The writing of Mig Molina
Leadership On leading people, making decisions, and the work of running things.
See all → Develop Your People Anyway The CFO's question is real. So is the CEO's answer. Twenty years on both sides of the training budget taught me which fear to respect. I Closed the Book Too Early A few months ago I wrote LeBron off. Now the entire NBA is frozen, waiting on one 41-year-old to decide where he plays. That is what owning the narrative looks like, and why relevance is the only real leverage. You Don't Have to Be an Asshole to Be a Good Leader We looked at the cruel ones who won and decided the cruelty was the reason. It never was. You Can't Communicate Well If You're Unsure of Yourself Before you open your mouth, figure out where the other person is coming from. "I'm Okay" Is Not an Answer Why the best managers keep asking, especially in the Philippines. Fake It Till You Make It Has a Ceiling The advice buys you time to build something real. The trouble starts when the building never happens, and you take other people down with you. See all 17 →
Samsung's Petty Genius They named their new foldables to box in Apple before Apple even ships. I'm a Samsung guy, and I'm here for it. Norwegian Air Bet British Airways on the World Cup. The Real Story Is Who Said Yes Most trend-jacking is a miss. The ones that land come down to whether someone in the room was willing to approve the risk, and whether the math actually works. Builders and Buyers Acquisitions grow your portfolio. Building grows your brand. They’re not the same thing. Give Potato Corner Their Flowers A brand person’s appreciation of how Potato Corner keeps the menu interesting, what McDonald’s gets right about scarcity, and why Jollibee keeps frustrating its own customers What Philippine Fashion Brands Are Sitting On A brand person's take on why local labels are losing ground, who's figuring it out, and what it would take to compete globally Why Your Branding Is All Over the Place Why your branding is all over the place — and what your org chart is hiding. See all 11 →
Go Where the Ceiling Is Higher What De'Aaron Fox's move to San Antonio taught me about knowing your worth and finding the right fit. A Few Years Out Change is on the horizon On Dignity in Work Why meaning, purpose, and employee engagement matter more than job titles — a leadership perspective Notes From the Future: Letters to My Earlier Self About Work, Career, and Becoming A 20+ year career reflected through six letters — on resilience, leadership, imposter syndrome, and finding your place
Voicemails for Isabelle Review: The Best Rom-Com of the Past Decade, and Barely a Rom-Com Zoey Deutch's best performance yet anchors a story that's really about two sisters. (Now Streaming on Netflix) One Battle After Another Review: Confident, Kinetic, and Surprisingly Funny PTA's Best Picture winner is a wild, ensemble-driven action epic. (Now Streaming on HBO Max) Caught Stealing Review: The Cat, The Chaos, and Austin Butler's Best Work Darren Aronofsky goes full 90s crime caper, and it actually works. (Now Streaming on Netflix) The Bride! Review: Too Many Things, All of Them Interesting Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale go full monster in Maggie Gyllenhaal's ambitious, overstuffed gothic romance. (Now streaming) Wuthering Heights (2026) Review: Jacob Elordi Drives It Home A silly first act gives way to something genuinely tragic. Project Hail Mary Review: So Good a Rock Will Make You Cry Ryan Gosling and a rock alien deliver one of the best sci-fi films in years. (Watch it in Theaters this week!) See all 15 →
Culinary Class Wars: Philippines — The Roster 40 chefs, two hats, one question every Filipino food conversation eventually leads to: who really owns Filipino cuisine? The King's Reign Is Over LeBron James is 41 and he might still play next season. Even this year, 21 points a game, 51% from the field, 7 assists a night. … Joy as a Radical Act What Olivia Dean, Alysa Liu, and Alex Eala Are Telling Us Right Now Casting Singles Inferno Philippines: Who Would Make the Perfect Filipino Cast? A hypothetical dream cast for a Philippine edition — featuring Filipino celebrities, athletes, and creators (Now Streaming on Netflix)
Malamig Brew Cold brew reviews and tasting notes under Malamig Brew — one bean at a time.
See all → Malamig Brew Episode 9: Bo's Coffee Sagada Arabica Cold Brew Review Philippines A cocoa-forward Cordillera Arabica that earns the daily driver label Malamig Brew Bonus: Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Cold Brew Review Philippines — Or Was It an Iced Americano? How to tell cold brew from iced Americano — and why it matters for what ends up in your cup Malamig Brew Episode 7: First Tide Blend Cold Brew Review — Allo Coffee Roasters Philippines A local roaster's bold, fermented-fruit blend that tastes like wine transformed into coffee Malamig Brew Episode 8: Good Cup Coffee Daily Driver Blend Cold Brew Review — Cebu Philippines Why cold brew makes a chocolate-forward blend taste surprisingly fruity — and what that reveals about extraction Malamig Brew Bonus: Starbucks Cold Brew Review Philippines — and What Intentional Drinking Actually Means A rushed morning in Cebu, a Don Papa Rum conversation, and why slowing down changes everything Malamig Brew Episode 6: UCC Roast Master Café Arabica Cold Brew Review How a mainstream Japanese blend outperforms Starbucks Pike Place in refinement See all 12 →
#BetterPH Civic duty, the Philippine state, and the Filipino psyche — notes toward a better PH.
See all → We Only Claim You After You've Won On Independence Day: two Fil-Ams in the NBA Finals, the 'halfies' fight, and how arguing about who counts as Filipino keeps us from admitting we never built the rails to grow our own. What If the Government Couldn't Lie to You? CADENA is already moving through Congress. Here's what it means for you, and what comes next if we get serious about it. Literal Power to the People The Philippines has the projects, the capital, and the demand. What it lacks is speed, coordination, and the political will to let its own people generate power. CORRUPTION IN PLAIN SIGHT The rot we've learned to step around.
Connect Reach out, follow the work, or browse the old essays.
swipe → Email Say Hello Work, questions, or just to say hi. hello@migmol.com Send a note → LinkedIn Let's Connect Brand, leadership, and AI, in the professional feed. Connect with me → TikTok @malamigbrew Cold brew tastings and bean reviews, in short video. Watch a tasting → Substack Legacy Archive The older essays, from before The Desk moved to its own home. Browse the archive →