An Entrepreneur’s Journey

Digital age we are in, information is the key to everything and anything. What makes it even more amazing is that the information we hold is digitized. Meaning to say, now you may not hold a book, a file, a piece of paper or any information in hard copy.

We are now holding information in our hard drive, paperless. In the past we can make multiple copies of our information if we are afraid of losing them. Right now, what can we do to our information? What can we do to ensure that information will not be lose?

You can do a online backup. That is to say upload all your information into a server somewhere else. This ensure you that you will not lose your information if you lose your laptop bag.

online backup offer this service. For $9.95 per month, it’s very affordable for you and me. Currently they are offering a free trial. Why not give the service a try? You can safe guard your information.

We are face with numerous challenges regarding the ice cream business. The most recent one must be looking for distribution points. First step is to find a good location. Clive and myself had understood that it is not as easy as it seems to locate a good spot. We had learned it through the hard way. We had so much distinction on locating the finest spot for business.

Next is to find out the ergonomic of the people there. Are they the kind of people that will buy your product? It does not mean that as long as there are people, there are business.

After getting the location, next is to talk to owners, get their approval to use their premises, with a rental of course.

Lastly, understand the flow of human traffic and the ergonomic of the location. Going against the flow will brings you nothing but rejection and despair. No flow, no sales.

2 days ago, we got one distribution point. We thought it’s a good location, but it turn out to be a dead. Just 10 metres away from our point is a coffee shop which is buzzing with people. But we couldn’t make enough sales to cover our day rental. We learned something that day.

Yesterday, when it was Dennis and myself to run the point, he mentioned something very important. “Entrepreneurs cannot wait here and do nothing, we must change, so our result can change.” How important this statement was. We decided to give up the place right after 45 minutes into business. Heck care the rental, we made the decision; with Clive’s blessing, we shifted.

Packed up, we moved to our comfort ground. Over there, we manage to outsell what we sold the day before in an hour. We are so glad we moved, give up what don’t work.

I learned something from this incident. Most people who runs a retail shop simply sit there, wait for business. How can that business grow? True entrepreneurs don’t sit in shops and wait, they go out to bring business into the shop.

From this project, I learned many things from another perspective. Having a chance to learn from another kind of business allow me to grow to a new level.

Business is about making mistakes, life is about making mistakes. What so you do with those mistakes? Learn, correct and move on.

In the ventures of my businesses, I’ve made numerous mistakes, and I discover the size of your mistakes is related to the size of your business.

As of now, I am working on two other ventures, beside my training business. The two new ventures are facing challenges after challenges. All the plans that we thought out don’t seem to work. It simply was not going according to what we first plan out.

Along the way, we hit a number of walls, but we are constantly in correction. Along the way, we learned so much about business. Gaining new distinction in business and life allow us to move forward, be better and stronger.

But the Universe really has a way with life. It knows you get better and stronger, the next challenge that is coming will be much bigger than the last one.

We discover the challenges throwing at us is bigger and bigger. We as entrepreneur will never give up, will continue to overcome challenges, and add more value to the society.

I started to wear specs when I was very young. All the years that I wear specs, I could not help but envy those who wear sunglasses. I felt they look so cool with a sunglasses, but I could not wear one due to the fact that I can’t see clearly the moment I took of my glasses.

Few years back I did the Lasik operation and now I do not need glasses anymore. I can put on those cool sunglasses. Discover that I am so vain.

Sunglasses is one of the accessories that I absolutely love to have. It was recommended to me Eye Glasses Contact whom are specialize in glasses and sunglasses.

What they sell are all the branded glasses. Gucci is one of the brand they carry. While I was scrolling their site, admiring those sunglasses, how I wish that I can try all of them.

While I was thinking of buying, it was raining heavily outside. I guess it’s not a season for sunglasses yet.

Inflation rate at 3.6%. That was reported 2 weeks ago. Is it really true? Has the figure been deflated?

Just check out the rise of the petrol prices, it’s definitely more than 3.6%. Yesterday reported that cab fare is going to raise from $2.50 to $2.80, a 12% increase. Curry puff at Old Chang Kee went from $1 to $1.10, a 10% increase.

Consumer products hike by more than 10%. And many are hoping that the government will help. Of course the government will help. Let think again, if government is to help, they have to cough out money from somewhere. This money will come from where?

Did you realize a recent hike of ERP? $0.50 more! Is it more than 10%? I don’t know; drivers, you calculate.

