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Reflecting on my Professional Purpose

As most of you know, I’ve been in the Philippines for the entire first 3 weeks of January. It was perfect timing as it gave me a chance to think about my career with a clearer mind. It’s hard, you know, thinking outside the box when you have to be in it all the time. I mean, how can you see outside the box if all you can see is what’s inside right?

Well, the Philippines gave me a chance to look outside in. It gave me a chance to think long and hard about what I want, who I am, and where I am in life. It forced me to ask questions about my career to see if it aligns with not only my professional goals but my personal as well. Asking these questions gave me a voice I never thought I had. Why? Because thinking about these tough questions made me realize that my personal and professional goals are one in the same. While I understand that it may not be the case for everyone, my personal and professional life is the same mainly because my businesses are my life. Ninong’s is a business owned by my family, real estate is a business started by my mom, and CO Creative Cartel is my creative outlet. There’s nothing unpersonal about it.

Realizing this gave me a light bulb moment. My voice matters, everyone’s voice matters. I have something to say and maybe, just maybe, someone out there wants to listen. Someone out there needs the help, is going through the same thing, or understands me and my journey. I realized at that moment that I have so much more to give. One of my passions is to just share as much as I can about what I’ve learned throughout this life. And that’s why I blog, that’s why I share here. Because I want to remembered for helping, for sharing, for giving and not for hoarding, for material things, or for hate.

I have to give credit to one of my best friends, Heather. We’ve known each other since we were 7 years old. Last year she started her own business and we’ve recently become accountability partners. She and I chat at least once or twice a week to help each other get things done. She has inspired me in so many ways, one of them being taking my personal brand to the next level. She’s helping me take pride in what I do and being more comfortable with showing people a small glimpse into my life. So thanks, Het! Thank you for helping come to this point, I’m so excited for the future.

So, what’s next? Stay tuned 😛 I’ll be updating this blog, the CO product line, my mission statement, etc. I’ll also be sharing more types of media here and I’m really excited for that! Til then, keep shining y’all. Talk soon.

Xoxo, 

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Hello From Los Angeles!

Home sweet home

I’m home! We got home last night and went straight to our favorite Vietnamese restaurant (Song Phat in Winnetka). We’ve only been here 1 day but jet lag had us up at 4 am this morning and knocked out at 11 am. I’m doing everything in my power to keep me from sleeping too early so I can try to get on a regular sleep schedule.

As much as I miss my family I’m really excited to be back home and get back to work. I’m ready to hit the ground running and there’s lots of exciting work to do. I’ve been thinking about my professional calling  a lot lately and I’m excited to share with you soon. But in the mean time, I’d love to share with you the minor changes I’m excited about on this blog.

I’ve been evaluating this blog’s purpose also. All this time, the purpose of all my blogging was promotion. Promote services, product, etc. Over time I started blogging about parts of my personal life and noticed that most of the traffic was on the posts that were more personal. 

One of my goals this year was to get an accountability partner. Someone that I can talk to that gets me and my passion for business. One of my best friends from elementary school, Heather, is now a fellow entrepreneur and talking to her has been invaluable. She helped me brainstorm and I decided that I wanted to make my blog (among other things) more personal, more documentary style, and more about my journey.

I’m also going to be using different forms of media here on the blog. I’m going to start using YouTube and recording some video as well as image galleries to share more visual content.

I’m excited for this new journey and new goals for the blog! Stay tuned 😀

xoxo,

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Things I Learned about Being a Leader

Hello from our last night in the Philippines! We’re catching our flight from MNL>ICN>LAX in about 13 hours. The last 2 days here have just been spent at my Lola’s home, packing, spending time with family and friends, and mentally preparing to go home. It’s a bit of a somber day for most of us, not just because Charlie and I will be returning home and leaving our family here, but because from thousands of miles away we all witnessed the inauguration.

I fell a bit silent on social media today, not really reading any of my feeds on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I am just done seeing all the anger and hate. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that those feelings aren’t rushing through my body. But regardless of how I felt today, Donald Trump was sworn in and became the 45th President of the United States. He is now the “Leader of the Free World.” It makes me sad for the nation and worried about the future. As I was watching the inauguration and him speak I realized the main thing that crossed my mind was, “This man is supposed to be our leader. He is supposed to represent me and the rest of the American people and he doesn’t even if he’s a business man.” Donald Trump and I actually have a few things in common. Let me explain.

I have been a small business owner since 2005, owning multiple businesses that spans about 12 years of entrepreneurship. One of those businesses is Real Estate. During my time (damn that phrase makes me feel old), Donald Trump was best known as a businessman, a real estate man. I knew about his real estate endeavors, then watched him on the Apprentice, and read about him or saw him on the news. Everyone knew who Donald Trump was, that included me. In all my years (so far) as an entrepreneur and my few years as a Real Estate Agent I don’t respect his business practices or ethics.

Then somehow he gets this crazy idea to run for president. I watched bits and pieces of his campaign as he plowed his way through the Replublican party and somehow became their primary nominee. I watched and listened as he made racist, sexist, and prejudice remarks, But not to his dismay, instead to his victory. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe that this man had gotten that far in the first place. But the thing that confused me the most is answered in a simple rhetorical question, “This is the best we got?” There is nothing he has done during his campaign to make me earn his respect.

I do not, nor have I ever respected him. Not as a businessman, and not as a president.

Why do you ask?

Before I was a business woman, I had the opportunity to be a leader. I was always the take-matters-into-your-own-hands kind of girl. In high school I started my own dance club because there was none. In college me, Charlie, and 5 other friends started another one – VENT Dance Team. It was on VENT that I really learned how to be a leader. I had the honor and privilege to help shape the lives of  maybe 100 people. I had to wrangle in anywhere between 15-35 young adults at least 3 times a week, sometimes 7 days a week. The things I learned during my time on that team shaped the entrepreneur, leader, mentor, woman, and boss I am today.

I learned:

  1. You don’t need to do it alone, surround yourself with people that lift people up not put people down.
  2. To listen to other people – another person’s perspective is extremely valuable.
  3. Selflessness is the cornerstone of a good leader – you have to prioritize others before yourself a lot of the time.
  4.  It’s better to act on objective facts than on emotion.
  5. Being a leader means you always think about/want what is best for everyone, not just for 1.
  6. To earn respect, not expect it.

In my opinion, The President doesn’t have any of those qualities. Not one.

Those of you that are lucky enough to be in a position of leadership – don’t take it for granted. It is a privilege to lead a group of people, not a right. Being a leader, mentor, and entrepreneur is something I am extremely passionate about, it’s my life’s work. It’s what I am put on this Earth to do.

xoxo,

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