An Entrepreneur’s Journey

Just came back from M&Y Preview in JB. I felt really great, but I don’t know why. I felt my body and spirit is filled with energy. On the journey back, I just felt “WOW”. No words can describe that feeling.

Maybe it’s because Universe has been good to me. Maybe it’s because I can do what I like best - training and sharing. Maybe it’s because Jean’s student has scored well in a test. Maybe it’s because Jean and me is connecting. Maybe it’s because M&Y preview is awesome. Maybe it’s because…

Too many possibilities, hmmm…..maybe it’s because of all the reasons above.

Anyhow, it doesn’t matter what the reason was, most importantly I feel awesome and just want to indulge in this feeling.

I am so blessed. Businesses just opened up to me without any struggle. All I did is to open my arms and receive.

David and his wife, Rachel flew to Egypt on Saturday for work and leisure. That leaves me with a week in relax mode, without training. However, got a call from my cousin. We got our first job for our new marketing business. Hooray!!!

So this will keep me busy for the next two days.

I am blessed not only because of those new businesses or the training opportunities from David. I mean I am very grateful for the businesses and training opportunities. I am just so amazed of the work by the Universe.

If this new job came in last week, or 2 - 3 weeks ago, I could not handle it as I am in training almost everyday. Amazingly this new job came in when I am not doing any training and can spare the time to work on it. The timing is just so nicely fit, and only the Universe can do this.

Now I am riding on the flow. Enjoying every moment of the flow, without struggle.

David reminded me few days ago on what Bucky said, “if you are on purpose, there won’t be struggle. The Universe will take care of you.” David truly believe this statement because he didn’t struggle in his life. He doesn’t do sales or presentation anymore, yet he has training engagement everyday.

Thank you Universe for taking care of me.

I had many “first” time over the last weekend. First time experiencing the positive and the negative.

On Friday night, I reached Larkin Bus Terminal in Johor at 8:00pm. Bought the ticket for the bus which was suppose to show up at 8:30pm. However the bus came only at 9:00pm, and left at 10:00pm. Angry but I kept my cool.

David was to fetch me when I reached KL, but I reckon I’ll reached there at an awkward timing. I asked him not to fetch me, and he told me to proceed to Armada Hotel to wait for him.

Reached KL at about 3am, took a cab to Armada Hotel, I slept in the hotel lobby until 6:00pm. First time reached KL at this awkard timing, and first time slept in the hotel lobby.

David came with his 4WD to fetch me., What a humongous vehicle!!! First time taking a 4WD in my travelling.

Reached this place called Bentong. And we checked into the rest house there. Not an exciting place, with just the basic needs for us - bedrooms and seminar room.

First day went on with David conducting the indoor sessions and some outdoor games. They are an amazing group of people, very active and participate. In the last game everyone was wet, playing with the water. Everyone had a fun time. David went back after the last game, leaving instruction for me to conduct a short session after dinner.

Actually everyone was looking forward to the second day - the 4WD adventure.

First time took the 4WD onto off track road. It was an awesome experience, feed my drama hook. We went up to a waterfall there, where the group do their cooking there as part of their team building activity.

It was time with the final ride with the 4WD - taking the mud core road. When we went up to the waterfall, I though the road that we took was fun, but the mud core road was even better. The stuck in the mud, getting muddy, getting cuts by branches and thorns made the experience more memorable.

This whole experience is simply awesome. Thank you David and Len for allowing me to join the fun.

After a 3 weeks break, the group get together again to discuss and learn more on the flipchart “LAG”.

Someone shared that LAG is a generalized principle from Bucky. This is what Bucky’s definition of LAG: The time between the conception of the idea to the acceptance of the idea is called LAG.

Here are some examples given by Bucky:

For electronic industry —– 6 months to 2 years
For aerospace industry —- 5 years
For motor car industry —– 10 years
For railway industry ——— 15 years
For skyscraper industry —- 25 years
For real estate industry —– 50 years

It was discussed that in the Ring Toss Game, the shorter the LAG, the better it is. However, is it really true in real situation? It really depends on where is your position. Someone mentioned that LAG can be the time between the acceptance of the idea to someone copying that idea.

