Ep 352 - Alex De Leon - The Hustle Of Growing PropertyGuru

In this episode of Hustleshare, we chat with Alex de Leon, Group VP of Marketing at PropertyGuru, to unpack the wild journey that took him from tinkering with computers in Manila to working at Google in Silicon Valley—and eventually marketing for one of Southeast Asia's biggest proptech companies. Alex shares how growing up between cultures shaped his hustle, what working three jobs in college taught him about grit, and why it took 26 tries before he finally landed at Google. He also gets real about what it’s like starting from customer support, how being a generalist became his edge in tech, and why building from scratch in the Philippines was the most career-defining move he made.

startupsHustleshare PodcastJuly 21, 2025interview, Interview, propertyguru, alexdeleonComment

Ep 351 - Gerard John Deriada and Kareen Grace Lacorte - The Hustle Behind Agri Exim

In this episode of Hustleshare, we sit down with Gerard John Deriada and Kareen Grace Lacorte of Agri Exim Global Philippines to talk about how they helped grow an organic agriculture company from a small 10-person team in Davao to over 1,000 employees across the country. Kareen shares how she stumbled into HR and built a career on empathy, grit, and a willingness to figure things out on her own, while Gerard looks back on the scrappy early days of wearing multiple hats and helping build systems from scratch. They get real about the challenges of hiring and retention, scaling with purpose, and staying aligned with a bigger mission. We also dive into how PLDT Enterprise helped power their digital transformation and kept them connected through the toughest moments of the pandemic. If you’re in the thick of building something meaningful, this episode is full of hard-earned lessons you’ll want to hear.

startupsHustleshare PodcastJuly 7, 2025interview, Interview, agriexim, gerardjohnderiada, kareengracelacorteComment

Ep 350 - Emil Eriksen - The Hustle Behind &you

In this episode of Hustleshare – Emil Eriksen is the founder of &you—a digital health platform built to meet the everyday needs of Filipinos through online consultations, expert care, and discreet nationwide delivery. With a vision to build a fully localized, end-to-end healthcare system tailored for Southeast Asia, Emil shares how &you is redefining access to care—starting in the Philippines. From early startup wins in Europe to costly missteps with a legacy brand, Emil reflects on the highs and lows that shaped his journey. Discover why he walked away from partnerships, how he scaled fast as a solo founder, and what it takes to build a high-growth company designed for emerging markets.

startupsHustleshare PodcastJune 30, 2025interview, Interview, &you, emileriksenComment

Ep 349 - Carlyn Gabon - The Hustle Behind GetYourVisa

In this episode of Hustleshare, we chat with Carlyn Gabon, founder and CEO of GetYourVisa, about how her personal struggles with immigration led her to build a startup tackling the visa process. From hustling barbecues as a kid in Quezon City to leading regional ops at Grab, Carlyn shares how her drive and clarity of purpose shaped her journey. She talks about losing her job during the pandemic, lining up at 5 a.m. outside immigration offices, and why she took the leap into entrepreneurship through the Antler program. If you’ve ever dealt with visa stress—or thought about building something global—this one’s for you.

startupsHustleshare PodcastJune 23, 2025interview, Interview, carlyngabon, getyourvisaComment

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.

startupsHustleshare PodcastJuly 8, 2024Interview, Mark Dembitz, Lark (APAC)Comment

Ep 298 - The Hustle Behind Beppo

Jenny and Marvin Galang are the visionary founders of Beppo, a startup with a heartfelt mission to revolutionize special education funding in public schools. Inspired by their son, Benedict Carlos, nicknamed Beppo, the company’s name carries a personal significance, highlighting the couple’s dedication to making a meaningful impact in education. A stay at home mom, Jenny transitioned into the business world, starting a CPA firm and eventually founding Beppo. Her journey underscores the challenges and triumphs of balancing family life with entrepreneurial pursuits. On the other hand, Marvin’s strategic insights have been instrumental in navigating the complexities of the business world. Marvin’s expertise in accounting and outsourcing has driven Beppo’s growth, particularly through their partnership with accounting software Xero.

startupsHustleshare PodcastJuly 1, 2024Interview, Jenny Galang, Marvin Galang, BeppoComment

