Two years on, PhilSTAR L!fe has come so far. Let’s keep going
Two years. It’s been two years since PhilSTAR L!fe took off—our pandemic baby that offers “everything you want, love, and need.” Two years of growing it from the ground up just virtually is no joke, yet it feels like they passed in a moment.
I’ve been with the team since its beta launch in September 2020. COVID-19 was still rampant in the Philippines at the time, so the challenge was to do everything online and make it fun for the attendees. We had beer yoga via Zoom then, with the idea of having stylish workout clothes as a want, beer as something we love, and yoga as a need. It was a successful event, and from there I knew I was in for one hell of a ride.
As a small group of seven, we spent our first few months just getting the hang of the work-from-home setup. Daily afternoon calls were a must for article pitches as well as activity boards to keep track of who was doing what. For a while, we were just merely carrying stories from the Internet and finding ways to make them our own. We were doing pretty well just doing that and it would’ve been okay to just stick with what worked, but of course the brand had other things in store—and they were much, much bigger.
My journey with L!fe is something I have enjoyed every second of—and as one of its OGs, I couldn’t be prouder of how far we’ve come. We have grown our team to 14 and have introduced exclusive content that our readers continue to love to this day. On top of our special projects for different occasions like Valentine’s Day and Christmas, we now have digital cover stories where we put the spotlight on local personalities that inspire. We also make it a point to support small businesses in our own ways such as different guides and features. We publish in-depth stories that are equal parts bold and brave. We’ve been on a roll during weekends, too, with special columns like Asking for a Friend, Unpopular Opinion, and more to come.
In our two birthdays that have gone by, we’ve witnessed a myriad of ups and downs, wins and crisis. But through it all, there was trust—trust in one another’s strengths and capabilities, trust in the power of new ideas, and trust in the thought that we can keep moving forward, together.
My journey with L!fe is something I have enjoyed every second of—and as one of its OGs, I couldn’t be prouder of how far we’ve come.
When I asked the team about their favorite experiences at work thus far, “comfort zone” is a term that came up many times in our chat. “For the longest time, I’ve been used to working alone as a freelance writer with very specific niche interests. Working for PhilSTAR L!fe has forced me out of my comfort zone and made me more aware of current events and trends in the world,” said head editor Kara Santos.
“I’ve learned to break out of my shell and use my voice—a huge challenge for a painfully shy person. But hey, I’m getting to interview and talk to all kinds of people now,” content producer Ayie Licsi said.
“Being a part of L!fe has taught me to always be open to learning and continually strive for more life—pun intended. It has equipped me with the tools, trust, and tenacity to stand on my own two feet as a writer, and most of all, as a person,” added content producer Saab Lariosa.
We all have different interests, but PhilSTAR L!fe has pushed us to balance it out with things and topics we once thought we couldn’t handle. To do more and be more. To show up even in the midst of fear, uncertainty, and chaos. But just as amazing is how the staff has learned to ask for help when we need it the most. Over time, we have learned to feel comfortable being vulnerable with one another. We have forged strong relationships and built incredible support systems that I know would last for long.
We no longer have to meet every day as we have mastered the formula of coordinating tasks effectively via chat, as well as knowing what would work and what won’t. After almost three months of not hearing our voices via Zoom, we recently got to bond and celebrate L!fe’s second anniversary in person. We talked, drank, and partied like we’ve known one another forever.
To be completely honest, if you asked me two years ago if I saw myself being with L!fe for the long haul, I would have been uncertain as a lost early twentysomething who was eager to explore so many things outside what I had. But somehow L!fe has managed to make its inherently good things shine through the years. Until now, it’s exploding with potential. It remains to be exciting, even when I have yet to know what’s to come. That being said, if you ask me the same question now, my answer is by all means, yes. There’s no place I’d rather be. We’ve come so far, after all. The only plan is to keep going.