Jay Olos on Grit, Growth, and the Future of Startups in the Philippines

At Geeks on a Beach 2025 in Mactan, Cebu, hundreds of founders, investors, and innovators gathered by the shore to celebrate and strengthen the Philippine startup scene. Among the crowd was Jay Olos, founder and CEO of OneCFO, a CFO tech platform helping startups, scale-ups, and SMEs manage their finances with precision and purpose.

In just three years, OneCFO has achieved milestones many startups only dream of, raising a $500,000 pre-seed round, achieving cashflow positivity, and tripling revenue year-on-year. With plans to expand into Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, the company is steadily becoming a regional player in the Asia-Pacific startup ecosystem.

A Business Built on Grit

Jay’s journey is defined by perseverance. As he put it,

“You have to be gritty. Not everything is handed to you on a silver platter.”

For him, grit isn’t just about surviving; it’s about building something that lasts. In an environment where funding is limited and competition is growing, founders must combine creativity with financial discipline to stay afloat.

Jay credits much of OneCFO’s growth to that disciplined mindset. Coming from a finance background, he focuses on sustainability before scale—ensuring businesses can stand on their own without heavy dependence on external capital. His approach is pragmatic: grow responsibly, reinvest profits, and plan for the long term.

Staying Focused in a Distracted World

In a fast-paced ecosystem, Jay believes the strongest founders are those who stay anchored to their purpose. Too often, startups chase trends or short-term attention instead of focusing on solving meaningful problems.

“You have to know who you are and what your North Star really is,” he said. “It’s easy to get distracted by what’s going on around you.”

That focus, he explained, is what separates sustainable startups from those that burn out after early hype.

The Corporate Connection

Beyond startup life, Jay sees immense potential in how corporates and startups collaborate in the Philippines. Having worked on both sides, as a former executive and now as a founder, he understands the gap.

Corporations have resources, reach, and stability; startups bring innovation, speed, and fresh thinking. The key, Jay said, is partnership rather than imitation. Instead of trying to “act like startups,” corporations should invest in and support them, creating shared growth and impact.

While he acknowledges the value of corporate incubators, he points out that they often focus only on startups with direct strategic value. That’s where ecosystem enablers like StellarPH step in, helping founders beyond those narrow circles gain the education, mentorship, and connections they need.

Building a Stronger Ecosystem

Jay’s story reflects a broader shift in the Philippine startup landscape: a move toward collaboration, focus, and sustainable growth. His success proves that Filipino founders can build globally competitive businesses while staying true to their values.

As the country’s startup ecosystem continues to mature, Jay stands as a model of the kind of leadership it needs, gritty, grounded, and growth-minded.

At StellarPH, we share that belief. Our mission is to Inspire, Educate, and Facilitate founders like Jay, helping them dream big, build boldly, and turn creative ideas into thriving businesses.

Because the next great company could start right here, on our shores.

About Jay Olos
Jay Olos is the Founder and CEO of OneCFO, a CFO tech platform providing finance, accounting, and fundraising support for startups and SMEs across Southeast Asia. A former corporate executive turned entrepreneur, Jay has led multiple ventures to successful exits and now helps founders build financially sustainable companies.

About StellarPH
StellarPH is a startup enabler based in Cebu, dedicated to inspiring, educating, and facilitating entrepreneurship in the Filipino startup ecosystem. Through workshops, masterclasses, and startup acceleration programs, we help founders gain the skills, network, and confidence to build businesses that make an impact.