Afterthought on The Military Family Redj Ortiz

How true is this: You can take the Pinoy out of the Philippines but you can't take the Philippines out of the Pinoy?

My guest moved to the US when he was two and always wanted to serve in the military since he was five. He served in the US Military and US Foreign Service, yet married a Filipina.

Even though he doesn't speak Filipino, he didn't let it stop him from teaching in the PMA. For free. Why? So he can give back to the Philippines. How? By helping senior PMA cadets be the best versions of themselves using the West-Point way.

Listen to this episode to learn from Sonny Busa how to take your own path and live life your own way without forgetting to look back.

About the Guest:

In 1976, Sonny Busa graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was an Army officer before entering the State Department as a Diplomatic Officer, serving in Honduras, Korea, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Ethiopia, and Kuwait.

He returned to the United States to work as a Professor of International Relations at West Point, and then he taught at the Philippine Military Academy in the Philippines.

He is married to Ceres Kawagas from Samar, and they have three daughters and four grandchildren.

Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode:


Discover the wonders and rewards of teaching as a profession
Learn why the US Military prioritizes military families the same way as service members
Learn how military members can get help for mental health issues within the service.

Check out these episode highlights:


(01:28) - From Latin America to Asia as a Consul General
(02:56) - His humbling experience serving in the Philippines
(04:31) - Getting called back to West Point to give presentations
(04:55) - His West Point teaching career
(08:54) - How he was "convinced" to teach in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA)
(10:36) - The advantage of being the only one to teach both at West Point and PMA
(13:37) - The benefits of entering the PMA and the culture within the campus
(17:03) - Comparing the mental health issues of the past with today
(19:03) - Struggles of the PMA cadets compared to West Point cadets
(21:17) - The importance of having a family while doing overseas assignment
(24:53) - His message to the military families
(27:11) - His advice to members struggling with their mental health
(28:31) - What the military means to him
(29:22) - How the military helps him to be a better person

Connect with Mami Redj:


https://facebook.com/mamiredjpodcast/

Do you want to hear more stories about military families? This is the podcast for you. You can listen to it wherever you are, and it’s completely free. Subscribe to our podcast on Spotify today.

DISCLAIMER:

The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the host and guests, and do not reflect the views, positions, and opinions of the U.S. Military, its Foreign Counterparts, and/or other entities they represent.

How do you choose one dream job over the other? Should you really give up one? Or should you do both?

Sonny Busa, my guest for this week, pursued both by using one goal as a stepping stone. He may have hated what he had to do to get in and stay at West Point, but he was able to achieve both. How? By having the discipline to finish what he started, by being clear on what he really wants, and by doing what's necessary to get there.

Listen to this episode to learn how his optimism even at a young age paved his success in the military.

About the Guest:

In 1976, Sonny Busa graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was an Army officer before entering the State Department as a Diplomatic Officer, serving in Honduras, Korea, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Ethiopia, and Kuwait.

He returned to the United States to work as a Professor of International Relations at West Point, and then he taught at the Philippine Military Academy in the Philippines.

He is married to Ceres Kawagas from Samar, and they have three daughters and four grandchildren.

Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode:


Learn the 3 areas you need to excel in to get into West Point
Learn about the different branches of the United States Army
Discover the steps Sonny took to move from the US Army to the US State Department

Check out these episode highlights:


(03:01) - The irony of marching back to West Point with cadets decades after Sonny did it himself
(06:13) - How his fun experience as a Navy brat inspired him to get into the military
(09:52) - How having an eye condition led him to do fun stuff in the army
(11:06) - The 3 areas you need to excel in to get into West Point: Academics, Athletics, and Leadership
(12:43) - Getting in at 18 and the most challenging part of his 47-month stay at West Point (And it's not what you think)
(15:21) - A year of training before his first overseas assignment
(16:18) - The different branches of the Army and the role of a foot soldier (Hint: Saving Private Ryan)
(17:58) - Why everything about his Panama assignment was memorable and how it differed from his next assignment at Fort Ord
(20:19) - Getting selected to attend graduate school to continue his international relations studies
(20:46) - Why he refers to himself as the ‘world’s worst engineer’
(22:23) - Assignment versus Deployment
(23:03) - The many languages he knows
(24:10) - Giving up the army after 10 years to pursue his other dream job
(25:48) - Assignment in Honduras as an FSO
(27:45) - How he met his wife and the pros and cons of being married to a nurse
(29:37) - His two-year assignment in Korea as a Vice Consul

Connect with Mami Redj:


https://facebook.com/mamiredjpodcast/

Do you want to hear more stories about military families? This is the podcast for you. You can listen to it wherever you are, and it’s completely free. Subscribe to our podcast on Spotify today.

DISCLAIMER:

The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the host and guests, and do not reflect the views, positions, and opinions of the U.S. Military, its Foreign Counterparts, and/or other entities they represent.

