Wicked Thoughts with Fleire Castro

This week on the Wicked Thoughts Podcast, I'm talking to Reinart Bacalso - CEO of Augmen Digital, avid learner, and all-around numbers geek. We catch up on what's changed since we last spoke - from growing his team to delving into the local marketing scene and overcoming challenges. "Part of business is trying to find creative solutions to get through these challenges," he shares. We take it back...

This week, I'm catching up with my good friend Mr. Nas Arcayan, founder of Mothership and cognitive branding specialist. We start things off with what it means to build a "cognitive brand" and how one can connect with customers in the deepest, most meaningful ways. "Branding is not about connecting with the eyes it's about connecting with the mind," Nas shares. Nas drops some valuable knowledge fo...

This week on the Wicked Thoughts Podcast, we're learning a whole lot from Jason Cruz - communication and brand strategist, business coach, and content creator. As a guest lecturer for various academic institutions, Jason has a unique perspective on teaching digital marketing, drawing from his past and ongoing experiences in the space. We talk a little about the importance of keeping up to date wit...

This week on the Wicked Thoughts Podcast, it's S4E4 and I'm talking to Javier Lorenzana, co-founder, and CEO of Up Next, a platform that offers cohort-based programs to help accelerate professionals for the digital age. To begin, Javier shares how Up Next came to be -- how it was born out of a hunger for community and a need to learn beyond the four walls of a classroom. Today, Up Next stands at t...

This week on the Wicked Thoughts Podcast, I talk to social media specialist and digital leadership coach -- Ms. Janette Toral! In keeping with the season 4 theme, we get into a dash of social and discuss how e-commerce businesses can use social media to their advantage. Where does one even start? Ms. Janette advises it's important to establish fundamentals and invest in relationship building. Afte...

This week on Episode 2, I talk to social media strategist, community organizer, blogger, opinion columnist, Mr. Tonyo Cruz. We take it back to a time when blogging was just beginning to gain popularity. We reflect on how the times have changed, how going digital has evolved from a nice-to-have to a must-have, and how the pandemic has forced many sectors to take the digital space seriously. Then, t...

We're kicking off season 4 of the Wicked Thoughts Podcast with a well-known figure in the Philippines startup space, a content creator, podcaster, live streamer, and startup mentor -- Mr. Christopher Star. We talk about all things social media, why he considers himself an "accidental content creator", and his thoughts on social media vs. traditional media. Unless you've been living under a rock, m...

Fleire Castro interviews Andy Graziosi for this season's Creators and Creatives. Andy Graziosi helps men unleash their confidence and reach their fullest potential so that they can date their dream woman. His goal is for men to overcome insecurities & become a force to be reckoned with. He wrote the book " Unleash The King Within: Dating & relationships for men: Learn how to be confident and under...

Fleire Castro chats with her son, David Castro, for her birthday episode. Millennial mother and Gen Z son discuss NFTs, book writing, creativity, public speaking, his internship in a startup here in Cebu, scifi stuff, and other GenZ things.  Twenty questions (and more) were also asked to know the mother-son duo in this episode. Bonus: Singing an earworm cringe to close the episode.

Fleire Castro interviews AJ Dimarucot for this season's Creators and Creatives. AJ is a self-taught graphic designer, art director, and illustrator who has worked on experiential, digital, web/mobile, and integrated campaigns for brands all over the world. He has designed for and collaborated with brands like Nike, Jordan Brand, Adidas, to a multitude of smaller independent brands. He has recently...

Fleire Castro interviews three women creatives in Cebu for this season's Creators and Creatives. February Ann Canoy - Super Human of 10 Yellow Milk Govinda Trazo - mother of 4 boys - creative director - small biz owner of Wudiis Cheryl "tambolbee" Villarino - designer & illustrator - owner & creator of The Grumpy Girls

Fleire Castro interviews Ace Gapuz for this season's Creators and Creatives. Ace Gapuz is an influencer marketing entrepreneur and the current Chief Executive Officer of Blogapalooza, the Philippines' premier influencer marketing company. Having been in the digital marketing and public relations space for almost two decades now, she is the pioneer of influencer marketing in the Philippines and a s...

