Kristian Pettyjohn, the CEO of PhotoUp, a real estate photo editing company with offices in Grand Rapids, Michigan USA, and Cebu, Philippines shares his journey from founding PhotoUp to establishing the company as an industry leader.

PhotoUp offers professional photo editing and virtual staging services. Additionally, the company is a one-stop shop for real estate marketing and also offers additional services such as single property websites, floor plans, virtual tours, video editing, and much more.

With no further delay, let’s start the interview!

Can you kindly start by telling our readers about your background?

I grew up obsessed with video production in high school and college, which had a lot of cross-over with photography of course. Through college, while studying business and marketing, I ended up working for a high-end web design company and then became a licensed real estate agent on the tail of my schooling.

The combination of my interest in media, software development, real estate and business would ultimately culminate a few years later into the founding of PhotoUp in 2012.

As an entrepreneur and CEO, can you tell us about your entrepreneurship journey and how PhotoUp started? 

After a short and sweet run as a Realtor, I decided I was more interested in web design and software development, so naturally, I launched my own development company. It was through my software company that I initially was introduced to the Philippines.

And it wasn’t until a few years later that an old real estate buddy of mine introduced me to a real estate photographer he knew who needed some help with real estate photo editing. It sounded like an interesting project so we hired a few dedicated photo editors for him.

Before long it seemed there may be an opportunity to improve real estate photo editing outsourcing, so we founded PhotoUp in 2012.

What inspired you to start PhotoUp?

To be honest, PhotoUp was a much more random circumstance than it was premeditated. However, over time PhotoUp became my main focus rather than a side project and now it’s my full-time career.

Where is PhotoUp based, and how long has the company been in business?

PhotoUp has offices in Grand Rapids, Michigan USA and Cebu, Philippines. We’ve operated publicly since 2012, though we started early operations in 2011.

What have been your biggest challenges as a CEO of PhotoUp, and how did you overcome them?

Every year brings a new challenge, but certainly, super typhoon Rai which was a category 5+ storm that hit Cebu directly in December 2021 was the most challenging season operationally for the company.

It really revealed both some of our strengths as well as areas we can continue to improve redundancies. Through it all, we emerged a much stronger company, but it took a better part of a year for some of our employees to get back on their feet.

What makes PhotoUp different from other companies in the real estate photo editing industry?

I would say the three big areas that set PhotoUp apart from our competitors are: USA support, a focus on building software, not just services, and most recently the introduction of staffing, that is, having photographers work directly with their real estate photo editors.

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Would you kindly explain the difference between a dedicated photo editor and a distributed photo editor?

Sure. Distributed photo editing is how most traditional real estate photo editing desks run. You send your photos and the first editor to get to it does the editing. PhotoUp has a more advanced distributed editing system that looks at historical data between a photographer and editor to make this matching process better than most.

Dedicated photo editing on the other hand is basically hiring an employee. The photographer works directly with a photo editor to really dial in their quality and consistency, plus assist them with other tasks, such as building virtual tours, delivering photos, or doing marketing outreach to prospective clients.

With real estate photo editing as your main product offering, how many photo editors does PhotoUp currently have?

The business is very seasonal, but we typically have 180+ staff members year-round, with more seasonal staff to assist in the summer. We also have direct relationships with hundreds of contract photo editors as well. So it’s a bit of a moving target.

What are the advantages of hiring a dedicated photo editor?

Quality and consistency. A dedicated real estate photo editor is 100% focused on a photographer’s business. Naturally, this leads to much higher quality results than distributed editing ever could.

Is a dedicated editor the same as a virtual assistant? If not, kindly explain the difference.

Yes and no. A dedicated real estate photo editor is basically a specialized VA. Whereas VAs are typically more experienced in basic marketing and administrative tasks.

Just for our readers to get an idea, how much does PhotoUp’s real estate photo editing services cost?

Cost per edit ranges from $0.50 up to $2.00 based on if our photographers shoot single frames, HDR or flambient method and also depending if they choose dedicated or distributed. By far the least expensive editing on average comes from hiring a dedicated editor.

What other real estate marketing services does PhotoUp offer?

Our most popular additional service is real estate AI virtual staging. We’ve spent nearly five years becoming one of the top providers for VS in the country. We also offer 2D and 3D floor plan renders and real estate video editing.

Which product/service do you think is PhotoUp’s strongest? And why?

For a full-time professional real estate photographer, the answer is clear cut: hire a dedicated photo editor. You drop your cost per edit significantly and get the highest quality editing possible, plus they can help generate additional business in the slower season.

We also offer amazing single property websites which are growing in popularity as we continue to add more requested features.

Do you have any upcoming new product launches?

We do. In early 2023 we’re launching our new DIY virtual tour product, which is quite exciting. We’re also updating our plans to include at least 10 single property websites and 10 virtual tours with every plan.

This just provides more value to our photographers and provides another great opportunity for dedicated editors or VAs to assist photographers by building property sites and tours.

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Can you share with us some of the factors that have made PhotoUp so successful?

The biggest thing is US phone support plus 24/6 chat support directly from our operations floor in the Philippines. You call, we answer. It’s so important to me that we offer instant support to all our photographers.

What can you share with us about your vision for PhotoUp’s future?

We’re really towing the line that media, not just photography, is the future of the industry. As such, we’re investing heavily in our single property websites and virtual tour products, plus we’re going to be introducing updated order forms for photo editing, virtual staging, and floor plans in the coming year.

We’re also looking to build more operational and marketing software for photographers to be a true end-to-end system for real estate photographers.

Do you see the market for real estate marketing changing? If so, how?

Now more than ever the real estate market is just volatile. However, I think this provides a big opportunity for real estate media professionals to promote the value of their services.

