Meet the Gen Z’s of Payo Marketing – Althea Kalalo and Anjeli Celaje!

Several years ago, Millennials (those born from 1981 to 1996) were the talk of town as they dominated the workforce population. Soon after, the Generation Z (those born from 1997 to 2012) or ‘Gen Zs’  have begun their employment journey. Now growing steadily in number, not only are they diversifying the talent pool further, but are offering a brand new perspective to the work culture.

As the leading E-commerce enabler in the Philippines, Payo employs a diverse and talented team, including Gen Zs. Among them are Multimedia Designer Anjeli Celaje and Content Marketing Producer Althea Kalalo.

This next feature will help you get to know more about Payo’s own Gen Zs, and how they are shaking things up in the workplace.

1. Please tell us a little about your journey with Payo. How long have you been with the company, and how were your first few months like? 

Anjeli: I have been with the company for almost three years already. During my first few months, I was doing hygiene tasks where I took requests from different departments to transform their work and make them look more presentable and presentation-ready. It was challenging being the sole member of the Marketing Department as I felt like I was not contributing much to the company’s growth.

Despite the challenges, I managed to pull through, and now our Marketing Department has also grown. 

Althea: I’ve been working at Payo for over a year now, and I was quite nervous during my first two months. I previously worked at a marketing agency, so I knew it would be a big adjustment working for a brand. I was honestly scared that I wouldn’t be able to deliver. 

Thankfully, I got a lot of support, especially from the Marketing team and our CEO Liron Gross. I felt seen and heard, which gave me the confidence to further learn about and explore how I can elevate the brand.

2. You’re among the first Gen Zs to become part of Payo’s workforce. What enticed you to join Payo?

Anjeli: When I applied, I didn’t think any other company in the country was doing what Payo does, and I wanted to be a part of that. Also, as someone who shops online quite often, I thought it would be interesting to learn about what goes on behind the scenes.

Althea: I saw how much potential Payo had as a startup, and I wanted to be part of their journey as they scaled. Plus, I knew going into the role that I would be their first Content Marketing Producer, which I saw as a great opportunity to grow with the company.

3. What do you think is the biggest advantage a Gen Z brings to the company, or even the general workforce?

Anjeli: Anybody who is in a fun working environment will most likely be more productive, so I try my best to just make the vibes light in the workplace. Gen Zs also tend to know more about what’s trending in general so being part of the Marketing Department, that helps a great deal.

Althea: I think one advantage we have is how comfortable we are with change. We Gen Zs grew up during a time when tech advancements were really starting to take off. We saw and experienced firsthand how rapidly tech evolved. I think that generally helps us be agile and open to today’s ever-changing landscape.

4. What do you do on your days off?

Anjeli: During weekends, you can either find me cooped up in my room the whole day playing PC and/or Switch games, or out and about having coffee dates with my friends.

Althea: I like to spend time with my loved ones, whether that’s meeting up for dinner and drinks, exploring places we haven’t been to before, or just lounging around at home. I also like spending time with myself, and me-time dates usually consist of some Japanese food and a good TV show.

5. What is your all-time favorite film or TV series and why?

Anjeli: Modern Family. That show is just comedy genius; the punch lines are so naturally funny. Sometimes it can be so heart-warming and it just hits close to home. Perfect casting as well. Watch it when you get the chance!

Althea: There are so many amazing films and shows out there, but I would have to say In the Mood for Love by Wong Kar Wai. There’s something about the world that Wong Kar Wai creates in this film (and his other films as well) that just sucks you in. His visual style is unmistakable, and he also understands the importance of the things unsaid – the pauses, the stolen glances, and the subtle changes in one’s facial expressions.

If you want to see a film that perfectly captures the feeling of longing, you should give it a watch!

6. Since Payo is all about E-commerce, what’s your go-to hack or strategy when you shop online?

Anjeli: I can be really thrifty so I only check out what’s in my cart when there’s a sale or when there are vouchers that I can use for nifty discounts. On online marketplaces, if there’s an item that I like, I check the shop if they sell other things that I need so that I only pay for one shipping fee.

Althea: My go-to shopping strategy is to visit multiple stores to see if I’m getting the best deal for an item. Also, if I see something I want to buy, I usually wait a day or two before buying it. This helps me avoid impulse shopping, which is honestly something I used to do a lot. Hehe.

7. How does your work contribute to making E-commerce simple, which is Payo’s goal?

Anjeli: Instead of making our merchants read long blocks of texts, allow me to showcase my multimedia expertise in making an animated video of how Payo works. Lengthy set-up instructions? Here’s a how-to guide. Payo promises to make online sellers’ unnecessary stresses disappear, and producing videos and visuals that are more engaging and easier to understand helps with that.

Althea: As the Content Marketing Producer, I make sure that the way we communicate with our merchants and their customers is clear, straightforward, and easy to understand. That’s because a big part of simplifying the E-commerce process is helping them see that E-commerce doesn’t have to be intimidating or hard to learn; it’s all about making E-commerce more accessible to everyone. 

8. What’s one thing you want to achieve with Payo this 2022?

Anjeli: I’ve been involved in designing a lot, if not all, of Payo’s collateral, including a new look for the brand. I think it would be great to see more of Payo’s new branding online and offline.

Althea: I want more local and international merchants to know about Payo, and to know our goals and solutions better. That being said, the Marketing Team is currently working hard to make this a reality, so keep an eye out for our upcoming projects!

These Gen Z insights and perspectives really help transform Payo as a growing and evolving E-commerce enabler in the Philippines.

Want to gain access to fresh and new business strategies? Sign up with Payo today or send us a message at [email protected]. Let’s take your brand to the forefront of the competition!