value I protect at all costs. In both of my cultures, African American and Filipino, hard work is deeply ingrained. I’m no stranger to long hours, overtime, or physical labor. I was taught that anything worth having doesn’t come easy, and that mindset has shaped who I am. Whether it’s my career, my business, or my relationships, I hold myself to a standard of giving my best effort. To me, hard work isn’t just about perseverance, it’s about honoring the people who came before me, who worked hard so that I could have these opportunities.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
Nothing matters, so everything matters.
Let me explain. Things only have value because we give them value. Society often tells us that money, power, and status are what matter most. But in reality, none of that truly matters, the world keeps turning regardless. And because nothing matters in the grand scheme of things, everything suddenly does.
Every choice becomes intentional. Every moment holds meaning because we decide it does. I try to live that way in small, conscious ways like choosing to take the scenic route simply because I’m already in the car. If I’m here anyway, I might as well appreciate the view.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Manalosbakery.com
- Instagram: @manalosbakery
Image Credits
Self
