By Mary Joy Tubis

In the evolving city of Dumaguete, far from the major IT hubs, a new revolution is unfolding— one rooted not in wealth or venture capital, but in belief, determination and an unwavering commitment to people. This is the story of WrkPod, a company proving that innovation thrives not just in capital cities, but where talent meets genuine opportunity. So, why Dumaguete? WrkPod’s journey holds the answer.

Kody Thompson, the Co-Founder and CEO of WrkPod, began his entrepreneurial journey at a young age by teaching himself to build WordPress websites. He soon started creating sites for CrossFit gyms and athletes in his local community, often initiating conversations during workouts.

“I remember Kody would often call me—‘Dad, what do I do about this client? Should I raise my prices?’ Eventually, I said, ‘Son, it’s time to get a business coach,’” recalls James Thompson, Kody’s father, now the Executive Director of WrkPod.

That advice led him to Dale Beaumont, Australia’s leading business coach and now Co-Founder of WrkPod. Beaumont introduced Kody to the powerful idea of hiring virtual staff from the Philippines, a strategy that would enable sustainable scaling.

“Build your team in the Philippines—the talent there is exceptional,” Beaumont advised.

And so, Kody made his first hire: a young professional from Dumaguete who suggested he visit her city—a place celebrated for its gentle people, dynamic university culture, and irresistible seaside charm.

As a country boy at heart, Kody instantly connected with the laid-back lifestyle, intelligent workforce, and warmth of the locals. He leased a tiny office inside the Portal West building at Silliman University, and over nine years, with quiet determination, he built a remote digital agency of 80 staff, providing world-class web design, SEO, and digital marketing services to global clients.

Meriane Salik Yucor, now WrkPod’s Executive Manager and Chief Finance Officer, witnessed this organic growth firsthand. She joined as a finance associate, initially seeking temporary work. What made her stay? “Kody’s vision—his passion for creating job opportunities for local talent. That vision continues to inspire me every day,” she explains.

Then came the pandemic. With it, a surge in remote work. Realising he had outgrown his space, Kody partnered with a local developer to build a custom-designed, three-storey tech hub built for collaboration and community. He included 50 extra desks, not knowing they would soon become the catalyst for his next chapter.

“We had clients in Australia asking how we hired these staff, where they came from and how we had success with it,” Kody recalls. “And so we started helping our friends to hire staff and put them in our office space… we outgrew that 50-desk space in about 3 or 4 months.”

Vince Alipin, a ten-year WrkPod veteran and current Web Developer, remembers the early days: “It was still just one room, but it already had the feel of a multi-corporate style office—and that atmosphere stayed with us, even while it was small—until it finally boomed.”

That was the birth of WrkPod — a premium co-working and staffing platform connecting global entrepreneurs with elite Filipino talent in secure, fully serviced spaces.

Today, WrkPod supports over 1,000 employees across sites in Dumaguete, Tanjay, Cebu, and Bacolod, offering Virtual Professionals and their teams professionally equipped office spaces, a secure IT infrastructure for global clients, wellness and celebration programs to retain talent and clear pathways from training to employment in partnership with local schools and institutions.

James Thompson, WrkPod’s Executive Director, articulates why Dumaguete, and the Philippines, is uniquely positioned: “The Philippines, with its vast youth population, English fluency, digital fluency, and cultural warmth is uniquely placed to become the neural center of the 21st-century digital economy. Because the Philippines doesn’t need to send its best and brightest to Manila and Cebu. It needs to equip them, right here, with the tools, teams, and trust, to work globally from their home city. That’s what WrkPod is doing.”

WrkPod is more than just a business; it’s a movement. It proves that innovation doesn’t require skyscrapers or endless venture capital. It requires empathy, belief, and someone willing to see and nurture the potential that others overlook.

“Today, we’re hiring accountants, engineers, bookkeepers, video editors, graphic designers– so we’re hiring not just people who can do admin and customer service but professionals,” Kody emphasises.

“And with that, WrkPod became more than just a workplace—it became a space where dreams and careers collide,” Yucor adds.

If you’re a bright spark—someone with drive, talent, and the hunger to build a meaningful career from your hometown—WrkPod is calling. Join a growing team that’s rewriting the rules of global work, proving that the future of the digital economy isn’t just urban— it’s human, built on trust and talent, and it’s flourishing right here in Dumaguete.

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This article is specially written for jocellebatapasigue.com and The Philippine ICT Innovation Network