As there become fewer listings available, agents need to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Zillow says that over 80% of buyers, for instance, find floor plans and virtual tours really helpful. So providing these extra levels of service to agents right now can help them win more business.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for PhotoUp and its mission?

We just blog a lot! But really, our marketing budget is actually very small. We have found a lot of success writing thought-leading content for our customers, such as reviewing other products and services in our industry, talking about new technology, and creative ways to market their business.

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What advice would you give to someone just entering the field of real estate photography?

I think the biggest thing is to keep it simple and not to undersell yourself.

What is the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?

Haha, that’s an interesting question, not sure I have a good answer, but I will say starting a company overseas in a developing country is not for the faint of heart. We’ve had to navigate corrupt officials, very tricky international tax and accounting laws, and learn everything about labor legalities in the countries we operate… It’s a lot! 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

First and foremost, we appreciate each and every one of our photographers. If you haven’t already tried out a dedicated editor, I’d recommend trying a test edit with three different editors, it really has been game-changing for a lot of our customers.

And of course, I must give a huge shout out to our entire team! It’s been a wild, challenging, and fruitful ten-year journey, and we’re all very excited for the future. As a company, we believe in being a social enterprise and having a positive impact wherever we operate. In fact, our mission is to put people, planet, profit, and purpose on equal footing in business and beyond.

It’s a beautiful thing to connect talent around the world with the real business needs of our clients. While we’ve come a really long way, we are humbled by the journey in front of us as we continue to create services, technology, and staffing solutions to help drive more value for all our stakeholders around the world!

How can customers connect with you?

The best way to reach me is to just shoot a message over to support@photoup.net or give our customer service line a call. I work directly with all our support and operations teams each day and work to solve any customer inquiries as quickly as we can.

And that’s all for this interview.

Why don’t you try us out for yourself?!

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Ezra, one of the pioneers of PhotoUp, proves how age comes with wisdom and knowledge as he gains skills and experience. At PhotoUp, Ezra learned a lot, took on additional responsibility, and overcame many challenges. He has successfully flourished, both personally and professionally.

Ezra spends every moment of his life learning skills, inspiring others, solving problems, caring for his family, and having a lot of fun. Let’s learn more about this cool team leader and how he makes every minute count.

1. Tell us more about yourself.

Hello! I’m Ezra John Suzara, and I’m at a healthy age of 39 years old. Having said that, I have to state the obvious: I’m probably one of the oldest folks here at PhotoUp. Some call me Tatay (Father), Lolo (Grandpa), but most call me Kuya (Big Brother). I am happily married to a wonderful woman and have three amazing children (Mandy, 18; Thea, 17; and Zach, 2).

Outside of work, I’m either at home spending time with my family or hitting the rugged trails of Cebu’s hinterlands on my mountain bike.

2. How did you start out at PhotoUp? How has it grown over the years?

I started working at PhotoUp sometime mid 2013. Incidentally, I found an ad online but I wasn’t really looking for a full time job because I had my own computer repair business at home. But something inside me told me to apply, so I sent an application online.

After a few days, the company called me in for an interview. The address they gave me was in a familiar neighborhood. In fact, I have friends who live in that village.

CEO Kristian Pettyjohn and PhotoUp Operations Manager Ossie Losano interviewed me. Although it was a group interview, I remember not feeling nervous due to their cool and friendly demeanor.

So we first started working in that cozy house in Banilad. I miss that house, especially the garden, kitchen, and pantry.

In my 5 years in PhotoUp, I have seen the company grow from just 20 employees to more than 200. We needed a bigger space so we transferred here at Crown 7 Business Center.

It feels amazing to see the company grow up from a mere handful to a full-fledged corporation. It’s a concrete testament to what teamwork, willpower, and determination can do.

3. Can you explain your role at PhotoUp?

I am PhotoUp’s AM Shift Manager. I oversee everything that happens in the shift. I make sure edits are delivered on time and that my editors are following the standards that our real estate editing company has set. I also act as the bridge between the editors and upper management.

4. What is your leadership style? How do you describe yourself as a leader?

I’m a democratic type of leader. Whether the consensus would need the collective decision of the entire shift or just the management team, I always ask opinions from those involved and weigh my options.

As a leader, I try my best to be a good example to my workmates. I have a good work ethic, create a positive family environment, and try to develop my team personally and professionally. I make my team feel that I’m a friend and that they can talk to me freely. I want to be a leader who inspires them.

5. At which point in your tenure did your realize that a leadership position was for you?

A year after I was employed at PhotoUp, my bosses had big plans for the company. During the planning session for expansion, I realized that with skills, knowledge, and personality, I could help the company grow. To guide and develop our new young talent.

My bosses thought the same way as well.

6. As a shift manager, what are some of the challenges you’ve had to face?

There are a lot of challenges in a management role. One would be bringing together a group of individuals—each with different and unique attitudes, personalities, and character—towards a common goal. I have to use a different approach for each individual member.

Another would be the “age gap”. Although I don’t have any problems relating to them (since I’m young at heart), there are times I get reminded that most of them are fresh out of college and inexperienced. That poses as a challenge.

What I do to overcome this particular challenge is to get to know them individually, a little at a time. I try to understand where they are coming from. Thus, I sometimes hangout with them outside work. I give them advice about relationships, love, life and insert some tips on how to survive in PhotoUp.

That way, they would see me as a person and not just a shift manager or some old man who bosses them around. 😉

7. How do you keep your team motivated, inspired, and on their feet?

As a manager, my subordinates know that I try to make work as light, easy, fun, pleasant, and rewarding as possible. I try make them laugh with my corny “dad” jokes. I motivate them through words of wisdom and, most importantly, through my actions.

When they do a great job, I provide recognition and show genuine appreciation. I make them feel that they are a valuable part of the team, like we’re one big family.

