In photo, TrainStation’s leaders from left: Kevin Concepcion, Jacqueline Tan-Sainz, RR Herrera, Carlo Sainz, Carelle Mangaliag Herrera
From teachers to top executives to trauma victims, the neuroscience-backed coaching company continues to move thousands of people to be #AmazingByChoice through its unique brand of EnterTRAINment and personalized life-changing programs
Since its inception in 2011, TrainStation’s efforts have always been anchored in one goal: helping others.
The only training agency in the Philippines accredited by the International Trainers Academy of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (ITANLP), TrainStation Philippines uses NLP and Neuroscience to help individuals, organizations, and companies alike to build better beliefs and behaviors by engaging the brain to be equipped, enabled and empowered to perform its best. How? Through EnterTRAINment.
Psychology meets theater and business
TrainStation prides itself on having a prestigious network of professional ENTER-TRAIN-ERS who engage and fascinate their audience with the use of NLP, applied Neuroscience and positive psychology.
It is founded by Awit awardee singer, improv actor and comedienne Carelle Mangaliag Herrera and FAMAS best child actor RR Herrera who met in theater and have since then transitioned into leading their own businesses, becoming seasoned trainers for motivation, leadership, team building, sales and customer service since 2001.
TrainStation’s leaders from left to right, Kevin Concepcion, Jacqueline Tan-Sainz, RR Herrera, Carlo Sainz, Carelle Mangaliag Herrera
Taking after their mentor, John Grinder—the founder of NLP himself and the same teacher of world-renowned motivational guru Tony Robbins—they modeled excellence into their training designs, incorporating games, simulations, thematics, staging and even improv in their programs to make sure that there are impactful interactions, laughter, and movement among the audience as they teach, train, and transform.
“We don’t just talk. We don’t just observe. We get into their world,” Carelle shares. “Take, for example, Shell. We trained 900 gas boys all over the country. We put ourselves into the position of these gas boys who are experiencing extreme heat every single day. You can’t just tell them ‘Oh, you smile, you welcome the customers, you work hard.’ You have to take into consideration wala silang aircon sa trabaho nila!”
The training agency behind the biggest companies
With its consistent track record of excellence and unique brand of enterTRAINment, TrainStation has won the favor of many big brands in the Philippines like Shell, Unilever, Jollibee, Nestlé, Toyota, and BPI (You can check their stellar reviews here!).
But their mission goes beyond just motivation.
Responding to the call to serve
“There’s always that pull. Sinong may kailangan sa amin? Pupunta kami.” Carelle says, recalling the harrowing attack in a casino in 2017.
“All of a sudden, we were there. Coaching 300 people a day. We gave a talk, complete with lights, sounds, and music. We created an environment for healing. An opportunity to grieve together and rise together. May pinamigay kaming drums, mga tambol. So that they can pound on it their grief, then transform it into love.”
“So that’s what we did,” Carelle explains. “To let it out. Umiiyak sila. Itambol mo diyan kung bakit ka nagtatrabaho, para kanino ka nag-shoshow up. This is for you.”
Propelled by their desire to act and never shying away from burdens and frights (they eat stress—or what they call stretch—for breakfast), they were also one of the first ones to respond when Tacloban was hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, destroying 90% of Leyte, and when conflict broke out between government forces and rebels in Marawi in 2017, displacing nearly 360,000 Filipinos.
“Kahit ligtas na sila, konting ulan, konting katok lang, nanginginig na sila. Nalulunod sila sa stress. So what we try to do is to help them rewire. Instead of rewinding. Rewire. Rewire the connections that caused them trauma. What they saw, what they heard, what they felt that night, it’s all in their bodies. So we help them heal.” RR shares.
An intention to help the nation
Accredited as a Learning Institution by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and DepEd’s Natural Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP), TrainStation is committed to move, inspire, and equip Filipinos so they, in turn, can do amazing things for our country.
Last year, to help teachers teach students better, they partnered with AHA Learning Center!, a project of Commodore Jose Francisco Foundation that serves public schools and communities with its free after-school programs.
With this program, they were able to cover 70,000 public school teachers, training about a thousand per half day. “Hirap sila. Wala kang technology, wala kang Internet tapos mag oonline learning ka. Pero gusto naming malaman nila na kung klaro ang intension mo magturo, kahit putulan ka ng paa, gagapang ka.” Carelle says.
Before the pandemic, TrainStation also implemented community-change projects like Usap Tayo, a program for the National Youth Commission Philippines that addresses issues surrounding the Filipino youth such as teenage pregnancy, mental health and drug abuse, and Bida ng Buhay, a program for the rehabilitation of drug users.
“While it’s parked for now because of the pandemic, we’re also doing similar programs through Let’s Read. The good continues. The change continues.” Carelle says.
Leading the revolution of mental health in the workplace
Aside from hosting free Workplace Wellness Webinar Series and launching a BrainStrong Podcast on Spotify, TrainStation also developed a new product called Train On Demand Online, an online learning management system where people can enroll in various courses such as “Embrace Change”, “Work From Home Hacks” and “Virtual Effectiveness: Engaging Online Interactions” to help them respond better to the challenges brought about by the pandemic and to be more efficient when working from home in this new normal.
When it comes to their own employees, they make it a point to maintain the social connection despite the physical separation. “We have this 3:00 habit where we play games together, we have regular town hall meetings, we also do regular employee surveys to check-in, and we ask them how they’re doing all the time. ‘How are you?’ ‘How’s your mental health?’ ‘Are you overworked?’” Carelle shares.
“You know, we could have closed when the pandemic hit. It really affected us financially. But these people… they’re family already. We never started TrainStation for us anyway, we built this for people. So we continue to fight.” RR says.
What’s next for TrainStation? Global expansion. While they’ve already set up shop in Hong Kong and Singapore (and soon, North America!), their biggest dream is still to launch Filipino talent all over the world.
“Magaling ang Pinoy!” Carelle says proudly. “All our trainers are Filipinos. And they always get standing ovations from foreigners whenever we train abroad. Saan ka nakakita ng trainers na may standing ovation, diba? We’re really world-class communicators. Hindi tayo nalalayo. That’s what we want to propagate globally.”
With more than a hundred programs ranging from Self Improvement, Communication, Professional Development, and Management & Leadership, TrainStation is dedicated to providing the learning tracks for every Filipino’s destination of choice. Aside from working with partner companies through training programs and team buildings, they also provide life coaching for people who are suffering from stress, phobia, trauma, physical or substance abuse/addiction, depression, and suicide.
Visit their website now at www.trainstation.com.ph to book a program or learn more.