During the COVID-19 pandemic, when businesses folded and industries crashed, a shift happened. Some people paused, some pivoted. People were rethinking how they worked, how they earned, and more importantly, what they could build from nothing.
For actress-TV host-wife-and-mom Dianne Medina, that moment revealed a calling.
L-R: Maxine Medina, Dianne Medina, and Rodjun Cruz
Known as a multitalented young actress with a doll-like face (who grew up before our eyes), Dianne has since stepped into a different kind of spotlight at the height of the pandemic — live selling. There was no script then. Fast forward to today, she heads the newly launched DM Studios, a live commerce and creator agency built from the ground up, alongside her husband Rodjun Cruz and cousin Maxine Medina. How fitting that the launch happened on Women’s Month!
And if the numbers are any indication, DM Studios is showing signs of advantage in the category.
How it all began
The story begins in 2020, at a time when the world slowed down but consumer demand did not.
Dianne shared during her agency’s media launch, “I started live selling year 2020, actually. So, it was during the pandemic I was pregnant with Joaquin. So many moms were actually messaging me on Instagram asking me to help them sell their products. So, sabi ko, ‘Ano bang gagawin ko dito?’ So, I met them online. I gathered them and I sold their products online.” She was surprised to have sold a lot of products without shelling out capital. She revealed, “So, from then on, doon ko na-realize, ‘Oh, I can actually do this. I can actually do this online shopping or online live selling.’ So, doon nag-start.”
What began as a simple response turned into something more deliberate as platforms evolved. Dianne continued, “But the opportunity came year 2023. So different platforms opened such as TikTok and Shopee. So, from there, doon ako nag-start natuto mag-livesell. So live commerce kasi ngayon very very ano na talaga nag-e-evolve na rin yung yung industry na yan. So, so many people are also exploring live commerce kasi mas entertaining siya and mas engaging as compared to e-commerce platform. So, many people are really buying in live commerce. So, we can also see that live commerce can actually increase rate conversion of up to 10% when it comes to live commerce platform as compared to e-commerce. So right now according to study 70% of consumers actually prefer buying through live commerce instead of e-commerce because they want real-time engagement, they want interaction and they want product demonstration. So, they actually buy it. Mas nagiging potential ‘yung viewer na maging buyer if they can actually see the product demonstrated in front of them or through the screen, rather.”
how the dream was formed
The transition from seller to founder is where DM Studios started.
“DM Studios is a live selling agency, a live commerce platform where we help brands, audiences, and of course celebrities, and influencers. We connect them to brands as well. And we do mount their lives [live sessions]. We convert so there’s a conversion, syempre. So there are fast selling results also,” Dianne explained. It’s a shift she describes plainly, “’Yung kaibahan niya is, before, brands get me to live-sell their products. Now, I am already the agency. So, I’m also a live seller at the same time I also do mount for the brands. So, I connect them to celebrities and influencers.”
According to Dianne, it is one that expands their reach across platforms and partnerships.
Numbers Behind the Narrative
Success in live commerce is measurable and Dianne doesn’t shy away from the scale of it. That is her selling point.
Random Republika asked her what kind of product she was most surprised that she was able to sell. “What product na nagulat ako na kaya ko palang bumenta? Siguro, phones, because I am being categorized as a mom. So, usually, brands who will get me are mga mom and baby brands, milk brands. So, nagulat ako na kaya ko pala mag-electronic brands kasi before na masyado na akong nagla-live for home appliances, beauty, cosmetics. So, first time ko electronics and it was a success. I actually got Php 25 million total GMV sales. So GMV is gross merchandise value. So that’s the total sales of my live during the 3.3 [sale] which was just last March 3.
DM Studios: A Family Affair
Inside DM Studios, the structure seems collective. While it is named after Dianne, the company is built on familial love as they help each other out.
Rodjun, Vice President for Marketing, framed things with honesty as he is still new to the space. He said, “Magwa-one year na rin ako. Bago pa lang din ako sa live selling and I’m still learning. Pero syempre nakita ko kasi yung wife ko nung pandemic pa lang siya talaga yung yung nag-start nito. So tatlo pa lang sila noon tapos si Dianne hard work talaga kasi syempre kailangan talaga makapag-connect ka sa sa viewers mo para maattract mo sila and makuha mo yung ‘yung trust nila.”
And that trust, he explained, is not easily earned. Rodjun added, “So hindi talaga siya easy work din na mag-lifest ka kasi mga mga three hours kasi sinasabi na iba nakaupo lang pero hindi kasi kailangan inaaral na rin yung yung yung product n’yo dahil syempre yung live commerce gusto ma-experience nung audience para bakit ko bibilhin to bakit ko kailangan to.”
Within DM Studios, that learning becomes shared.
“‘Yun ang maganda sa DM Studios tine-train din natin yung mga yung mga host natin yung mga nagla-live sell at ang maganda sa DM Studios isang family kami doon So, hindi lahat perfect. Lahat kami nagtutulungan at sabay-sabay kaming natututo.”
