Financial Adviser: 5 Business Lessons Everyone Can Learn From Annette Gozon-Valdes, Senior Vice President of GMA Network

In the Philippine media industry, few executives have played as many roles as Annette Gozon-Valdes. Lawyer, business executive, content strategist, and talent management leader, she has helped guide the growth of one of the country's largest media organizations through a period of rapid change and digital transformation.

As Senior Vice President of GMA Network, she oversees several critical areas of the business, including program management, human resources, legal affairs, and worldwide operations.

Gozon-Valdes is also the President of GMA Pictures and handles Sparkle GMA Artist Center, the network’s talent management arm responsible for developing many of the country's most recognizable actors, artists, and content creators.

As the eldest daughter of Felipe Gozon, Gozon-Valdes grew up in a family closely associated with Philippine broadcasting. Yet her rise within the organization was built on a strong academic and professional foundation of her own. She graduated valedictorian from Colegio San Agustin-Makati before earning a degree in Management Engineering from Ateneo de Manila University, where she graduated cum laude.

She later pursued law at the University of the Philippines College of Law, graduating cum laude and finishing as valedictorian of her class. Her academic achievements eventually brought her to Harvard Law School, where she earned a Master of Laws degree.

Before entering the media business full-time, Gozon-Valdes built her career in the legal profession. She practiced law, became a junior partner in a law firm, and taught taxation and legal history at the University of the Philippines College of Law.

Gozon-Valdes joined GMA Network’s board of directors in 2000 and gradually became one of the executives helping shape the company's long-term strategy. She later served as President of GMA Worldwide, where she helped expand the international reach of Filipino programming and strengthen GMA’s presence among overseas audiences.

Beyond strategy and operations, Gozon-Valdes has also played a role in content development. Throughout her career, she helped oversee television programs and films that strengthened GMA’s position in the entertainment industry.

Today, as streaming platforms, digital media, and changing consumer habits continue to reshape the entertainment industry, Annette Gozon-Valdes remains one of the key executives helping define the future of Philippine broadcasting.

How did Gozon-Valdes build a career that spans law, business, content development, and talent management? What leadership principles enabled her to help transform GMA Network while balancing the demands of corporate governance and creative innovation?

Here are the five business lessons every entrepreneur can learn from Annette Gozon-Valdes, Senior Vice President of GMA Network and President of GMA Pictures:

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In business, the importance of adapting and learning lies in the fact that markets, customers, technologies, and competitors constantly change. What works today may not work tomorrow.

Companies that fail to adapt often become victims of change. Many once-successful businesses lost their leadership positions because they continued doing things the same way while the world around them evolved. Meanwhile, organizations that continuously learn are better able to identify new opportunities, respond to threats, and remain competitive.

Learning is equally important because no leader possesses all the answers. As industries evolve, new knowledge, skills, and business models emerge. Leaders who remain curious and willing to learn can make better decisions and avoid becoming trapped by outdated assumptions.

Most people think adaptability means being flexible when circumstances change. In Gozon-Valdes’ case, adaptability meant letting go of an identity she had spent her entire life building.

From a young age, she was already preparing to become a lawyer. Every educational decision reinforced that path. She attended Ateneo, studied law at UP, earned a master's degree from Harvard, and joined her father's law firm. Her entire career trajectory appeared predetermined.

When her father suddenly asked her to help run GMA, she did not assume her legal credentials made her qualified to run a media company. Instead, she approached the entertainment business as a student. She openly acknowledged that she and her father were both learning the business together. That mindset is important because successful professionals often struggle to become beginners again. The higher a person's achievements, the more difficult it becomes to admit that they know very little about a new field.

Another insight is that she leveraged her legal education to analyze information, identify patterns, conduct research, and make decisions systematically. Rather than abandoning those skills, she applied them to a different industry.

