An Entrepreneur’s Journey

There’s a new joy in my place. The cry of my new nephew filled my home with joy. I witnessed how my nephew brought everyone in the family together.

The cry he made pulled everyone to him, wanting to make sure he’s alright. Also we are all unable to get angry with him, I mean, how to…

This is him when he’s 2 weeks old.

2 weeks old

This is him when he’s 1 month.

1 month old

Watching growing day by day is so amazing. He changed so much compared to when he was 2 weeks old. Now he wants care and love. Whenever he’s left alone, he will start making noise, kicking and punching into the air, making sure we got his message.

I love disturbing him. And he actually knows that I’m disturbing him. Looking at him, I experienced pure joy. I wish that he will be safe and healthy.

Last week was quite a busy week with 4 days of training with CHIJ, NUS and MSIG. It’s a blessing to be able to add value to so many others. On top of that it was real fun.

It’s a blessing that I am doing something that adds value, fun and get paid for doing it. I am really blessed to be able to do that. There are many who can’t do that. It’s either fun but don’t add value, or add value but not fun.

There are few reasons why people can’t have fun, add value and get paid. First they are unable to. Circumstances forces them to make a choice between add value, fun and get paid. Like not enough money, that leaves them with not much choices.

However, they still have a choice. They can choose to have all of those three, only thing is it may be tougher to walk that path, but it’s possible. Hey, I didn’t start with lot of money. I started when I was broke. I just believed that I can have all three, add value, fun and get paid.

Secondly is people are unaware of the choices they have. There are people who are totally unconscious about it. They are like raw materials waiting to be assembled on a conveyor belt. Step by step being assembled by someone else, living someone else’s dreams, hoping they can achieve theirs along the way.
They are unaware that they can jump off that conveyor belt to start creating a life of their own.

Whenever I see myself having the freedom to control my time, having the freedom to say ‘no’, I feel a sense of peace in me.

One more wonderful thing that I received last week was David mentioned that he wanted to create a 5 days Train the Trainer program to impart everything he knows about facilitation to Vasu, Zen and myself. This is one great gift from this generous man.

I manifest more good things is going to flow to me.

This must be a happy day for the Liverpool fans. Having broke the 86 unbeaten record of Chelsea in Stamford Bridge must be what every Liverpool fans were hoping for. Now this is no longer a dream, the Reds materialize this dream for every one of us.

All thanks to Alonso 9th minute strike which deflected off Jose Bosingwa and left Pete Cech wrong footed.

Liverpool’s confidence grew after the lead, unfortunately, only for 20 minutes. From then on, Chelsea sent waves after waves of attack. But they couldn’t find that killer pass which can trouble Reina.

After the break, it was Chelsea’s possession all the way. But Liverpool handled everything that was thrown to them very well. Yet again, Chelsea final pass seems non-existence. And when there is a killer pass, Agger and Carragher were there to nullify the danger.

At 60th minute, Alonso almost make it two for Liverpool. His free kick hit the post leaving Pete Cech stunned.

Liverpool definitely was not there to play for a draw. And they did well to contain Chelsea’s fluid midfield Placing Alonso and Mascherano stuffing Lampard and Deco. In addition, Liverpool back four hold their line well, absorbing the attacks and clearing the dangers.

They didn’t give Chelsea much room to play. Chelsea couldn’t punch through the middle. Even with Deco, they can only pass the ball to the width that didn’t trouble the Reds.

Good play by the Reds. Keep up the good work.

Holy cow!!! It was a night of heart attack again. Come-Back King, Liverpool won in 85th minutes after trailing Wigan twice in the game.

Honestly, at half time, when the score line is at 2-1 with Wigan leading, I really thought this could be the first lost for Liverpool this season. I know teams who came back once or twice or even thrice, but I five times consecutively is not possible. But what can I say, they did it again.

Liverpool didn’t play well in the first half. There’s no sense of urgency or desire to win. Wigan was fighting for every ball, Liverpool was allowing Wigan to come at them. And twice Wigan were leading. When Zaki scored that goal with that beautifully executed scissors kick in 45 min, I thought it’s over.

I was wondering when will Rafa stopped playing Dossena as a left back. He was disastrous in all the matches so far.

