Like Mother, Like Daughter
Discover the Secret that made the Mother-Daughter Relationship between Martha and Alexandra so beautiful and turned it into a powerful bond with no limits. What gives them the courage and determination to help other Mothers and Daughters around the world?
How Martha Bernal and Alexandra Lange Bernal are fundamentally changing how mothers and daughters relate.
The mother-daughter relationship can mean many things to different people. For some, it is a source of comfort and inspiration, for others it can be a challenging road. When it comes to our families, we are often impeded by years of ineffective communication and unresolved issues. This means that we struggle to express our innermost thoughts and feelings to the people who should be closest to us.
For mother and daughter team, Martha Bernal and Alexandra Lange Bernal, their relationship has empowered them to support thousands of women through such struggles. Their workshops, events and 1-1 mentoring programmes have inspired their clients to not only change their personal mother-daughter relationships but to see these relationships in the wider context of their immediate communities and the world as a whole, the most fundamental of relationships.
Their business, “Like Mother Like Daughter” is more than just a name, it’s a way of life and a shared vision that has only gone from strength to strength. We spoke to them about relationships, empowerment and entrepreneurship.
Did you always want to work together?
We’d always dreamt of starting our own business and we knew that we wanted to work together. In the last decade, we have been approached by thousands of women, mothers and daughters, and men alike, wondering how we manage to relate so authentically to each other, while still honouring our different personalities and independence. While we answered their questions with tips and secrets of our own journey, we realised the power of it all and the impact we had on others’ lives, for the better.
We started sharing our vision of the world with each other – a world where every mother and every daughter will connect, communicate and bond, not only to improve their own lives, but for the betterment of humanity as a whole. The idea to build a business came organically as we shared this vision with each other. ‘Like Mother Like Daughter’ was born out of a desire to share the joy and wealth of these experiences with other mothers and daughters, so that they might benefit and embrace all of the rewards of their own fundamentally important relationships.
How did you put your ideas into action?
In October 2017, we took a leap of faith and invested blindly on an international mentorship program for business owners and entrepreneurs, who wanted to multiply their impact. As soon as we committed our time and energy into creating and building what once seemed to be only a dream, the right people, resources and opportunities started to show up in our lives. One of these people has been Giselle Rufer, founder and owner of ‘Delance Swiss Watches’. A woman who stands behind her values, which we share deeply, and her product creations. We are honoured to be female ambassadors to her brand.
Over the past 2 years we have totally focused on our coaching and mentoring skills —we truly believe this is our life’s purpose; we share a deep passion for learning and creating positive solutions for the women and the communities around us.
How does your process work?
We work with mothers and daughters to re-evaluate negative communication patterns and beliefs that are passed between generations. We empower mothers and daughters to set realistic expectations within their relationship so that they can balance individuality and closeness. We believe in the power of being heard, understood, trusted and valued as women, teens and girls are able to express their feelings openly, without apprehension, judgement and/ or guilt. Consequently, the way a mother and a daughter relate to one another, influences the way they relate and communicate with other family members, partners, friends and colleagues. This brings more harmony and acceptance into our communities, allowing for everyone to be who they truly are, their unique essence, without being conditioned.
Our process works by the mother, the daughter or both at the same time joining us on a six, or twelve month 1-to-1 coaching and mentoring program. We say ‘either’ because most of the time one of them is more ready to take action and engage in the transformation, than the other.
We work alongside two coaches and experts in the field of conscious parenting and energy healing, who support us throughout some of our programs on a 1-to-1 basis.
Furthermore, we run a variety of one- to two-day events throughout the year, where mothers and daughters can rediscover the power of their own relationship as we explore and navigate through concepts and practical exercises on a group basis.
Do you have a background in entrepreneurship?
Martha: I was fortunate to have grown up in an entrepreneurial family and my father was my first life mentor. He taught me the importance of passion and determination and that every action, no matter how small, should be approached with a full heart, mind and soul. I benefited greatly from the family business — the leading cosmetic company in Colombia — as I was able to take on important roles and responsibilities in all branches of the organisation. During my university studies I established and structured the Human Resources department and then evolved into a bigger role in Marketing and Business Development. This role was vital in supporting my father, who was the CEO at the time, in national and international affairs, it was also integral to expanding my knowledge and leadership skills.
In the last 35 years, I have been creating and leading new markets for existing businesses in a variety of industries across the globe. Between 2008 and 2017, I was part of a support system to the British Consulate in Zurich, Switzerland.
At the age of 30 I became a proud mother of one. I promised myself that I would grow together with my daughter and that, at every step of the way, we would learn from one another and empower each other.
Alexandra: I have always found inspiration in my mother’s vision and dedication. I grew up in an international setting, attending a Swiss school in Colombia (I am half-Swiss on my father’s side) and an American school in Panama, before embarking on a journey of self-discovery after I graduated. I worked part-time jobs, undertook internships and completed my bachelor’s degree at the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne in 2015. I’ve always known that the 9-5 office job was not for me and that there was more to my life than that. I worked for GoPro for two and a half years, which was a young, dynamic environment but then they made the decision to close operations in Switzerland. I believe that the Universe stepped in and paved the way for me to embark on this bigger mission.
In my entrepreneurial journey, I’ve always understood the importance of finding the right business partner, who not only cherished my strengths, but who also complemented my weaknesses to create a strong, shared vision.
What challenges have you faced and how do you stay inspired?
For us, re-establishing the mother-daughter bond through our system, will have a direct impact on family dynamics, a child’s development and the subsequent relationships and empowerment potential for both women. Only a limited amount of individuals, schools and corporate organisations recognise the necessity of our work, which can be challenging. But we are working hard and partnering with organisations, world leaders and influencers, to promote our message and mission.
For inspiration, meditation is something we have engaged in more powerfully these last twelve months and has served us to live a more conscious life. “The more we chase inspiration, the less success we have in finding it —you don’t need to go too far, it’s all within,” we keep repeating to ourselves.
Other sources of inspiration are a good morning read or a walk in the park, forest, or the lake.
About.
“Like Mother Like Daughter” was set up by mother and daughter team, Martha and Alexandra Bernal, who are Europe’s Leading Communication Experts in Mother- Daughter Relationship. Their mission is to help mothers and daughters who want to have a meaningful relationship and better communication with each other, but are frustrated because they don’t know how. With their proven 7-Step BONDING Framework, they take mothers and daughters on a powerful journey so that they can ‘Connect Deeply, Communicate Fully and Bond Truly’ with one another.
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