Author: akosiallan

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Featured Success Story: Lojen and Val Pascual Former OFWs turned Entrepreneur

This is the 3rd part of the series featuring success stories in my blog.  If you want to read the first 2 articles in the series, you can click the links below.

Today, please meet Lojen and Val Pascual. This husband and wife team was one of the first couples who believed in me when I was starting to venture into business. I met Lojen when I facilitated a Cashflow 101 board game in 2011. He was one of the participants. Coincidentally, I also met his wife Val the day before in an Online Marketing Workshop where we both volunteered to serve to get in and learn for free. 🙂

Lojen is a former OFW who has already been to many countries like Saudi, Singapore and Malaysia working as an Instrumentation Engineer. The turning point of his life came when he experienced being away from home and missed being on his wife Val’s side while giving birth to their first born son. It was an emotional time, and he knew right there and then that he didn’t want to experience the same feeling again. That’s why he chose to come back home to the Philippines and stay with his family.

At one point in their budding entrepreneurial career, their immigration papers for Canada got approved. They had to make the difficult decision to choose whether to grab the opportunity and migrate to Canada or stay and support their growing business, with little assurance if it would work out or not. In the end, they decided to grab the opportunity to live and work in Canada.

It did not come without a price. They had to leave their growing business team. It was not easy to say the least. They had a growing international team in Japan and the Philippines at that time with both teams gaining momentum and at a tipping point to grow leaps and bounds. As they say, I’d rather have one great leader than a thousand of followers. True enough, their momentum fizzled out. Their business team, encountered lots of challenges. Without a leader to guide and hold their hands, the price of leaving had to be paid. It was a painful lesson.

But I am amazed by this couple’s tenacity and entrepreneurial spirit. Realizing the potential that they have lost, they went back to the country with a vengance. They relaunched their business in the country, tried to rebuild their business team. Now, they are starting to gain momentum once again.

Watching by the sidelines, I realized Lojen and Val is working so hard because of the same reason why Lojen gave up opportunities working abroad when his son was born. He desperately wants to build his business, and grow it even more, but at the same time he keeps his main goal intact of ensuring they stay together as a whole family in the process. True enough, when his second child was born, he was by his wife’s side. No amount of money can compensate for the TIME you spend with your loved ones. Lojen and Val believe that they do not have to go abroad to create the lifestyle they want for their family.

However long the journey is, I am proud of this couple. They are very down to earth, humble and tenacious in spite of the numerous challenges they have encountered over the years.They have inspired a lot of people in our team to DREAM that it’s possible. Now, they are one of the top directors in our company, and have managed to earn $1,000 in a single week part-time.

That has helped them build a comfortable future for their growing family of 2 kids. With the part-time income they have earned, they managed to buy their own BRAND NEW MITSUBISHI MONTERO. They don’t have to worry about flood anymore. or getting stuck commuting in traffic. Their 2 kids can sit comfotably at the back while they get to their destination.

Lojen and Val’s story is still being written. Every day, they are growing more as leaders. They have learned a lot of lessons. But they have also gained a lot in return. I am very excited to see them conquer the next challenges ahead and come out victorious. This is just a start of their success story. There’s more to come. For now, please watch their video interview here to learn tips on how to start your own business just like them.

P.S. This month, I am looking for 4 new associates to join my growing team. 1 slot already taken, 3 slots left. Contact me or reply to this email if you’d like to know how.

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Featured Success Story: RJ and Jacq De Lara, Engineer & Accountant turned Entrepreneurs

This is a continuation of a series of success stories that I am featuring in my blog.

Meet RJ and Jacq De Lara. RJ is a former Electrical Engineer from Meralco while Jacq De Lara is a former Certified Public Accountant (CPA) from Shell.

In 2011, they had a great career working for them. But they had dreams wanting to get fulfilled. They were boyfriend-girlfriend when I met them, but now they are a husband-wife team with a young daughter. They even made me their godfather! Imagine that. Of course, I am honored but at the back of my mind I asked myself if I am “that” old to become a “Ninong” for a wedding. 🙂

Interestingly, I met RJ and Jacq at a time when I was also trying to shift from employment to entrepreneurship.

I was tired of reading hundreds of books, and attending seminars left and right with nothing to show for it. Then I finally got my hands on starting a business but failed miserably being a one-man team. I knew then that I lacked so many skills necessary to become a successful entrepreneur. I don’t speak a lot. I am comfortable writing but not in talking with other people face to face. I liked doing things on my own. But I realized early on that if you want to become successful in business you need all the help you can get. Business, as they say, is a team sport. I knew I needed to learn all these things, that’s why I decided to give it another try and shared my experiences in this blog.

Unknown to me at that time, RJ and Jacq chanced upon and read one of those articles and got interested to meet up with me. They were venturing in real-estate at that time and knew the people I was working deals in real-estate with. That chance meeting over coffee turned out to be a turning point in our lives. That was the starting point of a partnership that I am very grateful up to this day.

