A Society of Workers

"The entrepreneur is essentially a visualizer and an actualizer... He can visualize something, and when he visualizes it he sees exactly how to make it happen." -Robert L. Schwartz

Will wonders never ceased. I realized something else today. Another 'Aha!' moment. I was reading the latest Entrepreneur (Phils) magazine (because it focuses this month on Divisoria) and Manny Villar (of all people!) said something that stuck with me. He said, (something like)... "We Filipinos value education above all else. It's the end-all and be-all of everything. We study so we can find work. The Chinese are different. They study so they can be good entrepreneurs." He answered when asked of our difference with Chinese people who seem to have Midas touch in business.

The funny thing is, he's right. We are a society of workers, not entrepreneurs.

I was presently struggling and this answer came to me. I have always wanted to have my own business. Even if it's small (micro) and will not make a big difference in the economic status of our country, I wanted to work for myself. Be my own boss, so to speak. It is hard.

In our society, starting entrepreneurs are discouraged. Always getting negative reactions and discouragements from relatives, friends and families. "Mag-nursing ka na lang kaya? O kaya mag-migrate sa Canada?" Aside from bracing yourself with comments like these (which are in truth, a testament of how much faith they have in your abilities), you have to grit your teeth with disparaging comments about the country's economy. "Ang hirap ng buhay ngayon, business business ka pang nalalaman? Mas maganda ang may regular na kita, kahit mababa, sigurado ka.", "Si Ano, nag resign para magtayo ng business, ayun, walang wala na siya. Binigay kasi lahat ng kita nya sa kerida nya.", "Anong business gusto mo? E ang dami ng ganyan ngayon, di ka papatok. Mahirap yan." You haven't even started yet and your business is already a failure in their eyes.

I was thinking of my college days in UP, and everyone is dreaming of entering the multi-national companies -- Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Andersen (now Accenture), and so on and so forth. I am somewhat sorry to say that although UP provided a very good education, their curriculum trains business students to be managers and employees rather than be entrepreneurs. I thought I will have at least one entrepreneural (is that a correct word?) course where we can make our own product and sell it. Alas, our feasibility studies mostly centered on theories and making business plans.

I quit corporate world because I was tired of it. There, I've said it. I was at the top of my game. Earning twice the average income people my age are getting. (Sales is another profession that is being looked down by Filipino society. "Ano ka magbebenta? Taga-benta?" Another story...) But I was tired of it. I was tired of getting accounts, wasting my time, effort and knowledge for some multi-national company to get a few million bucks and me getting a measly (compared to the business brought in) compensation in exchange.

I was proud of myself. For finally getting the courage to pursue whatever I want to do. I want to have my own business. Study education and put up my own school. Travel and help and others. I don't know if I'll succeed or how long will it take me to get where I want to go, or even if I can do all of these, but one thing is for sure, I am free.

Alas, it was a tragedy. My family mourned. My friends were aghast. And each step I took towards my goal, was heavy. It took me two years to become a teacher. After two years, I realized that it wasn't that easy getting a job. My specialization is not in demand. I'm not good in Math, Science and even Grammar. What I know is Business. Sales and Marketing to be exact. And I was wondering why am I so hell-bent on teaching children. Well because I like to be around children. That is going outside the point, and is different from owning a business. So let's go back...

I learned one valuable lesson during my two-year bumhood. It feels good to sell. Or earn from 'sidelines', your own efforts.

I wasn't raised to be an entrepreneur. I was raised to finish my education so I can find a well-paying job. Chinese children were raised in an environment of entrepreneurship. They are the rich ones in school, but they find ways to add money to their allowances. Sell stickers, stationaries, erasers, and whatever else they can get from their house (or were probably given to them by their parents) to their Filipino classmates.

But these past two years, I cannot rely on my savings to get me through. I put my savings in a bank and find ways to get through my schooling. I sold pastries, copies of Meteor Garden I and II, cookies, Christmas Ham, and soaps to my classmates. My mother baked, my sister helped and I sell (or rather I sell to my friends and they sell to their officemates, hehe). It's humbling at first. I was dealing with executives the month before and after I'm scouring the streets of Divisoria to find cheap raw materials for whatever it is I'm planning to sell next.

When someone bought something, the feeling is exhilarating. It doesn't matter that my profit per product is very small, but the sale feels good. I now understand what those Chinese businessmen (who drives Pajeros, Benzes and BMWs but sell fruits in Divisoria) feel when they make a sale even if their profit margin is small. I can now understand our Summa Cum Laude in college. She worked in their family business after getting all those honors. All of us said 'sayang ang inaral nya'. We were wrong. That's how it should be. She's the boss of her own life. And I found out that it's in making a sale. It's that small profit goes to you, and not some lackey who just sits around and signs papers for what you've worked so hard for. It's that you thought of something and someone thinks your product is worthy of their few hard-earned pesos.

And whether or not Filipinos realize it, we study to get a job. I remember one comedian in Jay Leno saying that the stupidest TV program he knows is The Aprrentice. Everybody plays to win a million dollars, but how stupid are you who play to win a JOB?

We Filipinos are playing this game of life to win a Job. Imagine going through life working for someone until you're 60. Then we are too old, too afraid to gamble and take a risk, then we want to start a business, and mostly we fail. Why? Because when you're too old, you invest in all the wrong kinds of businesses. It became a necessity and you invest in something you don't like or is not passionate about. Kahit saan na lang. Basta safe. And you can no longer enjoy the fruits of your own business.

Since my present status in our country is still 'jobless' or 'unemployed', (can't find a High School that needs a Business teacher), I decided to start my own business. Summoning up all my courage to face the challenges ahead, I'll start this one. Who knows, someday I will write an entry that I'm already happily selling my own products and managing my own business.

You'll be the first to know.