With all these hikes, I am wondering a true figure…

My definition of success is having the ability to choose. The most important of human living rights is that we can make choices. I choose to work today, I choose to go on holiday, I choose to spend time with myself, I choose…

However, not many of us have the ability to choose. Some do not have a choice. How many times you have heard someone else saying, “no choice.”

Recently, with a series of incidents, I felt my freedom was locked up. I discovered that I don’t feel good with the “no choice” thing. I desire lots of freedom, I love to have choices to choose from. I guess that is why I choose to be an entrepreneur. Being an entrepreneur, I can have the freedom and manage my own time.

On the contrary in being an employee, someone else will manage my time. I discovered it once again from the recent incidents that I don’t like others to manage my time.

With the number of employees in the world, and the number of “no choice” I heard, I concluded that there are many people in the world who don’t have the freedom. Everyday, they have no choice but to wake up in the morning and pass through the heavy traffic because someone else manages their time.

For me, I wouldn’t want to be caught with no choice again. My time is precious to me, since it is precious, I decide those who want my time shall pay a high price.

That is where success comes. To me, success is having the ability to choose.

If there’s one question about success that’s on your mind right now, it should be this -

‘What do the most successful people in the planet have all in common, that allows them to enjoy the success they have today?’

It’s plain common sense, isn’t it?

All the rich and successful people in the world must be doing or possessing something similar that have allowed them to achieve the success they have in life.

Success doesn’t happen by chance.

So what’s the secret behind all these people?

The secret is that they all possess the
Patterns Of Excellence.

And these Patterns Of Excellence could be THE missing link between you and the success you crave in your life.

Imagine if you already possessed all the critical mindsets, habits, and behavior of the top 1% of people in the world.

With that, you could literally jump off a plane with a parachute, land anywhere in the world, and still be a roaring success where ever you are. Because you know the secret to success.

To read more about the Patterns Of Excellence and a true story of how it literally transformed one man from an underachiever into a millionaire at just 26(!), click on the link below:

Patterns Of Excellence

To your success!

After 2 weeks of army life, I’m officially out of the army; at least for this year. For those who doesn’t know, every year I will be recalled to serve the army for 1 to 2 weeks.

Although it is one activity that I would rather not attend, but I must admit that I did observe some interesting situation during my 2 weeks stay.

You may know that ranks are a representation of leadership in the army, from Sergeants to Officers. And most people in the army lead by using their ranks. Is it true that the higher the rank, the better the leadership?

It may be effective to lead with ranks when leading full time soldiers. But when it comes to people like us, (part timers or civilians) they may be in for a hard time.

Many of these army leaders lead in a very subjective manner. They want people to do things their way, yet there is no rational behind it, just because they like it that way.

This method when used on us is not going to work. People like us in the work force are much more street smart than them. You want me to do something, you better give me a good reason why I should do it.

Some of this leaders in the army are given the ranks because they know more. They have lots of knowledge in their field, but when it comes to leading people, there is a huge gap. Their losing end is they can’t punish us like they did to their full time soldiers, and we are there for only 2 weeks.

But that gave them a challenge on their leadership skills. The real test of their leadership is when they are assigned to lead us. Leading full time soldiers is easy, leading people like us is 100 times harder.

The army leaders really got to show what they have in order to lead us effectively. By flashing their ranks in front of us, or raising their voices will get them into deeper shit. They have to change their approach when it comes to people like us.

Earning the right to lead, brings you respect from your people.

Singapore is a fine country. A country with obedient citizen, hardworking people, good workers and employees. This is the result of 40 years of shaping the country from the government.

In recent years, the top management of the country is driving for entrepreneurship. They are driving hard and fast for it, because it is for the survival of the nation and the people.

While the top management is driving for entrepreneurship, the middle management may not necessary be supporting it.

The ice cream project was faced with tremendous challenge with the official. While some government agencies had been helpful and supportive, some simply close us down.

What bother me was not because it can’t be done. Everything can be done, it just a matter of going the extra mile. In my opinion, this people who closed us down was because it causes extra work for them.

I am not angry at all, just felt sad. Sad for some people who just want to avoid more work yet they claimed to be serving the people. Sad because Singaporeans are still in their comfort zone, with no sense of crisis. Many are still in their secured job, they do not see the need for entrepreneurship.

Singaporeans are too comfortable. If we are to break out of that comfort zone, probably it’ll take another 12 years. By then maybe we are able to reach the level of entrepreneurship like China or Taiwan.