They say the hardest part of any journey is the first step. But as an entrepreneur since 2009, I’d argue the hardest part is re-starting when life feels like it is fading. I recently spent a very inspiring day at the Gemini Academy, organized by PLDT Home, Google Philippines, and Madiskarte Moms PH. As a long-time Virtual Assistant, I’m no Gemini newbie! Honestly, without it, I’d probably be losing my mind juggling clients from different industries and parts of the world! But attending this academy as a entrepreneur? That hit differently.

Let’s backtrack for a second. In 2009, I was an entrepreneurship student defending a business plan for Etched Moments, my old souvenirs and invitations brand. Back then, Instagram wasn’t even a “thing.” I was hustling on Multiply, building everything from scratch, from market research, financial projections, operations. It took months of grueling manual work. That business saw me through my “single lakwachera” days, into marriage, and even helped welcome my son, Marcus. But eventually, the market got crowded and things felt a bit dim. I bid it goodbye, moved on to Lil Dudes Only in 2014, and then pivoted to the VA world right before the pandemic hit.
During the sessions, we were given a case study to solve, and that’s when it happened. As we were working on the fixes for our task, it felt like an actual bolt of electricity. Para akong nakuryente! It was this perfect mix of the good old entrepreneurship memories rushing back and the excitement of what was happening right in front of me. I ended up being the designated presenter for our finished product. We only had at least 20 minutes to pull it all together, and honestly, if we had more time, we could have done so much more! But that’s the challenge, right? It forced us to be sharp, quick, and madiskarte.

Seeing how fast we could solve problems during that workshop reminded me of how I’ve been using Gemini for my new baby, Funcakes Mini Pancakes Bar. Last June, I pulled out a business plan I started in 2023 and decided to try something different and invited Gemini to the table.

Instead of taking 100 years to research and make the plan itself, Gemini helped me polish my ideas in days. We talked like old friends. I’d ask, “Does this brand name sound catchy?”, “Can you help me make my order form?” or “Help me make a survey for my market research.” When I was a “fickle-minded overthinker” about my logo, Gemini gave me the creative spark I needed to jump into Canva and finish it myself. Ten months later, Funcakes is almost ready to serve some happiness! Seeing how fast I built this with the help of Gemini makes me think of all the budding entrepreneurs out there. If someone like me, with an entrepreneurship background, found this much value in it, imagine what it can do for a total newbie. Sometimes, aside from the money, the hardest part is just knowing where to begin.

I know, I know. AI has a bit of a negative reputation. We see people using it the wrong way, and ayoko na lang mag-talk. But here’s what the Gemini Academy reinforced for me: Don’t abuse AI—collaborate with it.

AI is there for the heavy lifting, probably with your marketing and the finance drafts. But the human touch? That’s all you. Your “madiskarte” spark is something no algorithm can replicate. Use it wisely, create with confidence, but never lose your soul in the process.

I’m walked away from the Google PH HQ with a leveled-up heart and a lot of “hustle magic.” I can’t wait to see how Gemini helps me navigate this new chapter with Funcakes. So, to all the dreamers out there: If you don’t know where to begin, just start. The tools are there. The support is there. Let’s make the AI era work for us!

It’s been 10 months and still counting since I started working on Funcakes Mini Pancakes Bar, and believe me, the journey hasn't been a walk in the park. People might think starting a business is easy, especially with the help of Gemini, as I've mentioned above, but when you aren’t a "nepo baby" with loads of money lying around, it’s a different story.

With no excess funds, the reality of raising a student-athlete, and just pure grit, I’ve had to rely on a lot of hard work and the kindness of some "good samaritans" to get this far. I am almost there. I just need a little more push, and I’ll be opening up really soon!

Please keep me in your prayers? 🙏✨