AXN is proud to crown Staffz as the first-ever winner of Project GO

Staffs emerged as the winner of the Project Go in last night's finale episode.

Staffz is an outsourcing solutions portal, and one that also includes advocacy. The roster of skilled workers that carry out SEO, copywriting and graphic design services for their clients are all underprivileged youths trained in these specialized skills by the core team of Staffz. This business model allows them to offer cost-effective services to small and medium enterprises around the world, while also opening more inclusive job opportunities to those who may not otherwise have them.

Project GO, the brand new reality series by GoDaddy, the company empowering everyday entrepreneurs worldwide, in collaboration with AXN, one of the leading general entertainment channels owned by KC Global Media Asia, revealed its first-ever winner in last night’s finale episode. 

Staffz, represented by 25-year-old Pearl Janine de Guzman, beat out three other teams in a final pitch to an international panel of judges, coming out on top as the winner of Project GO and the recipient of its Php 1 million cash prize.

With the guidance of Project GO Mentors who put the show’s Top 4 Contestants through rigorous bootcamps, De Guzman made a final pitch to the show’s panel of judges, which was comprised of seasoned business veterans: Lyrna Esmeralda-Hewitt, President & Co-Founder of Bona Fortuna Farms, Inc; Carlo Buenaflor, CEO of Biggs, In; James Carroll, President of GoDaddy International; and Jodi Valenta, Vice President of Global Marketing at GoDaddy

“We looked forward to hearing innovative ideas and solutions that fit actual market needs and clarity in the approach to fulfill those needs,” says Carroll. “The contestants more than delivered. We were very impressed with the creativity, skill and passion that we witnessed in their presentations.” 

The judges followed a scoring system that graded each of the Top 4 Contestants’ final pitch on a variety of stringent criteria, including originality, potential for growth and profit, and feasibility of plans. At the end of this rigorous process, Staffz emerged as the winner.

While De Guzman and her collaborators are careful to remain grounded in the reality that it is not a simple task to end poverty or change the world, they run Staffz with the optimism that they can make a genuine impact in the lives of others.

“I truly feel humbled and honored that Staffz was chosen as the winner of Project GO,” De Guzman shares. “My teammates and I are immensely grateful to our friends, our families, the Mentors, GoDaddy and AXN Asia for this opportunity. As we journey from this new beginning, we will continue to scale more businesses and bridge bigger dreams, one task at a time.”

Derek Wong, Vice President and Head of Production at KC Global Media Asia, has this to say: “AXN is proud to crown Staffz as the first-ever winner of Project GO. With their truly innovative and empathic business model, Staffz is set to turn even more dreams into reality, which resonates with what Project GO has aimed to do from the beginning.”

The full season of Project GO is available to stream for free on AXN Asia and GoDaddy Asia’s YouTube channels. For more information and exclusive content on Project GO, audiences can visit the official website at www.axn-asia.com/ProjectGO or follow AXN Asia on Facebook and Instagram.

PROJECT GO presents the Top 4 contestants

PROJECT GO's top 4 contestants/entrepreneurs were presented to the media through Zoom meeting today. They were able to share their insights about the business that they pitched to the show. 

From hundreds of entries received from aspiring Filipino entrepreneurs during the Open Auditions held for three weeks in August, selected hopefuls with the most promising business ideas moved on to pitch directly to the show’s Mentors: Maggie Wilson (Owner, Acasa Manila); Bea Cupin (Lifestyle & Entertainment Editor, Rappler); the Tung Brothers: Mikko (CEO & Co-Founder, Odd Job Bob), Macky (Vice President of Advertising, Ligo and Co-Founder, Odd Job Bob) and Mark (Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Ligo); and Tina Shieh (Marketing Director for Asia, GoDaddy). 

Project GO, the brand new reality series by GoDaddy, the company empowering everyday entrepreneurs worldwide, in collaboration with AXN, one of the leading general entertainment channels owned by KC Global Media Asia, has revealed in its latest episode yesterday evening the Top 4 contestants that will be vying for the Php 1 million cash prize to help make their dream business a reality. 

Derek Wong, KC Global Media Asia’s Vice President and Head for Production and Creative Services, said, “From the beginning, Project GO has hoped to seek out ingenious, innovative ideas that have the potential to turn into fruitful and thriving businesses, and the hundreds of Filipino entrepreneurs that heeded the call did not disappoint. It was not an easy task for the Mentors to shortlist only four candidates out of the many promising ones that they reviewed. All of the contestants demonstrated a very high entrepreneurial spirit, which shone through despite the challenge of not being able to be physically present on set.”

The contestants pitched to and communicated with the Mentors via live stream, since social gathering restrictions currently enforced in Metro Manila meant that filming could not accommodate all the teams that made it into the first shortlist.

