You are currently browsing the monthly archive for April, 2008.
To anyone who is interested in starting your own web retail stores or exporters who wants to explore the internet there is a PAYPAL Management workshop on May 8, 2008 thursday 5-9pm at the Adarna Fine Dining Restaurant (119 Kalayaan Avenue Diliman QC) regular price is @950 but for reserving a seat early the price is at 850php
Dinner and Print matrials are inclusive
For those who are interested you can call 4350550 or email dekada_arts@yahoo.com
[ About the Author: Gaile Ramirez loves to write and considers it as one of her passion. She dreams of publishing a book someday. Currently, she is working for Haribon Foundation. Thank you very much Gaile for producing this article for us 
- Hermie ]
If I will not grab the opportunity, the management of Tork will give the business to someone else. […] It’s a lost opportunity for me”
These were the most evocative words our group received from the owner of Hotels, Restaurants and Institutions (HRI) Marketing. Our quest for a million peso has led us to the couple who owned this company which started as a small distributor of Tork and Green Cross products.
It was a typical hot summer Saturday. But the weather did not stop us from finding HRI Marketing along this heavy traffic zone called E. Rodriguez Avenue. The bright greens and blues of their small office welcomed us and made us feel at home. Buboy and Monette, along with three other staff, were working when we arrived. It was only after a few minutes when Buboy sat with us and embraced the start of our agenda with them. Here we began listening to his success story.
The Power of Dissatisfaction
“Eto ang kaloob sa atin ng Dyos, kaya dapat maging masaya na tayo dito. Ang importante magkakasama tayo.” Do these statements sound familiar? The problem with us, Filipinos, is our mentality to be contented with what we have. We abhor wanting more for we think that that is being greedy. Our faulty beliefs unconsciously make us romanticize poverty. Who ever said that eating only once a day is romantic? There’s nothing wrong with this character just as there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be rich. This was what Buboy felt years before he started his business. He knew that his earnings were not enough for him and his wife, more so, to have a child. He did not accept his situation simply because he knew that he can do better than this.
Having the Eye for “IT”
Here comes the part where we have to strive. Of course, getting the breads is not just a matter of psychological motivation. It is not just about “who needs it.” Certainly not about “who wants it the most.” It is also about “who knows where to get it.”
Buboy and Monette had several sidelines when they were still employed. It wasn’t easy—they actually failed a couple of times until Buboy has been exposed to the operations of Tork as an employee. This gave him the opportunity to see the potential and learn the nitty-gritty of this business. He knew that at that time, Tork distribution in Quezon City was still small and a handful of opportunities were waiting for him. He saw the potential in it and this he grabbed with little hesitation.
It’s All About Risks
Buboy did not have what it needs to establish his own business. He only had Php150,000 when what was needed was around 3 to 5 million pesos—enough reason to make the Tork Management think twice over giving the distributorship to Buboy. But he found more ways than one to get just what it calls for. The biggest risk that Buboy took was perhaps closing the deal with the Tork Management even before he had the resources needed in his hands. “If I will not grab the opportunity, the management of Tork will give the business to someone else. It’s a lost opportunity for me.” But he found refuge through a high-interest lending company that does not require financial statements and collaterals. The couple resigned from their stable jobs to be able to focus fulltime on their new business. He can confidently say that what he had was more of lakas ng loob than a carefully laid out business plan.
Humble Beginnings
They say a journey of thousand miles begins with a single step. Let’s face it: thousands of multi-billionaires out there started with nothing much in their pockets, but they eventually gained revenues. Buboy’s very own house was their office and stockroom for a good two years, utilizing all the spaces available. So what if it’s not much of an eye candy? After all, there’s more than what meets the eye. They just started with the basics. He, himself, did the routing and the delivery, with just one truck and a few extra hand to aid him.
Getting to Where They Are Now
Running their own business was not easy for the owners especially during their crucial first year when no pool of accounts has been established yet. Buboy had to do client calls and bear with the different personalities of the clients he met. But with proper motivation and right strategies, the couple was able to progress eventually. After two years in the business, they witnessed their movement from a debt-laden person to a millionaire.
To date, they are opening at least ten new accounts per month through the help of four agents. A rented office space and bodega now houses the twelve employees and their stocks. From one truck, they now have three to deliver their products. With a brand quality comparable to top labels, it wouldn’t be long before they have a well-defined niche in the market.
Last Words
At the end of our conversation, Buboy can not tell us any hard and fast fool-proof tip for those who want to set up their own business. Strategies depend on the kind of business you are engaged in. This, then, means that you have to really know your business and what it entails to be successful in it. But listening to him made me confident to state a few lessons learned:
- A lot of men and women in business lost in their first try before finding the winning combination. The key in business life is persistence. Pick up your lessons along the way and apply them as you try your luck again.
