The Lessons Failure Taught Me About Resilience and Reinvention

Welcome back to my tiny corner of the internet. Kung bago ka dito—hi, I’m G. Thinker, tinkerer, and someone who’s faced more ups and downs than an MRT train at rush hour. Today, I want to share something I’ve never talked about publicly before—how failure, heartbreak (yep, negosyo-related heartbreak counts!), and uncertainty led me to where I am now.

This isn’t your typical “rags-to-riches” story. It’s more like “road trips to refunds, mystery boxes to mental breakdowns, and eventually, AI automation.” Buckle up, kasi medyo mahaba-haba ito, but I promise it’s worth it.

Winning Big, Losing Bigger

Let’s start with the highlight reel. In November 2019, Experience Philippines won ₱1 million at a startup competition held at the Google office in Manila. Ang saya, ‘di ba? We were on top of the world, excited to scale our road trips and gamified travel experiences.

Then March 2020 happened. The pandemic hit, and everything stopped. Road trips? Cancelled. Plans? Scattered to the wind. I had to process refunds, deal with irate customers, and watch everything I worked hard for crumble before my eyes.

I had a mental breakdown—like legit, “what do I even do now” levels of breakdown. But instead of staying in that dark place, I tried something new: Mystery Gift Boxes. Yes, mga themed gift boxes. Surprisingly, it worked for a while, especially during Christmas. But deep down, I knew it was just a band-aid solution. I needed something sustainable.

From Baguio to Bots: The Pivot to AI

When things slowed down, I moved to Baguio. Fresh air, cooler weather—it was the perfect backdrop for reinvention. I started Mystery Cafe, tied to Experience Philippines, where travel and gamification met over coffee and good vibes. It was great—until it wasn’t.

Long story short, landlord problems, neighborhood drama, family health challenges and business partner issues forced me to close it down. But during that time, I stumbled into AI. I used MidJourney to create marketing images and started playing around with ChatGPT’s API.

The more I experimented, the more I saw AI as a way forward. It wasn’t just about creating tools—it was about automating what I lacked in Experience Philippines: systems. By July 2024, I fully committed to AI automation and launched Truelytics Solutions. I studied platforms like Make.com, joined Discord groups, and formed an accountability group with fellow AI enthusiasts.

Resilience is a Muscle

Looking back, what really saved me wasn’t a business idea or a platform—it was mindset.

During my hardest moments, I went solo. I spent time with my mom, worked out, and even started journaling. Ang laki pala ng impact ng mga maliliit na habits like writing down gratitude or stacking simple routines (thanks, James Clear!).

But the biggest change? Accepting that it is what it is. I can’t control everything. I lost friends along the way, but I also found new ones. Failure stopped feeling like an enemy and started looking more like a coach—painful, but always teaching me something.

One Day at a Time

Perfection is the enemy of the good. Nung una, gusto ko lahat perfect—plans, pitches, even my videos. But as I started creating content for Talyer AI and Truelytics Solutions, I realized the power of just showing up.

I talked to ChatGPT a lot—parang barkada ko na siya. (Fun fact: ADHD + ChatGPT = productivity hack of the century!) It helped me process ideas, plan workflows, and even bounce off concepts for blogs like this.

Kung meron akong natutunan, it’s this: Failure isn’t final. It’s just feedback.

What’s Next?

I’m still so far from where I want to be. But now, I have the confidence to share my journey—kahit nakakatakot. Sure, there are people out there who might judge, but I’d rather focus on those who see value in my story.

To anyone reading this who’s facing their own failures, I’ll leave you with this: give yourself space. Space to pause, to feel, and to figure things out. One step at a time lang. You’ll get there.

Thanks for reading—and if you want to chat, join me over at Talyer AI. We’re building something special, and there’s always room for one more curious soul.