Monday, September 5, 2011

A brand new day.... just barely 24 hours after the BIG 37....

This is a post where I have not completed... sigh.... only posting it now

What a great way to hit 37.... I had a cough, on my birthday!!!! sigh... no more ice creams, actually more of 7-11 coke slurpee.. I had it almost daily when I landed in Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit in short Bangkok, yes that the full name of Bangkok or Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon. In normal Thai conversations, Krung Thep is just used. What's with all the name one may ask. I will try (I hope so) to update my blog as frequent as possible and for this year will focus on Business start-ups, sales, marketing strategies.

There is a Chinese saying, 'when going to the temple respect the gods, when going to a house respect the owner' RESPECT is a rare word these days. Most children I see in a shopping mall talk or shouts back at their parents. Teenagers these days are mostly from the Gen Y or better known as the strawberry community. Why do I say this? Well it's personal observation.

RESPECT must be given and earned, without this principle, it is very hard to progress in life be it personal or work. It has to start from the heart, own personal's will to give and earn. How to we give and earn, as Confucius saying 'Respect yourself and others will respect you'

Saturday, March 12, 2011

13,505 days of life (there abouts)

Wow time is really like the speed of internet connection, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. For me it's always been a mixed pace but for the last 12 months or so, like opening up a web page and you type in 'google.com' no matter at what speed you are connected it just come out - just like that.

Fast pace, slow pace, no pace..... Major developments, major career change , major life adaptations.
Firstly I resigned from Family business around 3rd quarter 2009, don't really know what I want to do. Sat down, hands together , thumbs turning.... actually I should have just munched on a bamboo which is much more suitable.. anyways... a light bulb moment appeared.

Acted on the light bulb before it burns out (light bulb ain't cheap these days) A short version - I got a new career. What as one might ask?? I'm a cosmetics distributor.... yes a guy dealing with cosmetics. A very big (ahems, Panda's are) stark contrast to what I normally venture into. To add more, my other partner is a guy too....

Two guys in cosmetics business, phew this is a first .... it not so much the gender, Two guys with absolutely no knowledge whatsoever about powders, cream, etc that goes on a face further more a female's face. A recipe for disaster but NO!! A determined Panda, means a determined Panda...
A series of discussions, phone call meetings to the USA and Panda ended up with a Master Distributor for a well known cosmetics brand, that not all.... it was for the Asean region covering Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and just added not too long ago Myanmar......

Adding to the excitement, Baby Calvin was due and my training to launch the brand is at the same time. Working my time management at it's best. Baby Calvin is going to be 8 months soon... gawd I have not updated his blog as well... http://Calvintigeryap.blogspot.com

Well it's the big 37 today... yes that many years ago I was alive , breathing , kicking and crying for milk.... only now I understand what my parents went through.

37 is my magical number, thus this year is my lucky year. Indeed it is... 14 years ago I set out a plan to move to Thailand, now I have the first step. An office, showroom and a house, without the help of my Thai partners / friends / Bro and Sis Alex & Hatsh this would not happen. It is a big Birthday present for me on my lucky number, lucky year. To add on, Diva Frances Yip is performing in Bangkok and we are glad to be part of the Official Sponsor for her make-up.

Well this is definitely a tough year to go by, not as in time. I regularly post on Facebook to buy time if anyone can offer to me. The tough part about me this year is I spend most of my time away from home. Setting up business is always tough in the beginning. I have not seen baby Calvin for the last 10 days, when I get back next week, I only get to see him 1 day and I'm off to Myanmar. 3 weeks in a month I'm not at home. I'm happy to have a understanding wife and I hope baby Calvin not forget me as he grows on.
 
As Malcom Gladwell's book Outliers, 10,000 hours to perfection, I think I can see where my 10,000 hours is, and now is the Tipping Point where the business takes off.

My body is getting tired but my brain still wants to continue, I guess I'll give in to my body for now... I shall continue in the morning........