When they commit a mistake or fail to meet expectations, I tell them we are humans, and we make mistakes. But the most important thing is that we learn from them and not to repeat the same mistake. Everyone deserves a second chance.

8. Tell us about the most difficult situation you experienced as a team. How did you overcome it?

We had one situation just recently. Due to differences in opinion, the AM team was sort of divided over a certain issue. That caused tension between members. In fact, it resulted in a conflict between employees.

In order to resolve this, we brought both parties into a room to talk through the matter, face to face. I told them that mutual respect is very important and to always keep in mind that everyone deserves a second chance. We must Learn, Forgive, Forget, and Move On.

As a team, we grew stronger after the incident.

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9. What are your other interests and hobbies?

My other interests aside from photo editing is biking, mountain biking to be specific. I like to hit the trails every chance that I get.

I’m also a gadget freak, and I love new gadgets and the latest trends in technology. Recently, I took an interest in videography. I take video footage (including aerial videos) of my trails and edit them.

I’m also interested in PC computer games, both online or offline, like Defense of the Ancients (DOTA). I also enjoy fixing personal computers and laptops.

10. How does your hobby or interest help you in becoming a better manager/person?

My interest in biking has always made me think about life itself. One wrong move or hesitation on my part would result in a crash. So I have to assess all possible situations before I decide to take action.

Much like in life and in being a manager, I don’t dive in right away. Before I react or make any decision, I weigh my options. Look at the pros and cons. Ask advise when needed.

11. Care to share a few of your professional and personal goals?

Being a manager, I would like to focus on employee development and improvement. It makes me proud to see my editors grow personally and professionally, setting their own goals. I also want to advance further in my career.

Personally, I want to able to sufficiently render support for my family, especially that my girls are now going to college and my boy is going to school soon. Finally, I would like to do more traveling with my family and develop my skill in videography.

12. Has your experience working at PhotoUp helped you achieve your professional and personal goals?

Definitely, yes! From the very start, I am very grateful to my PhotoUp family for believing and supporting me. Being part of this team made me realize that happiness and contentment is not just about the work. It’s about the relationships, friendships, and memories made.

13. Any advice to people who want to hold a leadership position?

Being in management is a great privilege and responsibility. It’s all about having a good work ethic and good performance.

If you want to hold a position in management, you must never let your title go to your head. Instead, use your experience to understand your teammates and to relate to them. It’s not always about being the best there is. Rather, it’s about seeing the big picture on how to get the job done effectively and efficiently.

Being in management doesn’t mean you’re always right. You must be open-minded. You must be optimistic, you must be able to lift up your teammates when they are down. Being a leader takes a lot of dedication and commitment.

The famous adventurer Indiana Jones once said, “It’s not the years. It’s the mileage.” That’s definitely true in the case of Ezra. Throughout the years, he has learned the skills not just to become an excellent leader but also a great father and individual. Way to go, Ezra!

The moment we’re finished using these materials, they all end up in the trash. But once they’ve been disposed of, segregated from other waste materials, or otherwise, we stop to think that we are accountable for what comes next. Like the trash we just threw away, we set aside any responsibility for what happens next.

Our sachet economy and our dependence on plastic products contribute to the overall global plastic pollution problem. As individuals, we need to acknowledge this and admit that our consumption is part of the issue. After all, the first part of solving any problem is to recognize that there is one.

As a community, we need to be a unifying force to help address this global plastic pollution problem.

Plastics Are Forever

What is it with plastics anyway? Well, plastics are cheap, easy to produce, and can be made for a wide variety of applications and uses. Its durability is probably its best—and worst—quality. Made to literally last forever, all plastics that have ever been made still exists today—under the ground, in landfills, or floating aimlessly in rivers, lakes, and oceans.

Trash In Waterways and Oceans

When we carelessly discard our plastics, they can make their way into our waterways and drainage systems. The accumulation of plastics creates blockages and causes flooding, which in turn poses health risks especially in highly urbanized areas.

The plastics that do make it further down our waterways inevitably make their way into our oceans. There, they’re usually mistaken for food by seabirds and large marine animals. The digestive system of these animals cannot digest plastic, so the junk stays in the gut. This prevents food digestion, leading to starvation and the animal’s slow and painful death.

So-called biodegradable plastics are actually not biodegradable. They’re just broken down into tiny microplastics, which then are eaten by smaller marine life.

Mountain of Trash

Even when properly disposed of, most of the trash being collected by the city government does not end up in recycling facilities. Instead, they end up in the landfill in Inayawan, Cebu City. The 15.41 hectare (38 acres) facility, 11 of which are used for actual dumping, is designed to only operate for 7 years. Today, it has outlived its life, but trash is continually dumped there.

Mounds of rubbish stretch across the entire area, parts of which are taller than the structures surrounding the dump site. The entire area stinks, and the dump site is a breeding ground of disease-causing germs that pose a tremendous risk to the surrounding communities.

On some parts where the dumping has stopped, small plants and trees started growing on top of the old, decaying waste.

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Our Pledge to Make a Change

As a company that operates within the city, PhotoUp is committed in ensuring that we become part of the solution and head towards the direction of creating a positive impact in our community. Part of that commitment is ensuring that we are able to address the problem at its roots—US!

Our Cebu office produces about 4 to 8 large trash bags of waste every day, a mix of both biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials. While we do a decent job separating the biodegradables from the non-biodegradables, we’ve upped the ante a bit with our recent iteration of our waste management system.

The goal of our recently launched waste management system is to recover as many recyclable materials as possible and have it collected directly by nearby recycling facilities. Plastics are our main concern in creating this system. That’s why we are also looking to partner with other organizations that see the urgency in addressing not just the overall waste crisis, but the also the issue of reducing, processing, and disposing of plastic waste.

