Just A Moment – "From Outsider to Innovator" with Draego Zubiri

Host: Brant Menswar
Guest: Draego Zubiri
Date: November 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In this powerful episode of Just A Moment, host Brant Menswar delves into the transformative journey of Draego Zubiri—a Filipino-born edtech innovator and founder of Inspo, an app dedicated to thought leadership. Zubiri recounts two life-altering moments: the breakthrough that catalyzed his career and a challenging period he wishes he could revisit. Through honest reflection, the pair explore themes of identity, courage, and the importance of embracing both roots and innovation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Life and Values – Finding Purpose in One’s Roots

• Family Influence: Draego grew up in the Philippines in a family passionate about education; his parents built a school together, instilling drive and strong values.

  “It was quite an entrepreneurial backdrop ... That really instilled a lot in me in terms of being hard working and also being values driven and mission driven as well.” (Draego, 01:11)

• Curiosity and Ambition: Exposure to Western culture and living on a former American air base spurred dreams of seeing the world and learning from it.

  “I was always curious about the world beyond where I grew up ... There were things out there that could inspire me, that could push me, that could challenge me.” (Draego, 02:30)

2. Navigating Identity – From Outsider to Advocate

• Coming Out in a Conservative Culture: Draego reflects on realizing he was gay in a conservative Catholic environment and the challenges of not feeling understood.

  “Having grown up in the Philippines, which is quite a conservative Catholic country ... I knew I was gay, and so that was a journey I had to go through, which at the beginning was not very easy, to say the least.” (Draego, 03:50)

• Resilience and Pride: He channels feelings of being an outsider into hard work and self-confidence.

  “I think having that bit of an outsider mentality ... really shaped the kind of work ethic that I developed over time.” (Draego, 04:59)

• The Journey Abroad: Moving to the UK, Draego initially tried to erase where he came from, but eventually learned acceptance and the importance of understanding communities with different views.

  “For a moment ... I tried to erase where I'd come from ... but then eventually you realize ... for all its limitations ... it is still a good place. ... I think people might not necessarily have the tools to see things a certain way ... but actually can still have been good people and have meant well.” (Draego, 05:18)

3. Discovering Passion and Building Inspo

• Uniting Media and Education: Inspired by his background and interests, Draego gradually moved from web design and media into a passion for edtech.

  “I also knew I was very passionate about education, obviously because of my upbringing with my parents. Bridged the two together ... How can we use the power of media to educate, to facilitate discourse ...” (Draego, 07:10)

Draego’s Defining Moment: The Birth of “Inspo”

• Epiphany in a Café: On a typical day, he realized the lack of a dedicated platform for thought leadership—a clear gap he was uniquely positioned to fill.

  “... it hit me that there was no platform that was dedicated to thought leadership content ... everyone right now was wanting to be seen, wanting to be heard, wanting to be recognized for the value they brought ... there was this palpable both opportunity and problem ... That was a big eureka moment for me.” (Draego, 09:13)

• Bringing Experience Full Circle: All previous lessons, doubts, and passions culminated in this moment of clarity.

  “I needed all those other moments in my life ... I needed all of those experiences to have that moment of realization of epiphany that led to me building Inspo.” (Draego, 10:56)

4. Building a Start-Up: From Idea to Execution

• Moving from Idea to Action: Draego describes the pragmatic steps he took once the idea took root.

  “Me doing my own research, talking to potential customers ... I played it safe. I still had a full time job. It was very much like an evening project ... Eventually I felt like ... I could see myself doing it as a full time job.” (Draego, 13:22)

• The Role of Planning: While Draego naturally gravitates toward planning, he emphasizes the need to adapt and embrace the chaos inherent in innovation.

  “I will always have a plan for something. That being said, I don’t think plans are always useful or always go according to plan ... Embrace the chaos. ... If you are at the stage in your journey where you actually figured out what's working, then absolutely build a plan around that ... but still be aware ... the rules of the game can still change at any point.” (Draego, 15:38)

5. The Role of AI in Thought Leadership

• AI as a Double-Edged Sword: Draego appreciates AI as a tool to accelerate ideation and output but is wary of losing authenticity.

  “I use AI to support me when I'm creating a post ... but I prioritize authenticity over anything else. ... The content is all starting to look alike with the exact same tone of voice ... you might inadvertently be losing yourself as the creator ... in using AI perhaps too liberally.” (Draego, 17:40)

• AI in the Creative Process: He urges makers to use AI judiciously—benefiting from its support but ensuring a human touch.

  “AI has helped to accelerate a lot of the work ... That being said, is it AI on its own? Definitely not. There is a human there that is looking at every single output and making sure that what's delivered is actually correct.” (Draego, 19:36)

6. Advice to Innovators & Those Seeking Shortcuts

• No True Shortcuts: While AI and tools can help, true success rests in due diligence and a commitment to originality.

  “If you have spotted a legitimate gap ... that is a win in itself ... AI is definitely a tool that can support that process ... very good to be critical of the tools you use.” (Draego, 19:36)

7. The “Missed Moment”: Lessons from Insecurity

• Revisiting the Move to the UK: Draego would encourage his younger self to be more confident and less insecure, reminding listeners that even in intimidating environments, everyone has a place.

  “I think I stepped into this world with a lot of insecurity ... If I could go back ... I would tell myself that you are a rock star, you are awesome, and you've got so so much talent in you that the world would love to see.” (Draego, 21:15)
  “A lot of my insecurity definitely fed into this sort of, oh, I used to be a big fish in a small pond and now I’m a tiny fish in this giant ocean ... You made it to that table. You got the seat in that table for a reason. ... you didn’t just slip and somehow end up in this random, weird new world.” (Draego, 22:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Purpose:

  “When you do something, obviously do it well, but also ask yourself, why are you doing what you’re doing?” (Draego, 01:37)

• On Outsiderness:

  “There was always a part of me that just felt like, just different, really. And I think that was something that pushed me ... to show people who I was, what I brought to the table.” (Draego, 04:25)

• On Epiphany:

  “That was a moment of realization that I needed all those other moments in my life ... of questioning what it is I’m passionate about ... I needed all of those experiences to have that moment of realization.” (Draego, 10:56)

• On the Value of Authenticity in AI:

  “I prioritize authenticity over anything else. And I think that’s something that gets lost when you use a rather misused AI.” (Draego, 17:54)

• On Confidence:

  “You made it to that table. You got the seat in that table for a reason. ... you didn’t just slip and somehow end up in this random, weird new world.” (Draego, 22:56)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction & Draego’s Background – 00:38–02:15
• Cultural/LGBTQ Identity Struggles – 03:48–05:06
• Finding Purpose in Education/Media – 07:10–08:53
• Eureka Moment: Birth of Inspo – 09:13–11:41
• Building and Executing Start-Up Ideas – 12:12–15:38
• Discussion on AI and Authenticity – 17:32–19:01
• Advice for First Movers & Shortcuts – 19:36–21:00
• “Missed Moment” and Insecurity – 21:15–23:46
• Closing & How to Connect/Use Inspo – 23:59–24:37

Final Takeaways

• Draego Zubiri’s journey models how outsider experiences can seed innovation and drive, not just in one’s personal life but in building platforms for others.
• Embrace your origins and leverage them as a source of strength.
• Authenticity—both in content and personal journey—remains central, especially in a world increasingly shaped by technology and AI.
• Every big moment is the culmination of countless small choices, challenges, and lessons along the way.

For more on Draego Zubiri, connect on LinkedIn or explore Inspo at www.inspo.expert.
Listen to more transformative stories each week on Just A Moment with Brant Menswar.