Meeting Title: Brainforge Team Sync Date: 2025-12-17 Meeting participants: Henry Zhao, Rico Rejoso
WEBVTT
1 00:00:30.010 ⇒ 00:00:31.689 Henry Zhao: Hey Rico, how’s it going?
2 00:00:31.980 ⇒ 00:00:33.580 Rico Rejoso: Hey, Henry, how are you?
3 00:00:33.920 ⇒ 00:00:36.819 Henry Zhao: Good, thanks, sorry for going over on my previous call.
4 00:00:37.420 ⇒ 00:00:38.820 Rico Rejoso: No worries, no worries, yeah.
5 00:00:39.390 ⇒ 00:00:43.060 Henry Zhao: So, how have things been going for you at, Brainforge?
6 00:00:44.410 ⇒ 00:00:57.549 Rico Rejoso: Yeah, it’s been… it’s been quite a ride. This is… everything’s new for me here, to be honest, and Tom has been, like, helping me out and everything, and I was just doing my part and making sure the operations side were doing well.
7 00:00:57.710 ⇒ 00:01:00.909 Henry Zhao: What’s been… what’s been new for you? You’ve been here longer than I have, right?
8 00:01:01.480 ⇒ 00:01:07.390 Rico Rejoso: Yeah, I mean, I mean, this… the type of business, the consultancy and agency.
9 00:01:07.390 ⇒ 00:01:08.150 Henry Zhao: Same.
10 00:01:08.480 ⇒ 00:01:09.740 Rico Rejoso: Yeah, so…
11 00:01:10.650 ⇒ 00:01:19.320 Rico Rejoso: it’s a different thing here in the Philippines, so it’s not that popular. At the same time, it’s more on corporate stuff here, so it’s really different stuff here, but…
12 00:01:20.210 ⇒ 00:01:23.190 Rico Rejoso: Yeah, everything’s a learning opportunity, right?
13 00:01:24.530 ⇒ 00:01:36.430 Henry Zhao: And I think things have been changing, too. I had an offsite with, Utam on Monday, like, I just saw him in Austin, and he was just saying, like… first of all, he said you were doing a really good job, and secondly, he was just like, just things are always changing, and…
14 00:01:36.820 ⇒ 00:01:41.329 Henry Zhao: Things are so different that we kind of have to, like, adapt and kind of react to all of that.
15 00:01:42.110 ⇒ 00:01:47.160 Rico Rejoso: Yeah, it’s been like that for me, to be honest, and it’s not because… I mean…
16 00:01:47.760 ⇒ 00:01:53.079 Rico Rejoso: who thumb, like, had introduced me to, like, new and different stops, stuff every day.
17 00:01:53.280 ⇒ 00:01:55.169 Rico Rejoso: You know, so it’s…
18 00:01:55.520 ⇒ 00:02:06.039 Rico Rejoso: for me, I just have to, like, make sure that I keep up with him and everything, so I think that’s the major challenge, that I have here at Brain Porsche, but it’s been fun doing so.
19 00:02:06.930 ⇒ 00:02:07.980 Henry Zhao: Yeah, same.
20 00:02:08.240 ⇒ 00:02:12.170 Henry Zhao: You, you were brought on as, like, a project manager, and then you’re… you kind of, like.
21 00:02:12.360 ⇒ 00:02:14.220 Henry Zhao: Your role kind of changed, right?
22 00:02:14.700 ⇒ 00:02:33.649 Rico Rejoso: No, I was brought in first as an operations… on the operations side to, work alongside Nutham. Then, as, you know, as the need for project manager or project… PM coordinator arise, I just kind of step in place to help out Amber and New Thumb when it comes to managing some of the clients and stuff.
23 00:02:34.550 ⇒ 00:02:35.770 Henry Zhao: Oh, okay.
24 00:02:36.160 ⇒ 00:02:36.840 Henry Zhao: Gotcha.
25 00:02:36.840 ⇒ 00:02:37.510 Rico Rejoso: Yeah.
26 00:02:38.370 ⇒ 00:02:48.609 Rico Rejoso: But right now, I think one thing that I’m really fascinated about is about… you got your… I mean, your work on the data side and everything. I was kind of interested in how things…
27 00:02:49.350 ⇒ 00:02:53.980 Rico Rejoso: before I have, like, just a broad, you know, understanding on how data’s…
28 00:02:54.190 ⇒ 00:02:59.840 Rico Rejoso: DataWorks, and for me, like, starting off was… it was, like, me using Excel and just…
29 00:03:00.000 ⇒ 00:03:11.360 Rico Rejoso: Putting everything there and creating just, you know, a unified way of me, collecting all those data and just having, a way to explain it to our stakeholder on my previous job.
