The Passionpreneur (A.k.a. Getting off the 9-5)

I was talking to an officemate earlier today about starting a business. Another colleague of ours recently tendered his resignation citing he needed to focus on one of his budding businesses as his reason, and the thought of entrepreneurship came to her (like the Holy Spirit descending upon the Apostles... only less holy and more greedy).

Her first question was how she could get money without doing any actual labor. I was tempted to retort, "Have you tried the lotto?" when she explained herself a bit further. Our recently-resigned colleague's business is... tadah-dahdum... a spa; they're opening up a branch somewhere in QC and he's going to be basically in charge of it. Safe to say, though, he won't be the one doing any of the actual massaging. At least we hope not. So that's what she meant. Money coming in from a business where the owner isn't doing any of the manual involved. Basically be the manager of her own business.

Of course I couldn't help but chime in with my thoughts.

I believe there are two types of entrepreneurs. There are those who simply have a knack for business: gleefully diving headfirst into any business opportunity, whether its a sari-sari or hardware store, a load-a-phone franchise, or a spa, and getting ROI by the 5th monthsary. These are the businessmen who treat business as a field, the same way marketers treat marketing like a field. Coffee is coffee is coffee to the regular folk, but a marketer knows how to position a Starbucks Komodo Dragon from a Nestle 3-in-1. These businessmen-by-profession only have one goal in any project they get into: turn a profit.

Then there are the entrepreneurs who start a business based on a passion. These are the people who don't necessarily have a business degree, admittedly know nothing about starting a start-up, and look at the 30% profit margins last. All they know is, they're tired of the day job that stresses them out incessantly from 9-5 and would simply rather be doing something else. I call them the passionpreneur, and their journey starts with a simple question: What would rather be doing on everyday than this?

Doing = Labor. But then again, its laboring over something one loves. Something one is passionate about.

Passionpreneurs are the likes of Chris Guillebeau, Sweetapolita, Carlos Celdran, the folks of Las Casas Bataan, U2, JK Rowling, Steve Jobs and Seth Godin. Businessmen-by-profession are Richard Branson, MVP, Donald "You're fired" Trump, and now our officemate who's resigning to do this spa thing. His other businesses include a restaurant and a bar. We kinda wonder why he wanted a day job in the first place.

If I were to choose a path to take to get off the 9-5, I would choose to be a passionpreneur. Not that the other way is the wrong way. I'd just rather be focused and work on what I really want. Now, to answer the question, what WOULD I rather be doing on a daily basis than this?

I think I'll save that for another post. I know it already. I really, really do. :-)

Books I want

(a.k.a. Books to grow mi collection with)

(a.k.a. If-you-love-me,-you-will-give-me Book List)

The latest from the goddess of supernatural writing. Off her affair with the religious, Anne Rice goes back to her roots of mystical beings. Done with the vampires and the witches, she now takes on the challenges of lycanthropy and the elusive werewolf. Not a read for everyone, obviously. But when did I ever read the books everyone else liked.

Another awesome book from one of the best business authors on the planet. Jim Collins further delineates the good from the GREAT by identifying his "10xers." Reading the except has made me a believer: "Nature only evens out the playing field. Behavior that makes the difference."

@Lord_Voldemort7 most intriguing interview of the young twenty-something novelist drove me to do my bit of research on the developing Divergent Series. The plot kind of reminds me of 9 (Nine), with each of the factions representing a uniquely human characteristic. Pitting factions against each other brings about the question, which trait is best to have, and which ones are better abandoned. I predict the ending will be, "have 'em all" but I'm intrigued by how Roth will end up with that conclusion.

I just got Part One over the weekend, and I'm hooked as always, in the fantastical world weaved by the words of the master. As always, Sanderson sets up Roshan, it's dynasties, political intricacies and religious factions. A true society build, if you ask me. (I'm such a nerd!) Kind of torn between gobbling up Part One soon as possible or not, because I don't have Part Two yet! Gah! I so want to get in the world of Shallan and Kaladin already. Fully Booked, get your act together and shit out Part Two (Gollanz) already. kthanksbye.

Those are but a few of the ones in my dreamlist. Maybe someone from far, far away will give me these books tomorrow! I need a book sponsor.

Food post

You know what's good... and I mean extremely, superbly, unbelievably good...

The devil made this.

Sisig Hooray's Barkada Pork Sisig with 1 cup rice.

Damn it.

I swear to you, those bits of chicaron are laced with something... crushed E maybe...

Maybe if I keep writing about it, something will happen.

Like a fairy godmother will appear out of nowhere and miraculously make me want to run again.

I hate this idea that I need to run because I'm fat. When I started running two years ago, it was because I was ... well... peer-pressured into it... then I fell in love with it.

And no matter how late it was, and no matter for how short, I found the time and energy to run.

Now, 15 pounds later (Yes, 15 pounds. FUCK.) I have zero energy, zero time and zero motivation to run. Other than I'm frikkin' Fat Bastard fat.

And I hate the idea that now I have to run because I'm fat.

GAH! Stop this pity party. Where are my weights?

Bad one coming

There are just days when I completely rethink this field and industry. Rethink why, for all that is good and holy, do I choose to be in media marketing? In free TV media marketing?

Why?

Is it the perks? Is it the shiny, fame-y, famous things that come with the job? Is it the idea that I work in TV? Is it because I get to sell entertainment to an entertainment hungry public?

WHY?

I seriously don't know anymore.

I know I'm not fooling myself when I say I can't imagine doing anything else. Managing executions, book-ending activities, doing promos and giving stuff away, looking for the big idea and making it happen on-screen, on-ground, online, in print... basically everywhere. Its what I know. And at one point, I thought it was what I know best.

Now... I'm not sure anymore. And the phrase, you don't necessarily love what you're good at, just keeps haunting me. You want the perfect plan and the prefect presentation to go with it? I'm your gal. You want me to be happy doing it... that's gonna take a bit more work.

Damn. And I thought the angry job posts were through.

Dear someone, anyone... help.