Feeling like you're behind in life because you started your career or business later than others? You're not alone, ka-Kuda!

Society tells us we should have everything figured out by 30 - the perfect career, marriage, kids, and financial success. But in Filipino culture, these expectations are even more pronounced: "Bago ka mag 35 dapat may asawa at anak ka na." Sound familiar?

In this episode, Sheryl and Sariah share their own journeys of finding success after 30, pivoting during the pandemic, and discovering that there's no universal timeline for success. Whether you're 25, 35, or 45, this episode will shift your perspective on what it means to be "on time" in your own life.

What You'll Discover

✨ Why society's timeline doesn't define your success✨ Real stories of career pivots and business breakthroughs after 30✨ How the pandemic became a catalyst for unexpected opportunities✨ Practical steps to stop comparing yourself to others✨ The mindset shift that transforms "late" into "right on time"

Episode Timestamps

1:59 | Intro to the topic - Why we're talking about starting "late"

2:18 | Message from our ka-Kuda - "Feeling niya failure siya kase she started late and she's envious of the younger generations who started their freelancing career early"

2:53 | Pressure from Society - Breaking down the Filipino cultural expectations and invisible timelines we're all supposed to follow

4:08 | You are not late at 30 - Sheryl and Sariah share their freelancing career and business journeys

8:42 | Finding opportunity in crisis - When Sariah started her coaching business during the pandemic while everyone else was losing their businesses, she found hers

14:50 | Pivot power - How Sheryl found her way to pivot during pandemic

16:56 | Finding your own success - Why do you feel you are lost? How do you find your own success

Key Takeaways🎯 Filipino Cultural Expectations Don't Define Your Success

"Late doesn't mean you failed, or may mali kang ginawa" - Your journey is unique, and the cultural pressure to achieve certain milestones by specific ages doesn't account for your individual path.

💪 Crisis Creates Opportunity

The pandemic wasn't just a time of loss - it was also a time of discovery. While some businesses closed, others found their calling.

🌟 Your "Late" Might Be Your "Right Time"

What feels like being behind might actually be perfect timing for your specific circumstances, experience, and life situation.

Remember mga ka-KUDA:

Your timeline is not their timeline. Your success story doesn't have to look like anyone else's. Whether you're starting at 25, 35, or 55 - you're exactly where you need to be.

The question isn't "Am I late?" The question is "Am I ready to begin?"

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Thank you mga Ka-Kuda for joining our conversation this Season 2.

If you haven’t listened to Season 1 yet please take time to listen lalo if you are an aspiring freelancer or already a seasoned freelancer.

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"You can NEVER heal in the same place WHERE you got hurt."

🎧 Pangit daw tingnan kapag broken family. Eh bakit dumadami ang mga single moms?

Siguro ang pinaka dahilan ng decision ng mga babae to leave, ay mas stronger na sila ngayon, independent at nakikita nila ang value of having the peace of mind being single. To provide more context into being a single mom, Sheryl interviews her co-host Sariah who has been a single mom for three years. Hindi pa rin katagalan, pero maraming realizations si Sariah na gusto niyang i-share to everyone. And, mind you, this is the first time Sariah went public about her being a single mom.

This is very true, and that’s what Sariah realized when she decided to leave. It was never an easy decision and it took her years to finally come up with the decision. Madami siyang isinaalang-alang, gaya ng sasabihin ng tao, pero ang pinaka ultimate reason is to focus on her healing to become a healthy and mentally stable mom to her two boys.

This is a must listen episode of ‘Madami Akong Kuda’, very timely and significant to family matters.

Important highlights in this episode:

01:31 | Introduction of the episode topic

02:01 | Sheryl announced that she will be interviewing her co-host Sariah

02:48 | Ano ang pinaka mahirap sa pagiging single mom?

07:56 | Did Sariah ever doubt her decision three years back?

10:26 | The stigma of being a single mom

13:40 | Nakakaramdam ba ng GUILT si Sariah kapag mas marami siyang TIME sa business compared sa mga bata?

20:05 | Top 3 harshest criticisms hurled at Sariah when she decided to become a single mom

26:20 | Sariah's advice to women out there before making a decision to be a single parent

30:24 | Closing and CTA

Empowerment reminders:

✨ Okay lang to grieve, but you have to move on and embrace your new identity.