- We can only take so much risks. Living in a dog-eat-dog world, just one mistake can make you lose everything you’ve been dreaming of. Aside from the proper motivation, the basic knowledge on how to run a business and money is also necessary. What’s vital is not really the capital but the management.
- Master the art and science of delaying the gratification. Don’t think of how to spend your money even before they earn it. Once in a while, it is good to address some of our indulgences, but we have to discern only to which we will give in.
- Have a little pride as well. Don’t make the management feel that you don’t have enough money even if you started small. It might cause you your business in favor of other interested entrepreneurs. Pride, in this case, is beneficial.
- Start small but dream big. Your business does not have to be big at the onset—start as small as your money can afford.
- Take the first steps now.
It is not a sin to dream to be rich, more so, to be rich in actuality. It is what we do with our wealth that spells the difference. With Buboy’s story, I guess it only goes to show that when push comes to shove, we can thrive and we will survive.
Never would have thought I’d become a party planner but Im glad I had the chance to do this. A friend of mine wanted to have a party and he didnt have the time to organize it by himself because he was either too busy with his work or too tied up spending time with his girlfriend. So I “volunteered” to be his party planner. Luckily it was just a small get together with around 20 or so guests. This party was definitely easy to organize since they were all guys… Just put all of them in a room, fill the fridge with beer, add some chips and put on some music and viola! instant party. Guys are soooo easy to please hahahaha. No need for fancy decorations or themed designs just music, booze and chips is all we need for a great time.
As the party planner, I delivered exactly everything I said with the budget given to me. Got a room in a hotel, bought drinks in bulk (cheaper) and some hard drinks, and got some chips. Pulled out the ipod and boom instant party.
Party planning is a serious art. It takes a lot of organizational skill to pull off a successful party especially when you’re working on a budget. Real Party Planners like wedding planners or events planning is serious work and you must be really good at that to ask for big bucks. I talked to a friend a while back, he told me while he was staying in the states for 6 months he made serious money organizing weddings. He said that organizing a party in the states was easy because everything was online. Just look for what you need on the ineternet and it will be delivered right at your doorstep. He had so much fun in organizing weddings he even offered to sing at some weddings he organized. (he’s a great singer by the way) I asked him, why not start that sort of business here? He told me point blank that he wasn’t interested because planning parties in the Philippines was hell compared to the ”point and click” way he organized parties in the states. hahaha He wasn’t patient enough to deal with people and that it wouldn’t work out for him here.
Parties and Weddings are really serious businesses. Events organizers and wedding planners make a lot money if you know what you’re doing. My short stint as a party organizer is nothing compared to the work that these people put in their master piece (party or wedding)
Note:
my friend earned a lot of money planning weddings in the states. The money he earned paid for his trip.
for people who sends e-vites (electronic invites) check out www.pingg.com very nice site to customize and personalize an evite. they also have this RSVP thing that lets you know if the people you’ve invited are going or not.
Why Gawad Kalinga May Not Be Enough
By: Harvey S. Keh
In one of my interviews with ABS-CBN, the news reporter asked me, despite all the scandals and corruption (Hello Garci, 1 Billion Peso Fertilizer Scam, Irrigation Scam and 6 Billion Peso NBN-ZTE Broadband Scam) that have hounded this present administration, why do you think do majority of young Filipinos choose not to do anything about it. She further added that there seems to be no uproar from the Filipino youth and young professionals from all over the country, does that mean that we are okay with all these scandals that are mushrooming almost on a weekly basis? I asked these same questions to my students and friends and here are their answers (summarized already):
Student A: Sir Harvey, Naiinis naman talaga kami sa nangyayari pero wala naman kaming magagawa eh, estudyante lang kami at kahit sino namang ilagay sa gobyerno natin, pareho pa rin silang lahat na magnanakaw. They will only protect their own self-interests.
Student B: Sir, I’m not happy with how our country is being led by our government leaders but I think the best way I can contribute to this country is by becoming a good student, study hard, find a good job and be a good citizen in our country.
Yuppie A: I don’t want to get involved in politics masyadong magulo yan kaya I’d rather just stick to doing my job well and helping my own family besides I’m already helping this country by helping send my younger siblings to school.
Yuppie B: I was part of EDSA II and actually took helped organize the concerts at the EDSA Shrine but as much as I’m very frustrated with how this government is being run, I am no longer convinced that political engagement is the way to go for our country. I would rather focus my energies and resources to helping NGOs and Foundations like Gawad Kalinga and Pathways.