Many decisions relied heavily on intuition and personal preference. Instead of accepting the existing process, she introduced a more analytical approach. She studied Mexican telenovelas, examined which programs succeeded across multiple countries, and searched for recurring patterns.

Many professionals respond to unfamiliar assignments by focusing on what they do not know. Gozon-Valdes focused on what she could learn. Rather than viewing entertainment as outside her expertise, she treated it as a subject worthy of study.

People who resist change often ask, "Why am I here?" Adaptable people ask, "What can I learn here?" Adaptability does not require abandoning what you know. Often, it means applying what you know in a different context.

“While I was growing up, I was set on becoming a lawyer, kasi my dad's a lawyer and talagang he was grooming me from a very young age at siguro mga seven or eight years old, so talagang it was already in my mind that I was going to be a lawyer,” she says. “And then he also said na, ‘You have to take up law in UP, and then you have to take up your master's.’

“So basically, all my school life, I was set on being a lawyer. So I went to law school. After Ateneo, I went to UP Law. And then right after, I took my master's at Harvard. That was in 1998.

“When I came back in 1999 after I finished my master's, I went to his law firm kasi sabi niya, ‘Kailangan sa law firm ko, doon ka.’ So, I was there. Masunurin ako di ba? Very obedient.

“When I was there, I worked as a lawyer. Talagang I studied well and then biglang probably less than a year later, he suddenly became more involved in GMA.

“He was already the chairman naman since the '70s as the chairman of the board. But then, he became the President and CEO in, I think, December or late 2000, so when he became president and CEO of GMA, he asked me to go with him.

“So, sabi ko, after my whole life na training to be a lawyer, biglang, okay, ‘You go with me and help me in GMA.’ So, sinama niya ako. Sabay kami.

“Nung una nga, sabi ko, ‘Kaya mo ba 'yan, Daddy?’ Kasi di ba, lawyer siya. He was a lawyer all his life, tapos biglang, okay, he's gonna take over GMA. ‘Kaya mo ba 'yan?’ Sabi niya, ‘Oo, kaya ko kahit ano, pag-aaralan ko.’ So, sabi niya sumama nga ako sa kanya.

“Actually, I was very excited. Yung dad ko kasi, I think talaga kaya niya ako sinama kasi, I think di siya talaga well-versed sa showbiz, sa local showbiz. He was more of a news person, very serious person kasi sya sports, news, politics, economics pero yung mga artista hindi siya masyado.

“So, wala siya masyadong kilalang artista. Hindi siya nanonood ng mga local movies, ng mga local soap operas, pero ako pinalaki ako ng mom ko na nanonood and nagbabasa ng mga local showbiz magazines. Yun mom ko naman, she was a housewife pero she was talagang into showbiz.

“Like she had the complete set of all local showbiz magazines every week. Yung mga Kislap, Modern Romances, Extra Hot dati. Complete yan every week. So ako, talagang nagbabasa rin ako, so medyo siguro alam niya, meron akong alam ako sa local showbiz.

“But yun nga, parang it looks very unexpected, but Christians kasi kami, my family and I. Looking back, I know na na-orchestrate lahat 'yan ni God. So probably it was destiny for me to also be in the entertainment industry after.

“Man plans his steps, pero it's the will of God that will prevail. So parang ganon. Okay, doon niya ako dinala. I became part of the board of GMA Network and then I became his programming consultant and all-around consultant, as in lahat. Parang, anything he would assign me to, yun yung ginagawa ko. But at that time, I was most involved in programming.

“Yung programming, yung programs that we show on air. Kung ano yung ilalabas, ano yung sequence of the programs, and kung ano ang ipo-produce. I was hands-on doon.

“You never stop learning. So, hindi porket tapos na sa school, tapos na yung learning mo. Your whole life, you will still learn things. So yun, pareho kami, sabay kami. We learned the business of GMA, the entertainment business.