Fleire Castro interviews Mike Unson for this season's Creators and Creatives. Mike Unson is a stand-up comedian and host. He is an 18-year veteran of Philippine POV stand-up comedy. Mike also does hosting and runs his own shows on Kumu and IGTV.

Fleire Castro interviews Veronica Chiongbian for this season's Creators and Creatives. Veronica Chiongbian is a Cebu-based voice actor. She was a radio DJ and currently a digital marketer and co-founder of Cebooze.

Fleire Castro interviews Skye Nicolas for this season's Creators and Creatives. Skye Nicolas is a Manila-born, New York-based post-conceptual artist. His work ranges from large format paintings, filmmaking, photography, video installation, public space interventions, sculpture, and street wear design. He's currently dropping cryptoart where he recently became the #1 top-trending artist on KnownOri...

Fleire Castro interviews Gama Rae a.k.a Paeijwei for this season's Creators and Creatives. Paeijwei  is a former professional gamer who collaborates with publishers, media companies, and ecommerce brands to promote video games through live streaming and content. She is currently engaged in freelance content creation services for local and international clients. She hopes to someday create a platfo...

Fleire Castro interviews Marvin Viagedor for this season's Creators and Creatives. Marvin is the band vocalist for the reggae band Big Marvin and the Wigiws since 2002. Expert branding specialist. Busking Advocate.

Fleire Castro interviews Ara Chawdhury for this season's Creators and Creatives. Ara Chawdhury is a Filipina filmmaker, human rights activist, and tarot reader who takes her comedy seriously. She produced a stoner film, SUPERPSYCHOCEBU with prize money she won for her short film, OPERATION PRUTAS at the Sinulog Film Festival, during Duterte's bloody drug war and is currently seeking political asyl...

A chat with Dominic Dosdos of the local Cebu band Forgetful Bob. The Cebu punk + hardcore band shaped their music with a fresh new sound that echoes to every listener no matter the genre they prefer.  They have a single released soon called "Days". Days is an unapologetic love letter to your significant other who is far away. It's about reminiscing the days when you were right beside each other an...

To wrap up the season and Women's Month, host Fleire Castro and co-host Connie Barrientos-Carey talk about the topics of Season 2 and the highlights of the conversations from our guests from Sutukil Valley and the Humans of Cebu.

This interview was done by David Alfonso Castro, my son, with my mom, Fely Bation in Cebu, Philippines. The recording was supposedly for  StoryCorps but reviving it here on the podcast as one of our Wicked Thoughts special episodes. We interviewed her days before the pandemic quarantine and travel lockdown. This was when we realized that her trip back to Los Angeles was not going to happen anymore...

How is the Cebu startup community doing? What are the challenges and opportunities in running a co-working space in Cebu? What are the trends in community management and education as advocacy? Fleire Castro and co-host Ms. Connie Barrientos-Carey interview guest Ms. Joy Garingo, the General Manager of The Company's two co-working spaces in Cebu. In this episode, she shares her joy in being immerse...

How do you navigate your career and life as a working single mom? What are the things to note in the dynamics between men and women in the workplace? What are some tips for positioning yourself to win? Fleire Castro and co-host Connie Barrientos-Carey interview guest Ms. Rica Serenio, Digital Marketing Consultant, food content creator, and endurance athlete. In this episode, she shares her journey...

Are social enterprises finding tech valuable? How does a working woman do career transitions? Where does data fit in various industries? Fleire Castro and co-host Connie Barrientos-Carey interview guest Ms. Hannah Amora, co-Founder of NGO Let it ECHO and logical empath. In this episode, she shares her journey from corporate to social enterprises, all the while keeping data and tech insights applie...

Can you use design to bring about the value in business? How do you use it to validate ideas for startups and businesses? How does community building help? Fleire Castro and co-host Connie Barrientos-Carey interview guest Mr. Francis Alturas, Co-founder and Chief Design Officer of Abstract Digital. In this episode, he shares about his entrepreneurship journey, his design agency helping venture-bac...