30 00:03:11.550 ⇒ 00:03:12.270 Rico Rejoso: So…
31 00:03:12.750 ⇒ 00:03:27.079 Rico Rejoso: learning the back end of it, like, how data works and how it’s complicated and stuff was… whoa, I was, like, really amazed, to be honest, and I… it kind of took… it kind of picked my, interests and, like, exploring how data stuff works.
32 00:03:27.960 ⇒ 00:03:33.690 Henry Zhao: Oh, so you want to do more, like, data stuff? I’m actually thinking about, like, I was just gonna say, my discussion with Utam on Monday was, like.
33 00:03:33.910 ⇒ 00:03:42.939 Henry Zhao: some of the data challenges I’ve been having, maybe he should do more stuff that’s, like, my strengths, which might be doing some more, like, training or onboarding for people.
34 00:03:43.240 ⇒ 00:03:50.069 Henry Zhao: Which is something that you are also good at. So, if you wanted me to also maybe learn that from you and see if there’s some opportunities there for me.
35 00:03:51.380 ⇒ 00:03:59.930 Rico Rejoso: That’s great, actually. And also, I think you’re also spearheading, the data stuff, so I think it’s kind of the same with this,
36 00:04:00.300 ⇒ 00:04:11.780 Rico Rejoso: it’s kind of on the same page once we get… once we onboard new people, or get new people on the data team. You basically take a knack off, like, you know, making sure that they are properly…
37 00:04:13.060 ⇒ 00:04:21.309 Rico Rejoso: knowledgeable and capable of, you know, doing data stuff, right? So it’s kind of like onboarding stuff, it’s just specific to data on the data team.
38 00:04:21.769 ⇒ 00:04:22.819 Henry Zhao: Yeah, exactly.
39 00:04:24.309 ⇒ 00:04:42.869 Henry Zhao: Yeah, because I’m not super lov- I’m not super loving the client-facing stuff, I just feel like clients are very demanding. And it’s not just the clients, I think it’s Robert and Utem are also very demanding with how I talk to the clients, so… it’s been stressful for me, and I don’t know if I love that moving forward, so… I’m definitely looking into, like, other things that I can do at, you know…
40 00:04:43.319 ⇒ 00:04:44.229 Henry Zhao: the company.
41 00:04:44.230 ⇒ 00:04:54.430 Rico Rejoso: But seeing it, I think you’re great at it, to be honest, the way you do client-facing at the same time, on the data side of it, because
42 00:04:54.620 ⇒ 00:05:09.499 Rico Rejoso: what I’m seeing, and, you know, upon conversation with both stakeholders, with both, Robert and Utah, I think you’re doing a great job, and they’re just trying to push you to, you know, doing more on that kind of side.
43 00:05:11.460 ⇒ 00:05:13.440 Henry Zhao: Yeah, I appreciate you saying that, thank you.
44 00:05:14.510 ⇒ 00:05:20.360 Rico Rejoso: Yeah, you’re one of the best in the client-facing right now here at Brainforge, so I think the.
45 00:05:20.360 ⇒ 00:05:21.520 Henry Zhao: Oh, that’s so nice of you.
46 00:05:21.520 ⇒ 00:05:22.710 Rico Rejoso: That’s per…
47 00:05:24.670 ⇒ 00:05:25.939 Henry Zhao: Yeah, that’s really nice of you.
48 00:05:26.200 ⇒ 00:05:29.429 Rico Rejoso: I speak with everyone, so I’m just sharing what I’m seeing right now.
49 00:05:30.090 ⇒ 00:05:36.179 Henry Zhao: Thank you, that makes me feel a lot better, because I’ve really not been feeling great these past few weeks, so, like, I really just appreciate it more than you know.
50 00:05:36.700 ⇒ 00:05:40.430 Rico Rejoso: Yeah, and I’m all… I’m on all stand-up and meeting with Robert.
51 00:05:40.650 ⇒ 00:05:42.100 Henry Zhao: Yeah, so you heard it.
52 00:05:42.390 ⇒ 00:05:53.110 Rico Rejoso: I mean, they’re bringing you everywhere, right? Other from… aside from Eden, they want you to have, like, a bigger scope, not just, you know, working on the Eden stuff, but…
53 00:05:53.620 ⇒ 00:05:58.160 Rico Rejoso: Across different and all clients that we have. So I think that’s the plan that you have for you.
54 00:05:58.620 ⇒ 00:05:58.940 Henry Zhao: Yeah.
55 00:05:58.940 ⇒ 00:06:00.180 Rico Rejoso: what I’m seeing.