Liverpool step up the gear in 2nd half, but they kind of passing around, lacking the ideas to attack. And again Robbie Keane disappeared after he missed his best chance in the 27th min.

Things changed suddenly when Valencia from Wigan was red carded in the 75th min. Rafa made two changes which was a gamble that paid off. Rafa took off the right and left back – Dossena and Arbeloa, substituted them with two attacking players, El Zhar and Benayoun.

5 minutes later, El Zhar created one for Reira to level the game. First goal for Reira. In fact I would rate him as the Man of The Match. Not only he scored a goal, he did his defensive duty as well, lots of off the ball running.

In the 85th minutes, this time it’s Jermaine Pennant with a cross in, met by Kuyt’s scissors kick to score the winner, making it another wonderful come back for the Reds.

A joke here – 85th minute winner is too early. I thought they will score at 94th minute.

Joke aside, I wonder when will Liverpool score first, and round up a win earlier, saving the fans all the heart attacks.

Nevertheless, I’m still proud of this team. It takes character to come back five times.

I’ve attended Millionaire Investor Program (MIP) in August 08, conducted by Ken and Clive. I knew it was time that I made my money work hard for me. I have to park them somewhere that can give me good returns. The question was what investing vehicle should I choose? There are other investing program out there, why would I chose this?

Firstly, this is the only program that teaches value investing – investing the Warren Buffet’s way. The rest of the other programs teaches about Option trading, stock trading or Forex. I reckon if Warren Buffet is the greatest investor of our time, I would want to learn how he do it.

Secondly, I prefer a non-hassle way of investing. I’m not sure about Forex, but for the other trading method, usually I have to purchase the software so that I can access the charts. Beside investing in the program, I have to invest in the software too.

In MIP, it’s purely on picking the right stock with all the resources that I can assess for free. No additional fee require.

Thirdly, it’s a drama-less way of investing. Value investing suits me as I don’t want to create more dramas in my life. For other trading methods, I have to react to the market direction and news daily. In value investing, I took the market out of the equation.

I’m glad I’ve attended MIP in August. It allows me to study the companies effectively, pick the right stocks to buy and capitalize on the current situation right now. When everyone is selling with fear now, I am able to remain calm to scope up the discounted stocks. I am able to do that because I knew which are the strong companies that will sustain through this turmoil.

Also with the MIP discussion board, I picked up distinction about assessing companies which increase my knowledge in investing. Every week I’m just looking forward to increase my position in those companies.

After I attended a program called Money and You in 2003, I discovered the importance of personal development. Hence I am continuously learning through seminars, books, support network and self reflection.

Through these years, I also made friends who attended those seminars. Some of them became very close friends. Among these close friends, some grew tremendously and become very successful in life, while some went back to the same old habits and cycle.

Recently, I met some of them for some catching up. I learned a great lesson from this friend. He’s a very intelligent person, much more smarter than me. He’s always able to think deeper into an issue, always giving me another perspective to things.

Unfortunately, the thinking part of him gone overboard as he’s too good in his thinking, he didn’t take any action. Most of the programs I attended, he also attended. When I looked at both our lives now, the difference is I apply what I learned, he didn’t.

His reason – situation don’t allow. Due to financial constrain, he had to find a job. I find there’s nothing wrong with it. People do go through that stage at certain part of their life, I’m not exceptional too. The thing is for 5 years he has been going through the same thing. Then this may be a problem.

One of the principle that I learned from seminars is to “pay myself first”. I practice this principle since then. Even though my income was pathetic 5 years ago, I pay myself first no matter what. My lesson then was to be prudent. This practice has allow me to take up opportunities when the stock market falls recently.

But it’s sad to hear that this close friend has no cash to buy up cheap shares now. That’s where I realized he didn’t practice the “pay myself first” principle. Irony is while he’s short of cash, he subscribes to things that does not increase his wealth. He has fell into the comfort zone, having a monthly paycheck, watching TV programs at night, enrolled into those dramas from the TV programs.

I am so blessed that I’m able to take up opportunities in this time. I am so glad that I practiced what I learned from those seminars. I’m so glad that I am still learning today, and I am enjoying my life.

