Square Zero: Recent Episodes
John Angeles
Every journey starts on square one.
We explore how greatness begins by taking a deep look at the experiences of the most successful and interesting people before they even started.
This is Square Zero.
This channel is for anyone that is thinking about changing their life for the better. We talk to entrepreneurs, business people, CEOs, founders, salespeople, and anyone striving for greatness about how they started in their journey.
We cover how to start your business, how to overcome mental and emotional roadblocks within yourself, tips on how to secure finances to jumpstart your venture, and many more insights that will help fuel your drive for success.
Are you hesitant, anxious, afraid, unsure about the path to making your life better? This channel is for you. Hit that SUBSCRIBE button and together let's build a better future.
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Spotify, Google and Apple Podcast links: https://heyl.ink/ArUw9
James shares his journey as a young man in Australia doing odd jobs (the oddest of jobs!) to making a life in the Philippines with his family.
There are no shortcuts to success and James' life is a testament to that. From getting robbed, to getting evicted, to experiencing rejection after rejection, the "defining moments" just kept on coming.
You'll learn from this video that each of these "moments" shape you and mold you and prepare you for you are about to become. So, don't give up. Keep striving. Live in the moment. Treasure the experiences.
You'll hear James share these lessons first hand and more...
I can't think of a better way to end this season than with this episode. It's my personal favorite.
Enjoy everyone!
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Spotify, Google and Apple Podcast links: https://heyl.ink/ArUw9
Gela never imagined becoming an entrepreneur when she was still a student in Ateneo but just like Moses in the Bible, sometimes you find your calling and sometimes your calling finds you.
In this episode, Gela shares her journey from becoming an org starter in college to a program manager in the corporate world to an entrepreneur then to an entrepreneur who suddenly finds herself alone, in the middle of a pandemic with a powerful purpose that drives her to help others improve their lives.
Enjoy!
https://www.facebook.com/chocobambamnourishment/ https://www.facebook.com/stingraytherapeutic Spotify, Google and Apple Podcast links: https://heyl.ink/ArUw9
Dylan is a professional basketball player in the Philippines with a dazzling college career followed by a roller coaster ride of a professional career in the PBA.
He is still an active professional player that serves as an inspiration to other professional players for his unwavering faith and exceptional ability to withstand setbacks.
He is also an entrepreneur that is focused on spreading the gospel of good health through his line of health products: Chocobambam Nourishment and Stingray Therapeutic Spray.
We talk about his upbringing, career highlights and his source of strength.
Enjoy!
Rey Lugtu is a man of many talents borne from years of dedication to the path of self improvement.
He was a chemist in his younger days but through hard work and a relentless pursuit of excellence he has held executive positions in at least 5 different industries.
He also teaches in DLSU's Graduate School of Business where he regularly contributes his knowledge, experience and expertise as a columnist for the top publications in the Philippines namely Manila Bulletin, The Manila Times and BusinessWorld Online.
Though he makes it seem easy, he shares that he what he went through is difficult and not recommend.
All of his experiences, hardship, knowledge, expertise have culminated in the success of his consulting company, Hungry Workhorse.
Join me, as we discover directly from Rey, what it the takes it to be a jack of all trades and master of many.
Enjoy!
Spotify, Google and Apple Podcast links: https://heyl.ink/ArUw9
I met Van through Clubhouse as he was pitching his startup. His goal is to help travelers make the most out of each destination. Van is a man of mystery and dedication. He lives his own version of freedom.
He is inspiration because he never lets anything discourage or disappoint him.
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Jim is a call center veteran that is now managing 3 different projects. He is a one man insurance company, a leader in a community health NGO and co-founder of a Virtual Assistant Firm focused on helping real estate companies do more.
He is an entrepreneur in every sense of the word despite spending more than 10 years in the BPO world.
His experiences as an employee, helped pave the way for his jump into the journey of being an entrepreneur.
In this episode, we talk about his history and his transition to the wonderful path of entrepreneurship.
Enjoy!