Keeping It Clean

While we are just a tiny force in this fight against mismanaged waste, we hope to someday make a ripple here in Cebu by creating a positive habit within our small office. With our CLAYGO (Clean As You Go) campaign, we strive to encourage our teammates to make cleaning after ourselves a habit inside the office, our homes, and the communities we live in.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Just as important as creating a habit of cleanliness is also encouraging our team to reduce, reuse, and recycle materials. Much of what we buy and use does not necessarily have to be “single-use” items. More importantly, we advocate the use of other eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastics such as steel and bamboo straws, canvas shopping bags, and reusable water bottles.

Our mindfulness as a community will go a long way in helping ensure that we do not contribute to the degradation of our communities, waterways, oceans, and ultimately our planet. By simply committing to change our habits can already make a huge difference.

We recently welcomed Alec Goorhouse to the PhotoUp family. Alec will be joining the Client Success Team, helping photographers scale and grow their businesses with the PhotoUp team and platform. Let’s know more about Alec, the newest PhotoUp team member.

Q: Tell us more about yourself.

A: Hi guys! My name is Alec Goorhouse. I’m from The River City of Grand Rapids, Michigan. I am 25 years old and the youngest of three siblings. I value a good work-life balance, so I tend to spend a lot of my time hanging out with family and friends.

Q: Can you explain your role at PhotoUp?

A: PhotoUp hired me as an Account Manager and member of the Client Success Team. My role is mainly aimed at helping with operations and the support team to ensure success with client on-boarding. My task also involves updating and managing the weekly and annual sales reports, following up with new leads, and ensuring new photographers understand how our editing system and team operate.

Q: I hear you have a passion for marketing. What triggered this passion?

A: Well, it all started when I took a marketing research class during my junior year in college. Our class’s final project was to find more ways to bring people to the Grand Rapids Museum. We were given a small budget and were able to come up with our own ideas on how to accomplish the task at hand.

The best part of the project was experiencing a great surge of initiative and imagination. I’ve never imagined that we could be incredibly creative in the process. The ability to be creative and brainstorm triggered my passion for marketing. Inspired by this, I switched my major from a Bachelors of Business to a Bachelors of Marketing after the class finished.

Q: What do you like about working with PhotoUp’s clients?

A: I really enjoy learning about their shooting style and how I can better assist them in their photo editing and business needs. I also like assisting when they have issues. It gives me a better understanding of how to solve problems and to prevent more issues from happening in the future.

Q: How do you help photographers who are new to the PhotoUp system?

A: With new photographers I want to make sure the onboarding process goes as smooth as possible. I will give them a couple calls through the first month to make sure they are happy with our service and to answer any questions they may have about our platform.

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Q: What are your first impressions about PhotoUp?

A: I enjoy the fact that PhotoUp is an ever-changing, ever-growing creative environment. I’m inspired by the leadership and the way that all employees are respected for their contributions. A company that supports my passions encourages creativity, and develops my strengths is something worth working in.

Q: What are your expectations about working in PhotoUp?

A: I expect to embrace the company culture and provide support where needed as I grow in my role as an account manager.

Q: What are your other interests and hobbies?

A: I really enjoy being active. I started playing soccer at a young age, and I still play today. When I’m not playing soccer, you can find me running on the streets of Grand Rapids. I also enjoy spending my summer weekends up in northern Michigan, hiking and hanging out around the beautiful lakes with family and friends.

Q: What are a few of your professional and personal goals?

A: Professionally, my short-term goal is to meet and exceed the expectations of my current job description. Long-term, I hope to contribute on a broader scale and look forward to developing relationships with other employees and new and existing customers.

Personally, I want to continue working on having a healthy work-life balance. I want to continue being active, maybe even competing in a marathon by the end of 2018.

Q: Any words you want to impart to the PhotoUp team?

A: I’m excited to be a part of such a great team and look forward to what’s ahead!

And we’re also excited to have you join our ranks, Alec. We’re pretty sure you’d make a great addition, and your skills and knowledge will help move the business forward. Welcome to PhotoUp, Alec!

What differentiates a good leader from an exceptional one? Skills, experience, and finesse at work certainly help, but those are just the toppings of the cake. More importantly, an exceptional leader is one who makes it his personal duty to support, inspire, and motivate everyone on his team. He does his best to help the individuals under his care to reach their personal and professional goals.

Mike, PhotoUp’s PM Shift manager, is one of these exceptional leaders, having a huge heart for his team. Let’s know more about him.

Q: Tell us more about yourself.

A: Hello! I’m Mike. I grew up in Talisay City, Cebu; but during my college years, I moved to Metro Cebu to be conveniently closer to the university I studied in. I took up and completed Advertising Arts in the University of San Carlos-Talamban Campus in 2013. A year after I graduated, I joined the PhotoUp family and have been working here ever since.

Q: Can you explain your role at PhotoUp?

A: I’m the shift manager of the PM shift. In a nutshell, I oversee the entire shift operations and ensure that they deliver quality results to our clients.

The simplest way to describe my role is that I am a problem solver. Those problems may be simple technical issues that pop up during the workday, which can be fixed easily. But there are also other concerns that require more effort on my part such as giving extra time and attention to particular editors who are struggling with their work.

I also formulate medium- and long-term solutions to increase efficiency on our shift. This includes tweaking our shift workflow and streamlining our procedures so our operations will be as efficient as possible.

Finally, I provide my team a lot of support so they can improve in their work or reach their personal and professional goals.

Q: What is your leadership style? How do you describe yourself as a leader?

A: I’m the type of leader who makes an effort to find out what fuels the interest of each of my team members. Yes, individually! That’s because everyone has different goals, personalities, and concerns. And these may change over the course of their career.

I strongly believe people work best when they feel that are contributing significantly to an organization’s goal. Figuring out how to align the goals and needs of each individual team member with the goals and needs of PhotoUp and our clients is where my time is best spent.