✨ Mas kailangan ng mga anak niyo ang isang healthy at mentally stable na mom.

✨ Ang pagiging ideal family does not depend kung kumpleto ang pamilya.

✨ Don’t be hard on yourself that you are not an ideal mom.

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"May hindi nagbayad sa amin, tinakbuhan kami na isang distributor. Almost 300,000 for me, ang laking amount na yun." - Sariah

"Nag-walling ako sa banyo. Umiyak talaga ako, hindi ko pinakita sa mga employees namin." - Sheryl

In this special Q&A episode, Sheryl and Sariah answered the most-asked questions from their Kakuda community. From starting a business with limited capital to dealing with betrayal from business partners, this episode is packed with raw, honest advice from two entrepreneurs who've been through it all.

Here’s our kudaan this week:00:00 | Intro & Episode Overview

03:00 | How We Started Our Businesses

12:00 | Daily Struggles & Wanting to Quit

13:00 | Business Partner Betrayal Stories

25:00 | Overcoming Fear of Judgment

27:00 Final Advice & Community Info

Business Advice from our ka-Kuda:

Starting a Business: Research the industry first, start with less than ₱1M capital, have 6 months savings ready because the first year is unstable.

Partner Betrayal: Give yourself 1 week to process emotions, don't make business decisions while emotional, always have exit clauses in partnerships.

Daily Struggles: "Pick your hard" and choose your type of anxiety. It's normal to want to quit daily, so focus on why you started.

Overcoming Fear: Think of the one person you can help, remember "Hindi kayo mapapakain ng hiya" (shame won't feed you), and post consistently anyway.

If You Feel like You are a Failure Here's What They Actually Said About Failure:

✓ Sales don't happen every day - that's completely normal
✓ Failure and slow days are part of the journey, not signs to quit
✓ Your first business is usually your biggest lesson, not your biggest success
✓ You only truly fail when you stop trying
✓ Making mistakes doesn't make you a failure - giving up does
✓ Every entrepreneur faces these same struggles

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🎧 Naging hinaing mo rin ba na mapag salitaan ng mga sumusunod, at madaming beses na napapa buntong hininga ka na lang?

"Daig ko pa tatlong pamilya."

"Na gi-guilty ako pag hindi ako mag bigay"

“Nagbago ka na. Nakalimot ka na sa pinanggalingan mo.”

Have you heard of a country where there is a “breadwinner culture” in families? Parang sa Pilipinas lang ata nangyayari ang mga ganitong kaganapan sa mga magpapamilya, di ba? Prevalent pa rin ang “sandwich generation” sa ating kultura. Yun bang kailangan mong magbigay pa rin kahit mayroon ka nang sariling pamilya. Di ba alam natin na sa US of A, pag 18 na ang anak, nag mo move out na. Sa totoo lang kailangan ipractice ito sa Pilipinas upang matutong maging independent ang mga anak.

At isa pang dapat ipractice na mga magulang is to save and prepare for retirement, para sa pagtanda ay mayroon silang madudukot at hindi aasa sa mga anak.

"Anak mag nursing ka, mag abroad ka para maka tulong ka sa pamilya."

Hindi sila pinag aral ang mga anak para gawing retirement fund ng magulang. Responsibilidad ng mga magulang yon. You prepare them for the life ahead or the family they will create in the future. But, of course, it’s up to the children if they will give back to their parents. They will give from their heart because they love their parents.

Maganda ang topic na pag uusapan nila Sheryl LD at Sariah this week, kaya hindi dapat palampasin mga ka-kuda.

Mga kaganapan sa kudaan ngayon:

01:34 | Introduction of the episode topic

02:17 | Stories of "breadwinner culture" in Filipino families

10:36 | Emotional and financial toll on Filipina entrepreneurs

13:36 | How to set financial boundaries without guilt? (...Learn boundary scripts that you can use)

23:44 | Recap

24:54 | CTA / Closing

Empowerment Reminders:

✨ Hindi ka selfish kung inuuna mong maging financially okay.

✨You are not an ATM!

✨ Hindi ka makakatulong kung ikaw mismo laging ubos. Unahin ang sarili.

✨ You’re not bad for not giving.

