It's been 8 months since I lost Lira, my 2nd daughter. And 8 months since I neglected my flourishing business. In my mind, they were born together. It was last February 2010 when I learned that I will be flying to the Netherlands to be a part of BiD Networks Women in Business competition, a vision that I have been eyeing after Rags2Riches won the grand prize of the BiD Challenge in 2009. By end February, I got pregnant. Last July 17, Lira died at 22 weeks of my pregnancy. My business died with her.
Today, my major retailer decided to pull out my product from their store because of its poor performance. I know why. I stopped marketing it. I stopped being aggressive in making it a global brand. But also today, I got an email from BiD, my sponsor in the Netherlands. My business has been upgraded for matchmaking to investors. One very high end resort also just sent me info on their order of the product. I have a mix of emotions now.
When God Closes a Door, Somewhere He Opens a Window.
Lira, my angel, tell me where to go. I want to snap out of this loss and move on.
Starting tomorrow, I'm going back to the corporate world. Was it out of need? A career decision? An escape?
Yes to the first two questions. A big resounding no to the last.
Even here at home and with my little girl, I'm avoiding the usual seremonyas (rituals) of goodbyes to being a housewife. With my online colleagues and my sponsors-- to my role as a social entrepreneur. Yes I will miss my girl, I will miss the usual guerilla feeling of saving the earth.
Below is the video posted in my profile at one of the organizations that supported my cause. Watching it again after several months of not doing anything related to business, somehow I felt that everything still has a purpose.
Last May 2009 at the Netherlands, I met 3 smart Filipinos, my co-delegates at the BiD Challenge finals. With them, we met almost 40 other entrepreneurs whom I think in my lifetime are the most brilliant minds that I have encountered. Us 4 Pinoys came from diverse backgrounds, even from competing schools, but we all have the same vision to provide support to the environment and our fellowmen.
Unfortunately, one of the ladies sold her share of the business and pursued a career in finance, I fought for my life hence decided to lie low a bit, and the only gentleman from the group had an untimely death. It was not a curse of our victories but so much happened within 6 months in our personal and professional lives. The only entrepreneur at the competition who remained standing still was the one who brought home a major award, and I'm very proud of her that she won.
Despite my low spirits, it was these same people who reminded me that I should not stop, even the one who is no longer with us now. Strangely, my boss is a close friend of this gentleman. The Philippine Business for Social Progress is still supporting us. And yes, slowly, I WILL MAKE THAT COMEBACK.
On going back to work, it was out of need. Except for one of the Pinoy entrepreneurs who competed in Netherlands, we kept other jobs. I considered my being a homemaker as a major job. Tomorrow, my other job will be to continue where I stopped 3 years ago. At my age, I think I still have the thirst to share to companies what I can contribute. Ecobloks will remain. I just made a career decision. It's now or never. Marketing guys like me rot. Our ideas rust.
It is not an escape but my healing. As the hours approached my first day at work, my self esteem goes even higher. I'm excited. My mind is spinning with ideas. I'm ready to face the challenge. I'm not thinking short term work here. It's a long term career decision. I have prayed for this and I think it's an answered prayer.
My family loves fried foods, although we have shifted to the use of olive oil completely when it comes to frying. This was since I found out that my cholesterol level is quite high. Just like other Pinoys, we love to use dipping sauces to make fried foods more exciting.
I am not exactly a ketchup person, but I am definitely a fan of vinegar! When I started managing the household in 2008, we only have the Del Monte Red Cane Vinegar because I can use to it to make Pinoy vinaigrette for my salads (just add patis and sugar). Although lately I also started using Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar for my Honey Cider vinaigrette.
About last year, my neighbor from GenSan introduced Sinamak to me over "pulutan" of chicharon. Sinamak, from what I know, hails from Iloilo/ Bacolod and is made up of different spices. It was also last year that my family started using Pinakurat which we got from Salcedo Market. Definitely, Pinakurat makes fried foods really yummy.
I remember during my corporate days a specific medrep from Iligan who would always give me a bottle of Pinakurat. I think that happened twice but I would always give the Pinakurat to my driver because I thought it was dirty. I was fooled by the packaging which is quite similar to Tanduay and the "pampa-regla" concoctions from Quiapo. Little did I know that it was a legit company.
Pinakurat is made of fermented organic coconut sap plus chilies. I learned during a beach trip that Doritos and Pinakurat can be a good combination.
Anyway, about a month ago, I discovered that SAFI, makers of Datu Puti, just launched Pinoy Kurat. I gave it a try and to be honest it was a good match with the Pinakurat. However, I read somewhere that the company that manufactures Pinakurat and Safi are into a somewhat Intellectual Property battle. But I hope that the Pinakurat business will continue to flourish. SMEs help grow the economy.