Maxine, who now serves as Vice President for Sales, approaches things from the point of view of inspiration and openness to guidance. She shared, “Actually, nag-la-live sell na ako since last year pa. It’s a new world for me and watching Dianne, sobrang ang galing niya and nawitness niyo naman yun na nakaka-reach siya talaga ng sobra-sobrang daming audience and trust. I’ve seen how powerful connection is especially with your fans, with your audience.”
In that connection, she unlocks the secret behind conversion. Maxine added, “It’s a new experience for everybody. Hindi lang sa showbiz side pero, of course, to connect with other people like iba’t ibang ano [aspects] sa business. Kapag nagiging authentic ka kasi in front of live [audience], you get connection and then it converts.”
Their closeness as relatives, long before the business venture entered the picture, contributed a lot. Maxine smilingly explained a fun fact, “Simula pa po kasi pagkabata namin, we grew up in one house with our lola. So, ganun po kami ka-close tsaka double degree cousins kasi my mom and her mom magkapatid and then her dad and my dad, first cousins. So, double degree.”
When asked what she appreciates most about her older cousin Dianne, Maxine shared, “Ang first thing na umaano sa isip ko ngayon is she’s really a hardworking and at the same time sobrang helpful niya sa tao. Kahit hindi family, more especially sa family, sobrang lahat ng tao tinutulungan niya kahit sobrang stressed na siya at kinakaya niya one day. Sobrang bilib na bilib ako talaga sa cousin ko ever since kaya nga I look up to her and now that I’m here, kung napansin ninyo, from pageantry nandoon siya to support me. Now, sa acting, nandoon siya to support me. And now in business, I’m with her and I’m so happy and I’m grateful.”
Opening doors for others
The launch of DM Studios was an open door. Dianne shared the names of celebrities who expressed interest in supporting DM Studios, “We invited to our launch later all the celebrities who are very interested to join our agency and for them also to try live selling. Rayver Cruz is interested. Julie Anne San Jose as well. Tuesday Vargas, Carla Abellana also. Other influencers like Simon. EA de Guzman will be here as well. Sina Shaira Diaz, all of our friends would also like to try, we’re very much open to help them. Sina Kuya Polo Ravales will also come. Sina Pancho Magno, Zeus Collins, sina Dasuri Choi.” She explained that most of them are their friends from the entertainment industry.
Beyond live selling
For Dianne, the work feels familiar. It is like an extension of what she’s always done.
When Random Republika asked her what she likes most about live selling, the female boss said, “Well, as you all know, I’m also an events host. For those of you who don’t know my background, I do hosting. I love hosting a lot. I’m also a still a news anchor and segment reporter for PTV-4. So, what I love the most about live selling is that it’s not far from ano yung ginagawa ko na talaga. So, parang I’m also hosting at the same time interacting with different people from different walks of life.”
And in that interaction, she finds meaning. She added, “And ang sarap lang makipag-engage na nagbebenta ka. You’re actually helping them. You’re giving them good deals, discounts and promos. So, our advocacy and our vision here is not just to sell but again help brands grow and thrive in this industry and of course help our audience get good deals, discounts, and promos through your live selling.”
At the center of it all, the business is guided by purpose. Dianne explained, “Siguro it’s it’s really more of we’re going back to our core our purpose. Why are we doing this? Our objective. Pinakaregalo namin is to help other people.”
It is also grounded in something bigger than profit. With passion and sincerity, Dianne said, “We lift this up to our Lord Jesus Christ. All glory and honor to Him. We help others earn extra income and passive income as well. We are able to share and touch lives na nakakatulong kami sa kanila.” Even Rodjun brought it back to something simple and deeply personal. When asked what about Dianne he likes and dislikes, the proud husband was quick to answer, “Parang wala ata akong ayaw kay Dianne. Parang lalo pa ako na-in love sa kaniya everyday. Kaya blessed si Diane kasi napakabuti po talaga ng puso ni Dianne. Totoo talaga kasi ang ang goal niya talaga syempre bukod sa sarili niya, bukod sa mag-earn siya, maka-help talaga ng tao. Kaya alam alam ni Lord yung heart niya kaya sobra siyang binebless and sobrang suwerte ko kay hulog talaga siya ng langit sa akin. Syempre, kina Joaquin and Isabela [din].”
DM Studios seems to be built on systems, strategy, and sincerity. The company is proof that it is not just the product that sells but it is the trust, powered by credibility, that really does.
WATCH the full interview:
RANDOM RECAP
Here are the services that DM Studios offers:
• Live Commerce Management – Handles full-spectrum TikTok Live and Shopee Live execution, including strategy development, host training, scripting, production refinement, and systems designed to scale GMV.
• Brand Partnerships – Connects brands with the right creators through strategic matchmaking, executing both hard-sell and soft-sell campaigns, performance-driven collaborations, and multi-platform amplification across TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
• Creator Development – Supports creators in building and growing their personal brands through positioning, monetization strategies, content direction, growth planning, backend setup, and day-to-day operational guidance.