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🎧 Feeling mo ba may competition sa loob ng bahay niyo? Sino ba ang reyna ng tahanan niyo, ikaw o ang iyong biyenan?

Warning: This episode discusses emotional manipulation and narcissistic abuse patterns. Listen with self-care and seek professional support if needed.

Naku, magandang pag usapan ito! Kasi nangyayari talaga ito sa mga buhay-buhay ng pamilyang Pilipino. In our western counterpart, bihira ang sitwasyon na mag kasama ang pamilya ng asawa mo at ang binubuo nilang pamilya. Kinagisnan na natin ang ganitong kultura na pagiging close ng mga pamilya. Well, it’s understandable naman because of our culture, but not enough reason why in-laws will downplay your worth as a wife.

There is a big disadvantage or we can even say that there are several hidden damages living in a family within a family. The Bible teaches us in Genesis 2:24, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

In this episode, which by the way Sheryl LD has a caveat that this is not to bring in-laws into a bad light or to create division; Sheryl and Sariah deep dives into a common family situation in FIlipino families - interfering in-laws.

"Hindi pwedeng dalawa ang reyna sa isang tahanan."

Tara, makinig sa pagusapan ng mga kakudang Sheryl LD at Sariah!

Mga kaganapan sa kudaan ngayon:

01:29 | Introduction sa episode topic

02:35 | 5 Red Flags Your In-Laws Are Crossing the Line

10:13 | Why Filipinas stay silent inspite of in-law interference?

15:07 | Mga hidden damage ng pakikialam ng mga biyenan (...How this affects you as a woman & entrepreneur?)

17:20 | 4 Steps to reclaim your power without being labeled as a bad daughter-in-law

23:23 | What to remind yourself at all times / (Empowerment)

24:19 | Recap and CTA

27:00 | Closing

Mga dapat tandaan ng mga kababaihan:

✨ You're not alone.

✨ Hindi ka masama if you prioritize your family's peace over pakikisama.

✨ Setting boundaries is not rebellion.

✨ You have every right to protect your peace and your

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🎧 Babae ka lang daw, ikaw dapat ang mag-adjust. Talaga ba? Our topic today goes around this kind of mentality, tara pag usapan natin.

Warning: This episode discusses emotional manipulation and narcissistic abuse patterns. Listen with self-care and seek professional support if needed.

“Kasi babae ako, dapat kayanin ko lahat.”

"Kahit pagod ka na kailangan mo pa rin magluto, mag linis, makinig, umunawa."

In this time and age, dahil sa Filipino culture, marami pa ding mga kababaihan ang hindi makawala sa gender-based discrimination, sexism and gender bias. Yun bang pareho kayo nagtatrabaho, o minsan may ari ka na ng isang business, pero sa tahanan, ikaw pa rin ay maituturing na alipin. Sa opisina o sa negosyo ang tawag sa iyo ‘Mam’, sa bahay, ‘Hoy’ ka lang.

“Hoy, linisin mo nga yung kwarto, hindi mo ba nakikita ang gulo-gulo.?

“Hoy, labhan mo nga yung puti kong polo, alam mo namang gagamitin ko yan tuwing Miyerkules.”

Powerful ka nga in business, but powerless in love. May disconnect di ba?

Pag uusapan nila Sheryl LD and Sariah ang mga ganitong scenario sa mga tahanan at sa relasyon. Alam niyo ba kung ano ang invisible labor? By the word itself, it means hindi nakikita, but there’s more to it that some women have to endure.

Narito ang mga kaganapan sa kudaan ngayon:

01:00 | Introduction sa episode topic

01:36 | What is Invisible Labor?

02:30 | Boss ka nga, pero alipin sa bahay

04:06 | Anong resulta sa mga kababaihan ng gender bias?

06:14 | What can you do to help yourself? (...Important Tips that You Can Do)

18:48 | Pep Talk from Sheryl LD and Sariah (...Empowerment)

20:32 | Recap

22:03 | CTA and Closing

Mga dapat tandaan ng mga kababaihan:

✨ You're not ungrateful when you start to choose yourself.

✨ Hindi mo obligasyon buhatin lahat.

✨ Kung ikaw ay isang CEO, CEO ka rin ng sarili mong oras, katawan, at kapayapaan.

✨ Your voice matters. Your rest matters.

