Small Talk! With Alec Cuenca - Motivation & Mindset Podcast

Dating in 2026 feels different because people are not dating to survive anymore. Standards have shifted. Expectations are louder. Options are endless. And love has become less about “can we make it through” and more about “do you actually add peace to my life.” In this episode, we unpack why more women are choosing to stay single, why success increases temptation for men, and why cheating is rarel...

In this episode, I sit down with the No.1 Dating Coach, Coach Vee, to discuss how to stop sabotaging your love life. She reveals why chasing that “spark” may be the reason you’re attracting all the wrong people. She explains how to date smarter and why that simple shift in mindset could change the way you approach relationships for good. Plus, discover the REAL reason you keep choosing the wrong p...

Manifestation isn’t just about wishing for something. It’s about staying excited, happy, and inspired. When you stay in a high vibration, that’s when everything starts aligning faster. In this episode, a very special guest, one who's very dear to my heart, my wife, Yani Moya-Cuenca. Yani and I sit down to talk about how to truly manifest your dreams and the importance of staying high vibrational,...

Finally had the opportunity to guest the love of my life on my podcast again but this time we're talking about manifestation and how we manifested our dream wedding. If you're looking for a podcast that you and your partner or your future partner would love to listen to, check out our newest episode of @smalltalkpodcasts. Credit: @yanimcuenca x @smalltalkpodcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...

Most people ask, “How do I grow my money?” But the deeper question is who you are being in the process. Money moves like air. It flows toward the person who can hold it with a steady nervous system and a clean relationship with giving and receiving. The reframe here is simple. You are not just earning money, you are the money-making machine. And the way you treat money often mirrors the way you tr...

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing “everything right” but still feel stuck, anxious, or secretly exhausted.. this episode is for you. I’m joined again by Coach Russ, my mentor and one of the biggest reasons I started taking transformation seriously. We went deep.. not just into mindset, but into the things people don’t talk about enough: suffering, letting go of approval, money wounds, and why...

Most businesses don’t fail because they’re unprofitable. They fail because they run out of cash. In Part 2 of this conversation, Steve Sy breaks down the business principles most entrepreneurs overlook.. from why cash flow is the true lifeline of a company, to why chasing revenue without structure leads to collapse. He explains the difference between profit, sales, and cash flow, why many “success...

Steve Sy is one of the most respected names in Philippine e-commerce today. But his success wasn’t built on shortcuts, hype, or overnight wins. In this episode, Steve breaks down why chasing profit alone can actually destroy a business, how most entrepreneurs scale before they’re ready, and why capacity, systems, and purpose matter more than opportunity. He opens up about being ₱32,000,000 in debt...

In this second part with Carlo Ople, we go beyond business success and talk about purpose, advocacy, faith, and the responsibility that comes with influence. Carlo shares why real impact doesn’t always require running for office.. and how lobbying, content, and entrepreneurship can be powerful tools for national change. From co-founding Creators Against Corruption to building businesses that creat...

Carlo Ople has built one of the most influential careers in the Philippine digital space.. but his journey didn’t start with success. It started in an internet cafe, a life-or-death moment, and a decision that changed everything. In this episode, Carlo opens up about the night he was held at gunpoint, why he spent 18 years building his business after working 9–5, and how he finally walked away fro...

In this episode, we dive into why formal education on business management, working with brands, and understanding contracts is critical for your success. You might be a content creator, but without this knowledge, you're setting yourself up for failure. Icy shares his insights on the creator economy, how data, AI, and community building will shape the future, and why nurturing a loyal community is...

In this episode, Alec sits down with IC Mendoza, a digital marketing entrepreneur and the co-founder of InCircle Inc., the leading talent management agency in the Philippines. IC shares his incredible journey from showbiz to entrepreneurship, offering insights into building a successful business, staying ahead in the influencer world, and finding success through authentic connections. What you’ll...

In this new episode, Rajiv Talreja breaks down the simple, obvious, and painfully common mistake that quietly destroys most businesses. It’s not the economy. It’s not the competition. It’s not even the lack of skill. It’s the business owner. Rajiv explains why many entrepreneurs unknowingly sabotage their own success—by hiring the wrong people, avoiding uncomfortable decisions, and leading without...