Reflecting upon these answers which I also often receive from the emails Filipinos here and abroad send me, I believe that their answers are all valid and I respect them although I don’t totally agree with all of them. Allow me to share with you what I think on each of these answers:
Student A’s answer is typical of a person who is disgruntled with what is happening to our country but who apparently feels helpless about the situation. When I receive this kind of an answer from people and my students, I tell them about what they can do and organizations they can join like Team RP but when they are invited to take part in activities that aim to promote good governance and greater transparency in our government, they fail to join and act. Sad but true, many Filipinos just love to criticize and point out what is wrong with our leaders but when they are given an opportunity to act about these pressing issues, they refuse to make time and move out of their comfort zone.
Student B’s answer is for me a selfish answer, yes, I believe that a student’s main and foremost responsibility is to study hard and finish education but what about our own responsibility as citizens of this country? In a utopian society, this answer would have been okay but in our present situation as a country in crisis where the gap between the rich and the poor continue to grow and where more than 20 Million Filipino Families grow hungry each day, this is no longer acceptable especially for students and young professionals who study at the top universities and who come from the middle to upper class of our society. This answer is an easy cop out and it’s selfish because at the end of the day, just by confining yourself to you own life won’t help our country as much as it will help you.
Yuppie A and B’s answer is all well and good since I admire them for continuing to work hard to provide for their families while at the same time continue to get involved with volunteer work for Gawad Kalinga and Pathways to Higher Education. I admit that I was like Yuppie A and B who just confined myself to working towards helping poor but deserving students go to college and finish their education but I realized that this isn’t enough. I realized that if we are able to reform our government institutions and leadership then there won’t be a need for organizations like Gawad Kalinga and Pathways. We need to realize that in order for us to help uplift the lives of the poor we need to attack the problem at its roots and that is the inability of our government systems to provide these basic services to them. Isn’t the National Housing Authority supposed to be the one to help provide adequate shelter to every Filipino family? Isn’t it the Department of Education’s job to assist every Filipino child gain access to quality education? A recent study by the World Bank has said that more than 30 Billion Pesos goes to Corruption every year. Imagine if we are able to work together and pressure government into being more transparent and accountable towards curbing corruption then we would have more resources to provide housing for every poor family, irrigation and fertilizers to farmers (which would help alleviate our growing food crisis), higher salaries for our public school teachers, enough textbooks for our students and access to quality healthcare for every Filipino. Working for and helping Gawad Kalinga, Pathways and other non-profit organizations are very much needed in our society today but let us also not forget that unless we work hard towards fighting for and institutionalizing credible and lasting reforms in our government and its leaders, then we will always have to do the fire-fighting because we have failed to solve the cause of the fire.
In summary, what I would like to share with all of you are the following:
a.) We deserve the country that we have. If we want a prosperous and just country, then we should all work hard towards it. If you look at the history of South Korea and Singapore, they were able to turn their country around in less than 30 years, I believe we can do it in less time and do it even better if every Filipino will just care enough to go out of his or her way to help push for reforms in our government. As the saying goes, Walang makakatulong sa Pilipino kundi kapwa Pilipino rin.
b.) Genuine Hope of this country does not lie on our government and church leaders and especially not in the ruling elite and oligarchs, it rests in each one of us. As I have always said, every Filipino whether you live here or abroad can complain about the rampant corruption and problems that is present in our government but after the complaining have you asked yourself, what will you do about it? Are you willing to sacrifice some of your time and resources to making yourself heard by our government leaders? If we want change in our country, we need to change ourselves, change starts with each one of us. We need to stop making excuses about why we cannot act and why we cannot take part in actions that will reform our present government systems.
c.) If our government and its leaders were doing their job effectively then there wouldn’t be a need for a Gawad Kalinga or a Pathways. I support and firmly believe in Gawad Kalinga, Pathways and other non-profit organizations that are working hard to deliver basic services to the poorest of the poor in our country but don’t you think it’s also time that we start holding government accountable to these basic services that they have failed to provide our people? Of course it will be harder to do this and it may take a longer period of time but if we are able to institutionalize these reforms then we will be able to make our government more efficient and effective and in the end we will be able to help not just seven thousand but seven million Filipino families.
I am not calling for another People Power Revolution nor am I asking for our President’s outright resignation. I’m not also saying that people should quit supporting and volunteering for Gawad Kalinga and Pathways, in fact, I believe that we should continue to support these very laudable and inspiring initiatives. All I’m saying is that these efforts can only yield lasting benefits for the poor and the powerless if all of us would be more involved in activities and movements that would push for greater Truth, Accountability and Reform in our government because in these times of crisis, despair and growing hopelessness in our country, the poor can’t wait and Gawad Kalinga may not be enough.
