Denice Rabino on Crafting Brands that Stand the Test of Time

A brand growth & positioning strategist, Denice Rabino shares the practice behind her work: show up, sit with the hard moments and know when to slow down.

A business owner’s image of success typically encompasses these three things: withstand the ups and downs of the market, gain more customers and build something worth remembering. Denice Ann Linatoc-Rabino is doing all three with grace and without burning out in the process. 

Hailing from Lipa, Batangas, this cat lover and surfing fan discovered her knack for personal branding at the onset of the pandemic. While everyone was still figuring out what to do during the lockdown, Denice had already set her sights on remote freelancing. “The thing is, if you don’t try, you’ll never know. I told myself, ‘I’ll try this within a year. If nothing happens, then I’d have to move on and go back to corporate life,’” she says. But her bold move proved to be the right decision. What came of it was a brand of her own.

Denice founded Sestra Visuals, a one-woman-owned brand where she helps service providers, small teams and entrepreneurs craft brands that are soulful, distinctive and built to stand the test of time. Years later, Swan Elite was born, serving a small community she calls a cozy corner for brand growth, built for online personal brands, creators, entrepreneurs and thought leaders who want to lead with soul, sense and calmness.

To commemorate her six years in the industry, she recently wrapped her first-ever in-person workshop in her home city of Lipa, Batangas. The workshop, Legacy Branding: How to Build, Scale, and Remain Irreplaceable, drew 15 participants from Lipa and all over the country for an afternoon of teaching, meaningful conversations and lessons that don’t fit into a webinar replay.

In a recent conversation, Denice shares her experience and wisdom, offering us a glimpse of her evolution, the resilience that carried her through the ups and downs, the strategy that shaped her work and the practice of slowing down when everything wants you to move faster.

A: Who is Denice and what does she do?

D: My name is Denice Rabino, and I own Sestra Visuals. “Sestra” means sister in Slavic and I think it’s the reason why most of my clients are female brand owners. Many are wives, moms and brand owners all at once. They resonate with what I’m representing.

It’s both a business and a personal brand where I help clients craft soulful, distinctive brands that stay relevant, win hearts, nurture trust and stand the test of time. I specialize in branding, brand management, content and the seasonal branding workshops for service providers in the industry, and sometimes for small teams and companies.

I also have a small community called Swan Elite. It’s the cozy corner for brand growth, built for online personal brands, creators, entrepreneurs and thought leaders who want to lead with soul, sense and calmness.

A: What’s one challenging moment you faced as a freelancer and how did you handle it?

D: Clients come and go. Sometimes, losing a client can actually be a win especially when your goals don’t align anymore. The real loss is when you feel deeply aligned with them but things just don’t work out. You can’t be partners with someone unless they’ve tried to be partners with you, too.

As a freelancer, you always want to connect on a deeper level, even beyond the contract. You want to nurture the relationship, whether they’re community members, clients or partners in the industry. 

Still, what’s challenging for me is the emotional toll I go through whenever a contract ends. Even though this is always part of the journey, I can’t help but feel a bit sad. But I also take it as a lesson. Every project helps me become better for what comes next. What I’ve learned is not to burn bridges, because you might cross paths again.

A: What would you tell yourself during these struggling times?

D: I can’t say I just move on. There are moments when you just have to sit with it, write your thoughts and be aware of what you’re really feeling. 

That’s when you can tell yourself, “Okay, I need to feel and understand what I’m feeling at the moment.” 

Because if you let it go too quickly, your heart might still hurt.

A: Any recent habits that have been a game-changer for you?

D: It’s really about slowing down when you feel overwhelmed. You just have to rest if needed, have coffee, or whatever helps you move forward.

Especially today, when everything is moving so fast. We’re mostly at a fast pace. It can be overwhelming and we easily burn out.

A: Looking back, what’s one thing you wish you’d done differently?

D: If you want to try something, try it now and learn the lessons later. Sometimes we overthink and tell ourselves let’s do this later because I still need to polish the planning. But you’ll never really know what works unless you do it yourself.

It’s similar to branding: a lot of people overthink what their branding should be, what color palettes will be trendy, etc. But if I were to do something differently now, I’d start early and be consistent. The realizations and lessons will follow. There’s a lot of overthinking and overanalyzing, and it just prevents us from stepping forward or doing the things we want to do.

When I started looking for clients in Facebook groups, I kept asking myself, why is nobody inquiring or sending DMs? Then I realized that I wasn’t posting valuable content. I wasn’t really showing up; I wasn’t doing anything. 

You showing up makes a difference even on the bad days, not just on the good ones. Nobody would magically appear in front of you if nobody knew about you.

A: If you weren’t freelancing today, what would you be doing instead, and why?

D: Maybe a traveler exploring the world. There’s still so much I want to learn about other cultures and people from different places. It’s really different when you’re just reading about it in a book. You have to experience it firsthand to understand.

I took up BS Tourist Management in college, and one of the things I always wanted to do was travel. I wanted to be a flight attendant before, but things didn’t work out. There’s an exam where you have to reach the cabin, and I couldn’t reach it. I never tried again because I had a gut feeling that it would be a waste of time and energy. I knew in my heart that I had to let go of that dream. But that closing brought me to another opportunity, and this is where I am right now.

A: Best advice you actually use?

D: Slow down and don’t overdo things. If you’re feeling stressed and you don’t know what to do anymore, slow down and look within. 

This actually became my mantra recently. I always find time for self-care, like taking a warm bath or a short nap. It can also be just working from home and at my own pace with my cat and coffee. It’s also about enjoying the soft life, slow days and small joys. 

I know that things can get so busy with back-to-back meetings, creating and posting content, finishing urgent tasks and beating the deadline. But it’s also never wrong to relax and take a break sometimes.

A: Any message for aspiring freelancers who want to try this industry?

D: Give it a try first before saying no.

In my case, I wasn’t really good at my niche from the start. I wasn’t closing deals right away and I was struggling to get clients, too. But over time, I learned the tips and hacks within the industry, the things to do and the things to avoid. Sometimes your wins and your success come a little later. The thing is, if you don’t try, you’ll never know.

I gave myself a year, all in and without excuses. If nothing came of it, I’d move on and go back to corporate. That’s also the power of going all in. Being committed to what you really want will always bear fruit.

If there’s anything you take from Denice’s story, it’s this: showing up matters, even on the days you’d rather not. But so does knowing when to slow down and listening to what your work and your body are trying to tell you. Both can be true at the same time because Denice’s journey is the living proof.

Maybe that’s the point of it all—the brands that stand the test of time aren’t the ones built in a season. They’re the ones built by people who know how to stay.

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About Denice Rabino

Name: Denice Ann Linatoc-Rabino (Denice)
Businesses: Denice Rabino, Sestra Visuals & Swan Elite
Products/Services: Bland to Brand Sessions, Strategic Brand Direction, Brand and Content Management, Seasonal Branding Workshops
Location: Batangas, Philippines

Email: hello@sestravisuals.co

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