Financial Adviser: 5 Business Lessons Everyone Can Learn from Tommanny Tan, Founder and CEO of i-FERN
Tommanny Tan's journey as an entrepreneur showcases his resilience and determination. From overcoming personal challenges to achieving business success and becoming a prominent figure in the networking industry, Tan’s path has marked by decisive moves and impressive achievements.
Tan started in business at a young age following the untimely passing of his father, leaving him responsible for managing the family business alongside his uncle and mother. The business operated as a supplier of retail items to SM. Despite the circumstances, Tan quickly honed his business skills, enabling him to sustain the business and provide for his family.
Tan's life took an unexpected turn when he met a real estate agent during a parent-teacher conference. This meeting led him to join the networking business and become one of the founders of the Filipino Entrepreneurs Resource Network (FERN).
He initially joined as a passive investor, but when the company faced bankruptcy, he made a bold decision to assume control of FERN and redirected the company’s attention towards a single product, a vitamin C supplement called FERN-C. This change in strategy proved to be a turning point, as FERN-C soared to unprecedented success, surpassing P1.0 billion in sales within a short timeframe.
Building on the success of FERN-C, Tan took the lead in creating i-FERN in 2012. This new venture expanded their range of products to include Vitamin D and other supplements. This expansion helped them strengthen their position in the market and reach even more customers.
Today, i-FERN has established itself as one of the leading networking companies in the country, boasting a membership base of over 300,000 individuals. With a focus on excellence, i-FERN offers its members a compelling marketing strategy for their top-tier products renowned for their exceptional quality. These products, including FERN-ACTIV, FERN-D, MilkCa, and Silverfresh, have gained a reputation for their superior standards and are highly regarded both locally and internationally.
Tan's forward-thinking approach goes beyond creating new products and reaching more customers. To expand their range of offerings, i-FERN made a strategic investment in Fruitas Holdings (PSE: FRUIT) last year. This move allows i-FERN to provide food cart franchises to their large network of members. This partnership demonstrates i-FERN's dedication to offering diverse opportunities for entrepreneurship and financial prosperity.
How did Tan position i-FERN to be one of the fastest growing networking companies in the country after the success of FERN with FERN-C? What leadership lessons can aspiring entrepreneurs learn from Tan on the success of both FERN and i-FERN?
Here are the business lessons everyone can learn from Tommanny Tan, founder and CEO of i-FERN:
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1| Know how to develop a purpose-driven business by empowering entrepreneurs
Many entrepreneurs are realizing the importance of having a bigger purpose for their businesses beyond just making money. This shift towards purpose-driven models, like direct selling or networking, goes beyond transactions and aims to make a meaningful impact and empower people.
In these purpose-driven businesses, the main goal is to empower individuals to take control of their financial destinies. Instead of just focusing on selling products, these businesses prioritize the personal and professional growth of their entrepreneurs.
They provide comprehensive training, mentorship, and support programs to equip individuals with the skills, knowledge, and mindset needed to succeed in business.
Tan's willingness to explore new opportunities, even in unfamiliar territories like direct selling, shows his adaptability. His decision to invest in Fern Incorporated demonstrates his ability to embrace change and seek untapped sources of growth.
During challenging times for Fern Incorporated, Tan's leadership qualities shone through. Instead of giving up, he showed determination and resourcefulness, taking proactive steps to solve problems and steer the company in the right direction.
Recognizing the power of entrepreneurship, Tan redefined Fern Incorporated's mission by shifting the focus from profits to making a positive impact. By embracing the values of shared prosperity, he transformed Fern Incorporated into a platform that uplifts individuals and provides economic opportunities.
“When I became a co-founder of Fern Incorporated, which is well known for Fern-C, I was retired or semi-retired,” Tan says. “I was like in my 30s and parang okay na ko sa negosyo eh, kasi my business was easy to do. Money was easy to earn, meron akong negosyo na in-inherit sa parents ko which is the import and wholesale business.
“I was supplying to SM, Uniwide, Rustan mga ganyan puro wide-ranging products, from toys to linens to shower curtains to hardware products. Yan yung negosyo na minana ko and then I always dabble into businesses, nag sososyo with friends, sosyo dito, sosyo doon and, you know, parang lahat ng pwedeng ibenta under the sun. So that's how I started kaya parang that time, semi-retired na ako.
“My business didn’t take much of my time. Kunwari when the deliveries are out and nakausap mo na yung mga salesmen, everything's running on autopilot na.