If by some chance you were moved to act by this email and want to join us in pushing for genuine and lasting reforms in our government, please let me know by sending an email to harveykeh@gmail. com
Harvey S. Keh is Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship at the Ateneo de Manila University-School of Government. Harvey as a Filipino social entrepreneur has co-founded Pathways to Higher Education-Philippin es and AHON Foundation, both these organizations help in promoting access to quality education for every Filipino child. Aside from this, he is also Chairman of Team RP, a youth-led organization which is part of the BUSINA movement that promotes Truth, Accountability and Reform in our government.
Got this from Guy Kawasaki’s blog: www.blog.guykawasaki.com
the object of the Entrepreneurial week innovation challenge was to use an everyday object to create as much value as possible. here is the clip of the winners.
using rubberbands they have raised 3,000 plus dollars and donating it to finding a cure for breast cancer.
I had the pleasure of sitting in one of Guy Kawasaki’s talks when I attended an ASES Seminar in Standford University in 2004. It was a long time ago but I still remembered the talk that he gave.
From this clip we are able to realize that an everyday object can be of value and has the potential to generate money. maybe we should all take the time to look around maybe we might think of something creative/innovative from an everyday object.
notes on Ken:
my cousin janelle tiulentino is studying in Standford University on a scholarship. Very smart girl! Good luck in school and more power to you.
Im currently looking to invest on real estate with some of my friends. This is not included in the race to 1 million pesos but I really wanted to share with you guys what I learned. When we are looking into any form of investment (business, real estate, stocks) it is always good to be prepared. And part of preparing ourselves to jump into that investment is to crunch the numbers. We should always do the math when we plan to invest. There are a lot of variables about the investment that might be unforseen or might change during the course of the investment.
Regardless if your investment is short or long term, we are responsible in calculating the risks involved. there are a lot of things we need to calculate like the ROI (return on investment) , loans interest rates and other informations that include a lot of numbers.
I have to admit I’m not really fond of numbers but it is always better to have an idea because if you are really going into investing you should be able to analyze the information presented to you. The wrong way of investing is just leaving your money with someone and expect high returns without doing the math.
If you are poor at crunching the numbers or numerical data is confusing for you, ask a friend or relative who is familiar with this sort of thing to explain or help you out. Don’t feel ashamed if you ask for their help because the bottom line is you get the right information or data so you can make a sound decision to go through or not to go through with the investment.
I actually have 5,000 pesos but in this particular race to 1 million we are following levels and the point is to keep doubling what you have to reach the next level. From my previous post (freelancer and the middleman) I had 2,000 pesos and the next level would be 4 thousand (which is where Im at), then 8 thousand and so on and so forth until the 1 million peso mark.
at level 4k, I just repeated what I did the last time and it was being the middleman. It seems to be a better fit for me than being a freelancer. I won’t turn my back on a freelance opportunity if it presented itself but I feel more comfortable in being a middle man. If its working for you then go ahead. But never be stuck in that comfort zone people. Always keep an eye on new and profitable opportunities.
There will always be times that things doesn’t go according to your plans. This is also true in business. I was working on a deal for a 2nd hand car that would that would give an 80 thousand peso sale to a friend of mine and he was willing to give me a sizable commission if the transaction fell through. Unfortunately it didn’t.
It happens.
For the big players 80 thousand pesos is just chump change but to many of us this was a huge break. And sometimes that one huge break is all we need to push a business or our life to new heights. I guess it just depends on which side of the fence you are in.
The best lesson here is there will be better opportunities. think of why this particular opportunity did not fall through and analyze where we can improve on so that the next time we are presented with a similar opportunity then we are able to handle it thus increasing our chances for success.
Yes, I earned 67,000 dollars in one night!! how did I do it? I paid a downpayment on a house for 3 thousand dollars and sold it at 110,000 dollars less the mortgage to earn 67,000 dollars!!!!!
nice right? I wish it was true though. I did make 67,000 dollars in paper money from the game called CASHFLOW. For those of you who are not familiar with the game, the objective of the game is to get out of the RAT RACE and make x amount of money (specified in the game) or get the dream you’ve always wanted (which is also specified in the game). I have heard of the game before and I have seen it in some specialty toy stores but I have never played it. I heard the price of this particular boardgame was 15,000 pesos(wow!).
so what is the RAT RACE? The Rat race is basically a mindset or the way I see it, the employee mentality. Many of the employees today live from paycheck to paycheck. They work tirelessly for the boss until they get paid and the salary that they get they blow it all away in buying new gadgets (cell phones, ipods, laptops) and other non-essential items leaving them with little or no money to save or to invest. It is the “work-salary-spend” cycle that we are trying to break away from. how do we get off the cycle? That is what the CASHFLOW game teaches its players.
