Answering Calls to Calling the Shots: How a Call Center Agent Flipped the Script on Pinoy Streetwear.

Jelo H, 32. Did 9 years in the call center life, now taking it slow and soaking in the good stuff.

First of all, I just wanna let you guys know that I needed ChatGPT's help to express the thoughts I totally would’ve come up with eventually. I'm just collaborating with my AI bestie. 😎 I didn’t grow up with much. I'm one of 6 siblings, raised in a poor, but not so poor household where every day was a hustle. I didn’t finish college, never had a permanent job, and there were times I honestly didn’t know what the future would look like.

Before the pandemic, life was already rough. I was stuck in the corporate grind, hopping from one job to another, constantly moving, and barely making enough to survive. Yung tipong di ka pa nakakahinga ng maluwag, end of contract or mapaparesign ka na. Dami ko nang callcenter companies na pinasukan but madalas napapaaga ang pag reresign dahil di ako effective sa campaign o sa environment ng mga pinapasukan ko. It felt like a loop I couldn’t escape from. I knew I had to find a way to break out.

When COVID-19 hit the Philippines and the lockdown started, with nothing but the last paycheck from my job, I took a leap. I started selling plain t-shirts online—simple, straightforward, something I could manage while the world was on pause.

I started with just the last pay I got from the company that terminated me during the pandemic Haha, no fancy equipment. Just an android phone, a secondhand computer, and a big dream. I designed, I paid for printing, and packed everything myself, right from my room, and sent the orders to the courier. I didn’t have a team.

Eventually, I landed another job, but it wasn’t enough to cover the bills. Prices were soaring, times were tough, so I kept the side hustle alive, selling plain tees to friends and officemates just to stay afloat.

One night, while scrolling through Facebook to look for something I could sell, Facebook kept on suggesting ads from local clothing brands. It hit me: I can do this. It felt natural. I have a background in e-commerce, a passion for photography, and customer service experience from the biggest apparel brand on the planet, Adidas, under my belt.

Working as a CSR at Adidas.

I had the skillset, I just needed the resources.

That’s when I created a Facebook page and named it ZEMO (zee-moh) a name I originally planned to give my first dog, but never got a chance to adopt because of the lockdown.

Then here's the Social Media. It was a game-changer. Everyone was stuck at home, glued to their screens. I saw the opportunity. That digital presence gave me the push I needed.

But I noticed something, local brands were all doing the same thing, earth tones, minimalism, tribal designs, anime prints, they are all on the safe side. I wondered, Why isn't anyone making bold, colorful, eye-catching designs? Then I found out why: big, vibrant prints with multiple colors were expensive to produce.

I didn’t let that stop me. I did my research, experimented, and eventually discovered DTF printing, a technique that allowed me to bring big, vibrant designs to life without compromising on quality or blowing my budget.

ZEMO Eternal Energy

Still, I was nervous and unsure. Would Filipinos embrace something this bold? We weren’t known for colorful streetwear. 

But I took the risk, created my first design, and to my surprise, it sold out. Fast.

But success wasn’t linear. Sales dipped, I got scammed, suppliers raised prices, I was drowning in setbacks, and I struggled. There were days I felt like I was carrying the whole brand on my back, barely holding it together. I was losing money. And worst of all, I had no one to ask for help. Not because I didn’t have people around me… but because everyone was struggling too.

Friends were losing jobs. Families were trying to survive. No one had extra time, energy, or resources. I couldn’t blame them, we were all just trying to make it through the day.

So I kept everything in. Smiled through the stress. Stayed up all night packing orders, answering messages, editing posting materials, and figuring things out on my own. It was lonely. Exhausting. There were moments I sat in silence and thought, “Is this even worth it?” At one point, I even thought about quitting. But something inside me refused to quit. ..And tropa are always behind my back.. Grabe ang binibigay na suporta..

A turning point...

I noticed a shift on social media; content creation was booming. Vloggers were rising. Platforms like Shopee, TikTok Shop, and Lazada were changing the game. And I realized, this is my lane. I had e-commerce knowledge. I understood how to sell, from creating the products, making posting materials and ads, to collaborating with 3rd party logistics. I just had to pivot.

I launched ZEMO’s official stores on Shopee and Lazada, tapping into the platforms’ wide customer base. Flash sales and vouchers gave people a reason to try the brand, and when they did, the quality spoke for itself. Good reviews started pouring in, leading to even more visibility through the platforms’ algorithms.

Shopee's Algorithm. ZEMO is showing on Facebook's News Feed.

Then came the rise of TikTok Shop. ZEMO joined the wave, posting behind-the-scenes content, design reveals, and styling videos. One viral video showing how the prints stayed vibrant even after multiple washes gained over 500,000+ views, sending followers straight to the TikTok Shop link.

(2025 Update)

ZEMO has since evolved. We’ve stepped away from Shopee, Lazada, and even said goodbye to our TikTok account that once had over 200k followers. But this isn’t the end, it’s the rebirth.

We’re rebuilding from the ground up with a fresh TikTok account, and we’re now accepting orders directly through our website. Plus, you can catch us in-store at The Hundred Percent Mini Mall in Mandaluyong.

• 652 Boni Avenue, Plainview. Mandaluyong City

Mini Skate Event with the young Generations of Pinoy Skaters at The Hundred Percent Mini Mall in Mandaluyong

Influencers started reaching out, and soon ZEMO’s shirts were being featured in outfit inspiration videos, giveaways, and styling challenges. The brand’s TikTok followers skyrocketed, and so did the sales.

I wanted ZEMO to scream confidence, something you won’t find in the usual racks of international brands or cookie-cutter local stores. It was a risk, sure, but I knew Gen Z was craving something real, raw, and rebellious.

And slowly, people caught on. Young Pinoys started rocking ZEMO not just for the look, but for the energy. Loud. Proud. Unique. It became more than just clothes, it became a flex, a vibe, a statement.

And that’s the history.

ZEMO carved a space in the streetwear scene with its bold, vibrant, and unapologetically loud designs. In a landscape of minimalism, ZEMO became a standout. Colorful prints that dare to be seen, in a community where being loud wasn’t always the norm.

This blog isn’t just about my journey. It’s a space to remind you that your job doesn't define you. It can fund your passion, fuel your vision, and teach you the grit you'll need when you start building something of your own.

If you’re sitting at your desk wondering if you can turn your side hustle into your main gig, trust me, you can.

Let this be your sign.

Keep grinding. Keep dreaming. And when you're ready, build something that’s yours.

Welcome to the journey. Jelo H.