Hustleshare

Kendrick Geluz Kho is the Founder & General Partner of Hyperparameter, an early-stage VC firm driving AI innovation in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and finance. He previously founded Fourth Realm, where he invested in groundbreaking companies like SpaceX and Stripe, and served as Partner at Global Founders Capital, backing renowned startups such as Deel and Brex.  Kendrick shares insights on founding Hyperparameter, its mission to merge Silicon Valley technology with opportunities in the Philippines, and how he balances innovation with cultural and market relevance. With a unique vision, he is transforming industries by introducing advanced technology to underserved markets, driven by his Filipino heritage and passion for global impact.This episode is brought to you by OneCFO and LarkFor show notes, go to Hustleshare.comHustleshare is powered by Podmachine

Gia Santos is a visionary entrepreneur and the co-founder of Bookspine. After a challenging journey through startup hell, she's back and ready to inspire. Gia’s story began at just 10 years old as a freelance writer and evolved through ventures in blogging, e-commerce, and health tech with her startup HeartSmart. In July 2020, during the height of the pandemic, Gia and her co-founder John Etchouse saw an opportunity to bridge the gap left by shuttered bookstores. They launched Bookspine, a platform designed to connect readers with their ideal books. Starting as a marketplace for secondhand books, Bookspine quickly gained momentum, onboarding sellers and captivating readers worldwide. Tune in as Gia opens up about her heartbreak and how she turned grief into growth.This episode is brought to you by OneCFO and LarkFor show notes, go to Hustleshare.comHustleshare is powered by Podmachine

Michael Calma, Country Manager at Advance AI, introduces the company’s goal of enhancing financial inclusion by providing seamless identity verification and credit assessment tools powered by artificial intelligence. He reflects on his early hustles and learning programming in the 2000s, leading to key corporate roles, including his time at NEC where he acquired valuable hard skills. Transitioning back to the startup world, Mike helped build DDLS, an IT training center, and adapted the business during the pandemic. In 2022, he joined Advance AI, launching Credit Bureau Philippines to support the underbanked and highlighting early adopters like Skyro, a fast-growing POS loan provider leveraging Advance AI’s identity verification technology to serve thousands of customers daily. Mike concludes the conversation with a discussion on Advance AI’s accessible, API-driven platform for enterprises and startups including the company’s future goals to further enhance AI-driven security and credit solutions across Southeast Asia.This episode is brought to you by OneCFO and LarkFor show notes, go to Hustleshare.comHustleshare is powered by Podmachine

Rene Cuartero is the Co-Founder and CEO of AHG Lab – the largest independent venture studio in the Philippines that empower entrepreneurs and enrich ecosystems. With extensive experience in leadership roles at multinational companies such as P&G, Deutsche Bank, and Morgan Stanley Capital International, Rene also made a significant impact with the Red Cross and Child and Youth Finance International, scaling operations to 150 countries. Finally, Rene shares how the pandemic inspired his return to the Philippines, where he founded AHG Lab. Under his leadership, it has grown into the country’s largest independent venture studio, empowering tech founders and startups through accelerator programs, services, and ecosystem funds to foster growth and innovation across Southeast Asia.This episode is brought to you by OneCFO and LarkFor show notes, go to Hustleshare.comHustleshare is powered by Podmachine

Guaya Melgar, CEO/Co-Founder, and Adrian Co, CTO, share their journeys leading up to co-founding Mochi, a receivables management platform designed to improve billing and collections. Pete discusses his early self-taught coding experiences and forming a dev group, which led him to Proudcloud and later to Logitech. Meanwhile, Guaya reflects on her first startup, Vesl, which addressed credit access for small businesses, and how these experiences prepared her for Mochi’s creation. They both recount their initial meeting and partnership, explaining the intensive early product testing and the decision to build Mochi using TypeScript and Next.js for scalability, and Foxmont’s early investment that helped them launch. They share candid insights on navigating funding challenges, product bugs, and finding validation in their first paying customer, all while building a strong co-founder relationship based on transparency and resilience.This episode is brought to you by OneCFO and LarkFor show notes, go to Hustleshare.comHustleshare is powered by Podmachine

Jay Olos, Founder and CEO of OneCFO, takes us through his path from humble beginnings to becoming a financial leader in the tech industry. He introduces OneCFO, his platform designed to make CFO services accessible to SMEs and startups and recounts his early entrepreneurial experiences, underscoring the grit and resilience instilled by his upbringing. Jay shares his journey from auditor to tech professional, explaining what inspired him to become an angel investor. He highlights his role in a NASDAQ exit and emphasizes the importance of CFOs in helping startups succeed financially. Reflecting on his time as CFO at GCash and PayMongo, he discusses his contributions to fundraising and scaling operations. Now, as CEO, Jay envisions OneCFO making financial guidance accessible to businesses of all sizes.This episode is brought to you by OneCFO and LarkFor show notes, go to Hustleshare.comHustleshare is powered by Podmachine

Tina Amper, a pioneer in the Philippine startup ecosystem, shares her inspiring journey. Tina discusses how she founded Geeks On A Beach as a way to give back to the community and foster innovation in the tech space. She recounts her upbringing in Cebu, early exposure to government work, and her academic experience studying engineering at USC San Carlos before moving to the US. Tina’s career in tech began with her work on integrated circuits for the space industry, which led to navigating the challenges of adapting to US corporate culture. She also reflects on her time at Siemens and Western Digital, where she balanced an intense global tech career with her MBA studies. Finally, Tina shares insights on building Cebu’s tech community, growing Geeks On A Beach, and offers advice for female founders on resilience, grit and long-term vision.This episode is brought to you by OneCFO and LarkFor show notes, go to Hustleshare.comHustleshare is powered by Podmachine

Macy Castillo is the Co-Founder and CEO of Enstack - an app that helps small businesses set up online stores, manage payments and handle shipping seamlessly. With a background in banking and tech, she significantly advanced e-commerce in the Philippines through her work with Zalora and Shopee. Launched in 2021, Enstack transforms SME operations by consolidating order management, inventory tracking, shipping, payments, and finances into one platform, addressing the crucial challenge of payment collection and enabling merchants to sell anytime, anywhere. Enstack, after securing $3 million in Series A funding from Mangrove Capital Partners, now serves over 70,000 SMEs with versatile tools for both online and offline commerce. Macy also encourages female founders to cultivate resilience, grit, and a focus on long-term success.This episode is brought to you by UNO Digital Bank and LarkFor show notes, go to Hustleshare.comHustleshare is powered by Podmachine