August 2010, BISON Relations is a year old!

Straddling down and cracking the whip as I see this in my head there are many mornings where I ask myself, hmmm, how will today be? Will I be productive? Will this investment I made pay off? This was on-going for a year now since the inception of BISON Relations a year ago this month. My wife, supportive as she is, and dedicated to assisting me build this business said to me yesterday,

"Keep in mind business starts slow and eventually will succeed with hard work and dedication".

My partner, Ulysses Torres-Sabuco in this endeavor said, "Wow! This month is difficult just as last year when we first started". I responded, yes, I did not expect this. I guess the merry-go rounds and the whimsical-ness of running a business and hitting the ground running makes you look back at all the accomplishments as well the heartaches that were poured into what now already is a living breathing company. Supported by many and it supports many as well, I am glad to have started this venture.

A year ago, I was working out of home, no one knew that I had started something, I wondered each time I stayed up late and created more work for myself whether I was on the right path or was I just dreaming. My wife told me before this got going..."I may join the service to find alternative income", that was it! Being the man of the house, I could not see this happen. I went running with a business that I am passionate about and yet scared to wits I might fail, but never trying would have never made me realize what I enjoy the most, entrepreneurship..I love it!

It took several months before I could find a place to situate the business. With one desk and a computer to start off, my office was bare. No signs, no printers, just me, the desk and my computer. Slowly it took face and appearance. Slowly it morphed to looking like an office. Slowly we have become a company.

New plans on the horizon, a new building under renovation to move my business where I could flourish with more people and the development of a hopeful corporation that will enable people to have jobs in the CNMI. Can I do this? Can BISON Relations weather the storm of a weakened economy? Can the weakened economy support a business like this?

Many questions that cannot be answered, but I believe with proper planning and staging of money play for success, there is a great possibility to grow and enrich the lives of my family as well others who depend on such a business for a living.

Products released into the Community, this is only but a few!

My determination, my dreams, my reasons for waking each morning and pushing myself is made possible by the people I hold dear to my heart. My children and my wife inspire me, my family, my partner who shows support and confidence. These shared emotions only tells me to keep going, and keep doing what I enjoy most.

Economic Turmoil: When will it end?

In dismay of economic instability, more businesses calls it quit due to the financial difficulties. The economy that since 2007 received a rating of 47% in foreclosures continues to face difficult challenges. The economic turmoil of the Northern Mariana Islands is a negative portrait to investors and businesses alike. This figure is probably worse today than it was then, when will it end?

Contrast to how marketers yield opportunities, this is the time to start emphasizing on product and spending to stabilize the business growth.  I agree to this, but most businesses on island feeling the pinch differ in thought. The pennies saved is a dollar earned later and when to spend this dollar will not be towards advertising, at least not now in their perspective.

Take for example Verizon, such a large conglomerate company, but there tactics as was told to me by my brother who worked for them at one point indicated that the company does not necessary look at recession as a downfall, but merely looks in the "other" direction where they can make a buck or two.

Can the CNMI look at business this way?Can our tourism officials see that maybe something is not working right with their investment abroad through their offshore offices and what not? Are our advertising plans and actions of acquiring tourist for the islands weak? Is there enough money to support the global competition for tourism? Where do we stand on the paramount downsizing of airlines support for our islands?

This is a reflection of climate change and whether we are ready to embrace the change and effect change, we need to start with our attitude and be driven to find the "other" to steer this economic turmoil.  What we face will be depended upon the people who can make change in their way. Are you ready to effect change?

Now, as an entrepreneur as well, I am looking at the "other" direction. The time is now to get off and sweat more. Determination is my drive, happiness is my success.

Yes, I lost my job, my secured income, but nevertheless, this does not make me incapable of moving and earning for a living. I am determined to get out of this slump and find my oasis in the desert of despair. My wife supports me and my children rely on my presence to deliver, I cannot fail anyone. Not now and not ever!

Wake up Marianas! Go Local and support our local businesses as this is a start! Our Sabalu market, our T-shirt stores that are locally owned, our products that may seem expensive, but in the end, we are all keeping the funds locally and used for our very own benefit.

What's next?

Earlier on in my childhood, my parents instilled the working trait, the use of common sense and the desire to achieve success through sacrifice.  It has now been 35 years later and those traits are stuck, embedded and practiced everyday I wake. Now I ask myself what's next?  Hold let me clarify why I ask this question.

For almost three years I've worked for an educational institution, but it seems that my time has come to move on.  Now being offered a position with a hotel and there is my sole proprietorship business. The business is growing slowly, but is also enduring difficult times due to the economic situation hence, the battles have only begun. Innovations, strategic positioning, enhancing product value and clientèle confidence is ever-more important in todays service industry, but even with that, some clients (possible) still think that they can do without, maybe so and possibly this is why many local businesses fail because they fail to set the NEED for such services.

Ok, I said business is tough and I have decided I will not have my business suffer by carrying my baggage.  I will sacrifice yet another dream to insure stability for my company, this means, I need to get a J-O-B.  No problems with that, I think I would make a tremendous offering back into the work force, I know my capabilities and my ambitious crave to succeed in anything that I do, but now I ask again, what's next?

Difficult decisions are difficult only for the very fact that a change would affect not on you as the person, but everyone around you, in this case, my love ones, my family.  Am I ready to make the change? But if the requirement is to provide for my family then seriously there is no reason I should not consider this. The problem is lied with the extensive hours that once again I will place by being employed versus self employment.  Don't get me wrong, self-employment is much more difficult as I wake each wondering whether I'd make a buck today or not. These challenges of being self-employed in a small economically distraught economy makes you think if this is what's next to rely on as a livelihood. Scale down on lifestyle, done...but here I am again, whats next?