SSS wants compulsory membership for OFWs

June 27, 2006 by reyna11 · Leave a Comment
Filed under: OFW Life & Issues 

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The Social Security System wants the Labor Department and the Philippine Overseas Workers Administration to require registration of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) as voluntary members of the fund.”We are in serious talks with the Department of Labor and Employment and POEA for the mandatory registration of OFWs before their departure for abroad,” Horacio Templo, SSS officer in charge, said.

Templo said SSS the purpose is to secure protection of the estimated 515,762 Filipino workers deployed in various countries all over the world.

About 16,000 OFWs are enrolled in the SSS Flexi-fund program, a tax-exempt savings and pension plan that the fund offers to its members on top of its regular social security program.

Templo said SSS is working towards forging bilateral social security agreements with countries that employ a substantial number of Filipino workers in addition to its existing agreements with Austria, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, Spain, France, Canada and Quebec, Switzerland, Belgium and South Korea.

“We are also studying the possibility of establishing more foreign branch offices to augment the 14 existing offices in order to serve more OFWs,” Templo said.

Unofficial estimates place the number of Filipinos in over 190 countries around the world at 8 million, comprising 20 percent of the total productive labor force of the country. At least 4.8 million are migrant workers who have specific contracts but without proper documentation.

SSS reported its net income went up in the first quarter of 2006 on the back of higher contributions, posting a 37.8-percent increase in profits to P2.37 billion from P1.72 billion in 2005. The first-quarter performance this year was a result of higher collections at P12.94 billion, or 13.7 percent more than the P11.38 billion in 2005.

SSS’ total assets grew 4.1 percent to P208.04 billion, while its reserve fund went up 3.9 percent to P204 billion.

Source: The Manila Times

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OWWA bares new service for OFWs

June 27, 2006 by reyna11 · 2 Comments
Filed under: OFW Life & Issues 

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Microsoft Corp. announced a partnership for a communication service that will allow overseas Filipino workers to digitally remit their earnings and speak with their families utilizing the most cost-effective technologies.

“Many OFWs spend as much as $100 a month to simply stay connected,” said Marianito Roque, the OWWA administrator. “This new service will significantly reduce those costs by utilizing available WiFi and VoIP services to turn an international call into a free or local call. For Filipino seamen, in particular, this is quite significant because many of their host ships are WiFi-enabled.”

The tie-up will provide global communication services to OFWs through low cost, long-term loans to purchase Windows 5.0 phones that they could use in their country of employment.

The project is part of the program launched by OWWA and Microsoft in April, which provides personal computers to OFW families through OWWA’s family assistance loans (FAL). The first phase of this trial with OFWs is currently underway.

The service will utilize Microsoft Office Live Communications Server (LCS) and a Microsoft Communicator-based User Interface (UI), in which OFWs can interact with their families via distant messaging and VoIP.

Participating OFWs and their beneficiaries may be provided with debit bankcards and digital accounts powered by Microsoft Windows Live ID under the partnership.

Microsoft said the digital accounting would allow OFWs to digitally transfer remitted funds directly to their designated recipients using either the Windows Mobile 5.0 phones or PCs, eliminating secondary remittance fees that are typically charged to send and receive money.

Last year, regular remittances from OFWs amounted $10.7 billion, or 10 percent of the Philippine annual gross domestic product.

Currently, there are estimated 8 million OFWs working in different parts of the world and growing at a rate of 50,000 a month, according to OWWA, making the program a boon to overseas workers and their families.

Source: ABS-CBN News

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Overcoming Fear of Failure

June 25, 2006 by reyna11 · 1 Comment
Filed under: Career & Education 

Shohada,

As I was reading your email, your feelings are very clear as to the outcome of whatever project that you’re doing. It seemed to me that you’re smart and intelligent - heck, you’re a professor. But consider this. In whatever endeavor you do, business - personal - educational, there are only 2 sides of the coin. Either you succeed or you fail. All of us wants to succeed, there’s no debate there. Now, what happens when you fail? This is your fear.

