Marbellionaires!

It was a rare opportunity to speak to around 30+ students engaged in a satellite training program located in Marbel (a town found 2 hours away from General Santos City), conducted by the Academy for Creating Enterprise. These eager minds were very hungry for knowledge and after sticking to the 1 week course outline, they were now about to graduate.

I was lucky enough to be chosen to be a motivational speaker for them. What I said was not as important as what they were feeling towards their ability to practice what they learned and get out there to start businesses that have high value. In essence, I asked them point blank if they were going to be one of the frogs who jumped and learn how cold the water was, or are they going to be one of the frogs that remained on the tree and never changed the humidity.

After the ceremonies, I had another opportunity to chat to some of those students and to find out if they had indeed received a great paradigm shift. Most of them were very fired up in relating their respective business plans and the strategies that they were going to use to get their businesses up and running. One of the students that I have interviewed had an existing Mobile Phone stall in one of the more prominent portions of the town, and he was relating to me about creating a brand for his shop and focusing on improving customer service.

Learning for these students, I realized how we could all change our realities by adding new and vital information on a constant basis and how we could indeed change our temporal situation by exerting a little imagination in the field of business and investing.

Some points to consider

While on a trip to Cebu, this author had a chance to drop by the ACE home in Banilad and share a few insights to students. If you think that speaking to a very diversified audience coming from all across the Philippines with different values and beliefs about money is easy, then I recommend you try it, it will be good for your health.

The precepts and principles that I presented were very challenging to the students that I found some of them wrestling with the precepts and others agreeing while a portion not knowing what they believe in.

Here are the principles that I was privileged enough to share;

a. It does not take money to take money
b. Money is just a Score card
c. Education (Financial) + Experience = Excessive Cash
d. You are your walking business venture

The greatest section that was met with much skepticism was the first principle that was shared. This led me to issue a challenge to the students that if I provided x no. of pesos to them that they should be able to double the money in less than a year. Everyone was silent except for one man who sheepishly told me that he could, I wish I could believe him. If he really knew what he was talking about then he would not be in a disposition where he had to borrow money to start his own venture in the first place.

Some admitted that they had already seen that the concept of money as something 'relative' and not as something that needed to be hungered for. Money just becomes a score card following the implementation of good management. Money follows Management.

Some also shared that they never realized that the accumulation of money was relative to their business experience and education. Something that the present school system does not teach.

And finally, one is but a mirror of one's business. If personally, one does not take care of personal finances then sadly, then chances are that individual will have a very difficult time running his own business.

Capital is NOT the problem

It sounds so common we often get paralyzed by it.

'wala man akong pera pang-negosyo' or
'kelangan ko ng puhunan' or
'dapat ako may xxx na pondo para makapagtayo' ng negosyo.

You hear these all the time, though there may be some truth to it, but it is NOT the complete truth. Money alone is not the hindrance to starting your entrepreneurial venture.

Much money at most instances can cause us to be dumb and fumble in making decision making in business. I knew a person once who received 1.5M a decade back or so from a real estate deal, but lost it all within a few months. The business world is too unforgiving to the unprepared mind who believes that having the money at the onset would guarantee success. It's the thing between your ears (your mind) that will help you be creative enough to succeed in business, but you need further training & education. The way I see it, there are 3 kinds of start up prototypes

1. The one who BUYS the prototype (Franchisee)- has cash but wants to duplicate an existing system

2. The one who INHERITS the prototype- business-minded parents giving away to their seed

3. The one who STARTS THE prototype- the one with seed money

4. The one who STARTS the prototype- the one with LESS funds

The categories are arranged according to level and the hardest being No.4 the one who starts the prototype but has LESS funds. But if you apply the rule of nature which states "That which is easy has a tendency to become difficult, that which is difficult has also a tendency to become easy." The choice BECOMES CLEAR. The odds for all levels are varied and the rewards as well.

You are an immediate prototype of your business. As truthful as a reflection in a mirror can be, we can all do well to enhance that reflection though continuous study & application. A good busineess owner needs working knowledge on the following:

SALES
ACCOUNTING
BUSINESS LAW

Just to name a few.


You need not be a genius for all areas, but you need to know the basics so that you can objectively gauge your business. The Academy provided the baby steps, but ultimately you are responsible for further education. The rules of thumb are immortal and are guiding principles but there are still a lot of disciplines to learn from and investing in good business books that are written by entrepreneurs as well can help a lot.

You ideas are the greatest resource that you will ever have, not money.