Join Pinpoint’s President Ryan Mummert as he dives deep into conversation with local real estate professionals about Guam’s housing market challenges and opportunities. Whether you’re a buyer, investor, or industry professional, this data-driven discussion reveals what’s really happening in Guam’s real estate market.
Datapoints is presented by Pinpoint, Guam’s leading real estate data company. Our mission is to help you make informed decision on real property purchases through detailed market analysis and insights.
#37 Ben Schiff – Building AltrXego and Betting on Guam’s Future
Building a business on Guam means learning how to adapt when things do not go according to plan.
In this episode of Data Points, Ryan talks with Ben Schiff, CEO of AltrXego Entertainment, about building his company from the ground up, surviving setbacks that threatened the business and his vision for creating a stronger entertainment and tourism ecosystem on Guam.
Ben moved to Guam as a child and spent years working alongside his father at Wise Owl Animal Hospital. Watching his father rebuild a business from scratch taught him an early lesson: if you stay with something long enough, you can build practically anything.
Years later, Ben found his own path through entertainment.
After hosting events, traveling to music festivals around the world and eventually working for a local festival, getting fired forced him to decide what came next. That moment became the beginning of AltrXego.
What started as trips bringing people from Guam and Saipan to international music festivals eventually expanded into production, events and experiences. Ben began taking Guam DJs and other talent abroad, reinvesting his earnings into production equipment and gradually turning a passion for entertainment into a sustainable company.
Then COVID made social gatherings impossible.
AltrXego pivoted into a drive-in movie theater and continued searching for experiences that existed elsewhere in the world but had not yet been built on Guam. The company later launched projects including the AltrVerse, Guam Selfie Museum and Guam DJ Academy.
Ben and Ryan discuss entrepreneurship, resilience, networking, mentorship, accepting rejection, surviving Typhoon Mawar, developing local talent and why Guam’s small size can create opportunities for people willing to execute.
They also explore a much bigger question: what could Guam become if the island invested more seriously in experiences, entertainment, culture and its own people?
Ben believes Guam does not need to reinvent its identity. It needs to showcase what already makes the island special — while giving local talent the platform and resources to take that identity to the rest of the world.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Introduction01:17 – The meaning behind AltrXego02:54 – Ben’s journey to Guam06:37 – Learning resilience09:55 – Discovering the world of music festivals11:18 – Getting fired and starting AltrXego14:17 – Manifestation and going all in16:14 – Launching the company17:45 – Exporting Guam talent19:18 – Making the business sustainable22:16 – Building AltrXego’s production capabilities24:30 – COVID changes everything25:54 – The drive-in movie theater27:18 – Entrepreneurship, mentors and execution31:07 – The power of networking32:41 – Getting comfortable with rejection36:06 – Creating unforgettable experiences40:43 – AltrVerse and the Guam Selfie Museum41:42 – Rebuilding after Typhoon Mawar44:34 – Guam’s business community49:08 – Investing in Guam tourism52:05 – A vision for cultural attractions56:38 – Supporting local talent59:47 – Consistency and professionalism1:01:30 – Creating the Guam DJ Academy1:05:59 – Developing Guam’s next generation1:06:23 – Closing thoughts
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3 Aug 2026
#36 Felix Sablan – Why Emotional Intelligence Is the Future of Leadership
Technology and AI are rapidly transforming the workplace, but the future of leadership will still depend on something deeply human: the ability to understand ourselves, connect with others and remain effective under pressure.
In this episode of Data Points, Ryan talks with Felix Sablan, Chief Client and Commercial Officer at SIY Global, about emotional intelligence, mindfulness and what today’s leaders need to navigate constant change.
Born and raised in Santa Rita, Guam, Felix now helps organizations and leadership teams around the world strengthen the human capabilities that influence performance, trust and workplace culture.
Felix explains why traditional leadership training often falls short when people encounter real pressure. Knowing the right management technique is not enough if stress causes a leader to fall back into old habits, assumptions and emotional reactions. Meaningful growth begins by recognizing those patterns and creating space between stimulus and response.
The conversation explores:
• Why emotional intelligence is a foundational leadership capability• How mindfulness helps leaders remain present under pressure• The “perception box” and how our experiences shape the stories we tell ourselves• Treating emotions as data rather than labeling them as right or wrong• Building trust and psychological safety within a team• How different generations define work, purpose and success• What younger employees want from the workplace• Why experienced employees need to feel that their knowledge is still valued• Leading teams through rapid technological and organizational change• Why AI makes human skills even more important• Helping employees identify the beliefs and patterns holding them back• Creating workplace cultures that develop the whole person
Throughout the conversation, Felix emphasizes that everyone enters the workplace with different experiences, beliefs and emotional histories. Effective leadership begins with the curiosity to understand what may be inside another person’s “perception box.”
His message for the island is clear: Guam’s leaders can compete with anyone.
The challenges of island life have cultivated resilience, adaptability and leadership capabilities that can succeed anywhere. With stronger emotional intelligence and greater confidence in their own abilities, Guam’s leaders can make an impact far beyond our shores.
Subscribe to Data Points for more conversations with the business owners, executives and community leaders shaping Guam’s future.
26 Jul 2026
#35: Ed Untalan – Why Guam’s Economy Comes Down to Jobs
Ed Untalan, Chairman of the Guam Chamber of Commerce, joins Data Points for an in-depth conversation about Guam’s economy, the government budget and the structural issues holding the island back.
While military construction and increasing government revenues may create the appearance of economic strength, Ed argues that many businesses are still struggling, tourism remains in serious condition and Guam has yet to address its deeper challenges—including housing, workforce retention, government efficiency and the rising cost of doing business.
Ed and Ryan discuss the proposed government budget, Business Privilege Tax relief, government accountability, tourism recovery, permitting and procurement delays, the use of AI and technology, economic-development incentives and the need for a unified long-term plan for Guam.
They also examine the role of the Guam Chamber of Commerce, the responsibility of business leaders to engage their employees and the importance of voters demanding clear economic plans from candidates in the upcoming election.
At the center of the conversation is a simple measure for every policy and public investment: Does it create sustainable jobs and improve life for the people of Guam?
Because ultimately, as Ed explains, it’s about jobs.
Inside a recent episode
#2: David Flores Wilson - Managing Partner at Sincerus Advisory, LLC
Published 4 Feb 2024 · Transcript excerpt
[…] Well, I'll ask you this stocks are really safe You're always you've got to the chase. Yes. Yes. I'm a very direct person. Yeah Yeah, I think that um well it depends right and that's a sound like a lawyer, but um It is uh, you know, I think when it comes to stocks versus real estate I mean, what's important is you start with the actual investor, right? Like what are their goals? What do they want to accomplish? um And uh, you know, what are their values and then um, you know, we like to kind of think about Investments and capital allocations or looking at what you have you might have some Sort of risk risk free access like you're checking and savings accounts You might have some market assets like your brokerage accounts and 401k's and then you have your sort of aspirational assets And so um, you know when it comes to that push and pull between real estate and stocks such bonds It's that sort of push and pull between that market basket as well as that aspirational basket. […]
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