Posts in startups
Ep 318 - The Hustle Behind AHG Lab
Ep 318 - The Hustle Behind AHG Lab

Rene Cuartero is the Co-Founder and CEO of AHG Lab – the largest independent venture studio in the Philippines that empower entrepreneurs and enrich ecosystems. With extensive experience in leadership roles at multinational companies such as P&G, Deutsche Bank, and Morgan Stanley Capital International, Rene also made a significant impact with the Red Cross and Child and Youth Finance International, scaling operations to 150 countries. Finally, Rene shares how the pandemic inspired his return to the Philippines, where he founded AHG Lab. Under his leadership, it has grown into the country’s largest independent venture studio, empowering tech founders and startups through accelerator programs, services, and ecosystem funds to foster growth and innovation across Southeast Asia.

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Ep 317 - The Hustle Behind Mochi
Ep 317 - The Hustle Behind Mochi

Guaya Melgar, CEO/Co-Founder, and Adrian Co, CTO, share their journeys leading up to co-founding Mochi, a receivables management platform designed to improve billing and collections. Pete discusses his early self-taught coding experiences and forming a dev group, which led him to Proudcloud and later to Logitech. Meanwhile, Guaya reflects on her first startup, Vesl, which addressed credit access for small businesses, and how these experiences prepared her for Mochi’s creation. They both recount their initial meeting and partnership, explaining the intensive early product testing and the decision to build Mochi using TypeScript and Next.js for scalability, and Foxmont’s early investment that helped them launch. They share candid insights on navigating funding challenges, product bugs, and finding validation in their first paying customer, all while building a strong co-founder relationship based on transparency and resilience. 

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Ep 316 - The Hustle Behind OneCFO
Ep 316 - The Hustle Behind OneCFO

Jay Olos, Founder and CEO of OneCFO, takes us through his path from humble beginnings to becoming a financial leader in the tech industry. He introduces OneCFO, his platform designed to make CFO services accessible to SMEs and startups and recounts his early entrepreneurial experiences, underscoring the grit and resilience instilled by his upbringing. Jay shares his journey from auditor to tech professional, explaining what inspired him to become an angel investor. He highlights his role in a NASDAQ exit and emphasizes the importance of CFOs in helping startups succeed financially. Reflecting on his time as CFO at GCash and PayMongo, he discusses his contributions to fundraising and scaling operations. Now, as CEO, Jay envisions OneCFO making financial guidance accessible to businesses of all sizes.

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Ep 315 - The Hustle Behind Geeks On A Beach
Ep 315 - The Hustle Behind Geeks On A Beach

Tina Amper, a pioneer in the Philippine startup ecosystem, shares her inspiring journey. Tina discusses how she founded Geeks On A Beach as a way to give back to the community and foster innovation in the tech space. She recounts her upbringing in Cebu, early exposure to government work, and her academic experience studying engineering at USC San Carlos before moving to the US. Tina’s career in tech began with her work on integrated circuits for the space industry, which led to navigating the challenges of adapting to US corporate culture. She also reflects on her time at Siemens and Western Digital, where she balanced an intense global tech career with her MBA studies. Finally, Tina shares insights on building Cebu’s tech community, growing Geeks On A  Beach, and offers advice for female founders on resilience, grit and long-term vision.

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Ep 314 - The Hustle Behind Enstack
Ep 314 - The Hustle Behind Enstack

Macy Castillo is the Co-Founder and CEO of Enstack - an app that helps small businesses set up online stores, manage payments and handle shipping seamlessly. With a background in banking and tech, she significantly advanced e-commerce in the Philippines through her work with Zalora and Shopee. Launched in 2021, Enstack transforms SME operations by consolidating order management, inventory tracking, shipping, payments, and finances into one platform, addressing the crucial challenge of payment collection and enabling merchants to sell anytime, anywhere. Enstack, after securing $3 million in Series A funding from Mangrove Capital Partners, now serves over 200,000 SMEs with versatile tools for both online and offline commerce and officially launched Q42022. Macy also encourages female founders to cultivate resilience, grit, and a focus on long-term success.

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Ep 313 - The Hustle Behind Mobee Cars
Ep 313 - The Hustle Behind Mobee Cars

Jeffrey Ong is the Co-founder and CEO of Mobee Group, a platform that facilitates car buying and selling in the Philippines. Jeffrey explains how Mobee serves both car owners and used car dealers by offering transparent pricing and ensuring seamless transactions. He discusses the growing demand for both new and used cars in the Philippines, driven by social mobility and poor public transportation. Jeffrey also shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting with early lessons from his family business and later corporate experiences at BMW. He reflects on his time scaling myTukar and expanding Carsome’s presence in Southeast Asia before founding Mobee. Finally, insights into Mobee’s future, including Kaya Founders’ investment and plans for growth through geographic expansion and tech development wraps up the discussion. 