56 00:06:01.060 ⇒ 00:06:01.690 Henry Zhao: Yeah.
57 00:06:03.380 ⇒ 00:06:06.190 Henry Zhao: Well, cool, I’m glad that you’re enjoying it, I’m… yeah.
58 00:06:08.050 ⇒ 00:06:11.869 Henry Zhao: You do a lot, too, so I just also want to say I’m really impressed with your work, also.
59 00:06:12.840 ⇒ 00:06:20.390 Rico Rejoso: Yeah, and also, it’s, you know, it’s just random ad hoc stuff, to be honest, and some of it, like, are out of my scope. I’m just, you know…
60 00:06:21.160 ⇒ 00:06:26.410 Rico Rejoso: I’m just fond of learning new stuff, so if ever they give me anything new, I just take a knack of it.
61 00:06:26.570 ⇒ 00:06:29.829 Henry Zhao: Yeah, I actually really like the ad hoc stuff, it’s just interesting to always get something new.
62 00:06:31.040 ⇒ 00:06:34.560 Rico Rejoso: Yeah, you know, the pressure, the challenge, but it’s been fun doing so.
63 00:06:34.560 ⇒ 00:06:37.450 Henry Zhao: Yeah, definitely, I agree, I’m the same way, I agree with that.
64 00:06:39.710 ⇒ 00:06:49.159 Rico Rejoso: Yeah, outside work. I mean, previously, what were your, like, jobs? I don’t know how this meeting, or how we should do the flow. I’m just trying to get to know more of you guys that I’m meeting with here.
65 00:06:49.160 ⇒ 00:06:51.460 Henry Zhao: Yeah, same. That’s kind of what I’m also trying to…
66 00:06:52.180 ⇒ 00:06:57.940 Henry Zhao: And I think I like the bi-weekly Friday meetings, where we get to have some, like, icebreaker and things like that.
67 00:06:58.110 ⇒ 00:06:59.869 Henry Zhao: So, it’s nice to get to know the people.
68 00:07:00.100 ⇒ 00:07:02.049 Henry Zhao: But you’re in the Philippines right now, right?
69 00:07:02.590 ⇒ 00:07:03.360 Rico Rejoso: Sorry.
70 00:07:04.200 ⇒ 00:07:05.219 Henry Zhao: You’re in the Philippines?
71 00:07:05.560 ⇒ 00:07:06.470 Rico Rejoso: Yes.
72 00:07:06.470 ⇒ 00:07:09.469 Henry Zhao: What city are you in? Because I’m going to Manila in the end of March.
73 00:07:10.200 ⇒ 00:07:14.640 Rico Rejoso: Really, I’m in, outside Metro Manila. I’m…
74 00:07:14.640 ⇒ 00:07:15.080 Henry Zhao: Oh.
75 00:07:15.080 ⇒ 00:07:24.409 Rico Rejoso: It’s, like, province, like, not that province-like stuff, but yeah, I’m in San Pedro, Laguna. It’s, like, outside Metro Manila in the South.
76 00:07:24.410 ⇒ 00:07:34.369 Henry Zhao: I think I’m also staying outside of Metro Manila, but I think more to the north. Let me check where I’m staying. It’s called… it’s in a neighborhood called…
77 00:07:35.140 ⇒ 00:07:36.699 Henry Zhao: Where is it?
78 00:07:38.660 ⇒ 00:07:39.610 Henry Zhao: Let’s see…
79 00:07:40.410 ⇒ 00:07:47.400 Rico Rejoso: I mean, what do you like to go through? I mean… I mean, what are your… I mean, what are you aiming to, like, you know, visit here in the Philippines?
80 00:07:47.580 ⇒ 00:07:51.390 Henry Zhao: Food, definitely… Let me see where this is coming.
81 00:07:53.690 ⇒ 00:07:58.570 Henry Zhao: City of High Skyview… finding it.
82 00:07:59.000 ⇒ 00:08:01.189 Henry Zhao: It is in Makati City.
83 00:08:01.950 ⇒ 00:08:05.910 Rico Rejoso: Oh, Macari, yeah, it’s… it’s still in Manila, Metro Manila, yeah.
84 00:08:06.810 ⇒ 00:08:14.569 Rico Rejoso: I definitely, you know, suggest that you go outside the metro and just visit the province like you’re in the Philippines.
85 00:08:15.320 ⇒ 00:08:19.690 Rico Rejoso: Very, you know… most of the cities are urbanized, to be honest, but…
86 00:08:19.810 ⇒ 00:08:24.959 Rico Rejoso: you still get to see more sceneries outside Metro Manila, and Metro Manila is so…
87 00:08:25.770 ⇒ 00:08:30.659 Rico Rejoso: dense, and the traffic here is chaos, so I suggest you going after.
