It’s been a couple of weeks now since I posted my first installment of my series, Seasons in the sun, talking about the different “seasons” of life that I have gone through while living in the Philippines. Last time I talked about my winter years in the Philippines after I first arrived in the country. I faced troubles of different types, but thankfully I overcame those issues and put my life back on track. I learned a lot of things about myself and learned how to use my traits and personality for good rather than doing damage to myself and my lifestyle. In short, the Philippine experience taught me a lot.
One of my biggest challenges during my winter years in the Philippines was financial and business. I came here with what I thought was a lot of money, and some good business ideas. I ended up blowing my money, though, and most of my preconceived business plans didn’t turn out very good. I got down where I had almost no money left, and I had to do something, or I’d be in big trouble.
At the urging of my wife, I started doing some online business. I had, while still living in the USA, done some eBay selling, and had actually been quite successful at it. Feyma thought that I could be successful with that while living here in the Philippines. I had my doubts about it, but I didn’t have much choice, I had to do something, so I gave eBay a shot.
We were living in General Santos City at the time, but things were not too good there. There were a lot of bombings going on in the City. At first it didn’t really bother us much, every time there was a bombing it was pretty far removed from us. Then, one weekend the biggest bombing of them all happened at FitMart, RD Plaza Mall. It happened that one of our businesses was there. The bombing happened just 20 meters or so from our business, and people flooded into our place dripping in blood. About 20 people were killed. This incident happened to close to home for us, and we worried about our kids especially. We decided to move to Cebu. At the urging of a friend who lived in Davao, we decided to go have a look in Davao before making the Cebu move. We were sold on Davao and made the move there instead.
When we moved to Davao, the sun came up, the rain clouds lifted and we went straight from Winter into Summer. We passed by Spring altogether.
The eBay business kicked in after only a couple of weeks, and we were doing some really nice business and earning some good money. Our new home, Davao, was treating us well, and we enjoyed living in the City. Things were good.
The business kept growing and within a few months of moving, I needed to hire some employees to help with the eBay business. By chance, I received a text right at this time. It was from Gladys, one of my employees that worked for me at our Internet Cafe in General Santos when we were living there. Gladys was a recent college graduate, and both Feyma and I just loved her. She was an excellent employee. She texted me and asked if I could hire her if she moved to Davao. YES! Perfect timing. I hired her immediately, she moved to Davao, and started working for me. I also hired a few other employees as the business was rapidly growing. Summer it was. Our lives were busy, and we were doing very well.
The eBay business kept on growing, more employees were being hired, and we were making a great deal of money. Life was good. Other businesses that I had also were prospering, and after a few years, we were doing so well with other businesses that we elected to stop selling on eBay. The demand was just too great, we were working too hard, and it got to the point that we just did not need the money that eBay was providing for us, so we elected to quit the eBay business, and focus our attention on other businesses that we had.
At this time, I promoted Gladys to be my overall business manager. She was in charge of all of my different businesses, and she ran the businesses well. At that time, I didn’t focus too much on the businesses, I let Gladys do that and I spent my time on other things – hobbies and dabbling in blogging and such (at this time, I really did not have too much of a “web empire” like I do now). If Gladys needed help she would come to me and we would talk about it, but for the most part, Gladys was running everything. We were very happy.
In addition to increased business and earning more money, we were also blessed with a great exchange rate. The US Dollar at this time was worth up to P56. It really made for a fairly lavish lifestyle for us, and for a lot of other American expats too. We were living the good life, and enjoying every minute of it.
So, I had learned that even if winter came, it passed. A little bit of hard work moved us quickly into summer, and things were indeed hot! Business was good. Family life was good. Gladys quickly became almost like a daughter to us, she was much more than an employee or a manager. In fact, she even called us her “Davao parents” and she was like family to us.
Summer was here and we enjoyed the heat. It was a lot better than the winter that we had been through while living in General Santos.
What sort of items were you selling on eBay? I imagine most of your customers were international ?
Hi Jason – At that time, about 95% of my customers were US based. I did not sell to customers in the Philippines for tax reasons.
Sorry, I don’t reveal what items I sold.. I may want to do it again someday! 😆
very appropriate, no spring in the philippines…well, at least most parts, lol
The Spring of my Philippine life is coming, Ron… two more articles to go before Spring. 😉
Hi Jason – At that time, about 95% of my customers were US based. I did not sell to customers in the Philippines for tax reasons.
Sorry, I don’t reveal what items I sold.. I may want to do it again someday!
Good point. 🙂
I’m surprised you didn’t have problems with the Philippines post office. I’ve heard things sent never being seen again.
Most of the problems with PhilPost are for incoming items. Outgoing stuff is rarely touched, especially if you use registered mail with tracking, which I did.
Ohhhh okay good to know. I usually use Fed Ex when I send things to the Philippines. More expensive but I know it will get there.
Yeah, but you are talking about sending things TO the Philippines. I was sending things FROM the Philippines.. those are very different in terms of what you need to do to protect the items.
Gotcha.
Nice story Bob! Sometimes you have to get knocked down before you reinvent yourself to find a bright future. My business has been completely transformed over the last five years, 70% is now via the internet. When I get there in fall (our fall) I hope to take a part of our business model and adjust it for distribution in the RP. I will get a more clear picture once I get on the ground there.
Hi John – I think that most business people have had to reinvent their businesses in the past 5 years or so. Firstly, the economic crash that happened required it. Also, the advent of the Internet has demanded that businesses change and adapt.
Good luck with your attempt to bring your business model here. I wish you huge success!