When I met this young couple and talked about doing business together, Jacq had so many questions. What if this happens, etc. It’s understandable because she was trained to become meticulous as a CPA. Good thing I was not doing business by myself then, my mentor was with me and explained to her in detail how it would all work. I was just there listening, thinking and analyzing. You see, I was also trained being an IT consultant to analyze things…sometimes it works in my favor, sometimes it doesn’t. Especially when I use it as an excuse not to act, and I get bogged down with analysis paralysis. 🙂

I remember when I met them 4 years ago, RJ was the jolly guy who knew a lot about selling. In fact, because of him, they were able to close one of their real-estate deals. Jacq was a bit more reserved, but I knew then she was someone who would pour her hearts and soul into something she’s passionate about and believe in. Also, she knew what she wanted in life. She wanted to become successful because of her humble beginnings growing up. It turned out, they were actively looking for an opportunity to make their dreams come true at that time. I was the 5th person they were checking to do business with. I don’t really know what they saw in me, but to this day, I am thankful they trusted me even though we just met that day.

Life works in mysterious ways. Sometimes, people you hardly know (in the beginning) make the biggest impact in your life. That has been true for me in the case of RJ and Jacq.

When they got started, they were the most consistent in our business. They were eager to learn. They read books, attended trainings. Did everything they were told. But months after, the success they were aiming for has not come as fast as they wanted to. But they were not ones who get discouraged easily. They persevered, got a little bit of success, but a new challenge would soon come up. They hit a wall…worked over it, around it, under it but to no avail..Until something finally worked! After a couple of years, they finally hit their breakthrough.

People think that the fastest way to success is a straight line. Never ever failing. But I beg to disagree. If you want to become successful fast, you need to fail faster. Do things. Break things. Fail at it. Then you will learn, FAST. But if you’re afraid to even try, something will always hold you back. You will never start. Sometimes, you just have to close your eyes, and say $*%* let’s do this!

Being a mentor to someone gives you that special priviledge to watch those you coach become better, and stronger as day goes by. Sometimes, it gets to a point wherein they turned out better than you thought they would be.

Here’s a picture of RJ and Jacq while enjoying the white sands of Club Med Kani in Maldives! I haven’t been to Maldives but they got there for FREE as part of their travel incentive in our company. They say it’s one of the dream destination for most people. Even celebrities like Leonardo Dicaprio went there. Imagine going there for free because you were able to grow your business income by at least USD $7,800 in one quarter! That’s what RJ and Jacq did! 🙂

But one of the things I enjoy more these days is I get to travel for FREE and be with friends and business partners at the same time! Last June, RJ and Jacq were also awarded a FREE trip for 2 via Royal Caribbean Cruise just like me and my wife. It gives me joy when I see people who trusted and believed in me enjoy the fruits of their labor. I know I can’t take credit for their success, because they did it, not me. I just feel very fortunate to have been part of their journey to getting there.

We’ve been through a lot growing our businesses together. There were times when they were thinking of giving up. I too for the most part, have thought of quitting so many times. But just like in life, it matters more who you are with going towards your dreams! When you know someone else is depending on you, it’s a wake up call to roll up your sleeves and get to work. I am thankful that our lives crossed.  They have taught me so many things. They challenge me to be better. A better leader. A better mentor. A better business partner.

I wish for you to find business partners who you can rely on to be there through thick and thin. I have been blessed to have known RJ and Jacq. Now, it’s time to learn directly from their success story. Watch this video we made while doing a photoshoot for our team. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed their success story. I pray that you find great business partners like RJ and Jacq in your entrepreneurial journey.

P.S. I am looking for 4 new assosicates this month to mentor and work with just like RJ and Jacq. 1 slot is already taken. 3 slots left. Simply hit reply and send me a message if you received this on your email. Or contact me through my Facebook Page @ http://www.facebook.com/allaninocente111. Who knows? You may be the next RJ and Jacq I am looking for.

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Featured Success Story: Will and Chelle Abriza – IT Consultant and Housewife Turned Entreprener

In the next few days, I will be featuring success stories of people I’ve worked with in the past 4 and half years doing business. My goal is to inspire you to go for your own success story. Who knows? Time will come, perhaps you will be the next one featured in this blog.

Today, I will be featuring my good friends turned business partners, Will and Chelle Abriza. Will is a former IT consultant for 10 years while Rachelle is a former call center agent.

I met this young couple in 2011 while venturing into real-estate. The first time I met this couple, we were having a family day with friends. They were already an established real-estate group and my wife and I were invited as guests. One thing that struck me about them was how young looking and kind they were.

We were only acquaintance then but I have proven their trustworthiness even before venturing together in business. One day, a reader of this blog inadvertantly deposited a payment to a seminar to Will’s account. I emailed Will right away, and lo and behold without much hassle, he immediately refunded the money and I was able to return it back to the reader of this blog. Everything went smoothly. The error was corrected. But that day, I knew I could count on Will to do the right thing when someting unexpected happens.

Fast forward a few years after, I saw Will again in a wealth summit seminar. He looked stressed. Unknown to me at that time, he was undergoing a heavy financial difficulty. I shared the opportunity to do business together with him and he grabbed the chance right away.

The first years doing business together were challenging. We are both IT programmers, shy and don’t speak a lot. We lacked a lot of things, skills and the right mindset.  But we had one thing going for us — we were both hungry to learn and become successful.

