Every strategy rests on assumptions. The problem is that once a strategy is approved, those assumptions can disappear from view. Imagine the Philippine government announces that every Filipino who reaches 101 will receive ₱1 million, with another ₱1 million for every birthday thereafter. At first glance, this may seem manageable. But how many Filipinos will reach 101? How long will […]
I watched Forgotten Island, DreamWorks Animation’s new feature inspired by Filipino mythology, and felt something I did not expect. Pride. Not simply because it is a major animated film, but because I was watching a world that felt familiar. The manananggal. The kapre. The diwata. Stories and creatures that many Filipinos grew up hearing about are now part of a film that audiences around […]
Building Brand Philippines Through Excellence, Execution, and Systems Every nation possesses a brand. A country brand is not created solely through government marketing campaigns, tourism slogans, or official state messaging. It is forged through what the world consistently experiences from a nation’s people, enterprises, and public institutions. Like any global enterprise, a nation competes in the international arena through its […]
Are Customers Returning Because They Choose You, or Because They Have Not Found a Reason to Leave? A few times each month, I return to the same beef noodle shop in Opus. It is only a kilometer from my home, making it convenient. Sometimes my wife, Chiqui, joins me, and we share a simple meal for less than ₱1,000. I […]
I had a great conversation with my Grab driver last weekend while on my way to pick up my car from the casa. Here are the practical insights and key takeaways from our chat: Dislikes: Impractical Incentives Wishlist: Meaningful Retention Drivers Overkill: Unfair Cancellation Penalties Likes: Strong Operational Efficiencies Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Print Email
Most corporate growth strategies are built on a dangerous, unexamined assumption. Executives design ten-year expansion plans, real estate developments, and product pipelines under the premise that the traditional Filipino family structure is permanent. But strategy can break because of an obsolete demographic map. A structural revolution is quietly rewriting consumer behavior across the Philippines. The traditional expectation of marriage and […]
Most marketing plans look impressive on paper. They contain polished slide decks, ambitious revenue projections, detailed media strategies, and highly creative campaign concepts. Yet in a volatile marketplace, plans often because leadership overlooked a hidden strategic fault line. When an organization experiences declining revenue, weakening customer loyalty, inefficient sales operations, or erosion of brand trust, the visible problem is often […]
The biggest strategic risk isn’t having no marketing plan. It’s executing a polished plan built on untested assumptions. During annual planning, executive teams routinely default to copy-pasting the past: last year’s sales become the new baseline, legacy customers retain top priority, and yesterday’s winning products receive automatic budget renewals. Except the market refuses to remain frozen in time. Consumers shift […]
Why understanding culture is one of the most overlooked competitive advantages in business Nearly two decades ago, we purchased our family dream home. The documents had been signed, the keys were in our hands, and everything was ready for us to move in. Yet we waited until Ghost Month had ended. To some, this may seem like an unusual decision. […]
This is my 12th year blogging. One thing I enjoy most is having conversations with people from all walks of life. Some of the best business insights come not from CEOs, but from ordinary people doing ordinary jobs. Recently, I spoke with a supermarket bagger about his job. I asked four simple questions. Here are his answers, exactly as he […]