What happens when you combine business expos, podcasts, and a dash of entrepreneurial grit? You get Jay Olos and Diane Hidalgo. Celebrating the 1st anniversary of the PHILSME Business Show Podcast on the 34th PHILSME Business Networking Meeting, these two powerhouse guests proved that leadership can be both authentic and actionable.
Jay Olos, Founder and CEO of OneCFO, isn’t new to the grind. After helping scale fintech giants like GCash and PayMongo, he set out to democratize financial services through his own company. His mission? Make CFO-level expertise accessible to startups and SMEs. But what really sets things in motion? A simple guesting on the PhilSME Business Show.
“After founding OneCFO in 2020, we joined the PHILSME Expo. That opened doors to partners, clients, and even investors,” Jay shared. “We later launched our own podcast, ‘KwentuOne,’ to break down finance in ways everyone can understand.”
The podcast wasn’t just a passion project, it became a pipeline. “Clients have told us they found us through Spotify. Some even binge-listened to Season 1 before reaching out,” Jay said. “Podcast episodes don’t disappear. They keep working for you.”
On the PR side, Diane Hidalgo, Director of Corporate and Public Affairs at Evident Integrated Marketing and PR, shared a parallel journey. Though her agency usually works with big names, she found value in engaging with the MSME ecosystem through the PHILSME Expo. “We visited booth after booth and learned so much. It helped us understand how our clients can better serve small businesses,” she noted.
Diane’s podcast episode, with telco giant PLDT, no less became the most listened-to in the series. “The show helped people better understand what we do as a communications agency,” she explained. “It’s one thing to say you do PR; it’s another to walk someone through it in a real, unscripted conversation.”
From a PR veteran’s perspective, Diane emphasized the lasting value of podcasting: “A Facebook campaign runs for a month or two. A podcast episode lives forever. It continues to educate, influence, and convert.”
Both Jay and Diane agree: Podcasts offer authenticity and longevity that traditional media often lacks. “It’s not just about being featured,” Jay said. “It’s about connecting human to human, story to story.”
Podcasting vs. Traditional Media: What’s the Real Difference?
For both Jay and Diane, podcasting stands out not just as a trend, but as a strategic shift in how people consume content.
“In traditional media, you’ve got 30 seconds to impress. With a podcast, you get 30 minutes to connect,” Diane explained. “It’s immersive and chosen, not forced. That’s powerful.”
Jay echoed the sentiment. “People want to do business with those they trust. In podcasts, your tone, your personality, your values all come through. That’s how you build real engagement.”
Even more crucial is the long-term value. Unlike one-off campaigns, podcasts keep converting. “A podcast episode from last year can still drive leads today,” said Jay.
Authentic vs. Paid: Drawing the Line
The conversation also addressed an important topic: How to distinguish between paid media and earned exposure.
“In PR, we pitch stories, but it’s up to the journalist or host to pick it up,” Diane clarified. “That’s earned by the media. Paid media should be disclosed and when it’s not, that’s where ethics come into play.”
PHILSME’s CEO, Trixie Esguerra Abrenilla, who led the panel discussion at the 34th Networking Meeting agreed, reiterating the show’s commitment to transparency: “Some stories are sponsored, others we feature because they deserve to be heard. Integrity matters.”
Whether you’re scaling a startup, pivoting your brand, or finding your next marketing move, Jay and Diane remind us that authentic storytelling and community engagement are still the best ROI. And it all started with a mic and a meaningful conversation. The Philippine SME Business Network (PHILSME) is the Home of Philippines’ Top Business Solutions Providers dedicated to empower SMEs with over 100+ members from 70+ industries. Grow your business network and find new business solutions that will help you boost your business. Register here