More about Support Shepherd: https://www.supportshepherd.com/about
Spotify, Google and Apple Podcast links: https://heyl.ink/ArUw9
Joemer is a true inspiration. His story is a one of kind rags to riches story that should serve as an inspiration to everyone. The BPO world is amazing in its diversity and abundance of opportunity.
Joemer shows us how he made a life changing decision that led to the realization of his dreams.
Enjoy!
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Spotify, Google and Apple Podcast links: https://heyl.ink/ArUw9
Harlon is the lead singer of Tanya Markova, one of the most popular bands in the Philippines.
He shares how he managed conflicting paths that lay before him as a kid in college and how he, ultimately, decided to pursue his dreams and passion.
Listen in for a peek into what makes a one of kind rock band!
Francis Kong shares how he took ownership of his life by changing his mindset. He gives his insights on starting from zero and the impact of chasing excellence instead of money.
He also dives into the best ways to get started on the journey of life, keeping yourself on track and building a strong, trustworthy support system.
Sir Francis is the President of Success Options Inc and the Director of Inspire Leadership Consultancy Inc.
His accomplishments in business and leadership are legendary. He is an entrepreneur, writer, broadcaster, speaker and a great inspiration to so many successful leaders, up-and-coming leaders and would be leaders across the world.
To learn more about leadership directly from Francis, please click on visit his website: https://levelupleadership.ph
Additional details: https://franciskong.com
Robert shares his journey from when he was a kid in Canada doing odd jobs to moving to the Philippines all the way to his joining TaskUs where he was the COO.
He helped TaskUs grow exponentially by instilling a culture of employee satisfaction and true dedication to living the core values.
Robert Hayes is the new CEO of Athena, an Executive Assistant service with a focus on high level delivery of results and 10X Delegation. For more details check out their webpage: https://www.athenago.com or their LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/athenago/
Good day everyone!
This is episode 6.
In this episode I interview Jacqui Gulrajani who is a good friend of mine. I’ve known her for a very long time. We used to work together in Aegis PeopleSupport where she was still in the Training Department. More than 10 years later, she is now a social media influencer with over 19K followers on Instagram and 114K on Tiktok.
This is a cool interview because it’s a bit more raw and a bit more on the emotional side. We cover a lot about our careers, relationships challenges and life in general.
This is a very exciting episode, enjoy!
Welcome to episode 10!
Uma Roa is the youngest founder I’ve interviewed so far. In her early twenties, she started her company as a school project that is rooted in something close to her heart.
Pic-A-Talk is an app that helps people with hearing disabilities communicate better. This is a powerful tool that will enrich and provide so much value to anyone with these disabilities.
“Connect with your non verbal loved ones through modern means.” and “Speak with pics!” are phrases used on their website and captures perfectly how Pic-A-Talk can help the world.
In this episode, we talk about her story and how a family member with verbal communication disabilities help her discover her purpose and how she applied her technical skills to improve the lives of those with similar challenges.
Enjoy everyone!
Welcome to episode 9!
In this episode I interview Michael Jiang, the founder of Fitscovery! We deep dive into the life of a startup founder specifically the part that you dont usually see on Social Media.
Michael talks through his usual daily routine and some of the challenges that he has to overcome on a daily basis. It’s not at all easy and most certainly not all glamour. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to be a start up founder then this episode is for you.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 8, everyone! In this episode, I talk to my childhood friend, Khristian Gomez, owner of Papa Chan’s Kitchen. We take a fun trip down memory lane while also digging some of his unique experiences.
Like trying out and making it as a varsity college player, moving to Singapore and training in the Singaporean army, his journey in Singapore’s food industry and finally starting his own restaurants here in the Philippines.
He has big reveals towards the end so stay tuned!
Enjoy!
Episode 7 everyone!
In this episode I interview Kim Lee, the CEO and Co Founder of Dalipay. Mark Twain said that the secret to getting ahead is getting started. No one embodies this better than Kim.
We talk about what motivated her to get started and what kept her going. She shares some examples of how being lucky can be as important as being good, after all, luck is when preparation meets opportunity.