Being an inventor, the person would love to have a short LAG (from idea to acceptance). At the same time, this person would like to have a longer LAG (Acceptance to copying).

LAG may be determine by the ready-ness of the market. Sometimes it may not be best to be the first in entering a new market. One example will be Coffee Club vs Starbucks entering into Singapore market.

Coffee Club is the one that first launch a lifestyle cafe into Singapore, however the market is not ready for that social change. Starbucks came in at the right time, it came in when the market is more ready for this change of lifestyle. And the result? Starbucks sweeps the market share.

If someone has a product that is way in front of that curve of market ready-ness, it will have to wait for the market to catch up to that curve. LAG is also kind of connect to the rate of change, product life cycle.

For Bucky case, he was always ahead of his time. He invented things that is way ahead of the curve. However Bucky didn’t care. He continued his invention, left it on the shelf and move on to the next invention. While he was on his next invention, he was also waiting for the market to catch up on his previous invention. He truly believes that one day, someone will have uses for his invention. And true enough, Henry Ford called him to solve some of Ford’s problems because he knew that Bucky had invented something that can solve his problems.

Now do you have any idea to apply LAG to your business?

Past few weeks had been a busy busy time for me. Traveling to and fro Malaysia, sitting in workshops learning new knowledge and then conducting those workshops.

Getting out of my comfort zone, do things that I have not done before, like facilitating workshops which I have never done before. This stage of my life is a stage of growth, and discover more about myself and what I want in life.

I am very blessed, lucky or fortunate; whatever you call it. All the opportunities of trainings and traveling were presented to me without any struggle. Thanks to David who roped me into his team, giving me opportunities to handle his accounts, and trusting that I am up for the job. He trusted me to the extend that he left me alone with the participants, totally empowering me. I felt very grateful to this angel who appear in my life.

He is also a person who take good care for the people in his team. Seeing the people in his team, they don’t just talk about business, but cars, golf, basketball, soccer etc. The team is built not only on business but many other things. I am enjoying myself in this team.

I am grateful that David counts me into some of his future training - pulling me into some of his future training, guiding me into becoming more proficient in some of his workshops. He operates fully in an abundance mindset. He can see me as his future competitor, but he did not. It’s is really my blessing to find a mentor who guide and take good care of me.

The Universe really provide me with the “how” to move me closer to my dreams. The power of asking, making decisions, and allowing the Universe to help me has brought my life into flow.

Four years ago I learn about this “Improve your standard of living which will then increase your wealth.” I do not understand this statement at that point. However, I got a distinction on this statement.

I got the distinction when I saw another statement by another friend. He said this, “If you do not have any reasons to spend money, the Universe will not make you a steward of more money.

All along I thought to increase my wealth, I have to save it, invest it, do not spend them unnecessarily etc. However I had a new distinction - I can spend money to pamper myself, so my soul will feel great, my body will remember that feeling, and want to do it again. Thus I will take action to create more wealth, so I could have that great feeling again.

To improve the standard of living, to enjoy myself, I must have more money. When I have the need of the money, the Universe will then give me more.

Please do not misunderstood. I am not telling anyone to spend your money in an uncontrollable way. I just feel that every month you can spend an amount that is comfortable, just to pamper and feel good. You have worked hard for the money, so you got to give yourself credit for it, reward yourself.

I felt if I always do things the cheap ways, the poor man’s way, then my standard of living will always remains the level of a poor man, thus my wealth will not grow.

Another distinction is to be conscious about the rewards. When you ave the consciousness, then you are still in control of your spending. This will keep you within your spending capability and not overspend.

Of course you must strike a balance. If you spend, you should also save and invest.

With the statement of “If you do not have any reasons to spend money, the Universe will not give you more”, I had another distinction. This may be the reason why those who gives to charity gets more. Because they have a reason to have more money - to give.

While others who decide not to give money do not have a reason to have more, do not receive more. But some say, I don’t have enough to give. Yup, that’s exactly the reason why they remains poor. They are waiting to give only when they have more, but the Universe is waiting for them to give first even if they have none.