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Ep 312 - The Hustle Behind DOON
Ep 312 - The Hustle Behind DOON

Enrique Hormillo (CEO) and Miguel Locsin (COO) are the co-founders of DOON, a peer-to-peer car-sharing platform that transforms traditional rentals by linking car owners directly with renters. Enrique and Mixx share their rollercoaster journey from personal setbacks to raising $1.5 million in pre-seed funding to fuel growth and expansion, comprising $500,000 in equity and a $1 million debt facility. Investors include angel investors, family offices of tech entrepreneurs, and venture studio AHG Lab, DOON's first backer.

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Ep 311 - The Hustle Behind M Squad
Ep 311 - The Hustle Behind M Squad

Erika Aquino is the founder of M Squad, an organization dedicated to supporting women and minority-owned startups in the areas of sustainability, wellness, education and the future of work. Her career began with corporate roles at Shell, financial services, and as a PR manager at Mandarin Oriental before moving into the startup space with Lendo, where she played a key role in scaling the user base. Erika later took on leadership positions at Infinit-O, where she contributed to their foundation’s philanthropic efforts, and also founded Cebruery, Artisan Ales, a craft beer company in Cebu, which marked a major turning point in her career. The pandemic had a significant impact on her brewery, prompting her to shift focus toward startup investing. Today, she uses her extensive experience to mentor and guide startups globally, helping them achieve a balance between profit and purpose.

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Ep 310 - The Hustle Behind Invesko
Ep 310 - The Hustle Behind Invesko

Michael Bantigue and Walter Boo are the dynamic co-founders of Invesko, a Filipino-founded investment platform, Invesko's growth was driven by a $1.6 million seed round from regional VC firms in early 2023. The company allows investors to build diversified portfolios with minimal capital by offering fractional shares, SIPC protection, and instant portfolios, thus promoting financial growth and security. Michael shares his journey from working with global brands like Starbucks and Lululemon to leading tech efforts in New York and Hong Kong. Walter, starting fresh in Singapore's startup scene, quickly rose to COO of Invesko. Together, they discuss their inspiration for Invesko, their mission to democratize investments in the Philippines, and the challenges of building a user-friendly stock trading platform.

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Ep 309 - The Hustle Behind BillEase
Ep 309 - The Hustle Behind BillEase

Georg Steiger is the CEO and Co-Founder of BillEase, a fintech company providing consumer loans and “Buy Now, Pay Later” services to the emerging middle class in the Philippines. Georg shares insights into how BillEase manages default risks and fosters customer loyalty, while drawing comparisons between the financial landscape of the Philippines and its neighboring markets. He recounts his career journey, beginning with law studies in Austria, shifting to IT, earning an MBA in the US, and working at McKinsey in retail banking. He narrates BillEase’s evolution from a cash lending service to an ecommerce financing platform, tackling hurdles like automating credit processes. The pandemic accelerated the shift to digital transactions, fueling BillEase’s rapid growth. Georg also discusses the company’s strides post-Series B funding and his growth as a founder, highlighting the value of co-founders, team building and cultivating a strong company culture.

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Ep 308 - The Hustle Behind Vertiv PH
Ep 308 - The Hustle Behind Vertiv PH

David Yao is the General Manager of Vertiv’s Manila Hub, a pivotal entity in delivering essential digital infrastructure and continuity solutions. Starting with his early influences and hustle lessons from his uncle, David’s path took him from studying architecture to becoming a pivotal figure in the tech industry. David recounts his time at Amazon, where he shifted from managing customer service to excelling in supply chain management, highlighting the value of understanding the big picture. Explore David’s role in transforming Emerson Network Power into Vertiv, including his establishment of a legal entity and the expansion of the team from 400 to 1,250 employees, while delivering innovative chipset thermal management technology solutions for data centers.  

