Out with the old..

This month, I am giving up two of my business, in which I am a partner, to give my full attention to my new business.

Out with the old, in with the new….

I finally got my business permit yesterday, it’s under my name and now I cant truly that I am a certified entrepreneur. A good way to start the year!

I just hope and pray that this will be a successful venture. I have tried a lot of business, I have failed in some but I will not stop trying.

For this year, I am filled with so much hope. I am summoning all the positive energy in this world to help with this new business venture.

And while at it, I am browsing at Cyber Monday sale, trying to score a great deal for a laptop. teeheeehee…

Business is peaking

It’s our third exhibit for our bazaar business and we can already feel the Christmas rush… sales are peaking up and I am so happy. As we countdown the days towards Christmas, more and more shoppers will look for Christmas gifts and of course, to buy things for themselves that means more sales for our bazaar.

We have learned a lot from this experience, and now we are confident about our market and the items that we need to sell as well as the items that are saleable. It was a trial and error thing for us to know what the market wants, but we have learned.

Joining bazaars is a preparation for us to have our own store. I hope that this Christmas season, we will be able to save enough money to fund our rent for own store, that is our ultimate goal. Soon, we’ll have our POS and well be using thermal printers like Epson TM-T88V. I can only dream

Bazaar Business

Yes, I have ventured into another business, the bazaar business! Together with my sis-in-law, we decided to take the risk knowing that everybody will be rushing to buy stuff for Christmas gift-giving. This is the business I was talking about in my other blog.  I couldn’t hush up because of the excitement and finally we are operational. So far, so good! We are expecting sales to peak up some more come December.

As I observe the saleable items, I am amazed. I refuse to think that I am not a trendsetter, it’s just that I have my own fashion statement. But I guess as entrepreneurs, we need to adjust to what the market dictates and not be stubborn about what we thing will sell — that is the first lesson we have learned.

Going around, I am surprised to see items that sell like the trend now are “Angry Birds”, anything about it. I have also funny shirts that spoof brands, couple shirts, and of course, accessories. However, people who have been in the bazaar business tells me that come December, everything sells. Since people love to give during Christmas.

I am praying that this venture will prosper and that even if it’s not Christmas, we will still find the right location to sell our goods.

My roller coaster ride

Ever since I got married, my ultimate dream was to have my our own house… a house and or a town house perhaps. Being married to an architect, every one probably thinks that would be an easy job but I guess, everything isn’t really easy for me and my hubs.

Hubby and I both grew up from a location that is quite far from the school we go to. At a young age, high school that is, I have to endure the rigors of commuting from Laguna to Manila, where my school is. My routine, obviously was house and school and vice versa. No time to do much lakwatsa, much to the content of my mom With that in mind, we promised not to give that kind of experience to our kids. So even if we can buy those affordable houses in the south or far north of Manila, we are maintaining a rented house here in the Metro so the kids can enjoy more time with their school activities rather than deal with the stress of going through traffic each and everyday of their lives. I guess when you are a parent, you have to really look after what’s good for your children rather than satisfy your own personal dream.

However….

As the years go by, I thing it’s about time to revisit that grand dream of mine and think of being more practical. Nothing bad with that. With the property boom, there are a lot of condominiums around our vicinity and even if I am not really a “condo girl”, I have to adjust a bit. It’s just a matter of mindset, dontchathink Hubby keeps telling me that I am the only who refuses to take a look a condominiums. Okay fine, I shall open my mind and prepare myself. That wouldn’t be hard. It’s not like their stealing my dreams away…. It’s more of tweaking it a bit.

This would probably end my emotional roller coaster ride. The stress of trying to find the perfect house, that fits our budget has really given me a lot anxiety like casters attached to my computer chair, I feel like I can swivel, go forward, sideward but in the end I go back to where I started. House hunting can be draining at times.

So if my family is happy with a condo, then condo it shall be Good luck to us!

Finding your own space

I just came home from a fruitful but tiring tripping with hubby and my boy — who wanted tag along,  in search for an office space. Yup, an office space for my hubby. It’s been ten months since he started his own architectural practice and now it’s about  time to expand a little, so finding his own office is already a must. It’s exciting but at the same time there’s a hint of fret of what the future has in store for this new business venture.  But we are very much optimistic with all the prospects  at hand and with God’s grace, I know hubby will be a success.

Finding your own space be it your office or your home, is always an exciting experience. After our tripping, both of us sat down and did a brainstorming session for the office look.  The decor, lighting, fixture and furniture, everything should have a hint of the owner’s character.  Like in your own home, the receiving room or living room is the space where guests can see the owner’s distinctive characteristics.

As to your own space and sanctuary, it is always essential to find a space where you can feel tranquil and lets you express your creativity or your personal ideas. The place you live and work should be something that you look forward to go to everyday, that is why your personal touch is a requirement.

