Turning Point

Taking to Task
Like a good soldier, I immediately took to task the latest in the series of Aha Moments that pointed out the right moves for me.

• I availed of full internet connection (instead of piggybacking on free but unreliable wifi)
• I registered a new domain name that serves as umbrella for all the consolidated websites I developed (directories and real estate) and made it scalable to accommodate all listing within the entire Philippine archipelago (instead of piggybacking on TheLoneRider.com)
• I secured a separate web host for the new domain name (instead of piggybacking again on TheLoneRider hosting)
• I've embraced an openness to person-to-person interaction to sell my ideas and work. I was just too arrogant to accept the fact that the local culture will not buy anything from an email from someone they don't know, haven't seen and haven't been referred to by a common friend. They also want to know the guy behind this product. Essentially, I had to sell myself too - the product and myself come as a package.
• I"m now working on a phone line (either through Google Talk or the traditional telecom approach)

Capital Expenditure
The above costs money at a time I was drowning in debt. However, avoiding the needed capital expenditure (yes, it's capitalization, not expense!) is to doubt the benevolence of this universe. This universe always provides for as long as I'm in compliance with the natural order of things. I should not lose sight of that no matter how daunting the scenario looks.

Immediate Gratification
And just to validate for me that I was on the right track, the gratification was immediate. I had 2 spontaneous meetings that day. Both were impressed by my work and surprised at its affordabality. One committed to introduce me to his business associates (which he has already done) and the other one, a realty lawyer, exclaimed her urgent need for a good web designer and SEO expert. She's also a good resource in the real estate legal mine field, to which I'm blind as a bat.

Snowballing
What happened after that was a snowballing effect. Case in point? I had a booked flight for Manila on Jan 13. I was broke and very deep in debt. It was reckless for me to go to Manila. The promo plane fare was only P197 return (I'm not kidding!) so it wouldn't hurt so much to forfeit it. However, so as not to make it a full resignation, I gave myself a condition: If I can raise X amount of money before the 13th, which was only 4 days away, I will take the flight.

Poverty in Context
Let's take that amount in context. In the last 9 months I was in Negros (Dumaguete and Valencia), I only earned P3,800. That's not a typo - P3,800 in 9 months. Now you can see why I drowned in debt. By that benchmark, the amount I hoped to raise in 3 days was downright ludicrous. But I had a bounce in my stride this time knowing my epiphany was nothing short of divinity. I pounded the pavement, shook hands with business owners and real estate sellers, showing them what I've done and what I can do for them...at such an affordable price.

Making the Grade
Bottom line? I didn't only meet the mark, I exceeded it! In 3 days, I was able to raise an amount many times more than what I earned in the last 9 months. That's when I knew I was on my way to realizing a life of abundance through wealth building using these main ingredients:

• pursuit of excellence through my work
• meeting clients one-on-one
• providing value to people I deal with
• to kick it up a notch, I give them pleasant surprises they don't expect

Ending Thoughts
That realization was both triumphant and humbling. I was actually emo the night of the 12th, seeing what I just accomplished and realizing that things are going to be different from now on. It has been a long 9 months of struggle. At that moment, I felt that bootcamp was over and I made the grade.

Another analogy? Imagine meticulously hand-building a high performance race car that's been spec-ed to the hilt. Upon completion, it was transported to the race track. AND IT WONT START! That's exactly how I felt when I've poured everything I know about the web to develop a state-of-the-art website(s) that was adaptable to any industry and portable to any part of the globe. And not making 2 cents from it. It was a feeling of defeat like no other.

But let's go back to the race car that won't start. With only a delicate quarter turn on a sensitive valve, the engine roared and 500 horses under the hood came alive and ripped the race track breaking all existing records. As for my business model, I found the valve and made the quarter turn...and made the engine come alive. It's warming up and ready to hit the tracks and break records. I can't wait until I make my $10M to realize my vision of a social enterprise...which is essentially giving it all away in compliance to a higher mandate. But that's the subject of a different blog.

--- TheLoneRider

The following people like this story:

Reina Deacosta

Rene Abesamis

Pia Faustino

Reader Comments:

Cynric Sulit
(Feb 3, 2011) wow what a hell of a story.. a very moving story.. can't imagine you've done a lot lately.. im proud of you !!

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