Don't get me wrong. Keeping faith and manifesting work BUT unfortunately it's not enough.

With her unwavering faith as her guide, Eloi was able to make one of her dreams a reality simply by not waiting for it to happen.

How? By taking action.

So listen to this episode to see a different side to Eloi as she bares it, fears and all, to share with us how she's able to build her agency, and eventually become the mentor she was meant to be through ValuePod Productions' Mentoring Program and The ValuePODcast Show.

About the Guest:

Eloisa Almonicido is the empowered "Tyang" of today's thriving podcast management service industry.

Her main purpose is to turn Filipinos into indispensable podcast managers or podcast agency owners in order to change their lives for the better.

Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode:


Discover how freelancing is a realistic career choice, in addition to foreign and local employment
Understand how podcast skills are related to one another
Find out about the deadly combo you can use to get the results you want

Check out these episode highlights:


(02:53) - Who Tyang Eloi was before she entered the podcast industry
(04:06) - How she ended up working as a call center agent for 7 years
(05:15) - The major reason why she left her call center job
(06:53) - Learning freelancing from Jomar Hilario and Natasha Rivera
(08:31) - How she pursued podcast service as a long-term career
(10:35) - How she started doing it by herself
(14:08) - The real definition of a premium client and the types of clients she has
(17:11) - Eating rejections for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
(20:23) - How ValuePod Productions started
(26:29) - The ValuePod Bootcamp 1, 2, and 3
(30:38) - Podcast service industry for military members and their family
(36:34) - Her goals and aspirations for the next 3 years
(37:53) - Her message to military moms, spouses, and veterans on how to find themselves so they can figure out what to do next with their career
(40:56) - What is next for ValuePod Productions

Connect with Eloisa Almonicido - Co-founder of ValuePod Productions and Podcast VA School by ValuePOD:


Join Podcast VA School by ValuePOD
Follow ValuePod Productions
Connect with Tsang Eloi

Connect with Mami Redj:


https://facebook.com/mamiredjpodcast/

Do you want to hear more stories about military families? This is the podcast for you. You can listen to it wherever you are, and it’s completely free. Subscribe to our podcast on Spotify today.

DISCLAIMER:

The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the host and guests, and do not reflect the views, positions, and opinions of the U.S. Military, its Foreign Counterparts, and/or other entities they represent.

Are you an OFW who's longing to be with your family in the Philippines?

Are you tired of doing physical jobs and curious to transition to working from home?

Do you want to pursue a career in podcasting but don't know where and how to start?

In these changing times, we really need to learn how to adapt; otherwise, we would be left behind.

But how do you do that? By following Ce's roadmap and how she prepared for life's changes and challenges.

In this episode, she shares her journey from a conflicted wife/first-time mom/licensed civil engineer to a successful agency owner/podcaster/mentor by simply embracing herself as an empowered mom.

About the Guest:

Cecilia Mercado-Mojica is a former OFW wife and a former Civil Engineer working in a Quadruple “A” Construction Company who became a podcast agency owner and one of the sought-after mentors of ValuePod Productions.

Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode:


Find out how to start your podcast management career using free resources from Podcast VA School and The ValuePODcast Show
Discover the secret sauce to freelancing
Learn from her struggles in her WFH career and how it all shifted once she changed “earning money” to “learning skills” as her motivation

Check out these episode highlights:

(04:30) - Why Ce felt torn between being a first-time mom and a successful Civil Engineer

(07:23) - The one painful line her husband said to her and the opportunity that made his fear disappear

(09:29) - The ultimate decision Ce had to make for the sake of her family

(10:10) - The traces and clues that led her to her breakthrough in freelancing

(11:36) - Why she pursued having a WFH career

(12:56) - Her struggles in her WFH career and how it all shifted once she changed “earning money” to “learning skills” as her motivation

(15:24) - Realizations when her husband lost his job overseas

(17:14) - The two things that made Ce fall in love with Podcast Service

(19:16) - What made her let go her OFW Life

(22:56) - What helped Ce become the bravest introvert in the industry?

(26:03) - How finding about Ce and Eloi inspired me to try to dream again

(30:38) - What ValuePod Mentoring Program is, its mission, and who it's for

(34:53) - Why Ce thinks podcast services is perfect for military spouses, moms, and veterans as a career

(37:32) - The secret sauce to freelancing

(38:34) - How to start your podcast management career through Podcast VA School

(40:29) - What to expect from ValuePod Mentoring Bootcamp

(42:24) - What they share on The ValuePODcast Show

Connect with Ce Mojica-Mercado - Co-founder of ValuePod Productions and Podcast VA School by ValuePod:


Join Podcast VA School by ValuePOD
Follow ValuePod Productions
Connect with Ce

Connect with Mami Redj:


https://facebook.com/mamiredjpodcast/

Do you want to hear more stories about military families? This is the podcast for you. You can listen to it wherever you are, and it’s completely free. Subscribe to our podcast on Spotify today.

