Marc Castrodes

Marc Castrodes Entrepreneur | Public Speaker | Corporate Trainer | Hobbyist | Excellence Advocate Schedules of trainings, seminars, and talks will be regularly posted.

This page is a platform to write about Leadership, Motivation, Public Speaking, Conflict Management, Estate and Financial Planning, Legal and Political Issues.

Equip your managers and supervisors with these 5 essentials and you’ll spare yourself a ton of headache: 1. Pivot their ...
20/01/2026

Equip your managers and supervisors with these 5 essentials and you’ll spare yourself a ton of headache:

1. Pivot their heart and mind into leading outcomes for the company, instead of managing tasks of their people

- This is harder than you think. But this is the most critical. The Supreme Court has good words to say about this pivot. You need to be creative and smart to achieve this. Turn them into company builders and not just doers.

2. Communicate Goals, Priorities, Standards, and Consequences effectively.

- Lack of clarity causes so much problems. The ability to communicate covers both content and delivery. They need to learn both. Be effective in doing both. If they know what to say but can’t say it well, it’s a waste. Worse if they don’t know what to say and think it’s ok.

3. Develop productivity and motivation

- When it comes to those two essentials, it can never be an OR. Those are siamese twins. Inextricable. Leaders need to do both at the same time. You cannot achieve productivity while driving people crazy and expect retention and sustained excellence. You also cannot be so motivating and inspiring, while leading your company to ditch.

4. Strategic thinking and decision making

- The better they are at thinking and deciding, the more agile your company becomes.

5. Conflict and Crisis Prevention and Deescalation

- Relationships are keys to success. We know that. But people will have differences. So the healthier the culture of the organization in facing crisis and conflicts, the better the wellbeing of people inside, and the better we will be at taking care of our clients and stakeholders.

We at Team Arete are great at doing these trainings. Email us:

[email protected]

This season of the business is giving me much excitement. We are in a situation where growth is now dependent not on wha...
18/01/2026

This season of the business is giving me much excitement. We are in a situation where growth is now dependent not on what I and Tricia could do, but on the quality of people we surround ourselves with.

For over 15 years I did the heavy lifting in generating capital and pushing for daring steps while Tricia diligently managed operations and stakeholders. With the help of a small team led by our current GM Joanne Dela Vega Macapili we survived and kept the business going. By God’s grace, we have reached a point where we could already afford to pay the right salaries and fees for even better professional teammates. Hopefully better than us. The future will now be shaped by the people who will build more teams and better systems.

We have been searching for talent and interviewing. It’s been really exciting. I have been emphasizing that we are looking for people who could build and lead. Not just follow. We need people who will be excited to do that because they have the capability and personality for it.

So far we have hired 4 key persons. More interviews are scheduled for this week. We are also in discussion with potential project partners for major projects.

Tricia and I may have been blessed to blaze a small trail, it’s time we bring-in people who could pave a wider way forward.

The photo:

Some of our current leaders during our masquerade Christmas party. The guy beside
me in the photo Ben Hannon Sarilla, our HR head, is leading the project to hire the right people and build the departments. He is just 25 years old. Yes the young can do great things.

The kind of career and lifsetyle we end-up with is dependent on the kind of habits, mindsets, and attitudes we have and ...
18/01/2026

The kind of career and lifsetyle we end-up with is dependent on the kind of habits, mindsets, and attitudes we have and are willing to develop.

If we are willing to change and be shaped we can move from one kind of activity to the next and discover what could maximize our potential and our joy. If we are unwilling and unable to change and be shaped, it is important that we find the fit early-on, otherwise we will struggle.

Some could get stuck in an endless chase for that elusive career. Others could also get stuck in a limbo where they end-up unhappy and unproductive because there’s not much change and improvement. The key is finding a balance between finding where we could develop depth of expertise while enjoying strategic movements.

But all begins with a question: Who are you and what are you willing to do to enjoy a fruitful life and career?

Sometimes the answer to that is not clear to us. We could be stuck in old ideas about ourselves due to fear, insecurity, the words spoken by people around us, and even inaccurate beliefs about who we are.

It is good to be around people who could be honest about our potential and weaknesses. We need to face both the good and the bad about ourselves. That way we find the clarity that we need to move ourselves foward. I hope you find those people in your life.

