The previous discussion was another mind opening for everyone. It was also really informative and helpful for young people who are aiming to excel in the industry and start their own business. It is highly likely that people in our industry tend to have greater chance of having their own start-ups thus it is enriching to learn techniques in being successful in the field. It is a learning worth remembering and these are the points that should be noted by everyone. Having this knowledge can definitely be of great help for everyone and having basic knowledge can tip the scales.

What I liked least…

                There are people who are not taking the chance or people who let go of the chance of having a start-up. Yes, there is a possibility of it not becoming successful but the whole point is that what if it did succeed? The chances might be high or low depending on the situation but we always have to take risks. If a person keeps on staying on the same ground then there won’t be a chance for him or her to achieve what he aims to achieve since he/she is staying in a safe spot. The people who became successful each took that same leap of faith. They aimed to achieve their goals, maybe they failed their first, second or even their third try by they never gave up and that all those rejections were worth it. Even when they were rejected they never gave up on what they dreamed and what they believed in so that’s one of the things that made them special. So, I was quiet disappointed for those people who pass up the chance. I wish that they would have taken the other option instead going in the conventional way.

                We tend to be carefree and overestimating ourselves and there are times that we should be careful with how we decide things. There are basic facts that would be helpful when you have an idea and those are the following: One is a marketable product may result in a viable business. Yes that is true however why does others fail even when they have a marketable product? They fail because they lack the knowledge and that they were not effective sellers. You should know that even if the product you are selling can be potentially a viable business however if you don’t know how to market it the product would be rendered impotent. Thus, it helps when you know how to sell your products. Some can even sell products even when you think thoroughly it is quiet impossible for it to sell. It help when you know how to sell and if you are an effective speaker then the product you are selling is without a doubt be sold in the market. It’s just that there are a lot of products who are put to waste just because it wasn’t presented properly. So, always keep in mind that being a good speaker help in selling. Two, is that a studied approach to planning the business is needed. Of course you need to have a planned approach because if not then you are bound to fail. It would be either you fail to plan or worst you plan to fail. So you should always keep in mind to have everything planned out. Go to a war prepared rather than going for it without a single weapon prepared. And, that what other people usually do, because they don’t plan they ended up failing. To avoid failing plan things first and straighten thing up. Last is that entrepreneurship is calculated risk-taking, not foolhardiness. As what I have stated above you need to take risks however never ever risk anything without having a back-up plan. You should know what the possibilities are first before risking anything. Be a smart player and take risks but never ever forget to think of all the possibilities and having a plan first before continuing. Some ended up taking risk, now that’s courageous, but never ever resort to foolhardiness that’s when failures start. Always remember to be smart and don’t act like some fool doing something that will only result to failure or worst your downfall.

                I also least liked some of the stated four types of entrepreneurship or should I say I don’t quiet agree with how things are run with some of the types of entrepreneurship. Like the Incremental which are routine business and modest novelty such as new coffee shop and new BPO. I have double outlook or opinion with regards to this. I can say that yes when you are in an incremental business you are in trend. But when you are also in that business field or you are venturing the same business you have a lot of competition thus you need to have something new for you to be distinguished from other business in the same field. Its quiet hard to find loyal customers in these business unless if you have an extreme offer or service then that would help you getting singled out from others. Next type is the Imitative which is an imitation of venture, same business model and template such as new regional branch, franchised operations. I guess I also have the same double opinion about this type of entrepreneurship. Yes, you might get lucky and your business will boom when you franchised operations. However, the spot of your franchised operation can make a difference or the size of the place or the service of your employees or etc. Even when you venture the same business still there will be no guarantee that you will achieve the same as others who were lucky that their business was successful. Because there are franchised operations ended up closing because of factors that affected their operations. Another is Rent-seeking a type of entrepreneurship or business that utilizes standards, regulations and laws to share in value enterprise like Coca Cola Enterprise. In this type of entrepreneurship, yes it is good but it will depend whether the business standards are reachable, and that the laws and regulations are fair. Because if it will have to depend on the enterprise there’s no doubt that every actions should be asked from the main company before any actions are applied. You will be held back, yes, but your products are constant and are always in standard and moving. And last but not the least is the Innovative type of entrepreneurship at which is a business based innovation just like a new memory chip. This type of entrepreneurship is applied by only those who are clearly into the industry. They know what the trendy products are and thus they innovate this and sell it as a new product. They upgrade previous products and sell it at a price higher than the previous products. Most cases I have observed that this is usually done by people in the IT industry. A lot of people became successful because of this type of entrepreneurship. However there are those that are not able to become lucky enough that their product was sold into the market. It will just be the matter of making the best or the better innovation. It will be the battle of ideas. Nowadays people are more on the Incremental, Imitative and Innovative. Yes they might have their own downside however if you observe and have a leisure walk you will be able to see that there are some that are able to become successful even when their business are Incremental or Imitative. I would definitely agree that everything will depend on how you approach or handle things especially business ventures. If you knew how then there’s no need to worry because you’ll have a chance.