“Nasa bahay lang ako lagi. Parang when I wake up, I just go to the next door and I'm already in the office, parang ganon. So simple lang yung buhay ko. So that's why I thought I would just take care of my kids. I was tutoring them, playing with them. So hatid-sundo ako ng kids every day. After a while, it was getting boring kasi after ihatid ko yung mga kids sa school, uuwi na ko.
“I had nothing to do. I would watch TV or kunyari if I go to the barber today, I would just have my haircut tapos tomorrow magpapa-manicure ako. The next day magpapa-pedicure ako, hindi ko sya isasabay-sabay para may magawa pa ako the next day. Kasi kung pag pinagsabay ko sya, tomorrow wala na kong gagawin.
“And then, I was invited to attend the Parent Teacher Association and I was the only guy there. They made me PTA president, so parang majority of my time was doing PTA activities.
“So that was my life. Wala pa kong 40 years old nun. At that time, I was buying real estate, hot na hot yung real estate noon before the Asian financial crisis, ang dami kong binili nun and then nakilala ako nung VP for sales nung real estate company.
“Tapos nung nag fail na yung real estate company after the crisis, she remembered me. Pinuntahan nya ako sa bahay. Sabi nya ‘Tom, meron akong tinatayo na negosyo, gusto kitang maging kasosyo.
“Nakita nya yung warehouse ko. I had a lot of products because I was supplying nga to Rustans, Uniwide, SM, mga ganyan so sabi nya, ‘Tom you're my perfect partner. I want to create a catalog. So parang sabi nya pipicturan namin tong mga product mo, lalagay natin sa catalog and then we will put up a direct selling company.’
“When I was asked to invest in this business, sabi ko, ‘Ano bang negosyo yan? I don’t have any idea about direct selling.’ Sabi nya ‘Tom, marami tayong matutulungang yumaman dito.’
“Yan yung business model namin. We will have everything under the sun pero direct selling. So in-invite nya ko and I attended yung investors meeting. Nagkakilala kami ng mga ka-sosyo nya during that meeting and nag-pledge, pledge lahat kung magkanong ilalabas ganyan, diba?
“And then later when all of the pledges came in, bigla akong naging chairman of the board. Yun pala ako yung pinaka-malaking ininvest, so sabi ko, ‘Oh, I was the youngest. I must be the dumbest guy here. That's why I became the majority shareholder.’ So the company was launched and it was called Fern Incorporated.
“After it started, parang one year and a half lang, ubos na yung capital. She was asking me what to do? Sabi nya she will go back to real estate and try mo na lang patakbuhin kung kaya mo, kung gusto mo pa para hindi naman yan magsara.
“She asked me to attend a seminar on networking and after attending it, I came out with a realization na sabi ko, ‘I want to go out and make a difference in the world and those who have more should share more’. I had a lot, but I'm only sharing it to my four kids. I need to do more.”
2| Know how to build and scale a business through single product focus
When a business focuses on one product, it becomes synonymous with that product in the minds of consumers. This clarity helps establish a distinct brand identity, making it easier for customers to recognize and remember the brand.
Having a single product to promote simplifies marketing efforts for businesses. A business can tailor its messaging and branding strategies specifically to highlight the benefits and features of that product, rather than spreading their marketing resources across multiple products. This focused approach increases the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and enhances brand recall among consumers.
Tan displayed strategic foresight by recognizing the potential of focusing on a single product, sodium ascorbate, also known as Fern-C. Despite the company's struggling financial status, he saw an opportunity to streamline operations and revitalize the business by concentrating on this one product.
Tan's market insights were important in identifying the potential of Fern-C as a single flagship product. His personal experience with the product's health benefits, coupled with a thorough assessment of the company's inventory, led to the strategic decision to pivot towards selling only Fern-C.
Tan showed his willingness to adapt to changing circumstances and market trends when he decided to launch Fern-C in Davao, even though some people doubted its success. Despite facing initial challenges, he stayed determined and worked hard to expand the business in the province by business his personal connections and networking opportunities to support the growth of the venture.
“So I took over the business,” Tan says. “Since parang bankrupt na yung company, I had a meeting with my shareholders, sabi ko ‘eto yung plan ko I will take over the management as CEO. If you will allow me, I will not get any salary.’ I was running the whole show, and every week ako yung nag-popondo kung ano yung kulang kasi none of the partners were willing to put in money anymore. So sabi ko, ‘Sige maglalabas ako ng pera, we just call it a loan, pag kumikita na then you pay me back.’