“Yung first na ginawa ko, kasi yung una na pumasok ako, ang kinukuha naming yung canned. Parang what I found out was, parang at that time we were buying based on gut feel, based on, oh sige panoorin yung mga screeners na nakukuha, gusto ko ‘ba to?

“Pero parang sabi ko, kulang-kulang yung ganon syempre, gut feel is a big part of it. But, you have to research ano ba yung nag-hit talaga. So talagang nag research ako on Mexican telenovelas.

“In those countries, ano yung nag hit that were exported in other countries na nag hit din. So, yun yung una kong ginawa, and pag nakita mo kasi yon, makikita mo yung mga programs na ganon, makakakita ka ng pattern.”

When businesses imitate competitors, they often enter a battle they are unlikely to win. The market leader typically has greater resources, a larger customer base, stronger brand recognition, and more experience. Following the leader may help a company survive, but it rarely helps it overtake the leader.

Doing things differently allows a company to create its own competitive advantage. Instead of fighting on the competitor's terms, the business changes the basis of competition. It offers customers something distinctive that competitors do not provide.

This was exactly what happened at GMA. The network did not become number one by producing slightly better versions of existing television programs. Instead, it introduced new formats and storytelling concepts that gave viewers a reason to choose GMA over its larger rival.

As Gozon-Valdes recalled, GMA had become comfortable as number two. The network had successful anime programs and respectable ratings. The problem was that its strengths were not strong enough to overcome ABS-CBN's dominance in locally produced dramas. As long as GMA continued relying on the same formula, the competitive hierarchy was unlikely to change.

Many businesses fall into this trap. They benchmark themselves against the market leader and focus on making incremental improvements. The result is often a slightly better version of the same business rather than a company capable of overtaking its competitors.

The mindset introduced by Felipe Gozon challenged that thinking. His observation was simple: "If we do the same things, we'll always be number two."

That statement reflects an important business principle. When a market leader has already mastered the existing game, challengers often need to find a different way to compete.

Meaningful innovation often begins with understanding the existing market before attempting to disrupt it. GMA first chose to compete directly against ABS-CBN by investing in locally produced dramas. While these programs improved the network's position, they were not enough to dislodge the market leader.

This stage was important because it allowed GMA to understand what audiences valued. Before a company can successfully challenge an industry leader, it must first understand why that leader became successful in the first place.

Many entrepreneurs try to innovate immediately without fully understanding the market. GMA followed a different path. It first learned how to compete effectively within the existing rules before searching for a way to create its own advantage.

The breakthrough came when Gozon-Valdes and the creative team shifted their focus from competition to differentiation.

When Mulawin was developed, the objective was no longer simply to create another successful drama. The team created an entirely different viewing experience. Instead of asking how they could produce a slightly better version of what already existed, they explored what audiences had not yet seen. This changed everything.

By introducing a fantasy world with original characters, visual effects, and storytelling concepts that stood apart from existing programs. Viewers were no longer comparing two similar products. They were choosing between two different experiences.

This illustrates one of the most powerful lessons in business. The strongest competitive advantages often emerge when companies stop asking how to beat competitors and start asking how to become different.

Competitive victories do not always require greater resources. They often require a different perspective. ABS-CBN frequently possessed larger productions, stronger incumbency advantages, and a dominant market position. Yet GMA's breakthrough did not come from outspending its rival. It came from discovering a different way to create value for viewers.

Many managers assume that success belongs to whoever has the largest budget. In reality, some of the most successful challengers win because they identify opportunities that larger competitors overlook.

By refusing to accept the limitations of being number two and by pursuing differentiation rather than imitation, GMA changed the competitive dynamics of the industry and transformed itself from a challenger into a market leader.

“At that time, GMA was number two,” she says. “Medyo firm number two na talagang parang happy na happy na yung GMA na maging number two. Tapos biglang nagka-mindset yung dad ko na, ‘No, we want to be number one.’  So yun na. Okay, we want to be number one.

