I am a child and a grandchild of an entrepreneur. I grew up with my father and my late grandfather running our family business. My late grandfather was an immigrant from Guangzhou, China and came to Philippines to seek refuge from the perils of the World War II. He came on a boat with nothing but determination and an entrepreneurial spirit. My grandfather was not a first-time lucky man. He had several failed undertakings in Lanao del Norte, Surigao, and Cebu before finally being able to successfully build something from the ground up when he settled in Negros Oriental.
My grandfather trained my father. Even though my dad was schooled as an Engineer, he turned away from his profession and decided to become an entrepreneur. As my dad proudly says, he was mostly responsible for turning my grandfather's business into a profitable enterprise that afforded our family a comfortable lifestyle that my siblings and I were born into.
Since I was in 3rd grade, I spent Christmas holidays, summer vacations and semester breaks helping out in the family business. Being the eldest son of a Chinese man, I was being groomed to become an entrepreneur too. Growing up, I did not have the luxury of sleeping in late and waking up just before noon. Needless to say, I had it (being an entrepreneur) in my blood and in my upbringing. However, I chose to leave home and see more of the world. What for? To learn even more.
Every kind of training conceivable for me to become a good entrepreneur, I have learned from childhood. However, I also believe that what I will learn and have learned so far in the corporate world will take our family business to the next level.
The following characteristics and facets of my personality are the factors that will make me a good entrepreneur.
Creativity. Ever since I was a child, I have been inclined to the arts. I've been attracted to things that look beautiful, to things that look unusual. I have this innate knack that tells me which things are unique, attractive and therefore sell-able. My head is filled with a lot of ideas, some of them just needing the right time and the right avenue to take off. Since my profession is Accountancy, I do not get to use too much of that creativity. I am saving it all for the time when I become an entrepreneur.
Attention to Detail. As an accountant, I have been trained to be analytical, nitpicky and borderline obsessive-compulsive. Because of this training as well, I know how to read and handle financial data. Knowledge in Finance is one of the key factors to become successful as an entrepreneur – and you can read this in every entrepreneurship book, say for example, Rich Dad, Poor Dad. I am also very organized and I believe that an organized mind and organized environment is necessary for an entrepreneur to function effectively.
People Skills. I have very good people skills, I tend to network a lot (with very minimal effort) and people tend to feel comfortable whenever they are around me. Word of mouth is one of the most effective means of promoting a business and an entrepreneur with an active mouth tends to be the one to take advantage of this avenue to the fullest. I have no problem dealing with all types of people – I can converse with anyone from any background.
Communication Skills. I am also a very good communicator – and this factor goes hand in hand with People Skills above. Communication is very important for entrepreneurship as one has to be convincing and able to win over potential customers and clients. I believe that with my wit and charisma, I will be able to persuade people that my product/service is unique and that there is no other one like it in the immediate market.
Diligence and Industry. Having taken up a demanding major in college, I believe that I have the right amount of diligence and industry to be able to make it as an entrepreneur. I am not prone to slacking around and being idle. I am almost always on the go and constantly thinking of something and this attitude is a plus to becoming an entrepreneur which is really a 24/7 job.
Leadership. Being an entrepreneur requires leadership skills. Establishing yourself as "the boss" at the onset of things is important for you to be able to give your own business a sense of direction and purpose so that everyone who works for you is able to relate to and articulate your own vision and mission.
Charity. Helping others in whatever way makes me happy. And being an entrepreneur makes one able to help others more readily versus being a corporate citizen. My father and my aunt once had this conversation on why my dad insists on being an entrepreneur while my aunt (who earns way more than my dad by investing in the stock market as well as owning several real estate properties that earn her rental income) chooses to be a passive income earner. My dad says that by being a passive income earner, you become a "non-entity" and I fear becoming one. I want to be relevant to others in a good way – and this drives me to become an entrepreneur.
Faith In God. Being an entrepreneur is not easy. There will always be failures and disappointments that I will encounter along the way. However, what will keep me from giving up every time I will find myself face-down in the mud is my unrelenting faith in God and His providence – that if my intentions are pure and true – to be able to help others while at the same time earning myself a living – he will always provide me with what I need in His own perfect time. I also trust that good will grant me the clarity of mind so that I will be enlightened in the decisions and choices that I will make. God will also grant me the courage to face the uncertainties that will be brought about by my choice of becoming an entrepreneur someday (like for example, leaving my Corporate career and the sureness of my monthly paycheck).
What I have learned in Corporate world will add to the above factors that I already possess. Concepts about LEAN, different management styles, delegation, financial and physical controls, work-life balance and so much more will make our family business evolve into something that will be competitive even in today's tough business environment. Being armed with the right amount of experience and education (Ateneo MBA!) will definitely help me when I will finally decide to become an entrepreneur in the not-so-distant future. 3.5
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