“We started with like 22 people when I took over, so I cut it down to six or eight people kasi we could not pay their salaries. So my first meeting was okay. I mean, inaral ko muna sila, what do they do? Anong inventory, whatever.
“There was one minority partner, he was like operations manager. He knew about the networking system and all that, so I asked to sit down with him and he explained everything to me. Siya yung nagturo kung paano nagwo-work eto, para maintindihan ko, ano ba yung networking? Pano ba kumita?
“Yung previous management nakilala nila yung sodium ascorbate from one of our members. It was sold in canisters, so binigyan ako ng isang canister and I was taking it and there was a time na nauso yung super flu and my four kids, my mother, yaya, driver, everybody was sick except me. Eh ako bata pa ko sakitin ako, so I was wondering, how come lahat may sakit except me? Then I realized I was the only one taking this sodium ascorbate.
“So when I looked at the inventory, they had lot of bra, panty, perfume, maong, sunglasses, iba-ibang products. Sabi ko ‘Pakilagay to lahat sa bodega. I don't want to sell any of this. We will just sell one product and this was sodium ascorbate.
“At that time, our company was not known as Fern. It was known as Filipino Entrepreneurs and Resources Network. The acronym is Fern so sabi ko, ‘Anong ipapangalan natin? Di pwedeng generic name lang. So then, they decided Fern-C na lang, so they’re the ones who came up with the name Fern-C.
“When we launched in 2004, at that time, everybody was laughing at us, magsasara na raw kami, ganyan-ganyan so di na kami makakalaban sa Manila, so we launched it in Davao. When I took over, negative yung benta. Lugi, lugi. Yung kompanya, super lugi, wala kahit merong Fern-C pero walang benta.
“We started from scratch talaga, from negative. Siguro we only had 100 members when we started, kasi nga yung when I took over, wala akong masasabing na naretain eh. Kaya we decided to grow in the province, kasi parang feeling namin dead na kami sa Manila. Di na kami makakalaban sa Manila, so how can you fight that? So we launched it in Davao. Sa province kami nag-grow.
“I was able to meet some leaders from the province. May mga pinakilala sa akin. So yun yung mga first few people that I work with. These people from Davao, they have their experience na in networking, so sila yung mga first leaders na nakausap namin.
I would do events before in Zamboanga City. Syempre parang NPA country, MILF din, pero kailangan eh, pagka-hindi ka nagpunta doon, hindi naman dadating yung mga tao, and when we do events in the provinces, hindi yung normal na 300 people or 500; 1,000 people yung dadating. Talagang, parang kumakampanya ka. You really need to go there. Press the flesh you know, talk to them. Take pictures with them.
“Kasi that time you need to remember, wala pang internet diba? Hindi pa uso, wala pang cellphone camera, diba? When we do events, kung wala ka talagang digital camera, walang picture of the event. Wala pa yung isa-isang tao magpapa selfie sayo. So kailangan talaga dumating ka. That time pag wala kang laptop hindi mo mapapalabas yung video eh.
“When we focused on single product, every month, lumaki yung benta namin, P500,000, P1 million, P1.5 million, P5 million hanggang naging P9 million, P15 million kasi isa lang binebenta namin, so grabe yung growth.”
3| Know how to gain competitive advantage by providing authentic and high-quality products
In today's competitive market, where customers have high expectations, being authentic and offering quality products or services are important for businesses to stand out.
Authenticity means being genuine and transparent in every aspect of the business, from how products are made to how they are marketed and how customers are treated. When a business is authentic, it builds trust with its customers, creating stronger connections and loyalty. Customers are more likely to choose brands they see as authentic because they believe that the company's values align with their own.
Quality refers to the level of excellence in a product or service. Businesses that prioritize quality invest in thorough testing, research, and development to ensure their offerings meet or exceed customer expectations. High-quality products not only perform well but also provide better value and durability, leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Tan demonstrated astute entrepreneurial skills by directly sourcing raw materials from reputable manufacturers. He prioritized quality assurance measures to ensure that only genuine and high-quality products reached the market.
Tan was the first to use the Quali-C logo on Fern-C packaging, leveraging the credibility of established brands to elevate his own. This strategic branding move reinforced the authenticity and quality of Fern-C products in the eyes of consumers.
Through demonstrations and educational initiatives, such as explaining the differences between sodium ascorbate and ascorbic acid, Tan effectively communicated the superiority of Fern-C over other similar products to potential customers.
Tan's entrepreneurial vision extended beyond vitamin C to encompass other essential products, such as vitamin D. By recognizing emerging market trends and capitalizing on scientific advancements, Tan solidified his reputation for offering high-quality products.