Q: At which point in your tenure did you realize that a managerial position is for you?

A: To be honest, it took a while. You see, I’m not really a very outgoing person. As far as I can remember, I’ve always enjoyed keeping to myself and burying myself in books and films. In fact, I still have doubts on my confidence in doing my role properly. I feel there is still so much for me to learn.

Despite my doubts, there are moments of pride—that indescribable pride in seeing someone you’ve coached and nurtured achieve his or her goals. Pride in seeing someone overcome his or her own weaknesses and fears. Pride in seeing my teams goals being worked on and attained. These are moments that I look forward to having with my team.

Q: What are the challenges that you face as a shift manager?

A: Communicating my own long-term view of the shift to my team and their editors is perhaps my biggest challenge. I always encourage them to look towards a long-term goal and connect that with the idea that what they are doing right now can impact that long-term goal. I’m still working on this, and I hope to be able to spread this idea.

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Q: Leading an entire shift is tough. How do you keep your team motivated?

A: Being open and approachable to your team is definitely one act that alleviates stress all around. Ideas, concerns, and feedback can be immediately shared and discussed.

In terms of motivation, one thing that I’ve been doing is to delegate tasks. Delegating gives people a chance to show their capabilities and skills. People feel empowered when they are allowed to make their own decisions (and mistakes). We aim to keep the work environment this way and allow people to find their own way to grow.

Q: Can you tell us about the most difficult situation you experienced as a team? How did you overcome it?

A: The pace of the operations here in the editing floor is quite fast and extremely time-sensitive. People can be in a hurry, sometimes under pressure to meet their quotas especially during peak season. Many times, this can quickly result in a breakdown of communication. This breakdown is the cause of most of the major conflicts we experience.

Rather than give up or whine, we refocus and talk through the issue considering we are one team after all, and our goals are the same.

Q: What are your other interests and hobbies?

A: I’ve always enjoyed photography, and taking great photos is one of the crafts that I feel most fulfilled doing.

I have also been practicing kendo since 2015. Kendo is a Japanese martial art which focuses on self-development using the katana, a traditional Japanese sword. Although there have been kendo clubs in Manila since the 1970’s, it is only recently that Philippine kendo is experiencing a boom with clubs in both the Visayas and in Mindanao.

I am a member of the Cebu Kendo Club. Check us out on Facebook! The 2018 Kendo National Tournament will be hosted by Cebu this October and I extend an invitation to everyone to come and see. Shameless plug. 😉

Q: How does the practice of Kendo help you in becoming a better manager/person?

A: Kendo is physically and psychologically demanding. Your movement in kendo can serve as a mirror that reflects who you are as a person. If you are distracted, fearful, hesitant, arrogant, deceitful, or insincere, this physically manifests in training. It will show on how you stand, how you step, how you approach and attack, or how you react to being attacked.

Every single training session shows you your own flaws, and every single session you strive to overcome them. Every session is always an ego check for me. This idea that there are always things to improve and develop is important to me as manager and as a person.

Q: What are a few of your professional and personal goals?

A: I want to see more leadership roles and leaders rise up from my team. There is a wealth of potential within each member of my team, and I want to see them be able to grow and use that potential to the fullest.

Professionally, I still have a lot to learn about the business, but I am not in a hurry. Each lesson comes along in its own time.

Personally, I want to be a more effective communicator and a more disciplined person. Outside PhotoUp, kendo remains a high personal priority for me. As one of the senior member of the club, I would like to see it grow and have an impact on a national level.

Q: Has your experience working at PhotoUp helped you achieve your professional and personal goals?

A: It has and is still teaching me the importance of discipline and self-control. As someone in a leadership role, I should be a level-headed and calm decision maker. This is carrying over into life outside PhotoUp, and I am forever grateful to those around me who have the patience to put up with me while I work to improve myself.

Q: Any advice to people who want to hold a leadership position?

A: One, patience is key. Two, always approach everything with the mindset of trying to improve, whatever it is you are facing. Finally, don’t wait to be “ready.” Jump at every opportunity that presents itself, then learn along the way. Life is too short to be in a state of perpetual preparation.

Mike is not just a problem solver. He is a coach, a listener, and a friend. He definitely has the qualities of a compassionate, inspiring, exemplary leader. Which is why he is a massive asset to the PhotoUp Team.

Being offered a leadership position is a great honor. But being effective in such a position also requires a huge amount of responsibility. Not only are you required to know your tasks like the back of your hand, but you also need to establish a good rapport with your team.

Venus, a soft-spoken young lady, took the responsibility head-on. Let’s see what she has to say leading a team in PhotoUp.

Q: Tell us more about yourself.

A: Hi! My name is Venus, named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. I consider myself a happy and introspective person. I don’t mind talking for hours about life, stars, history, riddles, movies, and more.

Q: Can you explain your role at PhotoUp?

A: I started as an intern in 2015 and learned a lot about editing. Eventually, I became a junior editor of the Yellow Team. When my senior editor resigned, PhotoUp chose me to take the position. I felt inside that I was meant for something that is far beyond what I can imagine.

Now, I am the team manager of Group 3 in PhotoUp’s Graveyard Shift. Primarily, I manage batches of real estate photos and related statistical data. After my team finishes editing their assigned images, I ensure that they meet our high-quality standards before we send them off to our clients around the world. In addition, I manage my team members, motivating them to excel in their work.

Q: What are the difficulties that you face as a team leader?

A: Initiating and maintaining interpersonal relationships with team members is perhaps the most difficult task I need to do. As a team leader, I need to have a deeper connection with my team. Each person has his or her own identity, set of norms, belief, attitude, character, and personality. To be a good, compassionate, and understanding leader, I strive to know everyone on a personal level and not just as photo editors.

