Blog – Almakeit

February 9, 2020February 10, 2020 admin Uncategorized

Are you ready to start a business?

Yes!! you got your Bonus pay already or sold an inheritance or made a quick deal with big reward. You are itching to start your own business. To be your own Boss. You see on Facebook your friends relentless post, travelling around Asia in spite of an outbreak, their business is doing great. You watched your favorite youtube channel and you see successful entrepreneurs with new cars and homes in less than a year. Your favorite business/ spiritual guru who makes you feel bad on your current job and preaching about investing and running your own business is the only way to freedom from the bondage of an 8 to 5 job.

They even say that J.O.B. stands for Journey Of the Broke. Well I hope this blog can help you with your decision.

Not to be a Negastar ( negative on bright ideas). Having your own business keeps your chin up during reunions, however, being your own boss requires a lot of task not to mention the registration, dealing with landlords, recruiting personnel and initial capital. I want you to answer this questions to better prepare yourself for this amazing adventure.

Here are my initial Top 5 list to ask yourself before starting your own business.

1. Capacity

Let’s say you have the money, your seed money. What will you do if your business stumble across a big order, where will you get your funding? Do you have a credit line?

Do you have a relative or friends that you can go to, who are capable and willing without any hesitation to support you? In terms of manpower, in the event of high demand where can you get the kind of people you need?

2. Ability

How are you in managing our own money? Are you disciplined enough not to buy unnecessary things like new cell phone? or you are great in justifying your purchase ( “Oh, I need a phone with better camera “).

Coming out from employment, you will have a tendency to think that you can be a better boss, better than your former employer/s ( not that they are bad but we are idealist and we have the money).

You will have the tendency to treating your employees to Mirienda( break-time snack) or drive them home, or give them transpo money even though you are obliged to do it. Learn to manage your kindness.

Do you have the ability to sell? Ability to motivate our employees or monitor their progress? Do you have the ability to negotiate to both suppliers and buyers . If you are weak in that area , where can you get help?

3, Experience

I am not a fan of starting from nothing. There will always be a starting point, a source of inspiration, a taste of failure or victory from a past endeavor. So make sure you tap on those experience, you will need it.

Maybe you sold some garments as your side hustle in the past. You go ahead with your garments manufacturing. Maybe you are extremely patiently teaching your niece and nephew, you can open your own school.

Remember the time your boss ask you to handle your Christmas party? Having to look for a band, catering, venue, video & photographers, the program you created and implemented impressed everyone. You, trying to keep checking on the assigned budget, following up making sure the food, entertainment and attendees are in their right places. You are right, an Event Management business.

Keep recalling your past victories, how you handled the obstacles, how you felt after getting it done successfully, the pride and joy it gave you. This has to be your base because sooner or later a storm will hit you, self doubt will creep in. But confidence in yourself will get you through the arrows and spears.

4. Weakness into Strength

I will not expect you to be great in book keeping and marketing. Nor good in recruiting and training? I want you to list down at least 5 of your weaknesses and 5 strengths . Now ask yourself can you make this weaknesses into strengths?

Most start-up’s weaknesses are limited funds, hiring unskilled staff( usually relative that you think you can trust or someone you want to help) , getting overwhelmed with Multi-tasking, etc. I suggest while still employed try to read books on how to cope and manage business situations. Learn meditation or make sure you know where to blow your steam.

5. Commitment

Can you commit? commitment is tested when things are not going your way. For richer or for poorer, in good times and bad times? Will you move forward even people close to you tells you to throw in the towel? Will you do whatever it takes to keep your head above water? It is easy to be committed when things are doing great.

Let’s say you are in the air conditioning business. In your neighborhood you are a star for as long as you can remember until a competition comes in. A shining shimmering new player with flashy shop, technicians with clean professional uniform, state of the art tools, attractive tarpaulin and youthful sales people.

What will you do? How will you respond?

I hope this list does not scare you nor discourage you. My goal is to prepare you for the battle ahead. Running a business is not a walk in the park unless you have a rich dad, no pun intended.

