This message has been changed, revised and taken different contexts, but two things remained: one – the title – which I felt was most appropriate for our first annual report; and second – that I very nearly did not get to this point. Simply put, I could have just given up.
I always thought, and hoped, that my lengthy experience in real estate, along with various accolades for exemplary performance, international exposure, and accumulated corporate savvy, with billions of pesos signed and agreed to my credit, would have given me an advantage, and perhaps, ease the burden of starting up. If they did, the results did not clearly show it – 7 months, 0 sales. Technically, I would have been terminated by the very same standards I imposed in my previous employment. After lots of viewing appointments, being left hanging by unresponsive clients several times, and losing sales opportunities by just a couple of days, I was at a crossroads; after all, I have an active and growing family to tend to, and my meager savings were reaching the lower ebbs. I have always known I was bootstrapping with this business venture, but I leaned on the thought that I had some advantage. During these times, I was seeing a lot of people going back to work, after seeing their own small businesses fan out, with some even going back to their old company. A popular statement read: “The grass is not always greener on the other side.” And yes, admittedly, I did give it consideration.
But then, I looked back at the changes I have made, and if I was willing to give them up for the security of fixed pay. The situation reminded me of the economic term “willingness to pay”. More than the concept of Supply and Demand, I have always thought that the most important idea in Economics is Valuation; after all, there truly is no universal rule for putting value; everything is arbitrary. The worth of an hour of time depends on how it is perceived by both the giver and the recipient, more than the actual costs entailed in providing such commodity.
Sometimes, the difference between Determination and Stubbornness is a hairline of Providence. And so, despite overwhelming reason (and recurring expenses) to consider closure, instead, I pressed forward. it is truly fascinating what an individual can do when his back is pressed against a wall. At this point, I no longer relied on thought or theory, but rather on pure grit. I was single-minded on the goal, but clawed on every possibility of achieving it, until finally, it came – my very first sale after 7 months – 37 weeks – 257 days.
I dare not say that I am out of the woods yet; there is definitely more to be done. And I would not boldly declare on my final decision; if anything, I have learned that there is no certainty in this world. But I have “broken the ice”, so to speak, and I am yearning for more. No, I do not refer to riches, though financial growth and stability are part my aspirations. Rather, I am looking forward to more experiences, learnings that can happen in my day-to-day dealings, which would hopefully make me better, wiser, stronger. And of course, I am looking forward to new adventures, “firsts” if I may say so, which I did not anticipate after nearly two decades in this industry. Just when I thought I have seen them all, I come crashing down and am taught a valuable lesson – that I have barely just begun.