Show notes
Strong businesses are built by strong teams, and strong teams are built by leaders who earn trust every single day.In our latest episode of Founders Only, Mel Nava of Zendease shares valuable lessons on leadership, personal growth, and building a culture where people remain committed even during the toughest moments. Discover why resilience, accountability, and continuous self-improvement are just as important as strategy when creating a business that lasts.00:00:00 – Why founders need to give themselves grace to grow00:01:38 – Mel Nava returns to Founders Only for her third appearance00:03:20 – Revisiting the challenges and heartbreak of 202300:06:38 – Surviving rock bottom with honesty, grit, and teamwork00:09:28 – Pivoting the business and adapting to a changing startup landscape00:11:54 – Leading a team through crisis and prioritizing survival00:14:44 – The family and investors who helped Mel keep going00:19:26 – How hardship transformed Mel into a stronger founder00:20:55 – Self-awareness, forgiveness, and redefining leadership00:24:15 – Staying mission-driven through global disruptions and uncertainty00:29:34 – How ZendEase expanded from the Philippines to Southeast Asia00:31:29 – Why Mel went all in on Indonesia and Vietnam00:34:24 – Building an international company despite limited resources00:39:35 – Comparing export opportunities across Southeast Asia00:46:06 – Finding product-market fit through customer feedback00:50:23 – Leading multicultural teams across three countries00:57:50 – Evaluating markets before expanding internationally01:02:01 – Recognizing when the business moved beyond survival mode01:07:26 – Reflecting on ten years of entrepreneurship01:17:12 – What Mel would do differently if she started over01:19:04 – What's next for ZendEase and Mel NavaThe conversations happening on Founders Only are the ones every entrepreneur needs to hear. Don't be the last to know. Watch the full episode on YouTube. ⏭️Follow now and never miss an episode. 🎧Founders Only is powered by PayMongo, the financial operating system for growing businesses.Learn more about PayMongo's product suite: https://pay.mg/pna-learnmoreSign up for free in as fast as 5 minutes: https://pay.mg/pna-signupPayMongo is regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.💡Follow Founders Only on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@foundersonlypodcast💡Follow Founders Only on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6fPsNbi8m8mCIyGZH1YGm1?si=2c67a0451949498b💡Visit Hustleshare Website: https://www.hustleshare.com/Build your empire—subscribe and hit the bell for a new masterclass every Monday! 🚀Watch more episodes of FOUNDERS ONLY: https://www.youtube.com/@foundersonlypodcastAnd follow HUSTLESHARE YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@hustlesharepodcastSubscribe for more episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@foundersonlypodcastListen to: FOUNDERS ONLYSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/76aB39CuQ2nEKXgaS2O3rYApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/founders-only/id1651692553Follow: FOUNDERS ONLYFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hustleshare/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hustlesharepodcastTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hustlesharepodcastLinkedIn: https://ph.linkedin.com/showcase/founders-only/Squarespace: https://wolf-triceratops-l4zp.squarespace.com/config/pages/64621a804fd2593808aa363bFollow: ONE CFOWebsite: https://www.onecfoph.coFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/onecfoph/LinkedIn: https://ph.linkedin.com/company/onecfoFollow: PAYMONGOWebsite: https://www.paymongo.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paymongo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paymongo/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/paymongo/#Podcast #FoundersOnly #OneCFO #PayMongo #RonBaetiong Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