“So paano magcha-change yung programming given that directive? Naging mas aggressive kami kasi, at that time, we were airing mostly canned programs.

“Mostly, we had very strong, very high-rating animes in prime time. Pero wala pa ring match kasi yung mga canned programs with local programming, locally produced, especially soap operas and dramas.

“So yun, sabi niya, ‘Let's go head-to-head with ABS-CBN. Let's produce dramas against their dramas in prime time.’ So ayun, talagang nag-produce kami. I was involved in that talaga.

“It was year 2001. Pagdating pa lang niya, gusto na niyang palitan. Yung parang hindi pwede, if we do the same things, we'll always be number two. If you want to have a chance at being number one, you have to change the way you do things, the way you program your station.

“So, nag-drama kami head-to-head. Syempre may learning curve ng konti. Mga dramas na lumalaban. And then I think it was in 2004, Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin yun, starring Angelika Dela Cruz and Sunshine Dizon. Malakas yon. Sumikat yung drama na yon, pero hindi pa rin namin natatalo yung ABS at that time kasi ang lalakas ng mga Pangako Sa 'Yo yata yon, yung soap opera noon. Napakalakas.

“Tapos meron kaming after that, Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga. Yun yung next na sinunod namin. Si Dingdong Dantes and yung asawa ngayon ni Mark Lapid, si Tanya Garcia. Sila naman ‘yon, pero malakas yung soap na yun. Yun yung drama na may story na nagpapalit ng mukha eh. Yun yung second soap namin.

“Tapos yung third. Malakas din. Naging very close siya, so nagcha-change pa ng programming rin yung ABS noon, tapos nagkaroon kami Kung Mawawala Ka. It was a political soap. With Eddie Garcia nga yun e, yun yung may tatlong families siya, and he was a politician, kasama niya rin doon sina Sunshine Dizon.

“Anyway, pagdating ng 2004. Biglang yung creative group namin, naisip, gumawa tayo ng fantaserye. Gawin natin ang Mulawin. So yun yung first local fantaserye na maganda yung special effects, yung nakakaron bigla sila ng wings.

“We created a whole new world, yung with Mulawin nag number one yung GMA. Because of Mulawin, kasi malakas talaga ang soap operas kasi pag malakas yung prime time mo, nadadala yung buong programming ng whole day.

“So, at that time, nag number one kami. Tapos, sumunod don yung Encantadia, which was also a fantaserye na ang lakas din. So, we became known nga as, parang experts of fantaserye because of those two shows.

“Tapos, sumunod na yung Darna namin. We had the idea of, halika, i-franchise natin yung local adaptation sa soap opera ng Darna. So, ginawa namin yun with Angel Locsin tapos Captain Barbel. So tuloy tuloy na yung mga Fantaserye and from that time on, nag number one kami. Talagang head-to-head kami with ABS. Hindi na bumibitaw halos equal talaga yung audience share na namin from that time on.”

Many entrepreneurs mistakenly believe that success requires inventing something completely new. In reality, some of the most successful products, services, and business models are built upon concepts that customers already understand and value. By starting with an idea that has already proven its appeal, a business reduces the uncertainty that often accompanies innovation.

At the same time, simply copying what already exists rarely creates a lasting competitive advantage. If customers can get the same experience elsewhere, there is little reason for them to switch. Differentiation becomes essential.

The most effective innovators therefore strike a balance between familiarity and novelty. They preserve the elements that customers already like while introducing enough change to make the offering stand out. Familiarity reduces customer resistance, while innovation creates interest and competitive advantage.

Customers often do not know exactly what they want, but they know what they enjoy. Rather than trying to create entirely new stories, Gozon-Valdes studied the themes and story structures that consistently resonated with audiences across generations.