“When we were doing FERN-C, I was able to source it from the manufacturer directly,” Tan says. “Imported yung raw material. Actually Quali-C is the brand name of this vitamin C and is the only vitamin C made in Europe. All vitamin C raw materials now are made in China.
“We make sure that we sell quality products. There's a certificate of analysis for each batch of product that comes in. They do a series of tests and you will know na European-made yung vitamin C kasi there’s a Quali-C logo. They offered me vitamin C made in China. Sabi ko ‘Ok, if I buy from China, do I still get the Quali-C logo? Sabi nila no. The quality logo can only be used if from Europe yung raw material.
“Si Fern-C, unknown sya na company. We were the first company in the world to use the Quali-C logo on their packaging. I always associate Fern to bigger brands, because parang I’m using your credibility to level up my credibility. Nothing to lose kasi pag tinype mo Quali-C, lalabas yung global website nya makikita mo number one in the world. Hindi ito basta-basta. For example, a local pharma buys the same vitamin C we sell pero they cannot give the Quali-C logo. Why? Because naghahalo sila ng from China. Kailangan kasi 100 percent ng raw material gagamitin mo to use the logo.
“People were laughing at us sabi nga why will I buy vitamin C from a direct selling company? I can just buy it from the botika. I can just buy it from the drug store, but they did not understand kasi sodium ascorbate stays in your body from 18 to 22 hours because it's non-acidic, samantalang ascorbic acid only stays in your body for three hours because it's acid.
“Your body will flush it out three hours lang. You're going to pee out the ascorbic acid as opposed to sodium ascorbate, so people who use it, they will immediately know the difference. Iba yung feeling mo. Yung well-being mo, yung stamina mo with sodium ascorbate versus ascorbic acid. The raw material is cheaper also for ascorbic acid, kaya kaya nya magbenta ng piso.
“When we capsulized it, we were the first to introduce na naka-capsule and then when we started to source it from our supplier and started making it here, we were the first na talagang big volume. First mover kami dyan and we were able to change the vitamin C industry because of Fern-C.
“One of my role models is Steve Jobs. He was able to change the music industry with the iPod. Tapos he changed the cell phone industry also with the iPhone. He created the demand for iPod na nobody knew that they needed an iPod diba? So parang sabi ko, we can also try to change the networking industry.
“In the beginning, we tried to educate the people. Person to person sya tapos we have a demo no, so may water yan, you put iodine to represent the acidity, like you know, eating chicharon, eating ganyan. So the entire water will turn dark, tapos you open one capsule of Fern-C and you put in some of the powder. You mix it and yung dark magiging clear ulit. That demo really helped us to sell billions. Umabot si Fern-C ng one million members eh, so that was really convincing. That time yung umabot kami ng one million members, more than a billion ang benta namin.
“When I was taking my masters, sabi ng professor ko, you need to strengthen your relationship, kung ano yung pinaka-important relationship para pag-grow ng business mo. So that time my most important relationship was the supply of vitamin C to Fern-C. Kung wala akong supplier ng Vitamin C, wala akong negosyo. That time I was a one product company eh. So sabi nya you need to strengthen that relationship.
“Nag-contact ako, sabi ko gawa tayo ng kontrata kasi I want to ensure my supply for the next five years. Yung nagpirmahan na kami sa Singapore, I was invited to attend the anniversary of the plant in Scotland. I met one of the scientists doon who introduced vitamin D to me. Nagpakita sya sakin ng video ni Oprah Winfrey, sabi nya the vitamin D kills cancer cells within 48 hours, tapos the most important vitamin in the world is vitamin D. Sabi nya, ‘Mr. Tan I know you are Mr. Vitamin C, but vitamin D is more important than vitamin C.’
“Ganon yung entrada nya sakin. So 2008 pa lang alam ko na yung vitamin D. Kaya nung nilo-launch namin yung I-Fern parang talagang nasa mind ko kailangan, mag-launch tayo ng vitamin D. Actually second mover tayo.
“There is one pharma group that came out with their vitamin D, pero hindi naman nila pino-promote massively and I have my theory on that kasi they are working as a group. They’re selling medicines and if you take vitamin D, you cut out the demand for all of these meds for flu, yung mga pang-cough, headache, whatever. Mababawasan kasi vitamin D affects 300 metabolic functions of your body. Syempre, pag prinomote ng pharma company yung vitamin D nya, hihina yung benta ng mga anchor products nya kaya hindi nya pino-promote.