                Aside from the types of entrepreneurship I also least liked the fact that students who graduate from our colleges ended up with the international companies. It is sad because they didn’t stay or at least helped in the improvement of the industry here. They would have been of great help for the advancement and the improvement of the IT industry in Davao. They could also have helped the fresh graduates to have jobs. If they had just have their own start-ups. But, of course if they won’t really be able to help then it’s time for those that are here to get up on our feet rather than wait for the opportunity. We have to make our own opportunity by stepping up.

                Also, it is sad when we were once on the peak of our advancement. Philippines was once considered to be the sleeping tiger of Asia however with the following unfortunate events things didn’t turn out well for us. Before we have large companies here and that production was in progress here. We were once handling production of computer parts. Now we have a really large work force but we are not able to utilize it instead we have lesser GNP compared to other countries. We are being over powered by other countries and that we don’t have enough jobs for our people here. We should have been able to use our resources here. To think that we are rich in natural resources but it is sad because we tend to cater those imported products instead of our own. If we could have been appreciative to our own and that we are able to make use of the things and resources around us then we could once again reclaim our place. We should think of enriching our economy. Instead of bringing down another why not encourage and take the same path without stepping on another person along the way. We should help each other to build up and not to destroy. It is really unfortunate that people nowadays make use of their time by destroying another person’s image. That is actually a very bad habit and that it shouldn’t be tolerated. Everyone should learn that we will not be able to be successful if bring down another person. We won’t be praised for what we have done instead we only create an unending chain of destruction for everybody. Everybody should uplift others and learn to help each other and reach out. We will only achieve success when we learn to help others and acknowledge each other’s capabilities. We should always bring out the best in others and learn to transfer positive energy and outlook in life.

                Based on the things that I least liked I think that we should never ever just rush into things but also think outside the box. If some people ended failing because they weren’t thinking things thoroughly then let’s make it a lesson. We should never ever jump to conclusions just because of a wishful thinking. I think it is both safe and not to assume things depending on the situation. However educated guess and assuming are two different things. Be really careful in choosing and deciding things and it is never too late to be cautious. We should always use our heads and not our mouth when thinking. Never ever underestimate others and overestimate ourselves. Use what you’ve learned and use it as an advantage. Never ever count on luck because it will never be a hundred percent assurance of getting what you aimed for. If you work for something that’s when you achieve success so thrive harder. And, never ever forget where you came from. Help those who helped you at the same time repay the land that helped you get to where you are. It will never hurt to help.

What I liked most…

                One of the things I liked most is that I was also able to learn about the SEED Model. S in SEED stands for Self Mastery. It comes from knowing one’s self. Bring passion. By knowing yourself you will also be able to know what you don’t or what you want to do. A self-mastered does not need high IQ however they have high EQ and AQ. And, a natural performer which is competitive and efficient, epicure which is sensual and cheery and boss which takes charge and loves a good fight. They are also whole-brained where both their left and right brain are working or being utilized. They also have a personal vision. If you have self-mastery you should be able to have knowledge as to what your strengths and weaknesses are. And if you know about both then you will be able to balance them. You can also use it in your daily life especially when you want to venture into business. You will know what you like to do so you will also have an idea what product you want to sell. And, thus having self-mastery would be helpful for everyone. Personally people who knows themselves well are those people that are successful. They know things about themselves and make use of it for their benefit. It is just a matter of utilizing your resources.