She then looked for ways to present those familiar ideas in a fresh way. The most effective innovators often succeed by giving customers a new experience built around something they already understand and enjoy

Gozon-Valdes also viewed competitors as sources of information rather than threats. When a rival program achieved strong ratings, her instinct was not to dismiss its success but to understand why audiences were responding to it. Rather than assuming her team had all the answers, she treated competitors as a form of market research.

Many businesses spend too much time monitoring competitors and too little time understanding what customers value. Gozon-Valdes focused on the latter.

The story of Onanay illustrates this mindset. While a rival program relied on a much larger budget and more impressive visual effects, Gozon-Valdes and her team focused on telling a story that audiences could connect with emotionally. In the end, viewers responded to the story rather than the spending.

“When I was researching, I found this pattern na, yung mga palabas,  mostly, comic type of stories. Yung pang komiks, like Cinderella stories, Romeo and Juliet kind. And also, yung mga kabitan stories, the mistress stories. Palagi, there's always that element. Nag-iiba lang yung form.

“For example, the mistress story, di ba palaging ganon. Magsasawa rin yung mga tao e, sabihin nila ayan na naman. Pero may ginawa kami, yung My Husband's Lover. Mistress story yon, pero may twist. Hindi mistress, mister. Nag-hit yun, kasi parang alam nila yung story na yun pero nakabalot sa iba itong story. Yan yung innovation ko na pa unti-unti, my isang innovation ka na nilagay kaya parang they're familiar with the story, but you offered them something new. So yun yung challenge talaga namin in being storytellers.

“We offered the same typical Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet stories pero iba na mapapakita mo. May mga time ginawa kami, nag experiment kami, gumawa kami ng soap opera, Grazilda. Ang bida don yung stepsister, parang ganon, pero mabait pala. So, talagang kelangan mo i-push yung mga tao, like paano ba tayo maiiba, kasi magsasawa yung mga tao.

“Also, pag may nagre-rate yung kabilang station na show. We check like ‘Oh bakit nagre-rate yon, ano yung elements non. Ano yung gusto ng tao doon. So, medyo, i-incorporate rin namin. Kasi, ganon talaga and vice versa.

“Dati, nagkaroon ng malaking show yung kabilang station. I think it was called Bagani. It was a big budget show Fantaserye, so takot na takot kami, kasi parang ‘nako pano yan, ano ilalaban natin. Ang laki. Yung nakita namin yung trailer, nako ang mahal. Ano yung panlalaban namin. Wala kaming malaban. Tapos di kami pinapayagan gumastos, sabi namin, daanin natin sa traditional. Gumawa kami ng show Onanay.

“We cast Jo Berry, a little person. Nanay niya si Nora Aunor, tapos may kapatid siyang maganda, so parang anak sila, tapos inaapi siya, parang ganon, yung talagang traditional tapos first time may little person. It was not a high-budget show, pero natalo niya ang Bagani sa ratings, as in, na-shock kami. Di namin alam paano.

“Nakakatawa yon e, pang laban sa Bagani, sabihin daw ni Jo Berry, ‘Oh nalalakihan ba kayo sa show namin? Kasi talagang it’s really the story, it’s not the aesthetic, it’s not the grandeur of the sets, it’s not the flashiness of the special effects. It's the story.

“Kaya nga yun lagi sinasabi ng Dad ko samin, nagawa niyo dati magagawa niyo ngayon. Di kailangan ng mahal. Story pa rin ang king.

“Lalo na ngayon talaga, after all itong crisis natin ng flood control, ngayon yung Iran, lalo kaming cut cost, cut cost. So hindi kailangan mahal. Yun yung challenge.

“Actually, my dad is very hands-on, but not the details of the programming, parang important sa kaniya ang bottom line. Very business-minded kasi siya as the head of the company, talagang he makes sure na maganda yung bottom line, kaya matipid kami actually.

“Don lang siya pumapasok sa gastos, ‘hindi pwede yan mamahal yan’. Parang ganon. So he’s very involved, so walang mapapasang program na hindi nagye-yes sa kaniya. So minsan nga sinasabi namin, pano tayo mag, pinagco-compete mo kami sa show nila, e yung show nila ang mahal non. Sabi niya, kaya niyo yan.