“So kung yung vitamin C nabago natin yung industriya and we created the sodium ascorbate industry in the Philippines because of Fern-C, so ngayon tayo rin ang magke-create ng vitamin D industry sa Pilipinas with Fern-D.”
4| Know how to build customer trust through establishing credibility
When customers perceive the sales team as credible, they are more likely to believe the information provided to them, feel confident in their purchasing decisions, and develop long-term relationships with the business.
Dressing up in professional attire sends a message of professionalism and attention to detail. Customers are more likely to trust individuals who present themselves in a polished and professional manner, as it reflects competence and reliability.
Displaying symbols of success, such as luxury accessories or driving a high-end car, can create a perception of success and achievement. Customers may associate success with expertise and capability, leading them to have greater confidence in the individual's abilities.
Tan emphasizes the importance of personal branding through attire and possessions like luxury watches and cars. By teaching his team to dress well and showcasing his own success with items like Rolex watches and Mercedes cars, he strategically builds a perception of success and reliability.
He instills a mindset shift in his team, focusing on creating an image of success rather than chasing after potential clients. This entrepreneurial trait demonstrates Tan's ability to inspire and motivate others towards a common goal.
Tan recognizes the psychological impact of visual cues such as luxury brands and high-end vehicles on customer perceptions. By leveraging these symbols of success, he effectively influences customer trust and confidence.
He also challenges traditional business models by advocating for personal investment over physical infrastructure. His innovative approach emphasizes the importance of self-investment and adaptability in the ever-changing business landscape.
“Tinuturuan namin yung mga tao namin na mag-dress up,” he says. “You need to dress up well so you can give a good impression. We teach them how to use Louis Vuitton, Nike, Rolex, lahat yun kasi when you meet people, they're looking at what watch you’re wearing diba? The watch is not for telling time, it is for telling people who you are.
“In order for me to create millionaires, you need to have that millionaire’s mindset. Ang sabi nga, if you want to attract honey bees, you need to create a beautiful garden. Instead of chasing people with money, we create a beautiful garden and then the people will chase us. People like to associate with rich people, successful people.
“When I go see people or when I am posting that I'm driving a Mercedes or wearing a Rolex, your friend will say, ‘Pare anong bago mong raket? Naka chedeng ka na? Naka-Rolex kana? Now there's curiosity? Eh ang mga tao naman, to see is to believe eh. Okay lang sige, wag ka munang maniwala, three years later, now I moved into a rich subdivision. Maniniwala ka na. Nung una ayaw mong maniwala eh.
“So people who were not open to the idea, now are open to the idea na. Yung mga doctors bakit interested sa amin? Kasi yung mga tao ko na call center agent naka-Rolex, naka-Mercedes-Benz, naka-Mini Cooper, samantalang siya, 10 years na siyang doctor, di nya kayang bumili ng chedeng. Di nya kayang bumili ng big diamond earring or ring.
“Kasi in the traditional business, kunyari magtayo ka ng hardware sa Cavite or sa Tagaytay, you will be investing in a new branch to have more sales. Yung mga tao ko they don’t need branches. They can go to Tagaytay or Cavite and create the same volume of sales, pero I need to dress him up. My people need to invest in themselves, so that people will see them differently.
“Eh pag nagka-problema naman, e di benta mo yung isang Mercedes mo. You get your money back. Pag nagbukas ka ng tatlong branch na hardware, nalugi, mabebenta mo ba yung signage? Mabebenta mo ba yung improvement? So same lang sya, people just need to think about it differently.
“In this business, wala kang kailangan na pwesto, wala kang kailangan na leased na lupa. Wala ka kailangan na itayo na building. Ang kailangan mo lang ikaw. Kasi you're offering people to join you as a business partner. Kumbaga in essence, they're signing as a franchisee under you and then you're making a commission of all of these people who join with the franchise fee.
“To make it more understandable, kasi pag sinabi mo membership fee eh, member lang yan. Quality product kami, our business grows because of product movement, not because of membership. “Membership is just my marketing. Membership is just my way to grow my consumer base, but at the end of the day, everybody's earning money from consuming the product, so kailangan lang maiba yung pagtingin.
“I do not believe in the super car. I tell my people why spend P15 to P30 million for a car when you can achieve the same result with P3 million pesos? Kaya ang push ko, Mini Cooper and Mercedes, kasi average price nyan P3 million lang.
