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When I first signed up for the module Technological Entrepreneurship I was told by my friend who had taken the class previously that it was an experience to behold. Truth be told, it was an arduous journey in setting up a business but I felt that I had developed better as an individual and learnt many ropes of the trade in the process. In writing this journal, I will be sharing my personal experiences with you.
It all began with a group of 8 strangers coming together to start a business. Along the journey we learnt how to tap on individual strengths and overcome differences to create a high performing cohesive unit. The people define the business and for the business to succeed there must be the presence of a strong management backbone. While it was relatively easier to identify the strengths of an individual through the observation of actions and tapping on it, overcoming differences were more of a challenge. I coped with this issue by adopting a macro perspective – trying to see how another team mate’s views and vision for the company will benefit the business in the long run.
‘Be appreciative of every opportunity that comes along your way and take every experience as a learning opportunity’. This is the mindset that I believe young entrepreneurs should adopt. As a budding young entrepreneur, I believe in doing everything on my own and learning the rope of the trade across the entire value chain.
If there was one thing that would set a business running, that would have to be the hunger to succeed. I recall having being interviewed by Ms Anthonia Hui, a renowned private banker turned entrepreneur who worked her way up from a bank teller position to opening her own wealth management consulting firm where she shared with me her entrepreneurship story. It was a difficult interview having the CEO of a company staring straight in your face and bombarding you with questions that you have to handle with pace and wit. The formal interview only lasted 15 minutes but the next 30 minutes was spent having a stranger challenging me mentally and emotionally on lessons in an entrepreneur’s life. I did not get the job, but walked away having learnt important lessons in life:
- Know yourself first before setting out to do anything. You may not see yourself clearly so be open to what other people say about you. The outsider can always provide a more objective view and that certain someone who is able to point it out to you is a true friend.
- Know what you want in life and make sure you go all out for it. If you strive to be an entrepreneur then make sure you read up, interact and communicate extensively with successful entrepreneurs out there. If you cannot help yourself then do not expect other people to lend you a helping hand.
- Determination alone will not get you anywhere, for that you may be putting your efforts in the wrong place. Hunger is what drives you and not to rest on your laurels. Hunger is what makes you want to make your enterprise grow larger and stay ahead of the rest.
In bringing these philosophies to the team and sharing it with my team members, we were able to get the business up and running. Having said this, I never had a chance to meet Ms Anthonia Hui and will like to take this opportunity to thank her once more.
This course has been an emotional one for me as well. While we learnt lessons on how to start a business and skills required for it, I personally felt that there was scarce mention of a failed business and the effect it has on others. While success is constantly in the limelight, we tend to forget that there are many entrepreneurs whose business did not take off as well. My family had endured the effects of a failed business where my childhood was spent scrimping and saving so as not to be an additional financial liability to my father who was struggling to maintain his shipping business. The end result was that my father was so emotionally attached to the business and perceived himself as having failed in life when the 1997 Asian financial crisis struck.
I cannot deny that I had a phobia when I knew I had to start a business in this course. However, the process of incorporating the company, dealing with rejections from clients and the mounting pressure to deliver profits made me better understand the ordeal my father had undergone in hope of creating a better life for the family. I came to better understand the ethical and social values of an entrepreneur and the personal costs involved as well, which I hope Prof will further look into in her future teaching material.
Entrepreneurship is all about taking charge of your life and making your dream a reality. To conclude this journal, I will like to end off with the quote ‘It is all about you’. It is about your dream, your state of mind, your passion and your hunger whether you want make a difference in your life today.
Thank you Prof Pamela Lim.
This is my wish for you:
Smileys to come when sadness intrudes,
Rainbows to follow the clouds,
Sunset to warm your heart,
Laughter to kiss your lips,
Hugs when spirits sag,
Faith so that you can believe,
Confidence for your doubts,
Courage to know yourself
And my love to complete your life.
damage that I had caused was done. Can do nothing but just to await what lies ahead of me.
Very often I think of myself as being the rash one and taking it out on any possible avenue but this time, I certainly had not done the wisest of things. Reflection had been taking place these past few days, as I reminisce of the good times.
I can say that things had not been going pretty well of late, and that I’ve been trying to smile more in hope of washing away the undesirable experiences and feelings. I am trying very hard to embrace my current situation now and words that I hear prick me real hard every time. Things that I do are just so undesirable to people.
I apologise to all whom I have hurt in the process lately. I am trying to get out of this so just give me some time yups.
最後還是要說這句話 – 請你不要不理睬我好嗎。我已經很難受了而今晚又不盡落淚了。我真的很懷念那個暑假。我們再回到那個時光好嗎？真的很想你。
It’s only 2 weeks away from the end of internship and I am feeling kind of burnt out at the moment already. Perhaps I really need that longbreak as what my friends had always said. Just to take sometime off to chill and take things a bit more easily.
All I need is a bit more encouragement in the things that I have no been doing well in. Where thou’ can this encouragement come from?
