Teaching AI on No Sleep and ₱59 Shawarma

Hi, it’s G.

This is a story about no sleep, a forgotten hotel pickup, a ₱59 shawarma, and somewhere in the middle of all that—a room full of Filipino entrepreneurs getting their first real taste of what AI can really do. It’s about the kind of day that starts with chaos but ends with purpose—and maybe a little garlic sauce on your shirt.

April 9 wasn’t meant to be a big day. But it became one of the most meaningful ones I’ve had in a long time. Not just because of what I taught, but because of what I learned.

From 2AM to Ozamiz

I left Manila at 2AM to catch a 4:40AM flight to Ozamiz City. That alone should tell you how chaotic the day started. I hadn’t slept the night before—was still up doing research for work (shoutout to Digital Deluxe) and reviewing automation use cases for one of our video workflows. My laptop was burning hot from overuse, and I had at least 12 tabs open across multiple AI tools. I was switching tabs between ChatGPT, a Google Sheet, and a mug of strong coffee that never quite did its job.

The city was quiet when I left, like the whole world hadn’t woken up yet—except me.

And of course, PAL decided to board early. There’s something both surreal and brutal about being half-awake at 4AM, standing in a line of strangers at an airport gate wondering if you packed your charger. Again.

I landed in Ozamiz around 6:25AM. The place was all green. Quiet. That kind of quiet you only get when you're far from Metro Manila's noise. It felt like stepping into a time pocket where everything slowed down—in a good way. But then... no pickup.

Turns out the coordinator forgot to give my contact info to the hotel. So began a mini-adventure: me, lugging my bags around a sleepy town, asking strangers if they knew my hotel. I didn’t even know how to pronounce the street names properly. I wandered for almost an hour. At one point, I sat by the side of the road just to breathe.

Thankfully, one kind lady from the same flight—who saw me doing lost-tourist circles at the airport—helped me get on a van that dropped me off in front of the hotel. Bless that woman. She told me, "Sir, mukhang ikaw lang po 'yung hindi local." She wasn’t wrong.

The coordinator eventually messaged and explained: it was a National Holiday. Things slipped. Apparently, the hotel driver was also waiting but had no way to reach me. We laughed about it after, but in that moment, running on zero sleep and zero instructions wasn’t exactly peak travel vibes. I was one bad coffee away from losing it.

I finally checked into the hotel, flopped into bed for two hours, and then got up again to work. My work with a client started at 9AM, and I powered through until 2PM. That was pure adrenaline and sheer willpower. Afterward, I passed out again and woke up just in time for dinner.

What I Came For

I was invited by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (Go Negosyo), who connected me with the DTI Region 10 team. They asked me to teach digitalization to 20 business owners from industries like:

• Food & Beverage
• Pharmacies
• Service businesses
• Spas, salons, and bakeries

And of course, I couldn’t just leave it at that.

I added an AI Automation crash course into the session. No slides. No fluff. Just live demos, honest talk, and practical tools they could start with right away.

I showed them how to generate reports, automate FAQs, create content drafts, even generate captions—all using tools many of them never heard of.

The reaction? A mix of confusion, surprise, and curiosity. Exactly what I hoped for.

"ChatGPT lang alam namin."

What hit me hardest was how new this all was for them.

"Sir, ChatGPT lang po ang alam namin."

"Kala ko mahal gamitin yan."

"Pwede pala kahit maliit na negosyo?"

Most of them had zero exposure to AI. Some didn’t even know how automation worked. Their biggest barrier? Not money. Not tools. But access to guidance.

"Ang hirap pala kung wala kang matanungan."

That line stuck.

One participant even shared that her son tried to teach her how to use Canva, but she gave up because no one ever explained the "why." And honestly, that's what this trip was about: bridging that "why" gap. Helping people realize that tech is not something to be afraid of. It’s something they can actually hold in their hands and make work for them.

The Moment That Made It Worth It

One woman approached me after the session. She said:

"Sir Gian, of all the lectures today, ito lang po 'yung parang may natutunan talaga ako."

She said she was going home with ideas she could actually use. Her smile was tired but genuine—like someone who had been waiting a while to finally feel seen.

That hit deep. Because sometimes you wonder if these talks matter. If the time, the prep, the flights, the awkward hotel check-ins, the lost sleep—if any of it makes a dent.

That moment reminded me it absolutely does.

What I Wish More People Knew

There are business owners all over the Philippines hungry to grow. They don’t need fluff. They need help.

And they’re not lazy. They just don’t know where to begin.

Some of them have never attended a workshop. Some of them run successful shops but still write everything down in a notebook. Some think tech is only for big cities.

So here’s something to remember:

If you’re serious about improving your business, don’t be afraid to invest in learning. You don’t diagnose yourself with Google when you’re sick. You go to a doctor. Same goes for your business.

Find your version of a business doctor. Ask questions. Get curious. Don’t wait for the perfect tool to come to you—seek it out.

And when someone offers to teach? Don’t tune out. Tune in.

Where I Ended the Day

After the talk, we drove to Oroquieta. We stopped at the Boulevard—a row of street food stalls right beside the beach. I stepped out of the van and was immediately hit with a wave of fresh air and the sound of the ocean.

And then I saw it: a mobile kiosk-bike hybrid, grilling shawarma like it was the most natural thing in the world. The vendor was casually spinning the wrap while chatting with his neighbors.

I had a shawarma for ₱59 pesos that was so good I had to ask the guy twice if he got the price right.

There I was, sitting on a plastic chair, wrapped in a mix of exhaustion, fresh seaside air, and garlic sauce, eating my reward.

That shawarma hit harder than any fine dining meal could that day.

It wasn’t just food. It was a reminder: sometimes, the best moments are the ones you didn’t plan.

Real Talk (Where I’m At)

Was I tired? YES.
Was it worth it? 100%.
Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.

The digital gap in our country is real. But so is the hunger to bridge it. And if I can be part of that—even in a small way, with demos and slightly corny jokes—I’ll show up. Sleep-deprived or not.

This wasn’t just a speaking engagement. It was a mirror. A reminder that I’m still needed. That what I’m doing has weight.

It gave me clarity on something I often forget:

Sometimes, the people who need what you know aren’t online. They’re offline, waiting for someone to bring it to their doorstep.

Until the Next Shawarma

If you’re reading this and you’ve ever felt behind when it comes to tech, just know you’re not alone. You’re not late. You just haven’t had the right guide yet.

Stay curious. Ask questions. Invest in learning. Even if it's uncomfortable. Especially when it's uncomfortable.

Because one day, you might be the person who brings that clarity to someone else.

Till the next post,

G