It took some time, but their business breakthrough finally came. After a few years, they have finally built one of the most dynamic international organizations in our company spanning a global operations in countries like Singapore, Japan, Canada, Malaysia and the Philippines. Their financial burden was finally solved through their business. They became multi-millionaires.

Even with their continued success, they have remained down to earth and humble. Due to their strong determination, they have helped a lot of people get their dreams. Because of that, they have been blessed much as well: 3-time recipient of an all-expense paid Asian Cruise travel for two, multiple awards here and abroad (Top 23 Philippine Growth, *Million-Peso Achievers, 4x-Quarterly Growth Awardees, etc). Now, they are the proud owners of BRAND NEW FORD EVEREST.

As much as I’d like to take the credit for their success, it’s through their own hard work and determination and keeping an open mind that has allowed them the success that they desired. I was only an instrument to show the opportunity that they have been looking for at that time.

I want to leave you with this video interview we did together a few months ago, while we were doing a photoshoot for all people who have bought their own cars in our group.  Watch this video and learn directly from Will and Chelle how to become successful in business. Cheers!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4nMa5TxHKA

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How To Tutorials

How to Get Out of the Cubicle Nation

Around this same month in 2011, I finally felt how is it like to wake up in the morning without alarm clock. It’s been more than 4 years since I last held a job, and I am loving every minute of it. 🙂

I worked 9 years of my life as an IT consultant. Yes, the pay was great. I was passionate about what I do. I worked hard. It is in line with my core strengths having graduated as a computer engineer. I loved my job so much I was always thinking of ways on how to work better, smarter. I spend my time coming to the office on weekends. In a year, I only have 1 week vacation. I was a workaholic to say the least.

But what I couldn’t bear was the realization that every day goes by I find myself losing my freedom bit by bit. It’s not the money that mattered most to me, but the freedom to choose what you want to do with your life, what you want to spend most of your time with.

That’s when I got the entrepreneurial bug. That’s the one idea that when it gets to your head and your mind expands to the possibility that there’s another way to achieve your dreams, you can never go back to doing the same thing ever again.

I read Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad and it changed my life forever. It was the first time I became aware how the world of money works. I knew how to work hard and thought it was the only way to make money. But the book opened up my mind and explained to me in simple ways how you can make money through other means like business.

I realized, this is a fascinating world to dive into and learn from. I cannot go on doing the same thing over and over again. It’s true what they say, “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” It may appear through a mentor or an opportunity that you finally recognize for the first time even though it’s in front of you for so long. It’s as if you were given a brand new eyes to see the world. I grabbed opportunities left and right to learn as much as I can. I bought and read books, hundreds of them. It’s funny how I bought books only after graduating from college but back when I was in school I hate buying much less reading books. Now, I even search for specific titles I want to learn from.

Then after books, I gradually attended seminars in money and investing. Eventually, I tried to dip into everything, trying out real-estate investing, stocks investing, setting up businesses. Some failed, Some broke even. Some did earn a few bucks. But I learned from all those experiences. Some of the lessons were painful. But it thought me more than what hundred books can give. It’s true, real-world experiences make the biggest teacher.

Eventually the itch of braving this new world of entrepreneurship keep popping on my mind. I had a comfortable life. I had no kids yet at that time. My wife and I were earning well. I had what most people would hope for in a career. But sometimes, the spirit leads you to expereinces that makes your life more meaningful, exciting and colorful, only if you suspend your disbelief long enough and try it out.

I did it in 2011 and the rest, as they say, is history.

It’s been more than four years since I ventured into business by becoming an independent business owner of USANA Health Sciences, a 23-year old NYSE-listed, US-based company operating in 19 (going 20) countries.

It was a lot of struggle at the start, but thanks to my team XTRM 1-11, an organization of professionals who provide TRAINING and SUPPORT system for people like me who wanted to transition from a life of employment to a life of entrepreneurship. With the team’s help and lots of trainings, my wife and I eventually learned and got a taste of success, and found out what is it like to lead a group and mentor other people become successful as well.

I have had a chance to be given all-expense paid trips for 2 to international countries through Star Cruises via Sanya China, Halong Bay Vietnam and Hong Kong, as well as through Royal Carribean Cruise via Tianjin China, Busan and Soeul Korea. We have been awarded Top 7 Growth Awardee in the Philippines and Top 23 Growth Awardee in the Pacific Region, competing with other countries like New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines. We were able to buy our own family car, a brand new chevrolet trailblazer. Got a 10-year multiple entry US visa. Had a chance to share our success story here and abroad…and many many more blessings and unforgettable experiences.

But more importantly for me, I’ve had the priviledge to directly or indirectly help other people who trusted me become successful in business as well. One had become a 3-million peso achiever and another a 2-million peso achiever. A lot of people earned an extra income part-time in US dollars while not having to leave their families just to work abroad. Some even had a chance to go back to the Philippines and be home for good.

I wish I could say it was easy, but it is not. But it is also not hard either. I’ve had people come in and in just 1 year work so hard in their business, create a result that is 2x or 4x that of those who have been doing the business already for 4 years. It is never too late to decide to change your life for the better.

