Tag Archives: business

Another World

It’s early in the morning in Sydney. Spring has just begun; the air is chilled and slightly humid. I’m walking towards St Leonards railway station on my way to our client’s office. I hear new strange sounds, chirping birds. It otherwise feels very familiar and right, as if it was meant to be. Like a puzzle slowly falling into place. I can’t just yet see the big picture but I know it’s right and I know I’m moving in the right direction.

Some streets remind me of California with the mix of palm trees and flower bushes while the train stations remind me of the UK. The brick walls and layout radiate a distinct English feel. I’m here at the other end of the world, yet it all seams so similar, the new reality of an international era. It seems we’re losing a sense of uniqueness, losing a piece of heritage, a soon to be uniform “global culture”, the sad reality of globalization.

As I walk towards our client’s office campus, I once more hear a loud and strange noise. I look up and see a large white parrot perched at the top of one of the buildings. A beautiful sight, not something you would see everywhere. The architecture is modern yet well blended with the environment.

It’s now lunch time and head out for one of the campus restaurants. I pick up sautéed basil chicken with rice and we head for one of the gardens. There’s a live musician just across from our table. I’m told this is how it is every Wednesday. Live music, good restaurants, nice gardens, and an architecture that you would only expect to see from a modern museum. Yet, this is a corporate campus, where thousands of employees come to work everyday.

The infamous business plan

When it comes to the business plan there are multiple trains of thoughts. Some consider it a must, an undeniable requirement. While others see it as an impediment to achievement. Since I’m in the process of working on a business plan of my own, I actually agree with both sides. On one end the structured approach of a business plan forces you to consider and analyze your project thoroughly. On the other end, this time consuming process may prevent you from efficiently moving forward and executing. It seems you’re constantly in a planning phase. This is especially relevant when you’re starting your business on the side, working outside your day job. This may result in delayed execution.

The problem here is that investors usually make the business plan a requirement – especially if you’re looking at getting government backed loans or grants.

From your own experience, do you feel the BP is a must or a timer waster?

A Life’s Journey

An organization-wide email was sent today about a company new hire, in which the new hire’s director was selling this person’s seemingly outstanding accomplishments. “That’s pretty good” I told myself. But then, thinking about it, I actually had very similar accomplishments:

  • humanitarian work in Vietnam
  • 2 high tech startups during undergrad studies
  • married with one child
  • Solution architect of speech and mobile enterprise systems for Fortune 500 companies
  • Lead teams in US, China, Philippines, and Canada simultaneously
  • Completed an MBA
  • Business Process Reengineering of Organization
  • and many many more to come :)
The point here is that it looks all nice on paper and summarized as such. But the true question is, are you proud of your accomplishments? When you’ll look back 10, 20, 40 years from now, will you be proud of all you have accomplished? In 40 years I’ll be 72, and probably retired. But when I think about it, 40 years is a really short time and leaves very little room for waste on irrelevant matters. In addition, in my accomplishments I mention that I have done humanitarian work in Vietnam; Although it is true, it was only one time, one summer in my life. Thinking of accomplishments this way made me realize there’s so much more that can be done by each and everyone of us in a Life’s Journey.
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