I walked into a meeting with a cup of Zu’s coffee in my hand. It was early December, when Starbucks lines grow longer and planners quietly signal participation in a shared ritual. The person beside me smiled and asked, “Do you like Zu? No Starbucks planner this year?” I laughed and answered honestly. The lines were too long for my […]
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It’s tempting in business to chase the next campaign, launch a discount, or offer a flash promotion. But often, these are solving symptoms, not solutions, like painting over a crack while ignoring the foundation. In a low-trust economy like the Philippines, this approach is risky. Customers are skeptical. Partners are cautious. And trust, once broken, can take years to rebuild. […]
Learning never stops. The author during a learning session, reinforcing his belief in lifelong learning. In marketing, what we know expires faster than we expect. Consumer behavior evolves, technology reshapes habits, and what once felt like hard-earned wisdom quietly loses relevance. That is why the most important skill in business today is not mastery, but the willingness and discipline to keep […]
December 26 often passes unnoticed in the Philippines. After all, the lechon is still here, and the holiday lull has settled in. But for Christians, it’s St. Stephen’s Day, a time to reflect not just on faith, but on how we serve others. I’m reminded of this most Sundays when I take my 92-year-old mother to St. Stephen Church. Every […]
Egypt’s Pharaoh faced ten plagues but refused to change. Each warning hardened his heart until destruction followed. Our modern plagues are not locusts or rivers of blood, but corruption, greed, and apathy, forces that destroy trust. For brands and organizations alike, repeated neglect erodes credibility and loyalty. False idols we serve today include: Organizations that worship these idols gradually lose […]
Public awareness around corruption and social justice is at an all-time high across much of Asia, including the Philippines. Wealth and power, once flaunted without question, are now being cast in a more critical light. For years, social media made ostentatious displays of wealth feel routine. Few questioned the sources of that luxury, and many influencers posted without considering the […]
If you’ve been watching the Philippines recently, you’ve likely noticed two powerful forces rising in parallel: civic protests demanding change and startups pushing for innovation. One speaks the language of activism, the other of disruption. But at their core, both are movements, fueled by belief, powered by people, and born from frustration with the status quo. I recently joined the […]
Across Manila, Jakarta, and Kathmandu, one force is reshaping markets: public outrage, not just at corrupt politicians, but also at ‘nepo baby’ influencers, entrenched institutions, and once-untouchable brands. In today’s hyperconnected world, trust isn’t given, it’s earned. Lose it, and you lose customers. Scandals involving misused funds, political favoritism, and influencer complicity aren’t just headlines; they’re changing how Filipinos and […]
During two visits to Taipei in 2025, I noticed a seemingly small, everyday action: handing over a credit card to a server that reflected something much larger: how trust shapes both business and society. With decades of studying market trends and consumer behavior, I’ve seen firsthand how trust influences business interactions. This article reflects those insights, particularly in Taipei and […]
Every year, leadership teams go on offsite session. They treat strategic planning as a routine like Holy Week: leadership retreats, planning decks, team meetings, and then, boom, “new” strategy. But take a closer look, and it’s often last year’s plan repackaged in fresher bubble wrap. They churn out the latest buzzwords “story selling”, “agility,” “ecosystem,” “digital first”, but nothing changes […]