Here we go again
To make a difficult decision sometime is not difficult at
all. I been struggling a lot with the business. To close it down will make me
lose all the investment plus the capital I been pumping in the past few months
to keep us afloat. But the pumping make me bleed miserably. I could no longer
focus on thing that matter. I lose my perspective and it is very stressful when
you have a business that suck your blood out like a leech. And even more stressful
that I have to allocate a big portion of my earning to roll and in the same
time I do have family to look after. My son and daughter is growing and have
their need. My full time master student wife, depend on me as well plus all the
personal debt , bills, rents etc....damn it is shit....
The business require a huge capital if I want to revive
it. Not it is so hopeless, there are glimpses of silver lining for the business
but the amount of capital required for turn around is too big. Alas, it is
quite an easy decision. Kill of the business, cut the losses and recover.
The moment I pulled the plug, thing have become more
straight forward to me. I could think clearly. I could have better focus on my
day job. I manage to complete my class assignment and I have finished my last
class for my second degree program. So in general perspective, was it a failure
as a whole? I doubt so. It was a painful learning experience and I have learned
a lot from it. Valuable lesson, that no one lecturer could tech you that well.
Nevertheless the cost to it is titanic, but then again like the titanic
experience, it is priceless.
So what really happened ?
·
I consider the year started in October 2013 , as
that is the precedent event to all that had happened recently.Thus I am
approaching a complete year by the end of this October. 29th to be
precise.
·
I started my adventure in the company (the
company I am working with) as the so called GM in 29th October 2012.
Man, we grew rapidly. The first month activities alone make me feel like I was
hit by a bus…..no, that is understatement. I feel like I was hit by a huge tank
, at the speed of one thousand kilometer per hour with a solid wall at my back.
The amount of work, and the expectation was higher than Everest itself….. but
it shows a very promising business as well.
·
Knowing my lack of knowledge in certain area, I
decided to enroll into degree program in business management specializing in
Supply Chain Management. A far distance from my original core of mechanical
engineering.
·
After a while, I become tempted with the
business and I decided to invest my money in the very same business. I took our
franchise. And I keep my day job. And yes the studies continue. So what now ???
I have my job as high rank manager, my business and my studies. And lets us not
forget that I do have my family as well. It was an ambitious effort. Most
people come back to me and think that I am either greedy or crazy….. I have to
say yes for both.
So that what had happened? Time has always been my enemy
, but for some reason I could juggle it well… I am doing well for the first few
months…Am I not ? I am doing good at work, business was promising and I score a
series of A’s in my studies. At that point I am still doing a CGPA of 4.00……
Things were good and wife decided to take a full time program and quite her
job. Obviously I am very supportive with that. We are ok…yes???
Not really though, out of nowhere I was hit by an
invisible full speed tank…. And I crashed badly. For some odd reason suddenly
the business drop. Like dead drop. I started to pump in crazy cash , more and more
and more every month. I relocate, I spend , and….it went down to the drain.
So what went wrong ? Plenty…. It partly come from my own
failure, and some other external issues.
1.
Location Location Location – How could I forgot
the very essence of business. Location play a very important part. I was
betting on this nice place we had initially, but it was a bad location that no
one could find. I bank on the strength of the brand. It work for a while but
once the hype is gone, consumer rather go to other place that has far better
accessibility. When I relocate, I make the same mistake twice. Am I a fool???
YES!!!
2.
Money make money – Truth to be told, I am having
limited fund. Like many other business people. Luckily I am not those who spend
lavishly on unneccesary thing like buying a fancy car at the infant stage of
the business. That allow me to survive longer but even that, I do not have
enough to bankroll major marketing activities. And once I run below breakeven
point, it start to suck me out dry. In the end I am totally broke and I could
no longer turn around the business.
3.
Time – You need to spend some time, (A major
portion ) with your business. You cant just let people run and ignore it
totally. Not that I do that, but I do spend relative small amount of time per
week for the business as compared to other activities
Other than that… well there are plenty other issues, some
said I was cursed with some voodoo shit….well to heck with that…it is quite straight
forward…. no customer, no money, no business
Well i guess the time is right for me to cut it off and rest a lil while before we move on to the next adventure.... It is painful, but hey....life goes on and on....