Now usually I don’t do this but hell yeah when I write it means that I’m really feeling bad:-
Perhaps I shouldn’t have been so outright direct and be insensitive to how you feel.
- I should have remembered about the wine and reminded you.
- I should have paid more attention to the little details on the things about you.
Hands are trembling and numb after a long day at training and totally worn out but I can’t help but feel what I could have done better. The series of events that took place this week leading up to the festive season has set my spirits low, with all the disregard for the upcoming new year. This is no good, but it just seems that I haven’t done a good job as a bf and this is really depressing.
I am so so sorry for what I have inadequately performed in and I really hope that you can give me the chance to care for you and make up for the wrong that I did. I want to be there to give you encouragement and be the one for you..
This is the first entry ever since the welcome 2009 note. Figured out that work as a auditor is really super busy and there’s hardly anytime to write at all. So while thanking my lucky stars that I do not have to go back for work this weekend, I think its better to write while plugging into retro 無印良品 songs .
Talking to Yi Ling have made me realise that university days have made me grow up, especially with the out of the classroom learning experience at the archery ground. It is there where I found my beloved, made good friends and obtained a sidekick in wiwi.
And worklife has made me value the weekends even more, knowing that I have to spend it more wisely now. Now I’m really thankful that I have taken up this internship – for it having to teach me more things.
Woke up on the morning of 2009 to be greeted by wordpress.
Perhaps it is good to have some new year resolutions:
1. Ace my GPA – last semester was good, but the coming year can be better.
2. Bank Internship!
3. Improved shooting – the last few months were good, but the next few month’s gotta be even better with the upcoming competitions.
4. More job opportunities to earn money.
5. Quality time with bunny.
Don’t wanna ask for too much and I promise to be a good boy for the aforementioned list of wishes to happen =)
So here I am on my annual review of the year on the final night of the year.
To start off, it has been a trophy-less year and I certainly have to do better next year hahas.
It was supposed to be mahjong night tonight but everyone’s too busy so we decided to put it off to tomorrow morning. Hmm..perhaps I should consider organising a potluck at my place next year…
The day was spent Buffy at Ma Maison, a restaurant located in the corner of Bugis junction. Have finally managed to get to try out this French-Japanese cuisine which Fiona had mentioned and boy oh boy, at the very least I’m impressed by their omu rice and hamburger steak! It was a long but good lunch and the ambience was just right for us to hang out long enough. They were meticulous and paid details to toasting the bread before serving it, while serving quality butter and jam.
Spent the rest of the day walking around bugis junction and my girlfriend was teasing me non-stop over my (mis)prediction of shoe prices while having to handle the groggy winston lim over the phone. He was complaining that he got a back ache from the horse riding, attributed to the fact that he had the fiercest horse around. Hahas god knows what he had done to the horse?!
And yes, the year in review. Well it had been a good year indeed in terms of academic achievements, sports, social and spirital development. Have learnt more along the way while working so it was definitely a good thing! Gained a lot (along with gaining weight haiii) and really hope that next year will be a even better year.
Here’s to my family, girlfriend, sec school clique, team mates and friends. A great 2009 ahead!
In the face of the glocal financial crisis and companies preparing to cushion themselves for another impact of a Wall Street crash in view of the impending bankruptcy of GM and Chrysler, companies are currently freezing employee headcount. I spoke to my senior these few days and while they were considering switching over to another line, the fact that it is difficult to find a job now means that they have to hold onto their current job. Be grateful that you are not one of those who are being called into the HQ office and receiving the white slip.
On the lighter side, there are still places that are still hiring! Look at the advert below:
- WE ARE HIRING! -
(so what if global financial markets are not doing well?)
Company background
Global MNC – you can find us in almost every corner of the world
High market capitalization aka industry leader – we win our competitors in terms of number of branches
High revenue and sales growth – we earn more money than our competitors
High asset turnover ratio – we make use of our assets very well
Sustained corporate growth – we open more branches than our competitors
Recognised and laudable CSR structure – we let people know (recognised) that we are doing good and people say we are good (laudable)
Job description
Facing clients of (high) net worth daily
Dynamic working environment requiring constant interaction with people from all levels of the corporation
Applicant must be well equipped with financial knowledge
Promoting structured assets/products to clients
Managerial prospects
Interested? For application, simply walk down to your nearest McDonald’s outlet to apply for the counter boy/girl position.
kena laughed at by seniors when I asked for work to do.
As usual accomplished work much faster than usual, but still can’t help much coz I’m still pretty much lost as well to haa. Well..things wont be easy from this week onwards and glad that I was skiving away at training last week lol. Kind of smart to ‘take a few more breaks’ before you don’t get the chance to do so.
Well…it’s still pretty much the same thing being kind of blur on your first day and going around asking questions, except this time I have to run around the client’s place to make my queries haa. Only that lunch break is now 30 minutes and there is no time for rest. To solve this problem, all one needs to do is just to go to the toilet cubicle, close the door and nap away for a good 10 minutes and you are good to go again!
Some habits (ie. toilet break) just don’t change hahhas
