Episode 688: How MK Bertulfo Built a 500K+ Community for Filipino Virtual Assistants - E688 - BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand & Malaysia Startups, Founders & Venture Capital VC (English)

In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au sits down with MK Bertulfo, the visionary founder of Filipina Homebased Moms (FHMoms). MK shares her raw and inspiring journey transitioning from an overworked, underpaid BPO call center agent in Manila to building the largest online community for work-at-home mothers in the Philippines, now boasting over 540,000 members globally.

We dive deep into the realities of the freelance economy, bridging the gap between international employers and Filipino virtual assistants (VAs), and navigating the intense pressures of startup growth and "mom guilt." MK also breaks down the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence and shares her strategies for upskilling freelancers to prevent them from being left behind by AI agents, pushing them to eventually become SaaS entrepreneurs themselves.

Whether you are a startup founder looking to hire remote offshore talent, or a professional aiming to scale an organic community into a profitable tech platform, this conversation is packed with actionable advice and localized Southeast Asian insights.

00:00 - Introduction to FHMoms & MK Bertulfo

02:44 - Surviving the BPO Call Center Industry

06:33 - The Transition to Being a Virtual Assistant

10:20 - Juggling Motherhood, Freelancing, & "Mom Guilt"

13:50 - Building FHMoms: From Facebook Group to Tech Startup

17:45 - Bridging the Gap Between Employers and Remote Talent

25:14 - Will Artificial Intelligence Replace Virtual Assistants?

31:30 - The Future: Transitioning from VA to SaaS Entrepreneur

34:55 - Overcoming Early Backlash & Staying Brave

Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/mk-bertulfo-fhmoms-virtual-assistants

Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at https://www.bravesea.com

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