Biography

Patterns of Purpose: The Journey of Denise Lanorias​

Entrepreneurial Roots

Growing up in the Philippines, my earliest memories are infused with the warm scent of our family’s sari-sari store. I can still picture my grandparents carefully arranging colorful packages of goods, greeting neighbors by name, and witnessing the small but meaningful exchange of value with each transaction. It wasn’t just commerce; it was community—a lesson that would shape my understanding of business forever.

When I was nine, my aunt returned from Malaysia with a box of imported cookies. While most children might have eagerly devoured them, something different sparked in me. I saw opportunity. Without anyone teaching me how, I brought the entire box to school the next day. By lunchtime, my classmates had eagerly purchased every single cookie. The satisfaction wasn’t just from the money earned—it was from connecting people with something they valued, something that brought them joy.

That intuitive understanding of exchange and connection followed me throughout my life. Years later in corporate offices, colleagues knew me as the person who always had treats to share. They would visit my desk not just for snacks but for momentary connection, a brief respite in their day. Even then, I didn’t fully recognize what drove this recurring pattern in my life.


Professional Evolution

My career advanced through corporate roles where I developed expertise in marketing, branding, and business strategy. From the outside, it looked like success—respected positions with notable companies, growing responsibility, and professional recognition. Yet something felt misaligned, like wearing a shoe that’s just slightly too tight. The discomfort was subtle but persistent.

The pivotal moment came during a particularly demanding project. While the work showcased my strategic abilities, the disconnect between the company’s values and my own became impossible to ignore. I found myself asking: “Is this really what I’m meant to do with my talents? Is this how I’m meant to contribute to the world?”

That question launched a period of deep reflection and faith exploration. I began to recognize that when I felt most alive, most purposeful, wasn’t when climbing corporate ladders but when helping others discover their unique value and bring it to the world.

The Pattern Reveals Its Purpose

Reflecting on my journey, a pattern emerged that I hadn’t fully appreciated. From selling cookies as a child, to becoming the office treat supplier, to prioritizing nonprofit volunteer work despite my busy schedule—I had always been drawn to serving others by connecting them with something valuable, something that met their needs.

My faith helped me understand this pattern as more than coincidence; it was purpose. The values instilled in me during my youth in the Philippines—service, community, authenticity—were guiding me toward my true calling. I came to believe that each of us is designed with specific gifts meant to serve others, and my gift was helping people and organizations discover their authentic identity and connect it with those who need what they uniquely offer.

This revelation came with a challenging question: Would I continue on the safe, established path, or step into the purpose that was becoming increasingly clear?

The Professional Pivot

The decision to reorient my professional life wasn’t made in a moment of certainty but through a season of faithful stepping. Drawing from my corporate experience and deeper purpose, I began focusing on helping purpose-driven entrepreneurs and businesses discover their authentic identity, develop strategic growth plans, and create meaningful impact beyond financial metrics.

Early in this transition, I experienced both exhilaration and uncertainty. Each client represented a vote of confidence, each successful project confirmed I was moving in the right direction. There were moments of doubt, financial considerations, and the isolation that often accompanies charting a new path.

What carried me through these challenges was a profound belief that when we align our work with our purpose, we access a reservoir of resilience that conventional career paths rarely require us to tap.

The Birth of Sela & Co.

Eventually, this journey led to founding Sela & Co., a name embodying the path itself—”Sela” is a musical term found in ancient texts, signifying a pause to reflect and consider. It represented my own pause from the conventional career path to embrace a deeper calling.

Under this banner, I’ve been able to integrate my diverse expertise in business innovation, creative strategy, early learning development, and brand specialization. While Sela & Co. didn’t begin in the Philippines, the values and insights from my childhood there created the foundation for everything it would become.

The Revelation in Serving

As my practice grew, a beautiful truth emerged: when we serve others from our authentic gifts, we ourselves are nourished in the process. Each client’s breakthrough became my breakthrough. Each business that found its voice strengthened my own. The more I helped others discover their purpose and impact, the more my own purpose was confirmed and expanded.

I witnessed transformation not just in business metrics but in the lives of the founders, educators, and teams I worked with. Businesses built on someone else’s template found freedom in authentic identity. Educational programs developed clarity through purpose-aligned strategies. Organizations measuring success solely in financial terms discovered the profound impact of purpose-driven metrics.

These transformations weren’t just professional victories—they were deeply personal affirmations of what I had come to believe: that business and education, at their best, create value that serves others while expressing unique gifts and visions.

The Continuing Journey

Today, my work stands as a testament to what’s possible when we have the courage to follow the patterns of purpose in our lives. My practice has evolved from individual consulting to a more comprehensive approach that integrates identity, growth, impact, and educational innovation.

But the most significant growth hasn’t been in scope—it’s been in depth. With each client, each challenge, and each breakthrough, my understanding of purpose-driven work becomes richer, more nuanced, and more impactful.

The little girl selling cookies to her classmates couldn’t have imagined where that simple act of connection would lead. Yet looking back, I can see how each step—even the difficult ones, perhaps especially the difficult ones—was necessary in the journey to where I stand today.

The Invitation

My story continues to unfold. But its central theme is clear: when we have the courage to discover and pursue our authentic purpose, we find not just professional success but profound fulfillment.

This isn’t just my story. It’s a pattern I’ve seen repeated in the lives and organizations of those I serve. And it’s an invitation I extend to every entrepreneur, every educational leader, and every individual wrestling with questions of identity, direction, and impact:

The patterns of your life hold the key to your purpose. Your authentic identity is your greatest asset. Your work can be both effective and meaningful. Your contributions can be expressions of your deepest values.

This is the founding belief that guides my work with clients, born from my own journey of discovery. And it’s the promise I make to those I serve: together, we’ll uncover the unique pattern of your purpose and build a path that brings it to life in the world.