Then the E in SEED stands for Environment Mastery. Generating business ideas and seeking opportunities out from his or her environment through: serendipity walks, crisis, trends and etc. It is true that if you have an idea about your environment then you can use it as your advantage. Some gain their ideas from serendipity walks just like a sudden jolt of light from a light bulb. Serendipity walks can really help in having an idea worthy of selling. Also, if you keep track in the latest crisis we are facing you can also make use of it. By having a solution to a current problem or crisis can also help you especially when you are starting up. Trends can also be a source of such ideas. If you know the latest trends then think of something and gain from it. And there are many more things that could help you in some ways. If you are an environment-mastered person you understand the industry you are in especially the IT industry which is constantly growing and expanding. They see the opportunities and not the problems. They are on top of the situation instead of being under the situation. They are the organization/industry innovator and strategist. Thus, if you are an environment-mastered person you should be able to be keen with your surroundings and you are always updated. Reading really helps and it is very informative thus you should always read.

The next E in SEED is Enterprise Mastery. An enterprise-mastered person understands and integrates the functions of management such as marketing, human resource, operations, and finance. If you are an enterprise-mastered person you should know how to handle the organization of an enterprise. You should have an idea how the departments function and their processes. In doing so you won’t be naïve as to how things are getting done in the different departments in the enterprise. You should be able to understand and always keep things noted. The enterprise-mastered person also understands and integrates the process of management like planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. You should know the processes of management so that there will be standards and right process of the work. If you know these processes then everything will be organized accordingly. You won’t have a hard time tracing the source of the problems if anything pops up. Know what to do and what to apply in a specific situation so that you won’t have a hard time working on things. The enterprise-mastered person leads and inspires rather than manage. They lead their people and uplift them into doing more. They help their people to work efficiently at the same time they are working with their people. They show their humility and help others.

Finally, the D in SEED stands for the Development of Business Plan. The Business plan covers writing the business plan, presenting and depending the business plan and adding refinements to the presented business plan. Of course you should have an idea how a business plan works. In writing a business plan you should mark the things that you think will be part of your product. Everything that you will associate with your product should be included especially the financial information. You should be able to present your business plan well and include every information that will be very essential to your business. If you have a very informative business plan then that goes to show that you really know what you want to do and what your visions are with regards to the business you are venturing.

                I loved having an idea about technopreneurship which can definitely help us open up to another option in life. The once one-sided view in life which was go to school, get good grades, get a diploma, graduate then work under a good company became, go to school, get good grades, get a diploma, generate an idea, graduate and then own a company. Now we have more options to choose from and that the idea we just imagined can become something that could be of help in our lives. We can now choose to sell our idea and earn or get a partner and then start our idea then sell it through our own start-up. We now have gained a higher ground and that college students now are having a greater chance of having a start-up more than ever. If the students before didn’t get that chance then the students of today have. That the good part of having a shot of having our own start-up. This could also help us gain confidence since this shows that there are a lot of well-known people in the industry started with their own start-up. If they were able to do it then we also can. I guess it will only depend on how we handle things and how strong our will and how determined are we in achieving our goals. If they were able to face those challenges and then they became victorious then maybe we can, maybe we are the next Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg and many more. Also, having read and heard the story of Dado Banatao gave me that outlook that it can be anyone. It can be me, my classmate or anyone I knew. It’s just that we should be prepared to be rejected because at any time of the day we can’t always expect that things would be rainbows and unicorns. There will be a time when things won’t go the way we want it and that should be the time when we are willing to accept anything may it be a good thing, a rejection or a very bad thing. The way to success will never be easy because if it is then there are a lot of people who have already achieved it.

