You Can Do This!

He was just a choir boy from a poor family—but he outworked everyone and honed his talents all the way to the West End, Broadway, and Hollywood. Pick up a motivating life lesson or two about struggling, quitting, and fighting for your dreams in this inspiring chat with international actor and singer Jon Jon Briones, best known for his roles as Dr. Richard Hanover in Netflix’s Ratched, Modesto Cuna...

“I came from nowhere and I practically have nothing to brag about,” she once said in an interview. This high school graduate was a factory worker in Bulacan whose life and luck changed dramatically one day when she was scouted in a panciteria by a fashion designer, makeup artist, and film director. She skipped college to make a living as a model to support her family in Pampanga, and in just a few...

And just like that, half the year is over—but fret not: there’s still hope for the other half and enough time to make this year a fruitful one. Take advantage of this mid-year check-in session with certified life and career coach Aurora Suarez and learn about the 5 Rs (Reset, Rediscover, Remind, Repair, and Responsibility) you need to get back on track with or reevaluate and recalibrate your goals...

Did you know that as a teenager, this top hairstylist and salon chain owner swept hair off the floor of the salon where his mother worked? Find out how a brave little boy with humble origins but big dreams surpassed countless obstacles through the decades to build not just a successful salon empire but also the trust, admiration, love, and respect of the country’s wealthiest, most famous and most...

Your image is a powerful tool for presenting yourself as a confident professional in any industry. Ms. O, as she is more popularly known, helps people achieve their goals by elevating their self-image to gain a competitive advantage in whatever they do. The renowned and sought-after certified image, etiquette, civility, and protocol expert is also currently the president of the AICI (Association o...

At the end of the day, you're only accountable to yourself, so no one should be able to tell you what to do or how to dress or who to love, etc. If you can live with yourself and your decisions…that's all anyone can really ever ask of you,” says award-winning filmmaker and LGBTQ+ advocate Samantha Lee. Sam has fought to create films that champion queer representation in mass media, the mos...

“Sheer determination” is what international bag designer Rafe Totengco of Rafe New York says has kept him not just surviving but thriving throughout more than three decades. A top fashion designer when he left Manila, he found himself starting from the bottom all over again when he moved to New York. He was a salesperson in a fashion store before he became a fashion stylist, and eventually, a bag...

We may not all be award-winning journalists like Atom Araullo, but we are all storytellers with the power to help shape history. Listen and learn from this lockdown chat about his long-lasting career, the changing role of journalists in a world of ever-evolving nano-speed technology and their responsibility in taking a more active role in effecting change in the world. Plus, important lessons from...

Whether you’re looking for writing tips and advice, seeking thought-provoking insights, or just want to be entertained by his humor and wit, you’ll enjoy eavesdropping on our chill (and some parts chilling!) chat with Lourd de Veyra. Be inspired by the story of how the son of a policeman grew up to be an iconic writer, musician, artist, emcee, poet, journalist, TV host, broadcast personality, best...

Just when we think we’ve survived the worst comes even tougher and more tragic times, No wonder we’re forever in survival mode. Is it possible to even thrive and live the life of your dreams when it’s so difficult to even just get by? This episode might just be the turning point in your life when you learn to turn it around.   Dr. Rene Samaniego, award-winning psychiatrist and former president of...

“Believe in the future of history, so that the present will stop reading like the past,” says Ambeth Ocampo. Be on the right side of history after listening to this episode with the celebrated historian, bestselling author, Ateneo de Manila University professor, and Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist. Learn how he created a decades-long career all his own by harnessing what he calls a confluence...

Still chasing other people’s dreams and not your own? “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should” could very well describe the career and life path of top photographer and vintage clothing and fragrance collector Shaira Luna. A famous child genius who could read and write at age one, started pre-med college at 13, and was expected to be the youngest doctor ever at 19—she bravely walked away fro...

Get inspired and entertained by this hilarious and uplifting chat with gorgeous Filipino-African American modeling stars Wilma Doesnt and Nikita McElroy about growing up different, dealing with bullying and prejudice and harnessing the hurt to build strength and confidence, how modeling changed their self-perception and their lives, and how they’re helping change others’ lives. Plus lessons on gri...

