Who would think that heartbreak would lead a businesswoman to become a radio DJ? That’s what happened to Nicole Hyala.
Born Emmylou Gaite-Tinana, she was raised in Manila, Philippines. Several years later, as she reinvented her career and became a radio DJ, she was given the stage name Nicole Hyala. After 18 years, she says she now really is Nicole Hyala.
Hyala is the oldest of four kids. Her mom was a science teacher, and her dad was a seaman. When Hyala was eight years old, her dad suffered a stroke, leaving him paralyzed on one side and unable to speak. Hyala did as much as possible to help raise her younger siblings, care for her dad, and keep the house in order while her mother was at work.
“It was hard for my mom,” Hyala says. “She’d bring her payslip home and, very quickly, there was no money left. My family’s struggles made me want to focus on my studies and be a high achiever, so I could help support my family once I graduated from college.”
After high school, she attended Assumption College in the Philippines to study mass communication. Yet, her mother urged her to study business management instead because it would lead to a more lucrative career.
“Someone told me that if you study business and graduate cum laude, companies will come looking for you,” Hyala says. “It was true. I was pursued to work on a political campaign right after college. After that, I was recruited to work for a bank in their healthcare foundation. There I met who I thought was the love of my life. But, after a few years, he ghosted me.”
She was heartbroken and decided to change jobs to start moving on. She says she felt betrayed by God, so she prayed for help finding a new job. The next day, she heard an ad for an opening as a DJ at Love Radio Manila.
“Radio was a big deal in the early 2000s, but I didn’t know anything about it,” Hyala says. “My first audition was a disaster because, during my reading, I chose to talk about the economic crisis and vigilance of youth. I didn’t realize that the program I was auditioning for was a funny morning show for the masses. I thought I had blown it. But, a few days later, they brought me back. By the end of the week, I had the job.”
Hyala was shocked that out of more than 250 applicants, they chose her despite having no radio experience.
“My voice was raw and ugly, but they chose me because they thought I was likable and would be easy to train,” Hyala says. “They could tell I was an achiever and a sponge and would learn quickly.”
The station was revolutionizing radio in the Philippines, according to Hyala, by creating characters and programs people could relate to. As they were designing her character, they chose to call her “Nicole Hyala” because it was a catchy name people would remember. She was an instant hit.
“My radio partner, Chris Tsuper, and I have been together on the air for 18 years,” she says. “We joke and laugh the whole time. Part of my character is a bellowing laugh, which is so loud and unique it has become my signature.”
Hyala never expected to become famous. “That people cry when they see me still amazes me. They tell me I’m their ‘happy pill.’ We even prevented a suicide. A listener told us he was about to drive his car through a wall and, when he heard our voices, changed his mind.”
In 2014, Hyala and Tsuper published a book for their 10th anniversary on the radio together, and it became a best-seller. Over the years, they’ve recorded three albums.
“Just like when I got my DJ job, I had no experience singing,” Hyala says. “But technology was the solution. They were able to electronically adjust my voice.”
Her job had such an influence on her life that she married a listener and named her first child after her stage name.
In 2017, Hyala’s career took another turn. Her boss, the station manager, was retiring and asked her to take over.
“I didn’t feel equipped,” Hyala says. “I had never been on the production side. I was happy in my job, and my pay was good, so why would I do it? Why would I want two jobs?”
But her mentors told her to take it. One of them pointed out that her boss had been in the job for 16 years, so the opportunity might not present itself again. Another mentor and role model was her best friend from childhood. She had been the CEO of AirAsia and encouraged Hyala to take it to develop her business skills.
“When I started, I felt like I needed to refresh the theories I learned in college,” Hyala says. “I wanted to get an MBA, but, between work and my family—I had just given birth to my second child—I didn’t have time. I was browsing and stumbled upon HBS Online. I couldn’t believe I could take a course at such a prestigious school. I immediately signed up.”
Hyala got what she was looking for from HBS Online’s Management Essentials course. She loved meeting with people from around the world to discuss the content.
“I remember having a 2:30 a.m. meeting with my classmates because we were from all around the world, and we had to find a time that worked for all the time zones,” Hyala says. “I was so tired and breastfeeding my son during the call. When my group found out that I had a new baby, one of my classmates told the others to hurry up so I could get some sleep.”
Hyala says the course helped her face her biggest challenges.
“Radio has changed so much, and there are so many challenges, mostly because of social media. We need to work hard to maintain our ratings so we can sell ads. Managing many different types of people is also hard, especially creative people, because they think differently. Management Essentials made a big difference.”
In addition to her two jobs at Love Radio, a podcast, and maintaining her social media presence—she has nearly 300,000 followers on Instagram and more than 500,000 followers on Facebook—Hyala and her husband have started two businesses: The Twinning Collection, which designs matching clothing for moms and daughters, and a vinegar business. They also have a family video blog on YouTube.
Hyala says that, while she works hard, her biggest passion is her children, and maintaining a work-life balance is her priority.
So, what’s next for someone who's reinvented herself repeatedly?
“Who knows what’s next?” Hyala says. “I didn’t plan to be on the radio, publish a book, or record albums. I can’t be a radio DJ forever, but I want to be one as long as people find me entertaining.”
If you’re interested in growing your career and honing your management skills, explore our eight-week Management Essentials course or other leadership and management courses.