In this new episode with Alec, Rajiv breaks down the painful truth behind why so many aspiring entrepreneurs never make it past the first stage. Rajiv shares how he became an “entrepreneur by force, not by choice,” and why early praise and empty encouragement almost destroyed his career. Instead of shortcuts and motivational hype, he reveals the real foundations every business owner needs — clarit...

In this special episode of Small Talk, we break down 30 years of financial lessons into a clear, practical, and honest conversation. No jargon. No hype. Just real wisdom you can apply today. This episode goes beyond earning and saving — it’s about understanding how money affects identity, family, confidence, and the way you move through life. We talk about the mistakes most people don’t realize th...

In this follow-up episode of Small Talk with Alec Cuenca, Nicole Alba opens up about her journey toward financial independence — and the truth behind growing up privileged yet wanting to build something on her own. From her early years watching her parents work tirelessly to send her and her siblings to school, to realizing how money shapes our choices, Nicole shares a side of success that’s often...

In this Small Talk episode, Nicole Alba opens up about what truly happens behind the camera — the burnout, the silence, and the courage it takes to start again. Known for her calm yet insightful voice in the world of personal finance, Nicole reveals what pushed her to take a break at the height of her success, and what it really means to rebuild with intention. She talks about the pressure of alwa...

In this Small Talk episode, Cho Lim returns to share the hardest season of his life—a moment when life took away his control and forced him to grow. After years of chasing success and avoiding responsibility, he hit a breaking point that didn’t just hurt him… it changed him. Cho opens up about the identity crisis he hid, the pain he tried to outrun, and the shift from ego to surrender. He reveals...

In this episode of Small Talk, Alec Cuenca sits down with Cho Lim: whose story is not about instant success, but about wasted years, hidden pain, and the one moment that forced him to finally change. Before becoming one of the most influential coaches in the country, Cho spent years drifting with no direction: stuck in comfort, vices, parties, and the belief that “there’s still time.” But everythi...

In this follow-up episode of Small Talk, Alec's back with Peng Mendoza to reveal a hard truth about high achievers: the more you try to control everything, the more anxious, restless, and unhappy you become. Peng opens up about the seasons when she was doing everything “right”: working hard, hitting goals, serving people. But yet still feeling empty and disconnected on the inside. She shares how t...

In this episode of Small Talk, Alec Cuenca sits down with Peng Mendoza to expose a hard truth about success: you can be moving up in life… and still feel empty inside. Peng opens up about chasing money, achievements, and recognition, only to realize that progress without purpose leads to burnout. She shares the moments when “winning” didn’t feel like winning, the pressure of always having to prove...

In this powerful follow-up episode of Small Talk, Alec sits down again with Tina Sioson to explore what modern leadership really looks like — and why the old ways no longer work. From understanding Gen Z and navigating burnout, to finding the balance between control and freedom, Tina shares the lessons that today’s leaders can’t afford to ignore. She dives deep into how leadership has become a pen...

In this eye-opening episode of Small Talk, Alec sits down with Tina Sioson to challenge one of the biggest lies in the workplace: that promotions and titles automatically make you a leader. With decades of experience in leadership development, Tina reveals why competence alone won’t make people follow you, how bad promotions create “accidental leaders,” and why character and readiness matter more...

In this powerful follow-up episode of Small Talk, Alec sits down again with Dennis Sy to go even deeper into the lessons behind his book Design Your Life. From letting go of weak foundations to anchoring your identity on something eternal, Dennis reveals how true growth requires surrender, why purpose can feel hollow without personhood, and how to escape the trap of living on autopilot. If you’ve...

In this new episode of Small Talk , Alec sits down with Dennis Sy to uncover the deeper story behind his health scare, his bestselling book Design Your Life, and the mindset shifts that helped him escape the trap of living on autopilot. From a hospital bed to a life of clarity and purpose, Dennis shares the raw, untold moments — the struggle, the surrender, and the systems he built to reclaim his...