Q: How do you describe yourself as a leader?

A: Personally, leadership involves not just a series of actions but a process that you do for your team. I do my work similarly to how I lead my classmates in accomplishing a group project at school. I was at the forefront, actively participating in the collective effort and supporting them all the way.

In the same way, I prove to my team that I’m working diligently. I strive not just to instruct but to actually show them how it’s done. I want to be more of a role model than a supervisor.

Q: How do you keep your team on their feet during graveyard shift?

A: If you’re not used to staying awake in the wee hours of the morning, then working in the graveyard shift takes a lot of adjusting on your part. Luckily, most of our team members, including me, are nocturnal owls. Getting sleepy during the shift is inevitable, so I talk to my team members or offer them some candies and chocolates to keep them alert and awake.

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Q: Some of your team members said you keep mostly to yourself. How does being quiet help you in your work or personal life? How do you communicate with your team?

A: At work, I don’t talk all that much. Being quiet allows me to have enjoyed my own peace, which makes me more focused on my tasks. But I still devote time to communicate with others. I usually do this by sending Skype messages, emails, and batch notes.

Q: You love drawing. Can you tell us how drawing helps you both personally and professionally?

A: Drawing has always been my pastime and stress reliever. It helps me keep calm whenever I feel stressed. I feel extremely satisfied, accomplished, and happy whenever I finish an artwork. Drawing is also another way for me to connect with my co-workers because many people in graveyard shift are artists. Colored pencils are my usual media. Now, I’m experimenting on watercolor art.

Q: What are a few of your professional and personal goals?

A: I’ve always been shy. Professionally, I want to overcome my fears about talking in public. Also, since I have recently assumed a leadership role, I want to learn more about managing people. Personally, I want to become a well-known contemporary artist and show my work in exhibits.

Q: How has your experience working at PhotoUp helped you achieve your professional and personal goals?

A: I’ve been working here in PhotoUp for two years. I could hardly believe at just how much I’ve grown in this company. I started as an intern here last 2016 and subsequently assigned on the Yellow Team. It was here where, through consistent advice and support, I was able to sharpen my photo-editing skills.

To tell you the truth, I could never have imagined leading a team. But with the help of my supportive manager and colleagues, I am now in charge of a team of very successful people.

Q: Any advice to people who want to venture into the tech industry?

A: We are now in an age where technology is everywhere and fast-paced. You need to keep up, be updated of trends, and hone your skills to remain competitive. Explore and don’t be afraid to discover.

Q: What advice do you have for other women who want to move into management roles?

A: Being in a leadership position is a great responsibility, but gender is definitely not a qualification. Don’t feel inadequate to be in such role; women can do what men can do. Empower yourself by learning management skills. Take one step forward, and you’ll be surprised at the things you can accomplish.

Venus considers herself relatively new in this position, but she takes it with utmost grace and determination. That is truly inspiring! Well done and great work, Venus!

Since many of our team members are beachgoers, we held our party at The Planet Beach Resort, a cozy beach resort in the rustic town of Compostela.

Majority of the people came in their Hawaiian-inspired outfits, which matched the jovial mood of the day.

At 11 AM, Ossie, our office manager, gave the welcoming remarks. Within a few minutes, the PhotoUp Christmas party officially started. Jay-R, a college student from the University of Cebu, emceed the event. He was an exceptionally fun and engaging host.

Each team presented Emmy-award winning performances. Clarice of the Western VP sang a sweet rendition of “Para Lang Sa Iyo” (Only For You), a contemporary Filipino love song.

Throughout the party, we had raffle prizes. The winners took home blenders, electric fans, stoves, and more. But the truly fortunate ones got a washing machine, a personal refrigerator, and a brand-new LED TV! You lucky guys you!

The most awaited part of the party—any party, for that matter—finally came! Everyone enjoyed a buffet that was lined up with delicious traditional Filipino dishes that everyone loved. Suddenly, silence filled the venue, broken only chomping sounds and low murmurs.

At last, the plates were cleared although some guys and gents were seen heading back to the table several times. The party resumed with a jaw-dropping presentation of Junrich, representing the Graveyard shift. He mimicked the sound of DJ turntables, percussion instruments, and synthesizers using nothing more than his oral and vocal chords!

Another amazing presentation by Adrian of the AM Shift, singing a medley of popular songs. Many of our team members are talented singers!

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The PhotoUp PM presentation displayed a multitude of cool talents. A guitarist, a beatbox drummer, a singer, and a group of dancers performed a medley of Christmas song.

Carl had the entire group in guffaws as he performed a series of rather interesting and energetic dance moves.

No party is complete without games! Racing to pop balloons against one’s butt got people cheering and laughing their hearts out.

Bet we can fit 7 people in that box. It’s a battle of estimation and strategy between the ladies and gentlemen.

How many people do you think can lie down in that collapsed box without touching any part of their torso on the floor?

Kristian, Devon, and Dave (our CEO, CMO, and COO respectively) together with PhotoUp investors and board members prepared a nice video thanking us for all our hard work. They also gave us an overview of the company’s direction in 2018, which got us totally energized!

This video also shows you why “K-Pac” and “Dr. Higgs” are the coolest executives ever!

The party officially ended at around 4 PM, but for some, it wasn’t over. Some stayed for a drink or two while others donned on their snorkel masks and explored the tidal flats in front of resort.

By now, you would have known that we definitely have a happy team!

PhotoUp truly knows how to have a lot of fun the Yuletide Season! Our awesome party was a perfect capper to a productive, successful 2017. Now we’re stoked to face another exciting and challenging year!

Simplicity means there is more to a person than meets the eye. In fact, you’ll be surprised that people who live simple lives are actually driven, passionate individuals. Take the case of Rouie, PhotoUp’s Director of HR. She might look unassuming at first glance, but you’ll be surprised to know that Rouie has a fiery passion in pursuing higher education, learning the intricacies of accountancy, and dreaming of establishing her own business.

