Closing VITE SEO Digital Advertising taught me that a business is a set of promises, and that I should make fewer of them and keep them better. As a technical founder, it taught me to build for one clear problem before I build anything else.
This story is part of my writing on The Founder’s Journey. I am telling it honestly and from my own side. I will not name clients or team members, and I am still learning from it as I write.
How did the agency start?
I founded VITE SEO Digital Advertising at 21, while still an undergraduate at the Technological University of the Philippines, after two years of freelance work for the same international marketing clients. Before that, I had worked as a WordPress developer, a team leader and a project manager for those clients.
I turned freelance work into a company because the work had grown bigger than one person. Clients kept coming back, and I was already leading a small team for them. A company felt like the honest next step. I hoped it would become a place where young Filipino developers and marketers could do good work for clients around the world, and where we could build our own products too.
What did we build together?
The agency grew to a team of up to 22 across sales, development, project management, marketing and SEO. As founder and CEO, I directed in-house product development:
- An internal ERP that put HR, CRM, project management and accounting behind one login.
- An NFC business card product, the “Tap into Possibilities” card.
- A client quotation portal.
- 5 WordPress SEO plugins.
I also built the sales process (a four-tier service package line, a consultation playbook, a client fit-check form, proposals and quotations), and wrote the SOPs, job descriptions and employment contracts the team worked from.
I was proudest of the team and the systems we built for ourselves. Most days started with client calls and sales messages, then moved to task check-ins, code reviews and planning. Many nights went to building. It was busy and tiring, but I was learning something new almost every day.
What was it like leading a team while still in college?
Leading a team while still in college meant living on two schedules at once. I went to classes and did school projects, then ran the business around them, often late at night. Some of my team were my age and some were older than me. I learned that respect comes from being clear and fair, not from a title. I also learned to write things down. Clear SOPs, clear tasks and honest feedback helped the team more than anything I said in a meeting.
Why did the agency close?
I closed the agency because I wanted to focus on building products instead of running client services. Client work kept us busy, but it left little room for the products I cared about most. Finishing my degree also mattered to me, and doing both well was hard. It was not one dramatic moment. It was a slow and honest look at where my time was going and where I wanted it to go. Closing was not easy, and I still believe it was the right call.
What changed for me as an entrepreneur?
As an entrepreneur, I now see every commitment as something I have to carry, not just something I can win. I take risks more slowly. I want to know what a decision will cost me in time and energy, not only in money. I am more careful about which clients and projects I say yes to, and I would rather do fewer things well. I also pay closer attention to simple numbers, like what comes in and what goes out each month.
What changed for me as a technical founder?
As a technical founder, I learned that building something is not the same as selling it. We could build a full ERP in under 3 months, but code alone did not make the business stronger. Now I choose what to build by asking who needs it and what problem it solves first. Many of the problems I faced were about people, process or focus, and no new tool could fix them. Technology works best when it serves a clear need.
What would I tell someone starting a business in college?
I would tell them to start small, protect their studies and be clear about why they are doing it.
- Start smaller than you think. Prove the work with a few clients before you hire a team.
- Protect your studies. School ends, and a good finish opens doors you will want later.
- Write things down early. Your processes, your prices and your promises should not live only in your head.
- Know your reason. When you know why you started, you also know when it is time to change course.
What am I doing now?
I graduated cum laude with a BS in Information Systems from the Technological University of the Philippines in August 2026, and I am now writing here about technology, automation and what I learn along the way.
What comes next for me is building my own products as a technical founder. I am rebuilding everything and sharing the journey here, from the code I write to the lessons I am still learning. If you are on a similar path, I hope it helps.