“I'm very lucky na mga tao, when I started, the people in GMA, running GMA were very open and collaborative with me. So, very collaborative sila, very cooperative. Syempre minsan pag may pumasok, makealam sa department mo, ayaw mo. Sila, hindi. They were very receptive and naging very collaborative. Therefore, parang feeling ko we built on each other's ideas, on each other's strengths, kaya lumakas yung programming, yung content.”

Many companies wait until talent has already proven itself. By that point, the individual is usually more expensive, harder to recruit, and often has multiple opportunities available. Organizations that identify potential early can develop talent at a lower cost while developing skills from the beginning.

Investing in people early also creates a sustainable pipeline of future leaders and top performers. Businesses cannot rely indefinitely on the same high achievers. Employees retire, move on, or eventually outgrow certain roles. Organizations that continuously develop new talent are better positioned to maintain performance over the long term.

Many organizations compete aggressively for proven performers because the results are immediate and visible. Gozon-Valdes took a longer-term approach. Rather than waiting for actors to become stars elsewhere, she invested in identifying and nurturing potential long before it became obvious to the market.

This reflects an important leadership principle. The greatest value is often created before success becomes visible. Once everyone recognizes someone's talent, the opportunity to shape and develop that person has largely passed.

Gozon-Valdes also built a system rather than relying on luck. The workshops were not simply training programs. They functioned as a talent-development pipeline. The process allowed the organization to observe who learned quickly and who possessed natural ability.

Many companies make the mistake of evaluating people only after they enter important roles. Gozon-Valdes created a process that allowed potential to be identified much earlier. She viewed talent development as an investment rather than an expense.

Gozon-Valdes understood the difference between talent and opportunity. Many leaders focus exclusively on identifying talent. Gozon-Valdes treated talent development as a continuous process rather than a one-time initiative.

She recognized that today's stars eventually mature into different roles. Consumer preferences change. New audiences emerge. As a result, an organization cannot rely indefinitely on its current roster of top performers.

“When I was also slowly developing the Artist Center of GMA together with yung mga tao na nasa artist center at that time so, we were expanding our roster of talent,” she says. “It was already there pero pinalakas namin kasi, mahirap umasa, mag-cast ng actors if you don't manage them, yourself.

“Parang makikiusap ka, maghihintay ka ng timing kasi baka may ginagawang iba. Whereas if you manage them, parang alam mo na they can prioritize the needs of the network. Marami namang artista ang gusto yon kasi, pag nasa artist center sila nung GMA priority rin sila sa casting. Parang may unwritten rule na kami.

“Tapos kung wala naman silang show sa TV, pwede namin silang hanapan ng show sa labas, events, movies or even shows in other channels. We also do that. And then, of course, importante din yung mga endorsements, yung mga influencer deals. So, our Sparkle, talagang is a full-service management department of GMA. Lahat talagang binibigay nila sa artists.

“Kailangan kasi marami silang exposure. Yung rin kasi tinatanong ng mga brands. Parang, tinatanong yung ‘ano yung show, san sila lumalabas, ano yung latag nyo for the next year or two.’ Kasi, kung hindi sila visible, parang humihina daw, yung yung pull nila. So, that's important.

“If we recruit, kunyari, they're new, we're obliged to give them workshops. Alam nila ite-train namin na sila mag-acting. Libre, once they're signed up with GMA. Kasi, kunyari wala silang acting experience, we give them all the workshops that they need, like acting, dancing, singing, personality development, lahat yan, hosting. We offer them workshops. Tapos don sa workshops palang makikita mo na kung sino mga nagsha-shine, sino yung mga kelangan pa ng more workshops, sino yung pwede nang ilabas sa TV. Don yun nakikita.