When I was starting, I had a lot of questions in my mind: it is not my line of work, how can I do this? How can I start a business with little money? I don’t have time. I don’t know how to sell. I don’t know anything about business. I am shy and introverted. I don’t have a lot of friends. I don’t think I can make it. That’s all true. But I have no way of knowing the answers to those questions or doubts, unless I tried. Trying out was the better option for me because I can live with TRYING and FAILING in the end, than REGRETTING and blaming yourself down the road for not even trying.

I wish I could say to you that I know the answers and this is what you should do, but the reality is that I don’t know your circumstances. Only you know that. Only you know why you are working so hard on your job to provide for your family and loved ones. Only you know the feeling you get when you see your paycheck at the end of the month. I knew how I felt. I was always frustrated realizing that almost half of it is taken away in different forms of taxes, 30% when you earn an income and 12% as VAT when you spend…that’s 42% effective taxes that I needed to work hard to earn day in and day out. Only you know how it feels like getting up in the morning at 5AM because you know if you snooze and get a little bit more sleep, that you will have to endure the horendous traffic waiting for you during the morning rush hour.

But only you know also how is it to work hard day in and day out and HOPE that one day it will get better. Yes it will, if you do something about it. As they always say, HOPE is not a business strategy. I’ve learned that true change happens if you accept the brutal facts. When I saw this illustration, I knew then it was the brutal facts. No matter how painful, I knew I had to face the reality and do something about it…because numbers don’t lie.

Our dreams have a price. House and Lot. Car. Travel. Savings. More. Working hard everyday, earning and saving an extra P10,000 every month is simply not enough. After 50 years of working hard, you are only a little more than halfway to your dreams. If only you could be working for another 50 years…but you are already 70 years old by then..you are way past your prime. Can you go back to working on job? Of course not. Unfotunately, these are the brutal facts waiting for most people who are not aware and not willing to learn how money works.

The good news is, there’s still time left to make your dreams happen. Only if you are willing to learn and be coached. Only if you are willing to let go of your excuses. Only of you are disgusted enough to do something about it. Only if you are like me who one day found the courage to take a leap of faith. You don’t have to be great to start, but you definitely need to start to be great! What better day to start changing your life than today? Today, decide to do something your future self will thank you for.

P.S. It’s been months since I last wrote in this blog. I have decided to get back to writing more and sharing more of my experiences here. One reason why I haven’t written more is because there were countless of times that I have hesitated sharing some of the things I’ve experienced with you in the fear that people will not appreciate it, or say negative things about it. But the reality of life is that not everyone will agree with you, and that’s ok. I respect you for it. In fact, I admire you for taking a different viewpoint and taking a stand on it. That’s what makes life so exciting and colorful. But there are also things that I passionately believe in that I feel I need to write about. I am consumed by the calling to share it. That is why I write.

P.P.S. In the coming weeks, I will be sharing more stories of people whom I’ve had the priviledge of working with in my business in the hope that their stories will inspire you to create your own success story yourself. I realize that not everyone is cut out to be in business. That’s ok. Everyone needs to find meaning in whatever it is they feel they were meant to do. I wish you well on your endeavor. But for those few people who have read rich dad, poor dad already, went on and tried different things before, and those who are at that stage in their lives where they are looking for a personal mentor and would like to take part in the same training and support system that has allowed me to escape the cubicle nation, this is for you. There’s help out there, if you have the courage to try. Contact me and let’s meet. Perhaps this is going to be a start of a long partnership.  I am currently building my 5th business center and I am on the look out for people I can train to become the leader of the new business team I’m building. I can only work with 4 this month and 1 slot is already taken. If you know someone who is exploring a change in career and would like to check it out, please feel free to forward this invitation to them. Contact me and let me help you change your life. I can only work with those who are willing to go to our business office in Makati to meet up with me. If you are overseas, or you cannot make time to meet up with me, I cannot work with you yet.  But of course, I’m not someone who discourages a person who is highly motivated to change his life situation and are very much willing to do whatever it takes to make it hapen. 🙂

P.P.P.S. If you feel like this blog or article is not adding value to you anymore, please feel free to unsubscribe or delete it from your inbox. I encourage you to do so. But if you feel you learned something that might be of value to you or those you know, feel free to share it away. God bless you. 🙂

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On board Voyager of the Seas, The Royal Caribbean Cruise Experience in China and Korea

It’s been a couple of months since my wife and I together with our business partners enjoyed a 7 days 6 nights asian cruise experience on board the Voyager of the Seas of the Royal Caribbean Cruise. It was already our second time to board an asian cruise, but still the experience of boarding a BIGGER CRUISE SHIP was something we were looking forward to. This time, it’s more grand and luxurious as we were scheduled to visit China and Korea, and it’s all FOR FREE, ALL-EXPENSE PAID by our company!!! Best of all, our company also gave us $1,000 pocket money for shopping! Of course my wife enjoyed it so much. 🙂

As one of the Top 25 Growth earners in the whole Pacific region, we were treated to an amazing VIP experience during our whole stay in the cruise.

Here are a few of the perks we got!

We were given a special room, an ocean view with veranda. It was really breath-taking just chilling on the veranda, staring at the vast horizon of the sea.