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Ep 307 - The Hustle Behind 10XME Academy
Ep 307 - The Hustle Behind 10XME Academy

Bianca Cruz Azurin is a leader in the future of work. Her passion for real estate and tech startups led her to flexible workspaces, where she expanded Acceler8 Coworking, earning it the title of Best Coworking Space for several years. She then moved into crypto and blockchain, driving business development at Moneybees and partnering with trusted names like Tambunting and Cebuana Lhuillier to make crypto more accessible in the Philippines. Now, Bianca heads 10XME Academy, focusing on equipping people with AI skills. Through 10XME, she helps individuals use generative AI to create new opportunities and reclaim their time.

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Ep 306 - The Hustle Behind Elevate Pay
Ep 306 - The Hustle Behind Elevate Pay

Khalid Keenan is the co-founder and CEO of Elevate Pay, a Y Combinator-backed startup that provides US dollar bank accounts to freelancers and remote workers in emerging markets. Khalid shares his journey from a software engineer to a fintech founder, offering insights into the challenges and triumphs of building a startup in the highly regulated financial industry. He also reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped Elevate Pay, including a move to East Africa and a strategic pivot that redefined the company’s mission.

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Ep 305 - The Hustle Behind The Bonfire Moment
Ep 305 - The Hustle Behind The Bonfire Moment

Martin Gonzalez is the bestselling author of “Bonfire Moment’ workshop, a transformative program designed to help startup founders and their teams step out of their daily pressures to resolve conflicts, realign with their mission, and prepare for future challenges through a structured, intense and reflective one-day session. Martin shares his experiences from his early career days at J&J and BCG to his transformative role at Google, providing invaluable insights into overcoming imposter syndrome and leveraging personal strengths. Learn the dynamics of co-founder relationships, the importance of structured thinking for entrepreneurial success and the thriving startup ecosystem in the Philippines.

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Ep 304 - The Hustle Behind Mylo Speech Buddy
Ep 304 - The Hustle Behind Mylo Speech Buddy

Vince Rocha is the Founder and CEO of the Mylo Speech Buddy App, a groundbreaking application dedicated to aiding children with autism and speech delays in their speech development journey. Vince recounts his personal experience of raising a child with autism, which served as the catalyst for his mission to develop the Mylo App, providing crucial support to children facing similar challenges. He delves into the obstacles and successes of navigating the startup world, offering valuable insights on venture capital, sales strategies and maintaining a mission-driven focus

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Ep 302 - The Hustle Behind Remotify
Ep 302 - The Hustle Behind Remotify

Maria Sugcang is the visionary founder of Remotify, a startup dedicated to making remote work and building remote teams simpler, more secure, and sustainable for international businesses and local talent. With a career spanning over 18 years, Maria has held various roles within the BPO industry, where she gained invaluable experience leading global teams and driving service innovation. Her journey in the industry has equipped her with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities within remote work, inspiring her to establish Remotify. This female-founded, woman-led record company aims to revolutionize outsourcing to the Philippines for startups and mid-market businesses worldwide.

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Ep 301 - The Hustle Behind Ruralnet
Ep 301 - The Hustle Behind Ruralnet

Justin Arcenas is the Co-Founder and CEO of RuralNet, a pioneering tech startup focused on transforming rural connectivity and providing essential services to underserved communities. In this episode, Justin shares his entrepreneurial journey from selling comic books and toys to culminating in his leadership of a company revolutionizing rural tech infrastructure. He discusses the challenges and strategies involved in securing investment, building scalable businesses and balancing social impact with venture-backed growth. Additionally, he highlights the value of international exposure, a deep understanding of local contexts, and the role of customer feedback in refining product development

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Ep 300 - The Hustle Behind IBPAP
Ep 300 - The Hustle Behind IBPAP

Jack Madrid is the President and CEO of IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines, Inc. (IBPAP). A seasoned business leader with more than 25 years of experience, Jack has spearheaded strategy, digital innovation, and business transformation initiatives across Southeast Asia and Canada. A champion of Filipino talent and employee advocacy, Jack has held senior leadership roles at Citicorp, Ayala Corporation, Dell, Yahoo!, and MTV Asia. Discover how his efforts with IBPAP are shaping workplace flexibility and hybrid work in the BPO industry.

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Ep 299 - The Hustle Behind Lark
Ep 299 - The Hustle Behind Lark

Mark Dembitz is the General Manager at Lark (APAC) at ByteDance. Founded in 2016, Lark revolutionizes team collaboration and organization. Under Dembitz's leadership, the platform has made significant strides, integrating messaging, schedule management, and online collaboration into one seamless tool. Learn about the exciting new integrations, market expansions, and ByteDance's ambitious goal to achieve $1 billion in global revenue from Lark within the next five years as it drives the app's international commercialization.

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