After stringent and careful deliberation, the Mentors have selected the Top 4 contestants who will be proceeding to the next stage of the Project GO competition

True to their motto “Life protected,” AO Innovations Tech, represented by Arnel Andal, is actively helping in the fierce battle against the pandemic through the sale of their innovative technical mask to healthcare frontliners at subsidized rates. The product, dubbed “AO Healthcare Fullface Mask”, offers two-way filter protection and fan-assisted airflow management, providing added safety and comfort to the people who need it most. It has been tested successfully by doctors in surgeries and procedures of up to six hours and claims to be the maximum compact protection available in the market. Currently, this invention by AO Innovations Tech is helping protect hundreds of healthcare workers in the Philippines against COVID-19.

Poor waste management has created a monstrous problem worldwide. Hoping to promote a more sustainable and conscious lifestyle, Dominique Trinidad and Pocholo Espina, along with a few other collaborators, created Loop Store PH, which offers plastic-free, reusable or recyclable alternatives for everyday items. Their latest product concept is a new sustainable food packaging made from banana leaves, inspired by the increase in food deliveries that the team has observed in this current period of quarantine. Banana leaves are sturdy, water-tight, clean and, being abundant in the Philippines, cheap and accessible. Loop Store PH envisions that the production of such products would not only lessen waste, but also create jobs for many Filipinos across the country, making it an ideal solution for both people and the planet.

 

Mindoceo currently operates as a digital private tutoring service for elementary and high school students, but founders Ryan Marcel Ibay, Calvin Lorenzo Borja and Noelle Sofia Mison, have even bigger dreams for it. They hope to grow Mindoceo into a full-fledged on-demand tutoring platform, accessible via mobile app and web service, that connects students of all ages and levels to professional tutors and educators. The business idea is inspired by the team’s own experiences: having been products of homeschooling themselves, they want to empower students by giving them access to tutorials, review services and other quality educational materials anytime and anywhere. Also having worked as tutors, they want to provide others the same opportunity to enjoy a flexible work environment. Mindoceo means “to teach the mind” and is a portmanteau of the English word “mind” and the Latin word “doceo”, which means “to teach”.

Staffz, represented by Pearl Janine De Guzman, is a business solutions portal offering services such as SEO, administrative support, copywriting, communications and graphic design. What sets it apart from many others of its kind is that its roster of skilled workers consists of young professionals from less privileged communities. De Guzman, having experienced being a freelancer, found in the growing demand for offshore workers an opportunity not only to build a business, but also to train less privileged youths in skills that would allow them to hold financially rewarding professions. She, along with her collaborators, founded Staffz with the goal of making dreams come true on both sides: to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses through the services their portal provides, and at the same time give the gift of opportunity to those who help them provide it.

Tina Shieh, GoDaddy Marketing Director for Asia and a Project GO Mentor remarked, “This whole process has deepened our understanding of the Filipinos’ admirable entrepreneurial spirit. With high hopes, we intend to further hone their skills, build on their ideas’ potency, and help them bring their dream ventures into reality. No matter what happens, they are all winners and we wish everyone the best of luck.”

 

Project GO is all about giving Filipino entrepreneurs a chance to pursue their dream business ventures. With their entrepreneurial spirit and keen business mindset, these four finalists are set to impress audiences with solutions they’ve created that the nation can benefit from.

Who will come on top and make their dream business a reality? Viewers can tune in to Project GO every Thursday at 8.25PM on AXN. Weekly simulcasts will also be available on AXN Asia and GoDaddy Asia’s YouTube channels. 

For more information on Project GO, visit the official website: www.axn-asia.com/ProjectGO.

TV host and entrepreneur Maggie Wilson Hosts GoDaddy’s Reality Mini-Series, Project GO, in collaboration with AXN

GoDaddy, the company that empowers everyday entrepreneurs,  in collaboration with AXN, the globally known general entertainment channel owned by KC Global Media Asia, today announced that its new five-episode reality mini-series, called Project GO, will be hosted by TV host and entrepreneur, Maggie Wilson-Consunji.

The co-produced show is designed for Filipino entrepreneurs and innovators to compete for a chance to win Php 1 million in prize money to help grow their entrepreneurial business. Project GO will feature up-and-coming Filipino entrepreneurs and showcase their innovative ideas. The shortlisted contestants will be going head-to-head for a chance to win the prize money. The pilot episode will premiere this November on AXN. 

As the entrepreneur behind Acasa Manila (formerly Casa Consunji), Maggie knows well the challenges of being an entrepreneur, especially now that the pandemic has impacted businesses worldwide. However, these challenge times did not deter her from staying afloat. She successfully pivoted her business, expanded her offerings and is committed to growing her business in the future. 

“I tapped into my creativity to keep my business going. I ventured into producing videos, widening my range of offerings, and have been more collaborative in nature, while strengthening my presence online with the help of GoDaddy,” Wilson shares as she talks about being more flexible with how she runs her business.

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed Wilson to innovate in dealing with her clients. Maggie believes that Project GOcan help inspire entrepreneurs like her.  “By watching the show and listening to the contestant stories, we hope it can strengthen your entrepreneurial spirit, equip you with resources, enhance your creativity and help to transform you into “entrepreneurs of today,” Wilson explains. “I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to be working with GoDaddy again, and I’m also excited to hear the business ideas that will be highlighted on the show.”