On our first night on board, we were treated to a very nice exclusive dinner with the President of our company. It was an amazing feeling rubbing elbows with top business leaders in asia and the pacific. We even got a chance to have this photo taken with the president herself! Every detail was personalized including our food and drinks as we were asked a few months in advance what we would like to eat! It was my first time to eat and find out what FILET MIGNON tastes like! It was so delicious!! Our company truly knows how to pamper, we were given chocolates and these special bears with our name on it 🙂

On our second day, my wife and I were quite nervous and excited as well because we were asked to share our story in front of 800+ delegates form across asia and the pacific. I knew it was going to be a real challenge because first we had to speak in english the whole time, and second we will have to wait for the translator to convert it to Mandarin for Chinese-speaking countries like China, Hong Kong, Singapore and more. We were given the chance to share how our lives were changed in the last 4 years and in so doing, get a chance to inspire 800+ people across Asia and the Pacific region.

During the afternoon session, we had a more intimate Question and Answer discussion with a select group of top leaders. It was a chance to interact and share a little bit more of how it is like building a business in the Philippines. I shared how I learned LEADERSHIP from raising my 2 little boys and watching them grow up and take their first steps, stumble and get up again to do it one more time until they learn how to do it.

The next day, my wife and I were feeling a bit lazy to go to the buffet breakfast so we had our breakfast delivered into our room instead! It was so much fun just staying in bed all morning just enjoying the time without any alarm clocks or worrying about work or business. Remembering we were inside a ship and not a hotel, and there’s a veranda overlooking the sea we opted to take our breakfast there! 🙂

We were treated VIP seats to an ice skating show inside the cruise ship and even had the chance to do ice skating as well! At first I thought it would be easy since a lot of the kids seem to be enjoying and did not seem to exert too much effort at all. Once I put my boots, helmet and pads on and marched onto the ice I knew instantly this was not going to be a piece of cake! More than the pain of getting bruised physically, my ego was suffering more damage…seeing myself just holding on to the railings never letting go while the kids half my size were enjoying the snow and seem to be effortlessly sliding along just fine. Then finally, one moment of courage took the better of me and I let go! That’s when I realized that the moment you learn to let go of your fears of failing, or of making a mistake after trying something new, that’s when the EXCITEMENT and EXHILIRATING feeling of VICTORY within shines through. You never know how exciting life can be until you do something new. 🙂

I thought the VIP treatment would not get any better but I was wrong. We were given VIP exclusive access TOUR to the Captain’s deck. We went through an extensive security screening. While going inside and speaking to one of the security personnel who was fortunately also a fellow Filipino, I learned that the captain’s deck was OFF LIMITS to all passengers and even most members of the crew. Only the captain as well as his team along with a few security personnel are allowed inside. I was even more surprised when I asked whether it was a regular occurence that someone gets a tour inside and she answered no, not at all. Only VIP are given priviledged access to this part of the cruise ship.

There were a lot more we did and experienced while on board the Voyager of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Cruise, but I feel no words can describe the feeling of being there and experiencing it yourself. As I look back on the experience I realize I could easily buy a ticket for me and my wife, however, it still would not be the same. One thing that made this trip extra special was because I was with friends and business partners. It is always super fun and exciting to spend an amazing experience like these with team mates from XTRM 1-11.

Looking back at all the experiences I’ve gone through over the past 4 years before I got to this point in my business career, I must say IT IS ALL WORTH IT.  I realize there’s no such thing as an overnight success. It is always a result of HARDWORK and DETERMINATION. But until you DECIDE to change something, nothing happens.

One of the blessings (and curse) of being a Filipino is that we have this trait called “matiisin.” It is bordering on becoming a “martir” sometimes. When I decided to let go of my former career as IT consultant and shift my focus into business, the decision was not easy but I had one thing going for me. I had a wife who was always there to support me. I asked here one evening whether I should resign or not, and she simply asked me back, “KAYA MO PA BA NG ISANG TAON?” At that time, my answer was a definite “NO.” And the rest, as they say is history.

I’ve learned from my mentor that there’s such a thing called 3 C’s of life: “You must make a CHOICE to take a CHANCE or your life will never CHANGE.”

My only wish for you is that you are able to find the fourth “C” which is the COURAGE to make that CHOICE and live in the direction of your DREAMS.

P.S. I am always on the lookout for people who are seriously considering making a change in their life. If you wish to be part of my team and get a chance to experience the same lifestyle like I do, you can visit my Facebook business page @ http://www.facebook.com/allaninocente111 and send me a message. Or if you received this in your inbox, you can simply reply to this email.  Here’s a quick video to get a glimpse on what kind of life is waiting for you if you decide to act now.

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Life Updates

Singapore Escapade: Marina Bay Sands, Universal Studios, Asia and the Pacific Convention

My wife and I used to visit Singapore while working as OFWs in Malaysia to tour around family and friends around 8 years ago. There were still no Univesal Studios then, Marina Bay Sands was still under construction. That’s why last month when we visited Singapore again, I was excited to see what’s new in this amazing country!

It’s our first time to check-in in the most popular man-made infinity pool, at the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. We were there for 5 days and 4 nights with friends and business partners.  It’s so much fun to enjoy this magnificent view if you’re in the company of family and friends. It is simply breathtaking. It’s an amazing experience just being able to enjoy this man-made paradise.

One of the reasons my wife and I were are also in Singapore, apart from pleasure is for a business trip to attend and receive an award as delegates of the Philippines in our company’s Asia and the Pacific Convention. Entrepreneurs from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, China, Thailand and the Philippines all gather in Singapore for this grand event. 