I was invited to play CASHFLOW earlier tonight by a group of friends who i shared the same interest with. And that interest is on how to make money. These friends of mine are mostly in their 20’s and they’re pretty much decided on being rich. We meet regularly and talk about business ideas, possible ventures or opportunities, stock markets, and market trends. We havent made a business deal or venture as a group but the meetings I have with them is very interesting because you are able to hear different opinions and opportunities form the group. I suggest you find a group of friends who you could share this with as well because you never know what business opportunity might come out of it.
Game Proper:
there is a maximum of 6 players and each player, like in monopoly, gets a small figure that will represent himself in the board game. the game has 2 seperate paths 1. small circle is where everyone begins (RAT RACE) and 2. the outer circle is where you want to be in.
before the game starts you will pick, at random, an occupation (just like the board game LIFE). there it states your salary, your loans, expenses and monthly cashflow. you will have to record that information down on a piece of paper. throughout the game you will pass paycheck tiles and your monthly cashflow is the amount you’ll receive everytime you collect your “paycheck”.
during the game, players will be presented with opportunities, expenses, market trends, that will affect their cashflow. and the cashflow determines how successful you are in the game.
Revelation:
How you play the game is a reflection on how you deal with your cashflow in real life. the decisions that you make in the game are probably the decisions you will make if a similar situation will present itself to you in real life. the good thing about the game is you learn from it.
who won?:
Ken Tan won the game, I just came in second, the rest didnt get out of the rat race at all.
notes:
increase cashflow, lower expenses!
I am on my 2000 pesos from nothing. That’s pretty big for someone who started out asking for 1 peso in makati. How did I get to level 2k?
Well I was thinking of something that I can do with zero capital and the idea came to me. Freelance people earn money by offering something they can do for the client. It can range from writing to photography to whatever just as long as they are able to provide the services that the client needs. So I tried to do a freelance work.
Im not really versed in the art of photography or design so I did a little writing. A few friends of mine needed someone to write for their company. So I helped them out in exchange for a little cash incentive. I didn’t charge a high price since Im not really a writer or a PR consultant. But it was very interesting how you can make money in doing freelance work. You can do this even if you have a normal day job. Just be sure that the project that you accept is doable and make sure that the work that you give is quality work. Do not just grab the money and give out crap. Because in the long run it will be bad for you. The Word of Mouth phenomenon could be a very beneficial and a very dangerous thing at the same time. Word travels fast and if word got around that you are hard to deal with or you didnt do a good job then your reputation will be damaged. Freelance work, like any business, is built on reputation. If people hear good things about the work you do and how you deal with clients then new clients will come to you because your current clients spoke highly of you and the service that you provide.
The middle man is different from the freelancer because the freelancer has a specialized skill that a particular client pays for, the middle man if isolated on his own has nothing to offer. However the beauty of being the middle man is you dont need to have specialized skill all you need is an observant eye and communication skills. Have you ever heard of the filipino phrase “laway lang ang puhunan”? This phrase literally means “saliva is his only capital” and this is how the middle man operates. Middle men are connectors they look for people who needs something and connects them to the person who can provide that particular service and earn thru that transaction.
Lets say I know someone who is selling a car and I came across someone who wants to buy a car of the same model and type. There is a two-way approach to the middle man 1. you can ask your friend for a commission if you are able to find a buyer for his car or 2. you can add a certain amount to the current price and complete the sale at a profit.
I’ll tell you how I did it. A friend of mine from the province was looking for someone who can make new uniforms for their employees because they will be changing the name of their store. Luckily for me I already knew someone who makes uniforms as their business so I told my friend that I can help him out. I got the quote from the manufacturer and asked if I can get a commission from this project, they said that the project was too small to give a commission. So I went with # 2 and added a small amount to the current price to make a small profit.
The nice thing about the middle man is he can sell anything (electronics, cars, clothes, services) without having to shell out capital. For those of you who want to try this out just be careful. Middle men still needs to make sure that both parties involved are pleased with the transaction. Because there are some instances that buyers dont pay or your supplier has a defective product then in those instances you will definitely be in the middle. But in general this is a good way to earn money even when you are working.
pathtomillion
klao8
yojismo