Open auditions began on 7 August and ran until 2 September 2020, with people from universities, institutions, and small and mid-size enterprises all responding to the challenge, sharing stories of how they translated their innovative and creative ideas into tangible ventures. GoDaddy’s sponsorship is designed to extend support and assistance to entrepreneurs and small business owners, as they work to keep their businesses active with the current economic challenges caused by the pandemic. With 20 million customers worldwide, GoDaddy is the place people come to solidify their idea with online presence, build a professional website, attract customers, and manage their work.

According to Tina Shieh, Marketing Director for GoDaddy Asia, “GoDaddy empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to bring their business ideas to life and reach more customers with a strong online presence. With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting economies and lives around the world, we hope to inspire Filipino entrepreneurs through Project GO, to follow their dreams, and to continue moving forward and jumpstart their businesses.” 

In addition to Project GO, GoDaddy offers information to help create and manage their business online with tools and expert guidance available on GoDaddy’s website (ph.GoDaddy.com). The site has resources that provide useful tips and business guides to help a business succeed online. GoDaddy is committed to continue supporting entrepreneurs and small business owners in the Philippines with the online tools and expertise they need to transform their business ideas into successful ventures.  

For more information on Project GO, visit the official show website: www.axn-asia.com/ProjectGO

Go Daddy partners with AXN for the Project GO reality show

- GoDaddy Inc., the company empowering entrepreneurs around the world, today announced Project GO, a new reality show for aspiring Filipino entrepreneurs to pitch their idea to Filipino business experts and compete for the chance to receive one million Philippine pesos in funding to help jump start their venture. 

Project GO is focused on the spirit of entrepreneurship in the Philippines.  The show is designed to capture the full journey from passionate entrepreneur with a great business idea, to creating a professional online presence for their idea, to pitching the idea to receive funding to grow. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the global economy and adds challenges for micro and small businesses, participating in the digital landscape can help these ventures succeed.

GoDaddy, in collaboration with AXN, the globally known general entertainment channel owned by KC Global Media Asia, is co-producing a five-episode, new reality mini-series. Open auditions will run from August 7 to September 2, 2020, with the winning contestant getting the chance to kickstart their venture online with GoDaddy, and receive one (1) million Philippine pesos in funding to get started. 

“Project GO will open opportunities for more Filipino entrepreneurs to take the next steps in pursuing their business ventures confidently during the pandemic. Working with AXN, we want to encourage Filipinos to act now and make their idea real,” shares Tina Shieh, Marketing Director for GoDaddy Asia. “Project GO brings together different communities, teams, experts, tools and know-how to take dreams to reality, with a beautiful and professional looking online presence using GoDaddy’s integrated suite of online tools.”

To further support the Project GO campaign, GoDaddy has activated the GoDaddy Asia Facebook page to help reach, inspire and connect with entrepreneurs, and equip them with insights and tips to launch and manage their own businesses. These insights can help small business owners and entrepreneurs realize the full benefits of being online.

The audition process for Project GO starts with an open invitation to submit applications via www.axn-asia.com/ProjectGO. Anyone who embodies an entrepreneurial spirit, a keen business mindset, or has an existing small business, is welcome to apply.

Twenty (20) applicants with the most compelling ideas will have the chance to pitch to a distinguished panel of mentors and established Filipino business experts via video conferencing. Shortlisted entries will be based on the following criteria: originality, marketability, feasibility, and presentation performance. Business Mentors will select the top four (4) big ideas whose entrepreneurs will participate in the next phase: “Bootcamp Sessions.” Contestants will undergo rigorous digital training and coaching to prepare them for the finale. In the “The Big Pitch” episode, entrepreneur finalists will present their final pitch to a panel of Businesses Experts, in hopes of being awarded the Php one (1) million pesos prize money.

“We wanted to reach out to individuals and businesses struggling through this pandemic. Creating Project GO with GoDaddy allows us to give opportunities to Filipinos and nudge them to rise above this crisis,” Avani Bhanchawat, Vice President, Affiliate, Media & Sponsorship Sales of KC Global Media Asia said. “Project GO serves as an avenue for those who want to make their dreams into reality. We believe this can help to motivate entrepreneurial Filipinos to move forward with their business ideas, and help support the country recovery.” 

Interested entrepreneurs can learn more about Project GO and how to apply by visiting http://www.axn-asia.com/ProjectGO. Submitted entries should include a short description of the business idea. Frequently asked questions (FAQs) and the terms and conditions of participation are also available on the official website. 

The Project GO Show is set to premiere on the 19 of November 2020, first and exclusive on AXN channel.

Click HERE to watch Project GO Open Auditions video.

Click HERE to download the show logo and assets.

Official show hashtags: #ProjectGO #GoDaddy #AXNAsia