Ep 297 - The Hustle Behind PahatidPH

Chris Guzman is the CEO and Founder of pahatid.ph, a B2B next-day courier service within NCR and Greater Manila Areas. They aim to offer stress-free, efficient delivery scheduling, giving customers the comfort of having their own rider. The idea emerged during the 2020 pandemic lockdown when Chris saw courier mishandling and faced booking challenges for food deliveries. Tune in and discover the journey of Pahatid.ph, from inception to navigating the complexities of the courier industry, all while prioritizing customer satisfaction and convenience.

startupsHustleshare PodcastJune 24, 2024Interview, Chris Guzman, PahatidPHComment

Ep 296 - The Hustle Behind StellarPH

Pjotr Steinmetz is the dynamic founder of StellarPH, a startup enabler in the Philippines focused on nurturing entrepreneurial minds and fostering innovation. Originally from the Netherlands, Pjotr’s journey began in the music industry as a young rapper where his career evolved from releasing albums to managing a music company and eventually transitioning into corporate leadership roles at T-Mobile. His unique background and experiences have shaped his approach to business and team management, leading him to advocate for sustainable startup ecosystems. Now based in Cebu, Philippines, Pjotr is dedicated to creating a thriving economic landscape through initiatives like Agile Academy Asia and PH100, aiming to decentralize growth and cultivate local talent.

startupsHustleshare PodcastJune 17, 2024Interview, Pjotr Steinmetz, StellarPHComment

Ep 295 - The Hustle Behind Uno Digital Bank

Manish Bhai is the visionary founder and CEO of UNO Digital Bank. With 28 years of experience in finance, technology, and sales across various countries and product areas, he is an accomplished entrepreneur. He has founded UNOAsia Pte Ltd, UNO Digital Bank, and the CoantumLeap group. Manish has been a catalyst for change in the fintech landscape of Southeast Asia, particularly in the Philippines, where his innovative approach to digital banking is revolutionizing financial services.

startupsHustleshare PodcastJune 10, 2024Interview, Manish Bhai, Uno Digital BankComment

Ep 294 - The Hustle Behind Plug and Play Tech Center

Jojo Flores is the Co-Founder of Plug and Play Tech Center, a Silicon Valley accelerator evolved from real estate to a top startup hub, offering incubation, acceleration, and funding, acclaimed as a leading early-stage investor globally.. With a background that spans across various industries, Jojo’s entrepreneurial journey took him from establishing a bottled water business to becoming a significant figure in the global startup ecosystem. His transition to the tech world led him co-founding Plug and Play, which has expanded to over 60 offices in 20 countries, fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship under his leadership.

startupsHustleshare PodcastJune 3, 2024Interview, Mert Cetin, PluxeeComment

Ep 293 - The Hustle Behind Pluxee Philippines

Mert Cetin is the CEO of Pluxee Philippines, a company specializing in employee engagement and rewards, with a history that traces back to its roots as Sodexo. Born and raised in the city of Istanbul, Mert has crafted a career that exemplifies the pursuit of excellence and leadership on a global scale. His career move from DHL to Sodexo in Turkey gained him invaluable leadership experience and insights from working closely with CEOs. Being in the forefront of Pluxee Philippines, Mert has embraced the challenges of rebranding and digitalization, steering the company through a significant transition from its former identity as Sodexo. He brings a blend of operational and commercial expertise to his role, recognizing the value of preserving the culture of tangible gift-giving in the digital age.

startupsHustleshare PodcastMay 27, 2024Interview, Pluxee, Mert CetinComment

Ep 292 - The Hustle Behind iCargo

Justin San is the founder of iCargo Pacific and Unirise Asia, being at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence and Software as a Service (SaaS) into the logistics sector, reshaping how supply chain management operates in the region. With roots in his family’s trucking business, Justin’s journey into entrepreneurship began as early as his college days, from t-shirt printing to opening a restaurant during the pandemic. His passion in solving real world problems in the logistics domain resulted in the creation of iCargo, an AI logistic software solution that provides SaaS to logistics companies. With his entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to driving change, he continuously charts a new course in logistics, aiming to expand his influence beyond the Philippines into the broader Southeast Asian market.

startupsHustleshare PodcastMay 20, 2024Interview, Justin San, iCargoComment

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