Business Development

30. Single. Working from home. This sums up who I am and quite frankly, I am not happy with it. Sure I make a living, and yes I have the skills needed to be productive in what I do and yes, I do love my home-based lifestyle, it saves me money from clothes, food and transportation, I do not have to endure the hassles of traffic, commute and all the other stuff that took time, energy and money when I was still working a "normal job". 

I certainly, absolutely love my online career. It has allowed me to build up a network as I am adding something new to my skill set and well, I guess where I'm getting at is executing everything that I have learned and still learning and sharing the knowledge I have that made it possible for me to do that things I do online and making a living.  

Its about building my platform online and eventually a business. 

Yes, I think I have read and skimmed a couple of business books but the thing is we can never really be too sure or too prepared because business is dynamic. Specifically, e-commerce is dynamic. Then again, I have yet to draw up a business plan, neither do I have a mind map or a business model in mind.

In some of the job interviews I have had, I've always been asked why I kept on switching from one job and one industry to another. The answer is simple and constant: I haven't found the one career that will make me stick around for good. In all fairness and honesty, in each of the jobs I had, I always had a hint and a long-term plan. You see, I have made it a point not to start or begin something I have no intention of keeping for good. However, as soon as I see that its not working, it won't work or that it's not what I have in mind. I weigh things and revise my plan.

Right now, I'm what my friend calls a "solopreneur" and my online journey began just 2 years ago. Yes, I am still a neophyte but as I mentioned above, I don't do things without the intention of keeping them for a long time and well, I simply believe that we should grow where we are planted: to do well wherever we are and make meaningful contributions when  we can. And right now, I am looking at the possibility of not just getting all the necessary documents for a worker or business owner - what or however BIR will define me and the kind of work I do. Since we are getting documents to get comply with the legal perspectives, why not make the business a real one as well?

Had a long and interesting conversation with a like-minded person really early today or very late last night and well, it a way, it helped clear a few things up for me. I was able to ponder on things like who do I want to serve, the difference between my would be business and what can be considered as my advocacy. The importance of having a complete mind map can clearly draw lines on which is which and what should be priority one.

Well, I am still looking into the possibilities because the vast and untapped microcosmos of the internet offers that and more. The business has to be something as well thought of as possible not because I can only get one shot at it but because there are a lot of creative minds out there and no, they are not competition. They are a tribe and we have a lot of them. We need to join one to understand the environment, the climate and its problems. We need to know the rules and we need to know the structures and mechanisms already in place in the local cyber landscape. 

Building a tribe and an audience is also another great hurdle. Great but not impossible and in order to do that, we have to get a few websites off the ground. In the old school of selling I was taught to create the need for whatever it is that I was selling. That, and that I also have to earn the right to sell. In today's tribes, the custom is to be generous with help, information and educating not just tribe members but also others and asking permission to offer. Though there are still those that pitches their products and services.

I love my job - the team I am a part of and the things that I am learning with them. I love generating leads and writing pitches and I love writing, period. However, if I am to be of service to anyone, I'd choose to serve fellow Filipinos on how they can benefit by going online and the skills we need to get there. This is just me thinking fast forward and taking all the baby steps to make sure I get to where I want to go standing on my own feet and armed with the right knowledge and connections.

On Success

Hello and welcome to week two of the ABAD challenge! For brevity's sake, I'll be dropping the "a blog a day" abbreviation from the posts' title and we can just keep them in the tags instead. That way we get short and meaningful titles.

Since I rarely go out to socialize, I really dig and stalk social media to keep me posted on what's going on outside and what's trending. As I was half-heartedly surfing earlier, I saw someone shared a link of Arianna Huffington speaking at a graduation. I, being a sucker for such speeches took my headset and watched the video.

In her still somewhat heavy Greek accent she made me understand some simple things that can have a great impact in one's life - like being able to find one's calling, pursuing one's passion or simply letting go of things that makes life stressful all of which are definitely life changing.

I think it made sense when she said that, "you can complete a project by dropping it." Admit it, at some point, we all obsessed in doing or wanting to do everything ourselves. We refuse to delegate whether by arrogance or not wanting to share the credit with someone else. We spend time and resources trying to acquire or learn a new skill for a project. While this is a good trait and not entirely bad, when we are working on a project that might cause us our jobs or our business, we might want to think twice. If you can't do it, drop it or find someone who can and pay them good.

She spoke of a third element to add to money and power as metrics of success giving emphasis on the reality that yes, we have achieved an impressive collective lot in the various aspects of our careers, business and profession but success as we know and expect it is something that's not sustainable. This is a basic truth that requires no further amount of research. As children from the moment we began our school age until we reach retirement, there is one single expectation: to excel.

Wanting to excel and eventually succeed is not evil. However, the means we use to attain them, that's one that needs some major rethinking. At school parents expect their kids to excel academically, or in their extracurricular activities sometimes driving them just above the healthy competitive line. When we work, we often disregard our teammates or drive subordinates beyond the point of tolerance to produce the numbers to be on top. We disregard our family and friends - whom we consider the most important to us and finally we tend to disregard ourselves - our health and if we are fulfilling the desires of our heart. Our careers wont always be in the place where our heart is but in order to be at peace with ourselves, we have to find it in our hearts that we truly love whatever it is that we are doing and that it makes a difference to someone else.

Success as we know it has always been associated with grand offices and big fat paychecks. We buy the definition that's been handed out to us and we live our lives trying to fit in the mold. Today, we have more connections and more freedom, different media and platforms to choose from to deliver our message and express ourselves. Now, more than any other time before is the right moment to challenge ans express one's creativity and redefine success.

We live in a world where everyone might not have an equal opportunity but we are given the best power of them all: the freedom to express and show and make the difference. Let us be Smithies you and me and take on the challenge Arianna made. Let us shape and redefine success in a way that we'll be able to keep our sanity and remain calm and relaxed to take on new challenges ahead.

ABAD Day 7: The Business Brew

One week! Yaay!

Today will be short and sweet since I am really dead tired but I'm just so excited about a brewing business idea. I always wanted one and well, I think this might just be it. The long wait is over. You might ask me if I think this is a bit too early, well it might me be and you're probably right but if we never take the risk and hustle to get something off the ground, chances are the momentum will pass and we might never have the right time again to get great fantastic ideas out of the drawing board and into execution.

Thinking big is a great thing most success stories did not happen by accident. The opportunities may have been unexpected but most successful people dreamt and thought  big. So, I'm taking a big slice to take on that big cake of business and hopefully my beginnings is enough to be shared to everyone.

Now this isn't gonna be something that shoots off then falls down. I want something that's built to last so last which is why I'm calling on everyone on my network for thoughts and input to make sure the business model will be effective and that we really have the right market for it. The thing with research and all that preparation to get it right is we sometimes overdo it taking the biggest risk of all and that is missing the moment.

The lessons we learn on how tech startups build their business is a great reminder that no plan should be cast in stone and that w should be willing and quick when we intend to do something because aside from missing the right moment, the next risk is having someone create and introduce the same product or service that you are offering.