“When you go to meet with small business owners and you're in a Mini Cooper or Mercedes, angat ka na. I don't need my people to arrive in a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, kasi having a Mercedes or a Mini Cooper already does the job and this is something that they can afford to pay monthly.
“Kasi hindi ko tinuturo yung bahay muna bibilhin. If you cannot buy a big condo, rent ka muna. People think kasi rental is sayang, pero lahat naman ng may negosyo nagre-rent. You rent office space, you rent retail space. I teach them to rent because the house that they're renting is not just a house, it's their office. It's where they do their business.”
5| Know how to overcome obstacles by embracing forward thinking and diligence
Running a business can be unpredictable, and setbacks are bound to happen. However, successful entrepreneurs have a mindset of moving forward. They develop resilience, which means they can recover from failures, rejections, or disappointments. This resilience helps them to keep going, even when faced with challenges, and they never give up on their goals.
Entrepreneurs who value hard work know that reaching their goals requires consistent effort, dedication, and not giving up easily. They focus on being productive, making the most of their time and resources to drive growth and come up with new ideas.
These entrepreneurs also have a mindset that looks for solutions. They see challenges as chances to learn and grow. They actively seek innovative ways to solve problems, adapt when needed, and take advantage of new trends to stay ahead of the competition.
Tan emphasizes the importance of moving on from past disappointments or betrayals, whether in personal relationships or business dealings. By acknowledging that not all relationships last a lifetime and encouraging others to accept this reality, he demonstrates resilience and the ability to bounce back from setbacks.
Tan firmly believes in the value of hard work, dismissing the notion of "get rich quick" schemes. He emphasizes that lasting success is achieved through persistent effort and dedication. Tan's own commitment to his networking business for over two decades illustrates his unwavering work ethic and dedication to building his ventures.
Tan also underscores the necessity of being creative and proactive in finding solutions to challenges. Rather than dwelling on problems, he encourages a proactive approach to problem-solving, viewing each obstacle as an opportunity for growth and innovation.
“I’ve been stabbed so many times,” Tan says. “I’ve been double-crossed but there's one thing that I teach: there are there are three types of relationships. Relationship for a reason, relationship for a season and relationship for a lifetime. That's very important kasi sometimes there are people who are trapped from the wrong things that other people did to them. Hindi sila maka-move on, kung hindi ka maka-move on, wala kang future.
“You need to be able to accept na sabi nga from pinaka-love mo na tao sa pinaka-hate mo na tao, pero pag ang inisip mo you know, we were good when we were together. You help me, I help you, now that we've decided to go separate ways, whether it's relationship or business or partnership, move on ka na, tapos na eh. Nakinabang ka sa akin, nakinabang din ako sayo, so move on na. You can move on to bigger and better things.”
“Number two, nothing beats hardwork. Kasi at the end of the day, walang swerte pag hindi ka nag work hard. If you don't work hard, you will not find lasting success. You know, unfortunately, in the Philippines, people are always looking for ways to get rich quick scheme, and I tell them walang get rich quick scheme.
“May nagsabi, ‘Kala ko 3 years lang tayo mag wowork dito. Eh seven years na tayo, why are we still working di ba?’ Nasaan daw yung leveraging ng networking. Sabi ko alam mo, you have the wrong meaning for leveraging? Ako nga 55 na ako, 20 years na akong nagpapatakbo ng networking from Fern to I-Fern, bakit nagwo-work pa rin ako kung totoo yung walang leveraging?
“Bakit si Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and all these billionaires, why are they still working? Sabi ko even, you know, Gokongwei, Henry Sy, parang they were still working and giving the vision to their children up to the time that they passed away. Kaya ang sabi ko, ang leveraging dito sa networking is you work hard, you build your business. You continue working, but you're earning from the effort of the other people under you, yun yung leveraging so nothing beats hard work. Bakit ka mag stop mag work kung kami nagwo-work?
“And number three, we need to be able to be creative in finding solutions. Kasi at the end of the day, if you get bogged down by a problem and then you focus on the problem, you will attract more problems. If you think of ways on how to solve the problem, then you will keep solving the problem.
“Kaya sabi ko nga sa tao ko, saying good morning to me and telling me ‘Sir may problem tayo is the same thing as you're telling me I welcome the problem also, because that's what I do. I solve problems every day when the people I hire cannot solve the problems then they need my help to solve the problem, and I'm there to help them solve the problem.”
Henry Ong, RFP, is an entrepreneur, financial planning advocate and business advisor. Email Henry for business advice hong@financialadviser.ph or follow him on Twitter @henryong888