It is an opportunity to be a hero. You can make more base on your determination, hardwork and creativity. You can provide jobs , solve problems of your customers, provide for yourself and family while having the perks of managing your own time. Calling the shots. The Boss. You can and will make things happen.

Entrepreneurship will sharpen your skills, will build your character, you will be forced to be strong and creative. Like a hero of the past , you will have to slay dragons, you will have to sacrifice your time, you will delay gratification, you will put others first.

At the end of the day, a ” Hero’s Welcome” awaits you.

I wish you all the best.

October 28, 2019 admin Uncategorized

Embrace and Pivot, when business dries up reinvent yourself

5 years ago, I teached in a business college for 1 semester. I am not given a lesson plan only the book reference, main topics and some pointers. Just like in my master’s degree program for 2 years, we are to research, prepare and present, so that’s what I did. Every time I do my lecture or reporting, I produce 3 things: 1. Handouts for my audience 2. My Notes 3. And my Engaging PowerPoint slides (with the use of a projector.)

I used to run my specialty construction business for more than 10 years. I specialized in solar power system, cctv, granite countertop and modular cabinets. Every time I see my prospects or clients, I do a PowerPoint presentation. My objective is to make them see why they must deal with us. I help them see our honest work experience, features, benefits and advantage of my specialty products.

I have experienced, practiced and not an expert yet, because I only do it for personal consumption. Now that I transitioned to creating slides for other business owners and professionals as my chosen specialization. I will continue to research, study and practice how to be better in designing and creating an appealing slide.

I have uploaded some slides in my LinkedIn account. And I’m planning to create more until I am loaded with projects. From Chris Do(my mentor) “when business dries up, reinvent yourself”

November 13, 2019November 15, 2019 admin Uncategorized

How to Prepare the Night Before a Badminton Tournament?

Amat Victoria Curam

Preparation beats Anxiety

Have you ever felt jitters before a tournament the next day? Can you still remember your first badminton tournament? A mixture of fear and excitement.? Imagining your new shots that you learned. the trick shot you’ve been practicing. The opponent that you think is too strong for you. Some finding it difficult sleeping, broken and shallow sleep, worst, seeing the sun rise and still up lying down

We all need to prepare our mind for a battle, our body for the finals. Tomorrow’s tournament will not be easy so better prepare for it. It will be exciting and fun and never easy, but that game can define your character, win or lose. We also need to eat the right food for energy that can last you and drinks or food that will prevent your body from giving out (cramps).

Here are some tips on how to prepare before a badminton game the next day.

Prepare your gears and weapons of choice. Your badminton racquet, check the grip, the string and make sure it is in your bag already. You can try to feel it and making sure that you are one with it. Having a sense of holding your Excalibur but also ready a back up racquet in case something happens to your magical sword.

Ready your shoes, socks, wrist band, or headband, towel, your supports: knee support, ankle, elbow supports. Bring extra shorts in case the weather is too hot, and you become extra sweaty worse scenario ripped shorts and lots of extra shirts so that you’ll feel renewed every game. Bring Pau liniment or Ben gay for an unwanted storm of pain.

2. Make sure you are hydrated, take a lot of electrolytes, a Gatorade is a safe choice for that, water is not that complete, but water is an essential. So, make sure you have your water ready as well. Yes, you guess it right, eat some banana o avocado, for potassium requirement.

3. For body conditioning, do some yoga stretching before you sleep so that your body will not be hurt in case you roll the wrong way when you toss and turn. This will mentally prepare you when you when you rise to conquer and not make excuses.

4. Now the mind setting.

I am not a fan of think positive, the Secret crap. Instead I suggest you visualize how the game will turn out tomorrow. The power smashes your opponent will do. If your smashes directly at you what will you do. When your opponent keeps attacking your backhand what will you do?

Are you prepared for a flick service? Will you do a flick service? The deceptions that he will pull through. How will you deal with it? What adjustment you’ll make when you are behind by a 10points. Imagine if the score is tied 20-20, match point? What if your partner service is too high in an intense crucial moment?