88 00:08:31.970 ⇒ 00:08:34.390 Henry Zhao: Yeah, and what food should I eat when I’m in the Philippines?
89 00:08:35.870 ⇒ 00:08:53.080 Rico Rejoso: We have varieties, because each province has their own unique face and everything, but if you were to, like, get a decent stuff, on the north part of the Philippines, Pampanga, it’s outside Metro Manila, but they are known as the culinary capital here in the Philippines.
90 00:08:53.080 ⇒ 00:08:53.730 Henry Zhao: Oh.
91 00:08:53.970 ⇒ 00:08:55.080 Henry Zhao: That’s good to know.
92 00:08:55.680 ⇒ 00:08:59.710 Henry Zhao: Let me see if I… let me find it on the map. What is it called?
93 00:09:00.070 ⇒ 00:09:02.649 Rico Rejoso: Bombanga. I can send it to your chat.
94 00:09:03.690 ⇒ 00:09:05.969 Rico Rejoso: Do you know anyone here in the Philippines?
95 00:09:06.190 ⇒ 00:09:10.610 Henry Zhao: No… My first boss… one of my first bosses was from the Philippines.
96 00:09:10.940 ⇒ 00:09:14.060 Henry Zhao: And she even taught me a little bit of Tagalo.
97 00:09:14.640 ⇒ 00:09:16.100 Rico Rejoso: Oh, that’s great!
98 00:09:16.470 ⇒ 00:09:19.139 Henry Zhao: But I don’t remember any of it, so sorry.
99 00:09:19.140 ⇒ 00:09:28.800 Rico Rejoso: It’s fine. Yeah, north side… and, Northside is more like mountains and, Mountain ranges, there’s…
100 00:09:28.960 ⇒ 00:09:35.910 Rico Rejoso: Just a few, coastal areas there, but if you were, like, you’re fond of going to the beach and, you know.
101 00:09:36.320 ⇒ 00:09:40.449 Rico Rejoso: surfing and stuff, you go to the south, and to the Visayas region.
102 00:09:41.020 ⇒ 00:09:41.829 Henry Zhao: Oh, okay.
103 00:09:43.590 ⇒ 00:09:49.510 Henry Zhao: Alright, I’m excited for the trip, yeah.
104 00:09:50.430 ⇒ 00:09:53.869 Henry Zhao: Anything else you wanted to talk about? We have still 10 minutes.
105 00:09:55.240 ⇒ 00:09:58.639 Rico Rejoso: Yeah, I think I probably shared everything.
106 00:09:58.880 ⇒ 00:10:06.470 Rico Rejoso: maybe I just want to get a, you know, you know, like, what are your future interests outside, you know, working stuff?
107 00:10:07.000 ⇒ 00:10:12.010 Henry Zhao: That’s about it. I’m just trying to survive at Brainforge right now.
108 00:10:12.360 ⇒ 00:10:20.080 Henry Zhao: So I’m pretty much just thinking about work all the time. So hopefully I can be stable one day, and, like.
109 00:10:20.290 ⇒ 00:10:22.890 Henry Zhao: be, like, trusted by Robert Alutam to the…
110 00:10:23.260 ⇒ 00:10:30.410 Henry Zhao: point where it’s, like, it’s second nature to me, so I can start working on, like, development and other things. But right now, I’m just trying to kind of stay afloat.
111 00:10:31.790 ⇒ 00:10:35.460 Rico Rejoso: Yeah, I believe so. They’re just… they’re just challenging you, man.
112 00:10:35.460 ⇒ 00:10:36.250 Henry Zhao: Yeah, definitely.
113 00:10:36.550 ⇒ 00:10:38.159 Rico Rejoso: Definitely very challenging.
114 00:10:38.810 ⇒ 00:10:41.480 Rico Rejoso: Yeah, you’re doing great from startup until now.
115 00:10:43.220 ⇒ 00:10:50.239 Henry Zhao: Thank you so much. This was… this was great to get to talk to you, and I appreciate you also always answering my questions and being available.
116 00:10:51.080 ⇒ 00:10:57.780 Rico Rejoso: Definitely. Thank you so much for your time. I know you’re busy, and you’re doing a lot of daily stuff, and, you know, client stuff, but yeah, I appreciate your time for this.
117 00:10:57.960 ⇒ 00:10:59.729 Henry Zhao: Yeah, thank you. Have a good one.
118 00:11:00.280 ⇒ 00:11:01.050 Rico Rejoso: Alright, thank you.
119 00:11:01.050 ⇒ 00:11:02.010 Henry Zhao: Thank you, bye-bye.