CEO and Founder, Cristina Imperial Carl, on Launching Ediphi to Harness the Power of the Metaverse

Hello Christina! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business.

Ediphi harnesses the power of the metaverse to provide leading-edge career training and internships, while expanding access to education and pathways to leadership. With a core focus on hospitality, we work with students, schools and hotels to provide foundational education, upskilling and reskilling that supports the life cycle of career placement and advancement. I am passionate about helping marginalized communities by creating tools and solutions that help create equity most especially in education.

So Christina, what excites you about being an Entreprenista League member?

The community! The power of women when they come together and amplify each other’s work is incredible and so inspiring.

What made you take the leap to start Ediphi?

I saw an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young people by giving them pathways to leadership.

So Christina, what was your background prior to starting your own business?

I have had every job in hospitality, from itnern, to cook, to sous chef, sommelier, server, bartender, Rooms manager, GM.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Definitely not. It came much later in life when I found my voice and the confidence to believe in myself.

Marketing is crucial when you first launch a business. Take us back to when you first started Ediphi, what was your marketing strategy?

We started in the Philippines. We used old fashioned sales calls which sometimes worked sometimes not. A lot of relationship building is necessary. Facebook has been big for us because everyone can access it for free in the Philippines.

So Christina, entreprenistas overcome challenges every single day. What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way?

My biggest challenge is right now. We are pivoting to an EdTech company. I am not a developer and have never been in tech. But the WEB3 space offers the best opportunities for our learners to attain equity. I am about to go into a seed round and I have so many questions.

What is the accomplishment you are the most proud of to date?

We have trained close over 7500 trainees in two and a half years! Some have gone on to be managers and supervisors at hotels and cruises.

What are your thoughts on work life balance? What are some of your best tips?

Yes and no. You have to find your own thresholds. Sometimes you work more, sometimes you are at home more. My big thing is not to do either halfway. Whether I am working or at home, I give my all at that moment.

What’s a piece of advice you can share that you wish you’d known when you first started your Entreprenista journey?

There will be many challenges and twists and turns. Be open to the possibility that there is a better way and that there are other options. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Fail quickly, dust yourself off and get right to work on the next idea.

Christina, you have lots to celebrate! What have you achieved recently that you’d like to celebrate with our community?

5 of our recent graduates placed in the top 10 of a national assessment for Nutrition and Dietetics. This really validates our work and the efficacy and impact well executed online training has.

What’s next for Ediphi? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

we are building out our WEB3 solutions and communities. We are entering a seed round to fuel that!

Learn more about the Entreprenista League and join today!