5. Be your own coach and cheer leader.

Be Confident Prepare for the worst but hope for the best. Know your strengths, your arsenal, which one to use first, your strategy, your combinations. You put your confidence on what you have, for example you have your new racquet or new shoes. You were able played with a rank 1 high school badminton varsity. Consider your past victories as well. Your confidence is based on your preparation, past victories and in your attitude. I recommend you have your self-talk or a chant or affirmation. For example, “I am calm, I am cool, I am collected “or “I will win because I have faith, I have courage, I have enthusiasm.” Or “I must relax, when I’m relax, I win”.

Be a coach to yourself, a cheerleader to your partner. Tell yourself that you will trust and will be encouraging to your partner and to yourself. Don’t blame your partner even your partner blames you. Don’t let unintentional wrong call of the umpire, wrong call of your opponent, let it go and the gods of badminton will favor you.

Try these tips based from my personal experience for more than 10 years of playing badminton. If you have any suggestions or do not agree on. Please feel free to email me on almakeit1@gmail.com and I’ll get back to you immediately. Thank you.

Good luck and Have Fun.

October 9, 2019October 22, 2019 admin Movie Review

Joker movie review

I love watching good movies, however I am selective, I only watch movies that can entertain me, can get inspiration from, or learn life lessons from. This will be my first time to do a movie review and i’ll be sharing lesson learned, and catchy lines.

Joker is a must watch movie, it has a very interesting story about the humble-emotionally painful beginnings of this future super villain that will be a great thorn on Batman’s crusade in protecting Gotham. You can see the comparison of Heath Ledger’s version and Joaquin Phoenix ‘s, both beautifully creative , unique and really leaves a mark( no pun intended to Jared Leto’s rendition). Joaquin Phoenix who had a fair share of troubles, pain and hardship in his personal life went the extra mile to really portray and have his rendition of the Joker’s suppressed anger, hatred , feeling of disrespected and rejected. How his good character of taking care of his sick mother to a monster. Surprisingly this psycho thriller movie is co-written and directed by a successful comedy movie director of Hang over trilogy, Due date, Borat and many more, academy award winner Todd Philips.

Joker is a villain with no super powers but can make huge damage. While Bruce Wayne was raised by a decent and rich parents Arthur grew up in the wrong side of Gotham, raised by a delusional mother, lied to convincingly because he found out himself that he is the son of Thomas Wayne. That he later on found out that he is adopted and abused as a child by his mom’s boyfriend. That is tough.

Arthur likes to do something that he thinks he is good, he like to make people laugh or to have a smile on their faces. He wants to be a stand up comedian but having to struggle with his condition of laughing uncontrollably when he is tensed or stressed. He ended up as a hired clown. Actually even his mom don’t find him funny. There is a scene that he told his mom that he wanted to be a comedian and his mom told him, ” that is difficult, to be a comedian, you have to be funny” ( that’s funny).

What’s my take on this? 3 things:

1.We must be respectful and kind to anyone. We don’t know what they are going through, we don’t know how they are treated in their homes at work , with their community or around old friends. There was an idea going on for some time that “Respect is earned”. That saying is good for those expecting to be respected, but for every person , we must be respectful and kind to our family young and old. to our things, to people’s time and space, to our environment by keeping clean, you know what I mean.

2. I like how he takes care of his mother, how he feeds her, bathe her, watch television with her and even dance with her.

In the Philippines, under a Senate bill, people who fail to provide the necessary support to their aging, sick and incapacitated parents face imprisonment and fines.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson has proposed the Parents Welfare bill to strengthen filial responsibility and to make neglect of parents a criminal offense.

He stressed that taking care of the elderly members of the society is a shared responsibility between the government and their families. “We, Filipinos, are well-known for our close family ties. Because of this, it is not surprising that we have the usual inclination to care for our elderly.

3. If you are passionate at something people will follow.

Good or Bad , people follow if you have a cause, if you are willing to live and die for something. Charisma is a dangerous thing if used wrongly by opportunist. Look at religion or cult, they use an ancient book and act as if it is given to them exclusively and can give their people salvation.

Well I can expound more but maybe on my next blog. keep reading and learning. I hope I did not spoil the movie. My rating overall is 7 out of 10, or maybe I should watch it again.

