The Best Learning From the Best
By Niel Anthony Lajot
John Clements has always been one of the few companies I dream of working for. Coming from a communication background aiming to magnify relationships among people, I also believe in the same values that John Clements holds — and that persists in the work that I do even as a student. My experience during the meeting hosted by John Clements, “A Fireside Chat on Tech Entrepreneurship,” transcended my interest in digitalization. As someone who is developing a startup, it was truly significant and valuable to hear from Earl and Rexy, who are prime movers in the industry.
Earl Valencia, co-founder of Plentina, has delivered a meaningful talk from which I gleaned a lot of insights. His experience in building dreams, starting from FinTech to the company he owns now, proved how imperative it is to set goals and dream bigger. What I liked most from his talk was how he prepared us to think of who we aspire to become in the professional world. There is a disparity between wealth and happiness — and we must draw that line to know ourselves better for greater success. What also holds true for Earl is choosing the right people to trust. From my experience in working with people from all walks of life, I learned that there will always be those who are not worthy of time and relationships. Although building a large network will gear you forward, having a solid group of people with you in your journey is what matters most. We all set our hearts and minds for a bigger purpose, we must be resolute and unwavering in every decision we make.
Rexy Dorado, co-founder of Kumu, shared an equally worthwhile story of his journey towards tech development. It was inspiring to see that a fellow Dumagueteño is making a name internationally and that drives me to pressure myself (in a good way) to carry out my purpose and passion. One thing that I will forever hold dearly about his talk is his persistence in changing the world, more so, the Philippines. He strongly believes in localization, rather than globalization, which is very evident in the value proposition of Kumu. When they failed to introduce their startup as a messaging application, they did not falter, but instead took a pause and looked into what would make them stand out. That realization paved the way for the success of Kumu, which has a significant market share in video live-streaming in the country in just less than three years of operation. Rexy is indeed an industry maverick, who sees bigger opportunities in the Philippines. I intend to tread the same path with a stronger reason — to reach out to the community at the grassroots level.
While it is true that I still have a long way to go in my pursuit for professional development, this event served as a beautiful reminder to ground myself better. I believe that more than the learning that I have drawn from the talks, it is the realization that I must instill in my character wherever I go. I thank John Clements for making this opportunity available for AmCham BLP participants. There was no better way to end our first week in the program than to hear from two illustrious business rock stars. I will forever be grateful for this experience and I look forward to learning more in the next days to come, AmCham!
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About the author:
Niel is a Siliman University student, who participated in John Clements-AmCham’s Business Leadership Program.