Have a great week ahead!

The photos: Some thoughts about life and creativity from some of the greatest creative professionals.

You want to Learn Public Speaking and Communication?To establish my credential, I’ve taught communication and public spe...
17/01/2026

You want to Learn Public Speaking and Communication?

To establish my credential, I’ve taught communication and public speaking since 1992 both as a seminar teacher and university lecturer. I’ve published a book on public speaking. I won the national oratorical championships, won the national extemporaneous, 1st runner up in the national debates, semifinalist in the all asian debates, went to the worlds, became a court litigator, news anchor, negotiator, and now professional public speaker and trainer. I know public speaking. And I have helped many learn to communicate well.

This is what I want to share:

Do not fall for quick-fix lessons on communication and public speaking. Learning a skill takes time. It requires commitment. But it can be learned.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Read books
2. Get a coach (formal or informal)
3. Join a club (toastmasters)
4. Volunteer where you could get good speaking opportinuties and take them (church or civic orgs)
5. Practice on your own (read aloud and practice speeches in your room)

May you grow in communication competence in 2026.

God bless.

16/01/2026

Happy!

I shook hands today with three excellent Filipino professionals who will soon join our admin and finance teams. I hope they all have a fruitful career with Arete Foods.

Congratulations HR boss Ben Hannon Sarilla and GM Joanne Dela Vega Macapili.



Here’s a simple rule for success in 2026: Always deliver beyond what is necessary and expected. Always strive to deliver...
14/01/2026

Here’s a simple rule for success in 2026:

Always deliver beyond what is necessary and expected. Always strive to deliver more or better than what you are paid to do. In case of doubt, always try to exceed industry standards.

If you keep doing that, you will be paid more for what to you might feel just regular work. Sadly the reverse can also happen, if you keep under-delivering.

The photo:

This restaurant looks from the outside like any other carinderia, but this place known for serving excellent grilled Tasik and tinola is a Cebu City icon. This business is a good example of what it means to over-deliver.

My first talk for the year is for this NGO in Mindanao that I have been blessed to support since 2003. I could not ask f...
11/01/2026

My first talk for the year is for this NGO in Mindanao that I have been blessed to support since 2003.

I could not ask for a better start of my work year than to spend time with the people who given me so much meaning and joy all these years.

We should stop constantly looking for our Purpose in 2026Please let me explain…It is one thing to seek purpose as a guid...
09/01/2026

We should stop constantly looking for our Purpose in 2026

Please let me explain…

It is one thing to seek purpose as a guide for major direction-setting moments or when navigating key life or career crossroads, it is another when it becomes an excuse to constantly question one’s attitude or mindset when faced with day-to-day work challenges.

“Nahirapan sa trabaho, nagtanong agad ng purpose sa buhay?”

Some are genuine questions, but we need to be careful. It is easy to drift into self-doubt and mediocrity and using existential questions -such as purpose- as an excuse.

“Gawin mo lang ng mabuti. Yan ang mas mabuti.”

It has become an observed trend to use purpose as an excuse. Some abrupt resignations are purportedly in pursuit of a “higher purpose”. But maybe it is time we just do our best to do our work well. Just get things done. Stop overthinking. Maybe our joy can be found behind the clouds of difficulty; sitting on the lap of accomplished tasks and fulfilled duties. But until we honor our commitments well, and just finish tasks as best as we could, we will not find the delight of daily living.

When I look at the lives of highly productive and succesful people, they do not spend their days looking for purpose. They live it building good habits and accomplishing things. Amidst a volume of finished tasks and milestones reached, joy appears and purpose could be clearer.

In other words, purpose in most cases is revealed while accomplishing things, not while complaining and doubting.

Find your routines, habits, and daily joys in 2026. Pursue your dreams actively. That’s the better and delightful way!

Happy new year friends!

07/01/2026

We are looking for a Finance and Accounting Lead for Arete Foods. The company is growing. We are looking for someone who could help us develop good finance and accounting habits and systems.

Please help us find good candidates. We would appreciate if you could help us spread the word around.

Email: [email protected]

Address

Marikina City

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+639454376660

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