Artie is the Co-founder & COO of NextPay, a company that helps businesses with the difficult task of managing their finances easily and affordably, so they can focus on growing their business. 

Artie is also the co-founder of Brainsparks, the first and only founder-focused incubator that helps turn dreamers into founders. He's helped numerous founders build and scale their companies and social enterprises. 

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👋🏼 How would you explain your job to someone outside tech?

I ensure the company is running smoothly and efficiently and always heading in the direction we envision it to be. 

Being the most seasoned of the founders, I also contribute my insights and lessons learned from prior startup experience and other entrepreneurs and businesses I've mentored and taught. 

It's always valuable to take note of others' failures and triumphs in order to improve your own startup.

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🧐 What's something about you or your job that would surprise us?

I started my first startup in 2001 while I was in 3rd-year college. There was no Gmail, Friendster was starting out, and Shaq was still playing for the Lakers. I am very lucky in that in my 20+ years in tech, I have been a founder, mentor and coach, and investor. This helps me so much day to day, as I have seen and experienced all POVs and can adjust my mindset to be more balanced. 

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🏆 What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

It's always been my dream to get more Filipino startups into Y Combinator, as it was always the benchmark the world measures to. To be able to help mentor and advise NextPay to get into Y Combinator and eventually work into growing the company is a dream come true.

Now, my dream is to use our experience to help other companies do the same. 

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🔍 What's a startup trend or space you're watching this year?‍

For me, Web3 has been something I've been heavily looking into for the past 6 years. There has been significant growth in adoption and development, in the last 2 years, especially in the PH, which is why I am more bullish than ever in building and supporting Web3 products and services. 

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💼 What advice would you give someone starting out in your industry? 

Find your why. Many people talk about Passion as a driver, but I feel that will not be enough. I always say that Passion with Purpose should get you through all the challenges and difficulties you will eventually face as a founder. The best founders I have met and worked with felt a strong purpose in solving the problem that they wanted to solve and matched that with a passion for building solutions. 

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🗣 What's one thing you can keep talking about for hours? 

I'm a Geek, Gamer, and a Gearhead. So I can talk about gadgets, technology, gaming, or motorsports for days on end, lol. 

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🎥 What's your favorite movie/TV show? 

My favorite movie is Inception. The thinking and creativity that went into it were so deep that even today, when I rewatch it, I learn something new again. 

My favorite TV Show is Breaking Bad because of the massive depth of the story and characters and Heisenberg's extreme transition and transformation. Coupled with the pristine acting of several actors in the show. Truly a blessing to experience. 

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🍨 What's your go-to ice cream flavor?‍

Double Dutch or Rocky Road. I like stuff with chocolate and nuts.

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