“Sa Sparkle, si Joy Marcelo is the First Vice President. She's directly under me. Siya yung talagang mas nitty-gritty of the everyday, kasi andami kong hina-handle, I handle Sparkle, I handle Program Management, yun yung sa mga canned dramas.

“When we hire dito sa Sparkle, we hire them minsan nga bata palang sila e. Hina-hire na namin and then they undergo workshops until we find the right time na, na oh pwede na hinog na siya, pwede na siyang i-try ng actual roles sa TV. Parang ganon yon, slowly but surely and then pag nag-try na sila sa TV, makikita mo e, kung oh magaling ba, kaya ba niya yung role. May following ba siya, nag mamarka ba siya sa audience. And then yung step by step. May investment. It takes a lot of time.

“Parang swerte lang yung biglaan. Like for example, kahit si Shuvi, medyo matagal din siya a few years na nandito na siya samin na parang bit roles, and then biglang sumikat siya because of Pinoy Big Brother. So, ngayon parang she’s a household name. Ganon e, parang it’s a combination of luck, of talent and siguro yung may IT (factor) talaga.

“Sa artists na linalagay mo sa movies, that's important if you have your own artists. Yung pag bet on an artist, medyo tricky yan. Very unique animal talaga yung paghanap ng magiging big star. Di mo alam kung bakit, but they have it. May mga IT sila talaga, like Marian Rivera.

“When she started with us, hindi siya ganon ka prime actress. She was starring in afternoon soap operas. Naging kontrabida pa nga siya e, naging mother din siya ng super twins and naging kontrabida siya in that drama. We saw na magaling siya umarte, may IT (factor) siya and then suddenly we gave her Marimar. Ganon lang yon, yung parang, may IT siya e and, parang ganon lang yung decision and correct. Parang wow. Talagang superstar siya.

“Si Alden, yung kuwento rin don matagal na rin siya with us. In fact, he auditioned for Starstruck. Hindi siya napunta sa finals. Hindi siya nakuha don sa sasali. So nag audition siya and then he was second lead in a soap opera called Alakdana.

“Tapos, ako mismo sabi ko may something si Alden, hindi natin susukuan si Alden. So talagang pinu-push ko siya, nag li-lead siya ng mga soap operas and then actually medyo naging hit na yung mga soap operas niya with ‘One True Love,’ iba pa yung partner niya non. One true love and may isa pa siyang drama na lumalakas siya as a leading man. And then nagkaroon ng Aldub, tapos talagang naging sikat siya.

“May ganon talaga. May mga tao na may IT, hindi pwedeng palaging kung sino lang yung sikat yung laging linalabas mo because tumatanda rin sila. Syempre, parang yung mga bagay dapat sa kwento na kilig kilig, hindi mo na sila maka-cast kasi may mga asawa na sila. Like, Marian and Dingdong, nung bata sila malakas na malakas sila sa mga romance, kilig, ngayon kasi, mas mature na yung roles nila, given their stature, given their age.

“Kailangan tataya ka na sa mga bago. Sino na yung bagong Marian Rivera?  Sino na yung bagong Alden Richards?  At hahanap ka don sa mga teenagers. Kailangan mag-start sila teens palang. Ganon talaga, it's a continuous churn, tuloy-tuloy. Hindi ka pwede mag-stop na porke may mga sikat ka ng artista then you have, eto na yung forever. Hindi. You have to find the next ones. Every five years, mapapalitan yung roles.”

Integrity creates trust, and trust is one of the most valuable assets any business can possess. Cutting corners may produce short-term gains, but long-term success depends on strong relationships with customers, employees, investors, and partners.

A good reputation takes years to build but can be damaged quickly. In many businesses, reputation creates future opportunities and helps earn customer trust.

The lessons Gozon-Valdes learned from her father combined ethics with careful risk management. Her father believed in dealing with people in good faith, but he also believed in putting agreements in writing and making expectations clear.