We were awarded #22 among Top 25 Asia and the Pacific Growth awardees. Our business growth is among the highest in the whole pacific region. Here are some pictures from the award ceremony. 

This award is dedicated to the people who dream of a better life and are courageous enough to get out of their comfort zone to pursue those dreams. Just like me 4 years ago, you may be in a situation where you feel you can no longer ignore the inner voice within you saying you are meant for greater things. I encourage you to take that first step, just like what I did.  You never know what exciting adventures it might lead you to. 🙂

As much as I would like to take the credit for our awards, I also know that we would not be able to get to where we are right now if not for the help of many people who came before us, my mentors, my business partners, my team which is XTRM 1-11. It’s true what Robert Kiyosaki said that business is a team sport. Nobody succeeds doing it alone, and if I may add, it’s not fun doing it alone. 🙂

Prior to learning about the support and training system of XTRM 1-11, I was already a hungry student of business. I wanted to learn how to build a business, but while I’ve ready hundreds of books, and attended seminars here and there, I felt I still lacked the most critical part, which is the REAL-WORLD experience. I had no background in sales or marketing. I was just an ordinary employee sitting in front of a computer, minding my own business for 9 years, until I discovered another exciting world to explore, that is, business. I’ve decided to take the plunge and immerse myself to the system and I am very thankful I did. I’ve met lots of great people that I would not otherwise meet. Everyday is a new learning experience, it’s always fun and exciting. It feels great to be part of something special. Here’s our team XTRM 1-11 enjoying Univesal Studios of Singapore. It feels great to be a kid again! Field trip, anyone? 🙂

I’ve been doing business for 4 years now but my experience in Singapore made me realize some things. At least 3 times, I was approached by someone I didn’t know who shared to me that they were avid readers of this blog. They were excited to meet me personally. One thing that struck me during our conversation was that they were curious about XTRM 1-11 and thought it was a business you can do online. Someone even thought it’s for a motorcycle business. 🙂

Yes, I can do my business online but I also meet up with people offline. After 4 years, in fact I now have teammates in several countries like Singapore, Japan, Canada, Malaysia, UK, and more. Along the way, I have learned that nothing can  substitute for the warmth of a real-world human interaction. Nothing can replace real-world experiences. I have learned more talking to people in 4 years than reading 100+ books based on theories.  How to become a leader. How to build a team. How to do effective communication. and many many more…I wish I could tell you more about all the things I’ve learned for the past 4 years. I wish I had the courage to say it’s going to be easy, but it’s not. It’s going to take a lot of work. It may take some time. But what worthwhile venture doesn’t take work and time? One thing I can assure you though, if you work hard at it and learn to do it better every day, it’s all going to be worth it.

P.S. If you want to learn more, you can simply reply to this email or reach me through my business page @ http://www.facebook.com/allaninocente111

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First Quarter Trip Goal Checked! Exploring Lagen Island El Nido Palawan

It’s been a very fun and exciting first quarter of 2015 for me.  At the start of this year, I’ve shared my goal to go to a place I’ve never been to at least once every quarter. I’ve been to Cebu for the first time last January but it was for a speaking engagement and it was only for 2 days.  This time, I was able to spend it with my wife and business mentors in a very special and paradise island in Lagen El Nido Resort of Palawan! 4 days of nothing but fun and enjoyment! No work, all play! 🙂

I remember my wife and I considered going to Palawan for honeymoon, but due to budget constraints we didn’t even consider going to El Nido. This time, one of our DREAMS came true!  and I’d like to share my joy with you.

To say I was excited was an understatement. I was thrilled, I couldn’t sleep! 🙂  Our trip to El Nido was definitely a lesson for me in personal touch. I wasn’t aware that to go to El Nido you needed to take one of their chartered planes. It was my first time to do so. I didn’t know the chartered planes had their own terminals, not NAIA terminal 1, 2, 3 or 4. 🙂

One of the best part of this trip is that we were with our closest friends and business partners. Here’s my wife and I together with our friends Will and Chelle Abriza enjoying coffee and breakfast at the ITI hangar’s lounge area while waiting for boarding.

What I noticed right away is the level of detail and personalization. Here’s the reserve seat in the lounge. and the ‘BOARDING PASS’. It’s not paper, it’s wooden! 🙂

Imagine my excitement when we finally boarded the plane and landed in El Nido Palawan and we were welcomed by singing and dancing along with welcome drinks! To top it all, we saw this hand-made wooden banner especially made for us…when I looked closely I was even more amazed when I realized that each letter was nailed into the platform (NOT glued)! Talk about the effort in personalization to the highest level!!! 🙂

I wish I could share to you all the details on our trip to Palawan, but you have to experience it yourself to really appreciate what it’s like to enjoy one of God’s amazing creation, a tropical paradise. The next best thing I can do is share this short video with you on what it was like being in that little heaven on earth.

One of the best things that has happened since I shifted my career from IT consulting to Entrepreneurship 4 years ago is that for the first time I now had MORE TIME to enjoy what life has to offer. It’s amazing what happens when you DECIDE to change your life.