Bob;
Your story proved a point that I’ve always believed, Some do their best work when their back is to the wall, it’s like a forced incentive, you have no other way to go, and the smart people I’ve met will usually opted for UP. I’ve been through that hero to zero stuff, and with a little thought and hard work you can be on top once more.
Thanks, Paul. You are right, I have always done best, business-wise, when my back was against the wall. I guess that being in such a position gets the adrenaline pumping and creative juices flowing like no other way. 😉
Your drive and story continues to inspire and amaze me. I have several ideas brewing in my head and will disclose success or failure by April. I also enjoy the fact you trusted a local to run and control you business. I have heard stories of people telling the owner things are bad, and pocketing the cash. We are just trying to find the right person to help launch our product.
Hi Dirk – When it comes down to the basics of life – keeping a roof over your head and food on the table – I think that almost anybody can come up with the necessary drive to get the job done! Well, I suppose that many people would have packed it in and gone home, but we chose to stay here and work hard.
As for Gladys, we hired her at our Internet Cafe in GenSan while she was still a student. In fact, she worked for us for free for a couple of months as part of her on the job training, part of her schooling. She did so well that we offered her a paid position, and she took it. So, we had more than a year working with her before coming to Davao, then a couple of years in Davao before we promoted her to manager. Gladys will play into my next article too, maybe in a way that will surprise you.
Looking forward to it!!!
Hi Bob,I purchase lots of stuff on Ebay using PayPal & to date nothing has gone missing. Just takes forever to arrive. One item didn’t arrive & It was because the seller hadn’t posted it. Gave him a negative for that.
Ha ha, you are right, Leon, if the seller doesn’t send the item, it surely won’t arrive. 🙂 Thankfully I had little problems with delivery.
Only the one Bob & I’ve had close to 100. I collect model motorcycles & of course stuff for my home brew like good quality yeast.
Glad it’s all worked out for you Leon!
You have a great employee.
Unfortunately, I don’t have Gladys working for me anymore, Lance Chris Ringler. I wish I did! I’ll tell more about that in my next installment in the series.
Bob are all of your Internet Business based on the Philippines? I have learned so much already from you, and can’t thank you enough. I have also purchased some of your products, and they are a great value to me. Your book 49 ways gave me several good ideas i plan to implement in the future.
Thanks for your kind words, Lance Chris Ringler, and I appreciate your support greatly! I do have a few non-Philippine related sites and businesses, but most of what I do has some relation to the Philippines.
Bob,
Great story! . I know its scary knowing you have to support your family and have no income coming in. You are an inspiration to all who want to start a business. Take care
Thanks Papa Duck, I don’t really think I am an inspiration, just a guy doing my best.
Good Article Bob! You serve as an inspiration to many, especially those who need to earn a living while living here.
Thanks, Brenton. Well, as I said to PapaDuck, I don’t really consider myself to be inspirational. I’m just a guy who needed to earn a living, and didn’t realize that “it could not be done here” (as so many say). I guess I was a fluke.. or maybe the naysayers are just wrong. 😉
Bob – Not a fluke at all. Cheers
Thanks, Brenton.. really, I was being a bit facetious with that comment. 😉
Bob– I believe there are a lot of very good, honest, hard working, trustworthy, and talented people in the Philippines just needing an opportunity to shine. There is way to much negative crap about how every one here is out to take advantage of the expat opportunity providers. Of course most of the negative stories we read are based in truth. I am happy to read your story casting a light on one of the good people.
Thank you for that, Loren. Of course there are people here who are out to take advantage, but the truth is that there are people like that everywhere in the world. My experience in the Philippines is that there are a lot of great people here who want nothing more than to be your friend and help you if they can.
I agree 100%.
Good article Bob! A trusted local business manager is a gem. Marlyn & I are half owners of a student boarding house In Bayombong. The other owners (Marlyns sister &her husband) are also here stateside. We went through the obligatory hiring & subsequent firing of a parade of relatives. Even had one who tried to embezzle from us. It finally dawned on folks that my wife & her sister would not pay you if you didn’t work. We now have a solid core of employees, most related to us in some way. And several trusted folks we can bring in when business spikes.
Our business manager is a cousin. It took several years of training for her to even begin to grasp Marlyn’s western style of management. But her loyalty and integrity has rewarded her well. She has been able to build her own house, not with a gift from us, but with her own earnings. She not only manages our boarding house, but my Mother-in-Law’s farm as well. (Mom also lives in the US).
It takes some investment of time, training, and trust, but these folks are there and anxious to work.
Take care,
Pete
Hi Cordilleria Cowboy! You are right, a local business manager can help with many things that a foreigner can’t get done, and can develop into a trusted adviser, teaching things that would not have been known. It is a very valuable relationship that can develop.
Most people allow events to dictate their lives, its the few who have the courage to face the fear of defeat and call to it inspiration! Kudo’s Bob, looking forward to the next read.!!
Thanks so much, Brian!
I have been entertaining the idea of moving to the Philipines and would love to gain as much insight into the country and it’s cultures as I can.
Looking forward to reading all your blogs.
Danielle Moulson.
Hi Danielle – I have over 3000 articles on this site! You should find a great primer here with all the info you need about making the move! Thanks for stopping by!
Great story Bob, life is full of ups and downs especially for risk takers.
I was once asked to describe my life, best i could think of “It’s been like a Roller Coaster ride, i’ve been on top of the world a few times but also crashed back to earth a few times too”.
That is a good description of life, Chas. I think we all ride the roller coaster, it’s just that only some of us are willing to admit it.