Market meltdown. Ever since the bailout was approved, market did not recover, it went the opposite way. I literally can feel the fear in the air.

Quoted from Warren Buffet, the greatest investor of our time, “When people are greedy, be fearful. When people are fearful, be greedy.”

Since now fear is everywhere, shouldn’t you be greedy? How many of you are ready to enter the market?

With all the analysts telling people to hold cash now, I doubt many will be ready to stock up on companies equities. But I know there are a few friends in my circle who are ready or have started buying up equities at a discount.

Yesterday, I was at a stock trading preview. The speaker mentioned that based on this trend, nobody buys. You will lose money if you buy. Well, at east Warren Buffet is buying. If the greatest investor is buying, I think I will follow him as well.

I also remember someone told me this many years back. If everyone is complaining about the stock market, it’s time to buy. On the other hand, if taxi uncles are earning from the stock market, it’s time to sell.

Once again, I smell fear in the air now.

What a match!! What a turn around!!! What a irony!!

Liverpool, the comeback king strikes again. Once again they were down, but with a resilient character, they came back to win the game. Aren’t this the traits of a champion?

At the 18th minute when Kuyt miss that sitter, I thought this is not going to be Liverpool’s outing. One minute later when Man City scored, I thought maybe there’s a chance, because Liverpool always can come back after a 1-0 down.

Then Man City scored again to make it 2-0, I thought it’s over for Liverpool.

While hope is frail, Torres came to the rescue again. He was subdued for the first half, I didn’t see him doing much in the first half. Suddenly he came to live, scoring two goals, making it 2-2. He has rescue Liverpool time and again. The $20m price tag on him is way to low now.

While I thought the game is heading towards a draw, not so bad as well, considering Liverpool retaliate with two goals and maintaining an unbeatable record, Kuyt scored to snatch a win in injury time. Man City was robbed of a victory by the one who missed the sitter in the first half. What an irony!!

Time and again, Liverpool came back from behind. This season alone, they came back from behind against Middlesbrough, Man United, Marseille and now Man City. And who can forget the famous Champions League Final 2005 against AC Milan. They are the Ultimate Come Back King.

Read the paper today, there was articles written on middle class folks cutting on their expenses. It is a natural behaviour of most people when the there’s so much bad news reported.

Most people are tightening their belt, hoping to ride out this bad economy time. Jobless rate is expected to rise, people are holding on tight to their cash, preparing for the worst.

While cutting expenses is expected and a natural behaviour, this will further hurt the economy. When people don’t spend, businesses can’t make money. When businesses don’t make money, they have to cut cost. One of the way is down sizing. This will drive jobless rate up. Without job, people will tighten their belt even more. This becomes a vicious cycle.

In 1997, we met the Asia’s financial crisis. We have the US to save us. In 2008, we have the Global financial crisis, and US is the cause of it.

US$700 billion bailout is only delaying the problem. It doesn’t solve the problem. This bailout plan will one day return to bite this power nation. Will that be the fall of the most powerful country of our time?

Financial turmoil is flying through the world. It’s reported in news, newspaper, taxi uncles etc. One piece of news caught my attention. Nope, not the bailout plan. It’s the DBS High Note 5. This is the structured investment sold by DBS, but the one who structure this investment is Lehman Brothers.

DBS is very successful in selling this investment that many Singaporean has put money into it. Unfortunately with the fall of Lehman Brothers, it’s signal the fall of this investment as well.

It’s sad to see Singaporean losing their money. But it’s sadder to see them not learning from this huge lesson.

Instead of asking themselves for the loses, they are asking the Government for their loses. Instead of taking responsibility, they are blaming everyone else.

I must agree that some sales staffs did not give a full story of the investment, but isn’t taking the time to read the fine prints our responsibility as well? Isn’t asking the right question before we put our money in the right thing to do? At the end of the day, who is responsible for your money? Not the sales staff, not the bank, nor the Government.

People never learn from mistakes. When bad things happen, they blame others, want someone else to take responsible. What happen is in the next down turn, the same group of people will lose money again.

It is not the financial turmoil that causes people to lose money, it is the lack of financial education that causes people to lose money.