Whether your financial goals are urgent or long-term, big or small, this episode gives you the inspiration and motivation you need to take that first step towards achieving them. Personal finance consultant, stock trader, analyst and investor, international keynote speaker, bestselling author, and YouTube sensation Marvin Germo shows us how. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed by the podc...

If you are “stuck in a rut and have lost yourself because you have put yourself last,” this could be why you have gained a Stress Belly, says celebrity food coach Nadine Tengco. The excess abdominal fat resulting from chronic stress is just one of the disastrous effects of stress on our weight, health, and beauty, she says. In this episode, the author of Sexy at Any Age shares her knowledge, exper...

Meet the first woman who was brave enough to come forward about being sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein, leading to his downfall and the start the #MeToo movement. Myrza chats with the fearless Filipina-Italian model and equal rights/sexual positivity advocate Ambra Gutierrez, who is featured in Ronan Farrow’s podcast series and bestselling book, Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and A Conspiracy...

“Your personal history is Philippine history.” Whether you have an idea what life was really like under Martial Law in the ‘70s and ‘80s or have come to believe life was fine and dandy then, I invite you to this eye-opening history lesson of a chat with Gang Badoy Capati. Here, we reminisce about our childhood in those oppressed and violent times, unlock insights about how our history affects our...

What does it take for a business to survive—and even thrive—during times of crisis? The pandemic fast-forwarded the adoption of e-commerce by consumers and businesses virtually overnight. And it took leaders who were forward-thinking, agile, and tech-savvy to steer their companies to safety and success moving forward. One such leader was a third generation millennial mom named Elyse Juan who led t...

“Success is what makes it success for you. My value comes from my relationships and the people I am able to connect with and collaborate with,” says G Töngi-Walters who at the height of her showbiz fame walked away from it all to live a new life in the US. She has since evolved into a women’s and human rights defender, producer, host, writer, “artivist” for diversity and reproductive health, direc...

f you are offended by misogyny, contest double standards and gender stereotypes like “Kababae mong tao,” and fight against female discrimination—then surprise, you are actually a feminist! Listen to this light-hearted yet enlightening conversation with Dr. Nathalie Africa-Verceles, Director of the UP Center for Women's and Gender Studies Center, to learn the basics of feminism beyond any antiq...

Intense sugar and carb cravings, junk food bingeing, eating your feelings of stress, depression, anxiety, and boredom? The good news is, it’s not all your fault, and it’s not just “ katakawan, ” but so many other biological factors such as our hormones, gut health, and the current mental health epidemic. Listen to Dr. Oyie Balburias, M.D. and IFM-certified functional medicine practitioner, as he t...

Stressed, depressed, or overwhelmed—but don’t have enough time, money, or courage to address and seek help for your mental health? Our excuses stop here in this episode where “Doc Gia" shows us why and how to give our mental health the importance it requires. Dr. Gia Sison is the National Adviser of the Youth For Mental Health Coalition and the head of the Makati Medical Center's Women’s...

Fighting is not a sign of a bad relationship, nor is not fighting the sign of a good one. Major crises such as the pandemic can either destroy a couple’s relationship or serve as opportunities for growth and an even deeper bond—if they learn the right conflict resolution and communication skills. Learn all about them here from relationship coach Aileen Santos, a certified life skills and conflict...

Resilience, especially in the Philippine context, has come to negatively connote masochistic suffering and doormat behavior. But it is still an essential life skill, and what we must aim for is “sustainable resiliency, which comes from establishing clear boundaries,” according to psychologist Gisa Paredes, M.A., founder of Healing Minds PH and COO of WellAtSea. In this comprehensive mini-session,...

The Housemaid and Sisid lead actress, founder of Mental Health Matters PH and Property Access PH, and Miss International 2016 shares the methods and mindsets she has used to triumph over her struggles and achieve her goals in this intimate and insightful interview. She also reveals: • Her scientific eye-on-the-crown strategy for winning Miss International 2016 • How she bravely decided to speak up...