Watch until the end to learn her secret to staying motivated and dealing with the gueling dual life of being an entrepreneur and an employee in a corporate environment.
One of those secrets was especially compelling, for me personally. It just blew my mind, so watch until the end.
Enjoy!
Welcome to episode number 5!
In this episode, I interview my good friend, CEO and Startup Founder, CJ Rillera. CJ has started 5 companies at various stages of his life.
In each of these stages he has learned some hard but valuable lessons which brought him to where he is today, a CEO on the rise that is able to create value for his community, his shareholders and his family.
CJ is currently the CEO and Founder of Toca, a logistics company and The Kaphe’Co Coffee Shop.
In the next hour or so, CJ will talk about:
- Why you should not wait to get started.
- And how sometimes waiting can result in some serious consequences.
- How accepting outside funding can become a double edged sword.
- The importance of alignment in choosing who to let in your circle of trust.
- How valuable mentors are and how to manage the relationships you have with them.
Enjoy!
Welcome to episode number 4!
In this episode, I interview my little brother, David.
David is currently living in Australia and is on the road to financial freedom. But, you'd be surprised at how many detours his life had to take before he finally realized what his true path is.
He wanted to be an IT practitioner but became a nurse, he never practised but instead became a English teacher to Koreans then a flight attendant before he finally risked it all and migrated to Australia on a student visa.
In the next hour or so, Dave will talk about:
- How he ended up studying nursing despite hating it.
- How he survived the board exam.
- How he turned his back on being a nurse after he passed.
- His frustration and discontent with his perceived failure to achieve his goals.
- And finally, how he survived in Australia with no money, no support and no plans.
Enjoy everyone! Please like and subscribe!
Available in these channels: https://heylink.me/SquareZero/
Welcome to episode number 3!
In this episode, I interview a former colleague of mine from TaskUs who is, for me, the definition of hustle and grit.
Despite starting out as an employee, she always knew that she would one day be an entrepreneur and business owner. While working, she pursued her passion and started so many side hustles that she earned more from them, than her actual job.
Just like a lot of successful people, her journey was filled with extremely difficult. It was very easy to just give but she did not. In this episode we hear Aleli Berroya talk about her journey, specifically:
- How she deals with inevitable losses.
- Her passion for sales and the principles she follows when it comes to selling.
- She gives us advice on how to manage relationships in business.
- Finally, how to bounce back when your one and only plan fails.
Enjoy everyone!
Please like and subscribe!
Available in these channels: https://heylink.me/SquareZero/
Welcome to episode number 2!
In this episode, I talk to Marge Aviso, CEO and founder of Telework.PH, one of the fastest growing BPOs in the country.
Marge’s situation prior to starting her company is one that is common in the Philippines, being a single mom. She got pregnant in her twenties and had no one to turn to. She had to dig deep within herself and find a way to provide for her family alone.
Through sheer determination, an exceptional work ethic and savvy financial foresight, she was able to build a company that provides value to clients and employees alike.
In this episode, we talk about:
- Some of the hardships she had to overcome when she got pregnant and how this shaped her character and how it built confidence in her abilities.
- We talk about some of the most impactful training and seminars she attended that gave her the right frame of mind to be strong as a leader. We touch on the different ways you can fund your business.
- The value of knowing your worth and not settling for what’s easy or readily available.
- Finally, what it means to risk everything and go all in.
This is a very special episode because it’s my first ever and my guest is very dear to my heart.
In today’s episode, I have a conversation with my Dad, Robert Angeles. For as long as I can remember, he is Pastor Robert. He is a born again Christian, a servant of God and a friend to those in need.
Until this interview, I have never had a conversation with him about his time as a successful businessman. This interview was extra meaningful in that it’s my first episode and I got a chance to get to know my Dad better and a bond with him in a way I’ve never done before.
In the next 48 minutes, we’ll talk about:
- His experience in transitioning from being a carpenter, to an OFW and finally, a business owner.
- How he displayed decisiveness in the face of a huge mistake in real estate.
- How he navigated through a difficult 1st month filled with anxiety.
- And finally, the best advice he can give for anyone thinking of starting a business.