                The lesson on technopreneurship also taught me to be careful with sharing my ideas. As what Sir said in no verbatim, “if both of you own something and you both shared or exchanged it you both have 1 thing, however if both of you have an idea and you shared or exchanged it then both of you now have 2 ideas.” Now that’s where patenting, copyright and copyleft comes in. And when sir mentioned copyleft I hadn’t expected that there was really copyleft.

                Copyleft is an arrangement whereby software or artistic work may be used, modified, and distributed freely on condition that anything derived from it is bound by the same condition. Which definitely means that you can do whatever you want in a software or artistic work so long as whatever condition it follows should also be followed by the next user. So, if you copyleft a software then that software can also be used by another and by another and by another. It would be more likely that copyleft software are free for all. It can be used by anyone and can be modified or distributed freely by anyone. It’s just like those codes you will find in the internet those are under copyleft. The users who have viewed and used those codes can also do the same for the codes they have modified. Or those codes that are modified are also bound in that condition where others can use, modify and distribute it freely. I can’t really say that I agree but I can’t also really say that I disagree. In my opinion it is only fair and just that the software derived can also be used and be recycled by another individual. That would only show that a free software can also be free to another individual. And a software derived from a free software is also bound to be free since it is free from the beginning. This arrangement is being completely fair since software really are hard to stop from being duplicated or modified by another. With our technology today people are now knowledgeable in doing modifications and tweaks in another software. So, I could say that this arrangement makes up for the software that are being duplicated and modified by others.

                However, if you say copyright then it is utterly different. Copyright is a form of intellectual property, applicable to any expressed representations in a tangible medium. Which means that one can’t copy or reproduce the copyrighted material without the owner’s permission. So, if copyleft allows anybody to copy, use, modify, duplicate any material, copyright doesn’t. It protects the intellectual property of the maker or producer of the material. This also shows that people who placed copyright on their works can sue anyone who has copied, used and duplicated their work. It is due to the fact that their works are being protected by the copyright law. So, if anything or there is something that you want to copy better ask for permission first rather than ending up getting sued by the owner of what you stole.

It think that discussing about the Technopreneurship Ecosystem can also be of such a big help. There were given situations, first was a girl cooking food, second was construction of a “Bahay Kubo” and then last but not the least a person repairing a computer. Viewing the situations, they were showing about finishing tasks. However, to complete the following tasks one should have the complete components, tools, materials and manpower to finish such work. It is the same when we are going into business or to venture into the industry one should have the right resources, partners and backing to be able to start, build, establish and achieve what you aim when you started the business. There really are keys into achieving a successful business. One that can possibly help is H.E.L.F especially to be able to be a successful Technopreneur. It is part of the Technopreneurship Ecosystem. H stands for Human Resources. Human Resources are people who are handling the manpower, the workforce organization, business sector or economy. A business can start without a human resource but as it grows a human resource should be established. The human resource is the part of the business which screens the potential employees for the company. Without it the tracking for the employees would be hard so having it would definitely be a key to the success of a business. The E in H.E.L.F stands for Environment Component. It serves as an incubator center, just like colleges who offers business centers or incubation hubs where students are able to work, do researches or have their start-ups, which also have Internet Access, it is Accessible and many more. I do agree that it is essential because it can help in developing talents, abilities, capabilities and ideas which is through incubation hubs, IT parks and of course colleges or institutions. Through this we are able to expand our knowledge because these components are made for this. And thus, it would definitely be a key to success. In H.E.L.F, the L stands for Laws and Policies. It tackles on the lawful rights and services that are to be implemented and followed especially in business ventures and other services. Of course people who follow laws and policies tend to be right on track and are not facing complexities in their business. And the F in H.E.L.F stands for Financial Resources. The financial resources comprises of investors, venture capitalists like Dado Banatao, funding agencies and business sectors. It is true that ideas alone won’t make money however when we partner or contact these financial resources it is then we will be able to make money. These financial resources are definitely helpful in starting up business because they can be able to help us starting up. They can also help us find investors or partners or they can also provide us capital for our start-up. They can be able to support us fulfill our dream through our ideas or they can help us make our ideas happen by providing us funding’s. However, funding’s will only possible when an idea is business worthy or it has a great potential when placed in the market. Every business capitalists look through the chances of your product if it can produce a great amount of money and the return of investment is fast enough that sales will able to surpass it easily. But ideas aren’t always supported by investors or business capitalists so we always need to be prepared of rejection. Think of all the possibilities when you are in business because there will be a lot of competition especially when you are going high in the pyramid. You will be able to meet a lot of people and they can be partners or competitors but it will just be a matter of choosing the right individual. And that individual will be able to help you achieve your goals. You can’t avoid failures but always keep in mind that failures and rejection make us mature, prepared and stronger. If you can’t accept one rejection then you won’t be able to stand a thousand more that will come your way. So, always be prepared but never forget your values and keep on learning because life is the greatest teacher and experiences makes us more knowledgeable. Keep on exploring and never ever give-up, try and try until you succeed. When you don’t give up it’s when you will find your greatest strength.

