The Freelance Movement – Behind the Scenes With John Pagulayan

What he thought would be and how he fought to make it the last time he talked about freelancing turned out to be one phenomenal journey. 

Imagine all the excuses and tactics he hatched just to get training and building courses completely out of the way.

Even the bashers' and detractors' herculean efforts to put him down and totally banish him from the freelancing and coaching world seemed no match for what is already etched in stone to happen.

When destiny calls, human machinations are powerless. 

What you will learn from this episode:

• Find out the essential traits of a good leader that brings out the best not only in you but also in your team members. 
• Learn why your company's vision is crucial when making decisions and collaborations.
• Discover what John’s secret to success is and take away some of the golden insights that make him consistently relevant. 

All we know about him now is that he's 'The Legend.' People, especially those he had helped launch their respective freelancing careers, look up to him with much respect and admiration. But we want to know what really took place behind this man's success and stature. 

John Pagulayan is one of the most respected and sought-after freelancers and mentors in the Philippines. He is the founder of the Freelance Movement, an email copywriter who writes emails for a living, for business, here and abroad. His client roster includes digital marketing giants like Ryan Leaveck, Todd Brown, and one of the world's largest publishing companies. He has been featured in Inquirer, GMA Network, and CNN Philippines. 

He was even invited to the Senate to help liberate a freelancing bill that would help millions of freelancers in the Philippines. Today, he is recognized as 'The Legend' in the freelancing industry. He has shocked the local freelancing community by teaching normal, everyday people how to build thriving freelance businesses from scratch. That is, even if they have no experience, skills, or portfolio, resulting in a new breed of freelancers who control their fees, time, and whom they want to work with. Freelancers who can build the businesses and lifestyle of their dreams. 

He dreams of the day when the word freelancing is mentioned with the same respect and reverence as a doctor, lawyer, or engineer. A day when kids would say when I grow up, I want to be a freelancer.

In this episode, John shares his humble beginnings and how he had to work odd jobs just to send himself to school and make both ends meet. It is also interesting to know how he almost became a priest. But somehow, he was led to something far worthy as that vocation, coaching, mentoring, and producing Filipino freelancers who are fast becoming the most sought-after talents in the global virtual freelancing space. 

Let's hear him talk about his brand of leadership and take away some of the most valuable gems from running and managing his successful business, community, groups, and teams.

"When it comes to instilling the culture, it's leading by example. You can't expect your members to be helpful if they have never seen you help anyone." - John Pagulayan

Topics Covered:

10:32 - Taking us back into John's childhood memories, family background, and how he almost ended up becoming a priest

19:51 - Sharing snippets of his college life and how he had to find various jobs to support himself

23:31 - Landing a call center job even if it was least expected of him 

31:16 - The first freelancing job that he thought nobody cared about but gave him the most significant break

41:05 - Were there ever any challenges he dealt with doing his first email copywriting job?

43:05 - What fueled him to create a community of top-notch Filipino Freelancers?

54:15 - From giving free training to leading a 'Tribe' community

01:13:56 - Defying all odds and making things happen

01:18:04 - Lying low from creating courses for months only to be pulled back because of a life-changing experience

01:23:22 - How he learned to lead a community

01:29:30 - What works when it comes to instilling the culture?

01:33:00 - How he deals with people not in alignment with his team's culture

01:34:57 - A true leader's mindset and overcoming challenges faced by leaders

01:39:52 - Deciding by collaborating with and involving everyone in the team

01:43:44 - Advice to those who are starting to build a community and group for themselves

01:50:0 - Do you need to influence your partner to have a growth mindset?

01:51:09 - One uncanny ability that he possesses

01:55:53 - Success by John's definition

 Key Takeaways:

"I am going to make it para kahit presentation ko lang maaabutan nila, susulitin natin pera nila." - John Pagulayan

"Pag may sikreto ka wag mong sabihing sikreto kasi lalo lang nilang ipagkakalat." - John Pagulayan

"When it comes to culture, there has to be a sample as a way for it to take action about it and a way for it to reward that action when you see they are taking action."  - John Pagulayan

"One of the biggest traits a leader should have is humility. You have to be humble in a way that you know how to admit mistakes." - John Pagulayan

"I'm going to market the hell out of this as if no one knows me; that's how you should think about things." - John Pagulayan

"There will be people who will probably hate you in some of the decisions you're going to make. But you have to be comfortable about those decisions you're making." - John Pagulayan

Connect with John Pagulayan:

Website: https://thefreelancemovement.com/