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September 8, 2019November 11, 2019 admin Uncategorized

Starting Again

Well I don’t mind starting all over again. I am thankful that I have an opportunity to do it. I want to have a better knowledge in web design and blogging. This is how you learn, you fall , you go back up. That’s how i remember learning to ride a bike.

Not everyone has the privilege to reset their life, business or career. I have a friend who told me and even shared a video from some successful businessman that it is already too late to reinvent yourself. They may be right and air their opinion, but for me I think everyone can restart if they have the courage to move forward and not listen to their past failure instead squeeze the juice from their past failures and victories, use it in their transformation.

To start all over again, I think you must surround yourself with like minded people, spend less to no time with your old friends who are stuck in their old ways. Like what our parents use to teach us growing up is to “choose your friends wisely”. Be good and respectful to everyone but be careful who you spend your time with. Hang out with those who will inspire you and cheer you in your chosen game. Avoid those who will tell you that, “you are too old for that”, ” ..here are reasons why you will fail”, ” the market is already saturated, you could have started earlier.” Though it is so tempting to hear those familiar voices. Love them or hate them. Unless you have that strong feelings about them, you’ll get stuck. As they say Bad company corrupts good character .

Next, never cease to research and study the ins and outs of the career or business you want to. The more you know the more confident you can become. Confidence is King. When you are confident you are relax and you can do great things. This is a new chance to be great, to be the best.

Don’t restart just for the heck of it. You don’t want to be mediocre or on of the many or just to be different with your friends or relatives. You start again to be Awesome. This change is not easy and quick, but constant work, baby steps, one brick at a time. The lesson here is, strive to be the best by studying and applying what you learn.

Lastly, be strong willed on your daily things to do. Sometimes freedom is a b#@!h. It is so easy to lay around, look at the ceiling, trying to get an inspiration(usual excuse), watch youtube or movie streaming, call a friend. It is so easy to get distracted from your transformation.

Be strong-willed. Plan fails. Strategy wins. What you can do to stay focus is by writing down your daily activity (related to your transformation) and allocating time budget on each task. Use your phone to set an alarm. Use your wall(physical wall), post your things to do. Focus on your daily steps not on the result because your goal here is creating a habit, a system that will make you the person you need to be, to be the best in your chosen business or career.

3 things to remember: 1. Have the Courage to leave your past behind. 2. Strive to be the best. 3. Be Strong-willed in getting things done, slowly but surely.

September 8, 2019 admin Uncategorized

Stay in your lane

“Stay In your lane” is what most success speakers shout about this includes Seneca the Roman Stoic. They say that in order for a person to be successful he must not jump from one career to another instead have a patience to see things through.

This sound nice, easy, appealing and comforting to many. I d like to consider that principle on why most men do not succeed however as I observe my friends and people that I see day in and day out. 1 out of 20 is not successful in staying in their lane, in staying in their chosen career.

I have a friend who is so good in basketball since we are in high school, he is paid just to play for a commercial team. In college he did not become a college varsity though he tried many try-outs. While most of us work in a company, he worked as a basketball player, a coach for another team in small commercial leagues and to a point as a league commissioner. All this efforts and skills that he developed over the years, he is still in the small leagues . he is 50 years old now and have had enough of basketball. He enjoyed small perks and basketball pay but not a professional basketball player pay.

This is just one example out of many that I know of personally that staying in your lane does not guarantee success in your chosen endeavour. More than Passion and Purpose I think a person must be bold enough to find the maximum reward for his or her talent. To be on the top 5% in your field.

Bus drivers who worked for 25 years, Traffic enforcer for that same number of service and yet getting only so much on their pension.

I think stay in line with a time period. To be successful, stay in that particular lane for 1 to 3 years, giving your best shot, with passion and purpose, 100% if it gives you promotion good but if not move on. Like what I always say, “ After your best shot, Evolve”.

August 29, 2019September 8, 2019 admin Uncategorized

Blog Post Title

What goes into a blog post? Helpful, industry-specific content that: 1) gives readers a useful takeaway, and 2) shows you’re an industry expert.

Use your company’s blog posts to opine on current industry topics, humanize your company, and show how your products and services can help people.