Let’s get to know more about this cheery, bubbly lady who looks after the people in an entire company while pursuing her passion for learning.

Q: Tell us more about who you are.

A: Hi! My name is Rouie. You can call me a genuine rural farm girl. I grew up in a family of farmers and rode water buffaloes. Growing up on a farm also cultivated my interest in plants, herbs, and flowers. In fact, I have a large collection of them at home.

Q: Can you explain your role at PhotoUp?

A: I am the Director of Human Resources of PhotoUp. Basically, I take care of our employees’ well-being. Processing salaries, implementing company policies, ensuring everyone enjoys statutory are just some of my primary duties.

Being the head of the human resource department is also a great opportunity to learn from other people. Interviewing applicants and listening to employee concerns allow me to understand different viewpoints, perspectives, and personalities. Talking to employees help me deal with different attitudes. Finally, I love to explaining a situation to people so they can understand facts, perspectives, and viewpoints of others.

Q: How do you describe the team you belong to?

A: The HR team is a small but solid one. We have a motto, “All for one.” Communication is not a problem because we talk to each other often. Also, I always tell my team not to point fingers if there are issues. Instead, we help each other and provide a lot of support.

Q: You have decided to pursue a higher education. What course are you taking? Can you describe what you are studying?

A; Correct. I’m presently taking Bookkeeping NCIII, which is offered by TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority). This is the Philippines technical vocational education and training authority. Although TESDA considers it as a crash course, it is actually equivalent to Accounting 1 and 2 in college.

Taking Bookkeeping NCIII is beneficial for my position considering that HR deals with many accounting tasks. I will be able to manually post journals as well as create balance sheets, income statements, and other financial documents.

Before I enrolled in this course, I studied Education and had already 54 units in my transcript. I took the teacher’s board exam in 2013 and passed with flying colors.

Q: What made you decide to pursue Accounting?

A: Managing the financial aspect of a company like PhotoUp is extremely important. Like it or not, money keeps the company afloat. I felt the need for a deeper understanding of financial management and processes.

Q: Can you tell us more about a typical school day as you pursue your course?

A: It’s like going back to high school or college. It’s really fun, and I get to meet with new friends and classmates. Every day, I learn something new, which is something I’m grateful for. The only downside is I have to wake up really early during school days. Our home is quite far from TESDA, and I have to use public transportation to get to school.

Q: What challenges are you facing when working and pursuing higher education at the same time?

A: Time pressure. It is hard to balance work, school, and family time. But I can manage myself. I have a big planner where I list down all my tasks for the day, week or month. Then I make sure to stick to what I wrote. Furthermore, I think multitasking is manageable because I’m passionate about my education, work, and relationship with my loved ones.

There’s this familiar quote: “If there’s a will, there’s a way.” This is definitely true for me.

Q: Higher education demands a lot of effort and concentration. How do you deal with those challenges?

A: Enrolling in a course while working is definitely challenging. But I am glad I have my family, colleagues, classmates, teachers, and friends who support me. They are always there for me when I ask for help. Their presence greatly cushions the stress.

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Q: Has your experience in working with PhotoUp helped you in your higher education?

A: Looking after more than a hundred PhotoUp employees has allowed me to be patient and to be open to other people’s situations. This has helped a lot in my pursuit of higher education. I became more patient; I was able to compose myself during stressful times. In addition, I have become more open and receptive to my teachers and classmates than ever before. Managing different kinds of personalities in the office enabled me to understand deeper a character and respect differences of each individual.

Q: How about the other way around? How does your higher education help you in your role at PhotoUp

A: Our day-to-day learning in school involves a lot of numbers. The knowledge I gained in studying Bookkeeping NCIII gave me a deeper understanding as well as better efficiency in managing and tracking the company’s finances.

Q: What are a few of your professional and personal goals?

A: Professionally, I want to do pursue a Master’s degree in Accountancy. Personally, I want to learn how to cook, which makes me consider pursuing a course in culinary arts or simply enroll in a series of cooking lessons.

I would also like to have my small business someday. I’m not sure exactly what business I should start, but a food business seems promising.

Q: Any advice to people who are interested to pursue higher education?

A: Keep on dreaming to learn something new. I always believe wisdom consists of a little knowledge of something. Remember it’s fun to learn something new!

Q: Any advice for people who want to venture into the tech industry?

A: Be a good team player. Doing so creates a wide network of friends, colleagues, and advisers, all whom will be able to give you support. It is also very important that you adapt in the fast-paced tech industry. Just be open-minded.

Way to go, Rouie! With the added knowledge brought about after the completion of your bookkeeping course, you will definitely be an even bigger asset in PhotoUp. Rouie, with her appetite for education and passion for people, is surely helping to steer PhotoUp towards success.

But these folks are not superhuman. They also need to rest, recharge, and enjoy life. That’s why we treated them to a fun island hopping adventure around the sunny island of Mactan in the Philippines.

That’s our new FRESH flag flying up and proud! FRESH is an acronym for our new company outlook.

F = Flourishing – We strive to grow and flourish personally and professionally. We aim to have mutually beneficial partnerships between co-workers, clients, leaders, and mentors across the world.

R = Respect – we value our relationship with everyone—employees, partners, clients, and more—in PhotoUp. We recognize that maintaining good relationships with these entities is the foundation of success here at PhotoUp.

E = Excellence – we strive to be the best versions of ourselves through individual training, team accountability, constructive critique and continual improvement.

S = Setting Goals – we recognize everyone’s huge potential in our company. That is why we support our team in pursuing their personal and professional goals.

H = Having Fun – Life is too short not to enjoy the place you work and the people you work with. We aim to foster that attitude in and out of all our offices worldwide.