This shows that integrity does not mean relying on trust alone. It also means creating clear agreements that protect everyone involved and help prevent future misunderstandings.

Gozon-Valdes viewed integrity as a habit rather than a one-time decision. Whether in business or personal relationships, she believed that consistent actions build trust over time. This consistency helps create a strong reputation. People remember those who treat others fairly and keep their commitments.

Many successful leaders become attached to the strategies that made them successful. Gozon-Valdes recognized that audiences change, markets evolve, and formulas eventually lose effectiveness. Continuing to learn requires intellectual honesty, the willingness to admit that yesterday's success does not guarantee tomorrow's results. In this sense, integrity is not only about how a person treats others. It is also about being honest with oneself.

“One of the lessons I learned from my Dad is to always be ethical in everything you do,” she says. “Important sa kanya yun. You have to be ethical in all your business dealings. Number two, always protect yourself contractually. Always have things in writing. Being a lawyer, sabi niya parang ayaw niya ng puro oral. Kailangan daw kahit text, kailangan daw may proof. Kailangan ganon, you have to do that, para lang safe.  So laging gusto niya everything should be in writing.

“Tapos pag may contracts, you have to protect, kahit na good faith naman lahat. Always in good faith kami pumapasok sa contracts, but syempre for your protection, kailangan lagay mo lahat ng clause. Parang ganon.

“Third, never stop learning. Kasi hindi porke naging successful ka with this formula ng fantaserye, like kami, then later on, nagsawa yung mga tao e. You have to keep on learning, keep on innovating. You have to keep on studying the current trends. Hindi ka pwede mag-stop. You can never stop learning.

“Kailangan din matipid. Actually, my dad is very frugal with money. He takes risks, pero always balanced, calculated risks. Hindi siya yung you put all eggs in the basket, hindi. Kunyari tataya siya, pero yung taya na kahit mawala payag ka.

“I follow him kasi syempre, successful na role model siya. Alangan naman hindi ko sundin diba? So kaming magkapatid, tinuruan niya to be that way. Kasi hindi rin kami magastos. Hindi kami flashy. Di naman mauubos yon, pag matipid ka hindi naman mauubos yan.

“Pero idol ko rin yung mommy ko. Yung mommy ko, kasi yung dad ko very strong personality yan. Sobrang bossy. Siya yung king, pero bilib ako sa mommy ko. Natiis niya lahat (laughs), buong buhay niya, parang okay sa kaniya, she’s very patient and loving.

“Actually, yung nakita ko sa parents ko, di sila nag-aaway e. Kasi nga yung isa sa dad ko strong personality, yung mom ko, tama siya nagsa-submit yon. Di ba sa Bible, wives must submit. So nung nag-a away kami nung una ng husband, away kami nang away kasi very strong rin personality ko. Tapos, sabi ko susundin ko nga yung sinasabi ng Bible, tignan natin. I will submit kahit na feeling ko tama ako. Sige, okay, nag yes ako. Aba, nagwo-work. Mamaya siya yung mag so-sorry. Mamaya yung gusto ko na yung gagawin niya. Nagwo-work.

“So sabi ko nga kapag finollow mo talaga yung Bible di ka magkakamali. So, ngayon nga sinasabi ko, oh I am sure magugulat lahat ng mga colleagues ko, yung mga friends ko dati nung bata ako. Kasi medyo strong yung personality ko pero ngayon natuto na ako mag-submit, in marriage ha, kasi sa marriage lang naman sinasabi na mag-submit.

“I am more collaborative siguro. I rarely get mad. Parang siguro kahit sino tanungin mo hindi ako nagagalit. Talagang patient din ako. Baka nakuha ko sa mom ko, very patient.”

Henry Ong, RFP, is an entrepreneur, financial planning advocate and business advisor. Email Henry for business advice [email protected] or follow him on X (Twitter) @henryong888.