How did Nilyn, a pastoral intern whose parents are both pastors, end up working as an inventory assistant for a US-based retail company?

Has she always done things her own way?

And what's behind her fearlessness when it comes to switching careers even though it will make her start all over again?

In this episode, you'll hear from Nilyn how she uses her humble beginnings as a driving force to not only have a better life for herself and her family, but to also help others by teaching them about podcast production and management.

About the Guest:

Nilyn Matugas is an empowered woman, a beautiful wife, a caring mother, an entrepreneur, and Zencastr's full-time customer assistance manager.

She founded the first podcast virtual assistant Facebook community in the Philippines - Podcast VAs Philippines, and she owns a rapidly-expanding podcast agency.

Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode:


Find out how to grow your business slowly yet steadily
Know when it's time for you to quit your job or switch careers
Discover how Zencastr can help level up your or your clients' podcast production process

Check out these episode highlights:


(03:51) - Nilyn's humble beginnings and perseverance in spite of challenges and rejections
(07:47) - How she found out about home-based jobs and her field of expertise
(12:37) - How military spouses can relate to her and her husband's love story
(13:28) - Their three-year LDR and its challenges
(17:41) - What you should do when your mental health is at risk
(19:19) - The start of her career growth all because she chose herself first
(21:58) - How she unexpectedly landed an opportunity to work for Zencastr
(24:17) - What led her to start Podcast VAs PH in 2012
(28:04) - How she handles burnout
(29:40) - How her support systems help her juggle time for home and work
(33:00) - How she grew her team
(36:24) - Zencastr’s new features
(39:30) - Why I use Zencastr to record my episodes
(42:03) - Zencastr’s humble beginnings
(42:38) - How your existing skills can help you in podcast production/management
(44:54) - The one superpower moms have that help them in their career
(48:33) - Reasons why podcast production/management is perfect for parents

Connect with Nilyn Matugas - Customer Support Manager of Zencastr:


Download Zencastr Now
Join Podcast VAs Philippines FB Group
Connect with Nilyn

Connect with Mami Redj:


https://facebook.com/mamiredjpodcast/

Do you want to hear more stories about military families? This is the podcast for you. You can listen to it wherever you are, and it’s completely free. Subscribe to our podcast on Spotify today.

DISCLAIMER:

The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the host and guests, and do not reflect the views, positions, and opinions of the U.S. Military, its Foreign Counterparts, and/or other entities they represent.

How did Rowela transition to a white collar job while working as a domestic helper?

What is the biggest reason why Rowela renewed her faith in God?

How can military spouses, housewives, or mothers take advantage of the internet and work-from-home opportunities despite their hectic schedules?

In this episode, Rowela discusses the reasons why she chose to be an OFW over getting a college degree, her European adventures, as well as the turning point in her life that led her to become a Podcast Manager.

About the Guest:

Rowela Rabi is an empowered woman, mom, and wife.

She helps business coaches in selling their brand story from podcast planning to post-production all the way to syndication, allowing her clients to focus on what is most important: Providing content with their listeners.

Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode:


Find out ways you can earn at home while taking care of your kids or having a hectic schedule
Discover how to overcome life’s limitations and adversities
Learn about Rowela’s 6 tips to attracting premium clients

Check out these episode highlights:


(02:08) - Highlighting Filipinas in Podcasting during International Podcast Month
(04:22) - Working as a domestic helper in Portugal
(06:28) - How being an OFW runs in Rowela’s family
(10:39) - Her realization to try a new career path
(14:21) - Nailing the interview and getting hired as customer support
(16:03) - The statement that got her promoted to senior customer support
(16:43) - How their vacation in Monaco turned into a migration opportunity
(18:08) - The one thing that turned Rowela’s life around
(28:49) - Their migration challenges and how she resolved them
(30:10) - The similarities between being an OFW and a military spouse
(32:29) - How she turned her limitations to new career opportunities
(37:42) - Starting her own podcast management services
(40:00) - Why military spouses should check out podcast management as a career
(43:45) - Her 6 tips to attracting premium clients

1. Invest in yourself and keep learning
2. Look for mentors and be a part of communities
3. Hire a coach
4. Optimize your profile/s
5. Don’t overthink
6. Surround yourself with the right people


(50:21) - The making of AMFP
(52:09) - Advice to military and civilian spouses or moms
(56:10) - Promoting her services

Connect with Rowela Rabi - Podcast Manager and Editor:


Linked In Account
Facebook Account

Connect with Mami Redj:


https://facebook.com/mamiredjpodcast/

Do you want to hear more stories about military families? This is the podcast for you. You can listen to it wherever you are, and it’s completely free. Subscribe to our podcast on Spotify today.

DISCLAIMER:

The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the host and guests, and do not reflect the views, positions, and opinions of the U.S. Military, its Foreign Counterparts, and/or other entities they represent.