It is a full house in the boat! Our managers are all adventurers and fun-seekers.

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Kristian, our CEO, has always been tireless and on top of things at PhotoUp. What’s his secret? Well, he recharges himself through meditation. In a sunny paradise, we might add.

Our CMO Devon feels the need for a massive dose of adrenaline. Go, Devon! He has fallen in love with our crystal clear water since his first island hopping adventure a year ago.

Our Director of Product Rochel wants to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet. Shhhhh, guys!

Our girls are reliable and efficient leaders by weekdays—and pretty and fun-loving mermaids by weekends.

Kristian contemplates about life at PhotoUp in one of the isolated coves around Mactan.

This is Kristian’s first island hopping adventure with the team, and he absolutely loved it!

In the blockbuster movie Beauty and the Beast, Lumiere told Cogsworth, “What is dinner without music?” Here at PhotoUp, it’s, “What is a summer adventure without lunch?”

Looks like everyone had a whole lot of fun!

No wonder our management team is always happy, lively, and on the go! Now, it looks like they’re ready to rock and face whatever challenges may come.

Eric is our busy and on-the-go IT specialist at PhotoUp. Known for his initiative and practical approaches in fixing problems in our computer and network systems, he is always hungry for everything that helps enhance his tech skills. Recently, he has decided to continue his technical training by becoming a Cisco Certified Networking Associate.

Let’s learn more about Eric and how he views the acquisition of new skills and knowledge.

Q: Tell us more about who you are.

Hello! I’m Eric Perez, a Cebuano living in the beautiful town of Liloan, Cebu. I have a good hand in fixing electronic devices and gadgets. In fact, during my college days, I did home service repair to generate extra income.

I used to go biking with friends on weekends. But now that I have a family, I mostly stay at home, watch TV, and play with my kid.

Q: Can you explain your role at PhotoUp?

Ossie, our Director of Operations, once got extremely frustrated during one of the few times that our Internet connection bonked down. Knowing that I could fix the problem, I offered to help, and the rest of the story of me being the company’s IT Specialist simply fell into place. I will never forget that instance.

In the office, I repair computers, manage networks, help the team with their computer problems, do inventories, and more.

Q: How do you describe the team you are on?

They are an amazing team in every way. They are very professional and friendly. They treat everyone equally, and there’s no feeling of superiority.

Q: You have decided to pursue a higher education. What course are you taking? Can you describe what it is all about?

I’m taking a CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associates) course. It certifies a technician’s ability to install, setup, configure, troubleshoot, and operate a medium-sized router and switched computer network. This also includes implementing and verifying connections to a wide area network (WAN).

Q: What made you decide to pursue this course?

I have always wanted to continue and refine my career in networking. Long before I worked at PhotoUp, it has been my goal to gain more knowledge about the tech and computer industry. To achieve that goal, I decided to take up CCNA. At that time though, I wasn’t able to pursue higher education due to financial problems.

PhotoUp, in a huge way, helped me overcome these problems by funding my course. For that, I’m truly grateful for the company.

Q: Can you tell us more about a typical school day as you pursue your master’s class?

Whoa! It is super fun, and there’s no boring moment. Our instructor is lively and knowledgeable. The tasks are truly challenging, and working them out involves a lot of mind work. And that’s the best thing; you are encouraged to think outside the box to solve problems.

Q: What challenges are you facing while working and pursuing higher education at the same time?

Fortunately, I’ve worked out my class schedule in such a way that it doesn’t conflict with my work hours. My schedule also allows me to enjoy my rest days. Personally, the biggest challenge is dealing with the thought of mentally and unconsciously working out class assignments while working in the office. It’s just instinct, and sometimes, it distracts me from my work.

Q: Higher education demands a lot of effort and concentration. How do you deal with those challenges?

Indeed, taking higher education is not a walk in the park, especially for a family man like me. However, I accept the challenges because I know it is a way for me to be more effective in my job and line of work. I study any way I can and as much as I can. I allot time to learn. In the end, the fulfillment of succeeding in taking higher education is truly worth all the effort and concentration.

Q: Has your experience working at PhotoUp helped you in your higher education?

Yes, it helps a whole lot. You see, a lot of devices at PhotoUp such as routers and switches are Cisco products. And as my course implies, we study and work on Cisco products during classes.

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Q: How about the other way around? How does your higher education help you in your profession?

Studying CCNA is truly beneficial in my profession. I have gained a lot of knowledge on what to do, what types of commands to use for certain configurations, do’s and don’ts, and more. I would never have known about these if I didn’t take CCNA. In fact, before I took the course, I was extremely hesitant to change settings and configurations on our company’s computer and network systems. Now, I can modify them with ease and confidence. With this knowledge, I can make our systems more efficient and reliable.

Q: What are a few of your professional and personal goals?

My personal and professional goals are interconnected. After CCNA, I’m planning to take CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional). I heard that there are only a few people taking up CCNP due to the difficulty and technicality of the course. However, that would be an advantage for me; I would be one of the few techs who have CCNP licenses.

Q: Any advice to people who are interested to pursue higher education?

Don’t make excuses, and don’t stop learning. Taking higher education is really worth it. You’ll get farther in your career, and you will gain more knowledge than your counterparts who are not taking higher education.

Q: Any advice to people who want to venture into the tech industry?

Nowadays, the advancement and proliferation of technology trends is incredibly rapid. If you want to work in the tech industry, it is extremely important that you keep yourself informed of these trends. As long as you do your research, study, and fill yourself with knowledge, you will remain competitive.

–Enrolling in CCNA is a major and beneficial decision for Eric. With an accumulation of more technical skills and knowledge, he will truly be an asset not just at PhotoUp, but for himself as a professional IT expert. We are proud of your achievements, Eric! Keep flourishing!