I'll Manage

Last Friday, I attended a business management lecture for free. There were about 30 people including myself who were there. The best part was sharing experiences managing their own businesses. Apart from knowledge and skills needed, instincts and guts are important keys for success. I consider myself gifted with good instincts and guts, but I need to gain more knowledge and skills. Learning is really fun, by the way.

Life is like a business. Sometimes you don’t do things by contract. We break the rules by being kind and considerate when needed but not to the point of compromising much the other side. Take a calculated risk! Businesses live coz of people and people need them. It is give and take. But every person is different and not everyone thinks the way you do. When a person is not human to deal with, you take out the rules and follow it. You stand your ground and not let them walk over or overpower you, otherwise you lost yourself and your business dies. At all times, success is all about you. How you handle yourself when it’s great and when it’s complicated. Knowing when to let things go is also important to keep yourself sound and focused for the bigger view. Keep a positive attitude, in business and in life.

There, I met these two humble people who have the same views as me and they both own a business. One in his mid 40’s, is selling toys. At some points, he did export and import products. Now, he designs some of them. It is always about passion, I told him. He nodded, saying‘’keeping it interesting in the market.’’ Second, in his early 30’s, is managing his own travel agency and recently branched out. He was in food industry before but landed holding an agency. Life was easy on him, he said. He got married, migrated to Canada and lived almost perfectly. Then one day he said to his wife, ‘’life here is too good. It’s boring. Let’s go back home and do business.’’ They came home, doing business together and later surprised they are branching out. I realized - when it’s too good, its boring, then do something!

I don’t know what is with me, but these two were the ones who smiled and approached me first, making conversations. I am lucky they are not the annoying type and I learned something from them! There is something that keeps them interested with me and I was bothered somehow, coz it seems I am getting that kind of attention a lot. I remember someone told me, I look harmless and I smile a lot. Harmless. That is something I recall whenever I start to wonder. I don’t know if that is a good trait. Or something right for someone to be in business. Or that could be a weakness! Whatever that is, I’ll just shut the annoying ones, which is easy anyway. Ha ha ha Hopefully I’ll manage.