Also, it helps when you know what the characteristics of a good entrepreneur are:

The characteristics stated above are very essential in a person it doesn’t only target the entrepreneurs but everyone. When a person is hard-working then that goes to show that they tend to do their best more than anybody else. If a person is self-confident then that means they have a strong belief in their selves. They know that they are capable that they believe that they are capable. Yes, and entrepreneur definitely sees or has a vision of the future thus they aim to build for the future. Every entrepreneur knows what they aim for and they will only be successful if they are also profit-oriented. As we all know when it comes to business money is always associated. Thus every entrepreneur are profit-oriented. When a person is goal-oriented definitely they know what they want to achieve or what they aim for. In the field of business you can’t expect that everything that you do will be accepted by everyone so you need to be really persistent if you want to be a successful entrepreneur. A person who responds to feedback understands and knows what was wrong and right. Because they are those people that accepts their faults. If you want to be a successful entrepreneur you shouldn’t wait for chances you need to demonstrate initiative. You need to make your own opportunity. There are people who are more than willing to help and thus you have to be a person that is willing to listen. You have to hear other people’s voices rather than to constantly listen to you own voice. Take advices and keep tabs of any suggestions and ideas that are being imparted to you by others. You won’t lose anything if you willingly listen to someone who is giving you opinions. You should have to set your own standards or else you won’t have anything to follow. So start creating standards that you think is essential. You need to be someone who copes with uncertainty. There will be times when you don’t know what will be the results or the outcome but you have to also know how to handle that situation. Be always mindful. Never ever forget that when you start a business you need to be committed. You have to place you time, effort and give your best if you want to succeed. You should never be easily affected, never waiver and build on strengths. Focus on your strength and use it to move forward instead of contemplating on your weakness. You need to be reliable and has integrity. If you have both then that means you have a firm stand on things. People can trust you and that will be a very good asset when it comes to business. And last but never the least a risk-taker. As what I have previously said be a risk-taker but a calculated risk-taker which has everything planned out rather than easily jumping into you end. These characteristics are very essential and helpful. It might be hard to develop but it is never too late to try. And trying and trying shows persistence and that’s just the first step.

I believe that everybody has got a shot in any position when applying for work. Nowadays people aren’t hired because of their skills. Instead, those people with pleasing personality are what companies are looking for. If you have a pleasing personality and skills, well the skills are somehow considered only as a plus. Companies are often into people who are willing to learn and willing to be taught. Not the kind of people who thinks highly of themselves and doesn’t want to work with teams. Now it’s like the scales tipped and people with hard working nature are on the same or higher than the person who are smarter and skillful. So, even if you are the smartest person in the room without the right attitude you will still not be chosen.

Source/References:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_attitude.html#d2xDxqhytOs1FkDx.99

https://www.google.com.ph/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&es_th=1&ie=UTF-8#es_th=1&q=copyleft

https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=copyright&oq=cop&aqs=chrome.1.69i59l2j69i57j0l3.2041j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8