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Warning: This episode discusses emotional manipulation and narcissistic abuse patterns. Listen with self-care and seek professional support if needed.

🎧 Mga Ka-Kuda, medyo sensitive ang topic na ito, pero kailangan na pag usapan

"Ang bobo mo talaga! Wala kang kwenta."

"Ang drama mo naman, hindi naman ganyan ang nangyari."

"Pag iniwan mo ako, wala kang mapupuntahan."

“Pag iniwan mo ako, makikita mo may gagawin ako.

Nasabihan ka ba nito ng partner o asawa mo? These are some of the hurting words na maririnig mo sa iyong partner, and take note - it is both ways. Pwedeng babae o lalaki ang maging victim ng isang toxic at abusive relationship. Sabi nga ng iba na dumaraan sa mga ganitong klaseng relationship, mas mabuti pa na saktan ka na lang kaysa pagsabihan ng masasakit na salita. Very popular and idiom na ito sa Ingles, "Words are like swords, it cuts.” Abuse does not come ONLY from physical abuse, but from emotional and psychological abuse.

In this episode, pag uusapan nila Sheryl LD and Sariah kung sino ba talaga ang may problema. Aminin natin, in our society, malakas pa rin ang pagiging patriarchal sa mga Pilipino and more often than not, mga babae talaga ang victim ng toxic at abusive relationship.Nandyan ang pagiging controlling, manipulative at worse may physical abuse pa.

Tama ba ito? - "A woman's worth is dependent on the amount of pain she can endure."

Definitely, may mali sa ganyang klase ng mindset. May hangganan ang lahat. A woman should know when to walk away. Hindi niyo kailangan na magtiis for the sake of your children, kasi sabi nga ni Sariah, “Children do not need perfect families, they need emotionally safe environment.”

So, eto na nga - ang kaganapan sa kudaan ngayong linggong ito:

01:36 | Introduction sa episode topic

02:36 | The difference between a toxic and abusive partner

03:36 | Forms of Emotional or Psychological Abuse (...What are the red flags?)

16:26 | Why do some women find it hard to speak up? (...Bakit hindi maka alis sa isang toxic o abusive relationship?)

24:54 | How to Tell If It’s Time to Speak Up and Walk Away?

30:31 | Paano mo gagawin (... Mahalagang 7 Tips to help you decide to walk away for good)

36:25 | Closing Thoughts and Call to Action

Ang sensitibong topic na ito ay hindi kailangang maging TABOO TOPIC na lang.

✨ Abuse is not just physical, but also emotional or psychological.

✨ Pahalagahan ang sarili, mahalin ang sarili.

✨ Rebuilding yourself is the first brave step to break the cycle.

✨ We should normalize exit plans. Isa ito sa 7 tips that Sariah offered. It’s like having a ‘GO BAG’ for emergencies, preparing for the birth of your child, etc.

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Warning: This episode discusses emotional manipulation and narcissistic abuse patterns. Listen with self-care and seek professional support if needed.

"Baka nakakalimutan mo, ako nagpalaki sa iyo."

They've memorized every sacrifice, catalogued every expense, and weaponized every memory. Sa Episode 3 ng Madami Akong Kuda Season 2, sina Sheryl LD and Sariah decode the manipulation manual that narcissistic parents use to maintain control over their adult children's lives.

This isn't your typical family drama episode. This is a systematic breakdown of generational control patterns that keep Filipina entrepreneurs trapped between success and guilt.

Ano ba ang ganap for this week's kudaan?

01:20 | The Episode That Will Change How You See "Family First"

04:54 | When God's Words Become Weapons

06:29 | Why Setting Boundaries Feels Like Betrayal

13:00 | Redefining What Healing Really Means

23:58 | The Dependency Flip: When Parents Become Emotional Vampires

24:16 | Breaking Free: The Recap and Reality Check

25:36 | Closing Thoughts and Resources

🛟 Who Needs This Lifeline?

This episode is essential listening for:

• Adult children still seeking impossible approval

• Entrepreneurs whose parents "just want what's best"

• Anyone who's been called "disrespectful" for having boundaries

• Those ready to break generational cycles

• People who need permission to choose themselves

Remember: Choosing yourself isn't ungrateful. It's necessary.

Join our community if you want deeper kudaan: Madaming Kuda Klub

______________________________________________

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