Of course they can never outdo the Universe. The Universe always wins. The Universe will not give them since they do not have a reason to have more money.

My distinction in attracting money is to improve my standard of living and have a reason to have more. (giving away).

Yesterday was a great day of mind and body. Continuing with the training with DBS. Getting used to the pieces that I did. I knew I had improved from the the day before.

After training, I had a football session. Honestly, this had been one of the beautiful games that I had. I played as a striker, not my usual position though, but I enjoyed the game very much. Although I did miss lots of chances, I did score one goal…haha….

It has been a long time that I score goals, I prefer to create goals to scoring goals.

We played so well that our opponents didn’t even had any scoring chances for like 30 minutes. It was our play, we controlled the game, created opportunities. I must say our midfield was very strong, with Leong playing as the holding midfield and Mike playing as the playmaker. To add on to our firepower, Albert is playing his usual role - winger. He cuts in from the wing which trouble their defenders, and allowing me lots of space to get in position for shooting.

It was indeed a beautiful game.

Another DBS Training on Customer Service. This round I did more parts in the training. Gradually, I’m doing more and more of the workshop. The plan is on this Friday, I will take the whole workshop.

I have to pick up this workshop as fast as I can, because David is going to leave for KL on Thursday night, I will be doing the workshop all by myself on Friday.

So far I was satisfied with the part that I did, except the new part that I’m handling today. That part is still not in my body yet, still fresh outside. I believe for me to do a good presentation, I must be very familiar with that piece. I must know the inside out of that piece, and integrate it into my body, having it flows in my bloodstreams. I should be able to do it even when I’m sleeping.

For this new piece that I’m doing, I am still unfamiliar with this piece. But one thing I know for sure - I am getting better on the piece that I did last Friday. The more I do, the better I get.

How do I know I’m getting better?

When I become natural in sharing about that piece, I knew I had it in my body. When I exude power in my sharing, and enroll everyone, I knew it’s flowing in my bloodstream. Right now, I am getting those new pieces of presentation into my body and bloodstream.

And today when I shared on that piece that I did on last Friday, I am more natural, being myself. I knew I kind of grasp it already.

I am getting all pumped up again. I love this feeling.

I did my so call “official” corporate training yesterday. Although last year I did once on Public Presentation, but that was quite easy to conduct.

Yesterday training was not easy for me as it is not something close to my heart. Customer Service, haha. My friend told me, “you always want to fight with people can do customer service ah?”

Just want to thank David (know he won’t be reading this) for giving me a chance to do this training. Although it’s not the whole workshop, but that small part had given me enough distinction in being a trainer / facilitator.

All along I being talking about learning Tai-ji. I attracted it. I’ve been meeting lots of Tai-ji instructors. Amazingly, one of the participants is a part-time Tai-ji instructor. Not only that, she is also the Asst Treasurer of the Singapore National Wushu Federation.

I sat in to SPIN selling workshop conducted by David for the past 3 days. I attended a few sales training for the last five years, and they basically drive the same thing - customer focus. Asking the right questions to find out more about the customers before moving in for the closing.

Asking the right questions is the key to successful sales. I learn about asking questions in almost all sales training I’ve attended.

Day 1 of SPIN, I thought I am attending something similar. It touched in fact finding, discovering problems, provide solutions etc. Well, I was damn wrong. Further into the course, the topic went deeper. I gain much distinction on asking questions, advantages and benefits.

In SPIN philosophy, they believe in selling without selling. The key is finding out the problems the customer is facing, and helping them to solve it. What’s important is phrasing of those questions, and getting the customers to talk.

SPIN also do not preach on price concern. They believe if the sales presentation is done well with the SPIN method, the customers won’t be concern about the price.

Though SPIN is an effective sales process, but it takes lots of practice to master the questioning techniques.

Also in today’s competitive market, be customer-focused rather than product-focused. If you like to talk about your product features, you may want to start asking question based on your customer needs. You will see the change almost instantaneously.