What are you willing to ACT on and DO if I tell you you can have these in life:

– You dont have to ask permission from your boss anymore if you could go on vacation or not. You don’t have to wait for Holy week or Christmas just to have a vacation. You can do it anytime you like.

– You also don’t have to worry about going back to work right away, and there’s no extra piled up work to catch up on after your vacation.

– More importantly, because of the way you set up your business, it is still up and running and earning even without you. Sometimes, it earns even more when you’re not around! 🙂

Much of life revolve around the choices that we make. I wish I could tell you that getting to this point in my life was easy. But it also was not complicated either. What I can definitely tell you – IT’S ALL WORTH IT!

I discovered that it is TRUE the 3 C’s of Life: Choices, Chances, Changes. You must make a CHOICE to take a CHANCE or your life will never CHANGE.

P.S.  I am on the lookout for people who would like to experience this kind of lifestyle. Today, I am extending the same invitation I posted in my Facebook business page to you. See below picture for more details.  For those who are in Singapore, I’ve got great news for you! I’ll be in Singapore next week! If you’re interested to find out how a former OFW like me ended up travelling the world not for work but for leisure, and would like to know if you can do it too, contact me so you can get a chance to meet me personally and I can share you the opportunity that changed my life. See you! 🙂 To contact me, simply hit the reply button (if you received this by email) or visit http://allaninocente.com/work-with-allan/.

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3 exciting awards in 3 amazing days

3 exciting awards in 3 amazing days!
It’s been an exhilarating 3 days for me and my wife, indeed!
Blessings upon blessings kept on pouring! Thank YOU Lord!

Day 1: We received our xMillion Peso Achiever trophy during our company’s Masquerade Ball in Edsa Shangri-la! Now, I can truly say it’s really true, earning your first million is the hardest, the next million gets easier because you also get better.

Day 2: We received for the 3rd time our Quarterly Growth trophy as Top 12 in the whole Philippines for the 4th quarter of 2014 during an exclusive luncheon with our company president, our general manager and other top growth income earners in the Philippines at New World Hotel Makati!

Day 3: We received our BIGGEST and MOST-PRESTIGIOUS achievement yet in our business, get awarded as Philippines’ Top 7 Growth Income Earner for 2014 in front of 8,000+ people in the BIG DOME, the Smart Araneta Coliseum!

These 3 awards are especially meaningful for me personally because they represent not only the growth of our income from our business, but also of our own personal growth as leaders as well. There were lots of hardships and sacrifices my wife and I have been through over the past few years. There were endless nights where I questioned myself whether a shy kid like me, who likes to keep himself silent, who barely spoke a word, has what it takes to make it in business. There were moments when I doubted whether I too can succeed.

Thankfully, my business mentors BELIEVED that I too can make it. Without them, I won’t be to where I am today. Because of their belief in me, slowly but surely I was able to develop myself and gained the confidence to make it. In time, I too became the mentor who encouraged and believed in his apprentices that they too can make it — and they did!!!

As my wife and I were receiving these awards, our apprentices, the people who believed in us also received their own awards!!! Two other couples RJ & Jacq De Lara and Will & Chelle Abriza also received their own xMillion Peso Achiever trophies! Yet another set of couples got awarded in Araneta with their own Growth Circle trophies! Many others in my team were also awarded promotions to Directors ($600/week potential income), Silver Directors ($1,000/week potential income) and Executive Gold Directors ($1,000+/week consistent income) and many many more!

If someone like me, and others who believed in me can do it, I think you can too. Many people have done it, why not you?

Here’s the good news I have for you today. I am always on the lookout for people who have BIG DREAMS and a CARING HEART, who are eager to learn and be mentored, who value integrity in everything they do, who are exploring to make a change in their lives for the better, be it in the form of additional income for the family, or to grow their value as a person or an entrepreneur.

If you’ve read up to this point, I believe you have what it takes to make it. Reply to this email or LIKE my business page @ http://www.facebook.com/allaninocente111 and PM me. Let’s get you started in living your dreams! Cheers!

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Life Lessons

Is It Enough?

Have you ever asked yourself – IS IT ENOUGH?

You know you’ve been working so hard for many years, getting yourself promoted in the process, building your skills…but it seems something is off, and you are still only getting by…you can’t seem to put a finger on it, and you ask yourself, is this all there is to life? Is what you’re doing the best you can do, and the best you can be?

My story is like that of a typical Filipino. I worked hard in my job for so many years, but when I realized my earnings were still not enough for me to get my financial goals, the only solution I could think of was to GO ABROAD! And that’s what I did, for 2 and half years. The money was good, until recession struck. That’s when I realized how temporary or unsecured the life of an OFW really was. I did not get fired. But when the opportunity came for me to come back home to the Philippines, I grabbed the chance.

When I got back, I promised myself, I will learn how money works so that I won’t have to face the uncertainty of getting fired because of recession again. I read books on money. Lots of them. I attended seminars. I ventured into stocks, real-estate, businesses. Nothing came easy, but every opportunity gave me a chance to LEARN. Sometimes the lesson is painful. I failed lots of times. But some of those ventures introduced me to people who opened new doors for me. We became business partners and our partnership has given me much more than MONEY. It gave me an environment to find out what my TRUE WORTH is.