Like in my home, my personal sanctuary is my bedroom. No matter how cluttered the kids are in the other areas of the house, as long as my bedroom is quiet and free of clutter … I always look forward to lying on my bed every single night. Oh, I know the gentlemen have a different perspective… others look forward to spending time inside their entertainment room, or the den or even the garage. I know of some men who loves to hang out at the garage with their male friends. That’s why they make sure that they have their beer fridge there and wants every detail of this space perfect up to the material used as their garage floor coating.

Whether it is your workplace or your home, always find an area where you can have your personal touch, a space you can relax, be creative and will make you feel good

Marketing your small business

Just three weeks ago, we opened another small business venture … finally! It was actually long overdue, the delay caused me a lot of stress.

The first week was quite a dull in terms of sales. The banners and tarpaulin signages announcing our opening came on the second week, and sales shoot up. I guess those signages worked. However, the store still short of the sales target I have set for it. Hmmmm? I need some more marketing strategy…

I thought marketing strategies only applies to big corporations but even how small your business is… you need to have a marketing plan. In my other store, I tried giving out business flyers to announce and let people know where we are located, and it helped boost the sales. I am wondering if it will do the same for this store. There’s only one way to find out…. I shall design the flyers in a while.

Determined to be positive … all the time!

Stay Positive! That is one learning I have put into practice in my every day life. No matter how difficult the situation is, I always seek out the positive things. I am determined to be cheerful and happy … It’s a great way to live life.

Remember the Law of Attraction? People who are efficient in attracting positives have trained their minds to focus on their desires. Abundance comes to them naturally. See? You are what you attract!

“Set it and Get it!” That is according to Ankur Sancheti. It does makes sense. In my last post, I have mentioned how I always dreamed of a simple life… but in the span of 10 years, I have learned to dream big. I say, “Dreaming is free! So why limit what your mind can conceive.” With hard work coupled with lots and lots of prayers, we have gone a long way.

Our prospects for New Year are filled with great expectations. Hubs started out designing residential houses, then retail spaces, now residential buildings and townships. I am the one excited as he draws the houses and buildings on his drafting table, especially when he explains what materials he will use — although I have yet to see him design steel buildings.

And the opportunities keep on coming … that includes some business opportunities on my end. . . hope it all materializes.

I am looking forward to 2011 with a lot of optimism!

The process of re-building

Trials are given test somebody’s ability to endure life. A few years back, our family business experienced some setback which led both of us to go back to the corporate world to sustain our everyday expenditure. I thank the Lord for giving us the opportunity to bounce back and the learnings we have learned from this episode in our life, have benefited us in a lot of ways, especially in our marriage.

Through the hardships, we have tested the strength of our relationship and I can proudly say that our marriage have blossomed into a stronger bond this amidst a high percentage of marriage getting broken. I just hope and pray for strength that no matter how hard our trials become, we’ll come out victorious.

Now, we are in the process of rebuilding not only our lives but mostly our family business. One baby step at a time, I know we will be able to do it. The physical office will soon take its shape and I am slowly saving up for the office furniture and equipment. Probably, in no time hubs will be finding himself canvassing for an Industrial pc to service the needs of his clients.

Thank you Lord for this blessing!

Teaching Kids the value of savings

I remember my son telling me to withdraw in my ATM every time he asks for money. For him my bank was a bottomless pit that I could get whenever I want. With a smile, it was then that I realized I had to teach my kids the value of saving up.

From then on I started, to give them their own piggy bank so they can put in their extra allowance with the promise that I would double up their saving come December. It was something they look forward to.

Growing up I was never really educated on the value of saving up. Probably because family was not that well-off and the money coming in was just enough for our daily expenses however, I came to realize that a person do not need to be rich to save up. In fact, your investment will bring you more cash flow than your regular income.

Cash flow and income may be profound terminologies for my children to understand so a simple piggy bank is the best way to start. I am a believer that children who learn to save at an early age will have a greater advantage in managing their finances when they grow up.

Aside from saving up, I also try to teach them to look for ways to get a good bargain when they buy their stuff. Like when they need to purchase a new pair of shoes, we try to look for scheduled “sale” or even gather coupons that offer a percentage off on any purchase.

It is never too early to teach kids the value of saving up, I know this will greatly help them when they grow up.

Gold as an Investment

For women like me, gold has been an object of desire because of it natural beauty. I personally have acquired my own set of gold jewelries even before I got married, not only for its exquisiteness but it’s also for investment.

Gold is one of the most sought after means of exchange dating back centuries ago. Its beauty has made it a universal currency.

A lot of individuals nowadays are using it as an investment to protect them from fluctuations and depreciation. You can say that gold investment is a safe haven against any socio-economic and political instability.

How do acquire gold as an investment? Personally, I still have to learn about the ABC’s of Gold Investing. Investment advisors can educate you on how to properly invest on this precious metal. You can self –study and buy your gold in an outright purchase or even buy gold online. Obviously, you need to make sure that you’re dealing with a reputable dealer. Be sensible and conduct a background check for your safety and peace of mind.

In recent years, we have seen markets crash and having a diversified investment is one way protecting your life savings. As the old saying goes, “Do not put your eggs in one basket.”

Photo by The Lure Of Gold by bogenfreund on Flickr. Some Rights Reserved.