After 6 months of working on it part-time, I was able to give up my 9-year IT career. It’s been more than 3 years since I last held a job but every day I am fulfilled because not only did I gain financial blessings (much more than what I used to earn), but I also gained TIME to spend with my loved ones (which is priceless.)

Everyday, I am thankful because someone took a chance on me and gave me an option to grab an opportunity of a lifetime. Today, I’d like to extend the same invitation to you. If you feel what you have IS NOT ENOUGH, if you think you are WORTH MORE than what you are having right now, if you are willing to UNLEARN, LEARN and RE-LEARN, if you are willing to be MENTORED and WORK HARD, I have good news for you.

Click here to LIKE my official business page, and PM me. I’ll show you how you can have MORE THAN ENOUGH.

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Goals for 2015

The first month of the year is almost over. Even though it may be a little late, I’d like to still share with you my goals for the year. It’s always a good time to set goals at the start of a brand new year for it gives you that refreshing feeling of looking into the future and visualizing the feeling of accomplishment at the end.

1. Level up my fitness by having a more active lifestyle.

Any goal needs to be more specific and measurable, and the easiest to measure is my weight. In 2011, I had a goal to bring my weight down to a more manageable level.  As I add more years into my life I find it harder and harder to keep my weight down. Today, I’d like to have a similar goal of having my weight go down to 180 pounds. I feel it’s a goal that’s not going to be easy but if I give my focus to it I know I can do it. 🙂 I hope this will improve my body mass index as well and overall fitness. My plan is to have a more active lifestyle and not stay up too late at night. Wish me luck with that! 🙂 I will also be trying to eat healthy food more. I know this is one department where it’s not going to be easy because I love to eat. 🙂 But I know with a little momentum, anything small can become big and the law of compounding will take care of itself and help me with my goal. 🙂

2) Expand my business team to double the number of business centers earning at least $100 – $1,000.

This is going to be particularly challenging without a strong team behind. I am confident it can be done because I work with business leaders who share the same eagerness to learn and achieve. However, I will be needing more help than I’ve had had in the past 3 years of doing business.  Anytime you want to expand by doubling your business growth is always challenging. I need people who value integrity but are open-minded enough to listen and make his own decisions, not influenced by inexperienced people who don’t know anything about building a successful business. I need people who are like me, who can stand up on his own and become a leader when called to serve the many. I need people who are humble enough to swallow their pride and are not afraid to find out what they are truly worth. I am looking for people who are kind enough to understand that anything worth doing needs to be acted upon immediately and not analyzed endlessly, for a successful business is run not only by a thinking mind, but also with skillful hands and a loving heart as well.  I need people who can give 111% of his effort and sacrifice for 1 to 3 years of his life in order to have the chance to live a life worth living for the next 10 to 30 years.

3) Go to a place I’ve never been to at least once every quarter. 

This is a similar goal I tried doing in 2011. I feel like travelling is one of those activities I enjoy most. I learn a lot just by immersing myself with a different culture, just watching how people do their daily business, meeting with different backgrounds.  With what I do today, this is something I really treasure. I used to sit in front of a computer all day long, just minding my own business, never really taking the time to get to know other people.  In what I am doing right now, all that has changed. I have been exposed to many different careers, meeting people from all walks of like sharing their inspiring stories on excellence. It’s really a great blessing getting a glimpse on what is it like to be a world champion or a star player in a competitive field like sports. It’s also humbling hearing them share their stories on how much effort they put into their crafts and how much focus and dedication they have to battle through on a daily basis just to succeed in their line of calling. It makes me even hungier to work even harder in building my own business. Another benefit of travelling of course is just realigning with the rhythms of nature. Sometimes, we get carried away with the busy-ness of life that we tend to take all things in a hurry, compromising a lot of things like going straight for days without sleep causing stress and fatigue, only to find yourself on bedrest for days and watching all your efforts go in vain. This is one area I’d like to focus on this year. I feel having a balanced lifestyle of focused work creating fast spurts of growth while having lots of vacation time in between is going to be more productive than a continuous hurried life of unproductive work with lots of stress and fatigue.

Of course, to achieve these 3 goals there will be a lot of mini-goals and targets I will have to hit along the way. I fully expect that this year is going to be a more productive year. I will be stretched and so are the people around me. There will be growth. There will also be fulfillment. It’s not going to be easy, but I know I can make it. With a strong team behind me, I know anything is possible.

P.S. Many readers of this blog have time and time again encouraged me to post more frequently. Unfortunately, with my busy schedule I have not been able to do that. I am more active in social media, particularly Facebook at the moment because it’s a great communication tool for my business. It also allows me to post quick updates more frequently. If you want to get in touch with me and get to know me more, you can add me in my Facebook Personal Page @ http://www.facebook.com/allaninocente. I have 4,247 friends at the moment and I know Facebook has a limit of only being able to accept 5,000 friends. The goods news is, as of this time, I can still accept 753 friends more. 🙂 The bad news is, it may not be long before I cannot accept new friends in my Facebook anymore. For those who would like to receive only business tips, articles and updates from me, you can also like my official business page in Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/allaninocente111. Thank you for reading up my blog. I hope I have shared something useful to inspire you in your own life. Cheers to a successful 2015! 🙂

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