You had a great idea on the curriculum that you presented to the Board of Regents. They took it, implemented it and succeeded. Unfortunately, you were so scared of the outcome you left. So, wa ka biyaya nang success mo because they have it. Whereas, nagdurusa ka ngayon sa lugar mo as you said. Naku, mababato kita nang arinola! Grrrr!

Anak, not all successful people were successful in everything that they do. Eh si Trump nga, pumalpak sa casino business nya eh. Madami pa dyan. Ako?! Eto pumalpak sa internet. It’s not the failure that counts, but it’s how you rise up after failing that matters.

Now, going back to your project, execution is the key word and I’m sure you know what I mean. Then, just stay put, i-mitigate mo ang mga darating na problema para kahit pumalpak ka, hindi masakit. It’s risk management. Lastly, wag kang matakot. Stand for what you believe in. Success or fail, be proud that you took the risk, at me ginawa ka instead of nothing. NOW, here’s a very nice article on overcoming failure. This is for you.

OVERCOMING FAILURE 

Fear of failure is one of the greatest fears people have. Fear of failure is closely related to fear of criticism and fear of rejection. Successful people overcome their fear of failure. Fear incapacitates unsuccessful people. 

The Law of Feedback states: there is no failure; there is only feedback. Successful people look at mistakes as outcomes or results, not as failure. Unsuccessful people look at mistakes as permanent and personal.

Buckminster Fuller wrote, “Whatever humans have learned had to be learned as a consequence only of trial and error experience. Humans have learned only through mistakes.”

Most people self-limit themselves. Most people do not achieve a fraction of what they are capable of achieving because they are afraid to try—because they are afraid they will fail.

Take these steps to overcome your fear of failure and move yourself forward to getting the result you desire:

Step One: Take action. Bold, decisive action. Do something scary. Fear of failure immobilizes you. To overcome this fear, you must act. When you act, act boldly.

Action gives you the power to change the circumstances or the situation. You must overcome the inertia by doing something. Dr. Robert Schuller asks, “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” What could you achieve? Be brave and just do it. If it doesn’t work out the way you want, then do something else. But DO SOMETHING NOW.

Step Two: Persist. Successful people just don’t give up. They keep trying different approaches to achieving their outcomes until they finally get the results they want. Unsuccessful people try one thing that doesn’t work and then give up. Often people give up when they are on the threshold of succeeding.

Step Three: Don’t take failure personally. Failure is about behavior, outcomes, and results. Failure is not a personality characteristic. Although what you do may not give you the result you wanted, it doesn’t mean you are a failure. Because you made a mistake, doesn’t mean that you are a failure.

Step Four: Do things differently. If what you are doing isn’t working, do something else. There is an old saying, “if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got.” If you’re not getting the results you want, then you must do something different. Most people stop doing anything at all, and this guarantees they won’t be successful.

Step Five: Don’t be so hard on yourself. Hey, if nothing else, you know what doesn’t work. Failure is a judgement or evaluation of behavior. Look at failure as an event or a happening, not as a person.

Step Six: Treat the experience as an opportunity to learn. Think of failure as a learning experience. What did you learn from the experience that will help you in the future? How can you use the experience to improve yourself or your situation? Ask yourself these questions:

(1) What was the mistake?

(2) Why did it happen?

(3) How could it have been prevented?

(4) How can I do better next time?

Then use what you learned from the experience to do things differently so you get different results next time. Learn from the experience or ignore it.

Step Seven: Look for possible opportunities that result from the experience. Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich, says “every adversity, every failure and every heartache carries with it the seed of an equivalent or a greater benefit.” Look for the opportunity and the benefit.

Step Eight: Fail forward fast. Tom Peters, the management guru, says that in today’s business world, companies must fail forward fast. What he means is that the way we learn is by making mistakes. So if we want to learn at a faster pace, we must make mistakes at a faster pace. The key is that you must learn from the mistakes you make so you don’t repeat them.

Although we all make mistakes, fear of failure doesn’t have to cripple you. As self-help author Susan Jeffers says, “feel the fear and do it anyway.

—————————————–

By: sho-ha-da
registered: 3/25/2006
member
Philippines

Mahal na Reyna,

Hi muli sa yo…

Mayroon lang akong iku-consult sa iyo. Kasi parang, heto nanaman ako’t kinakabahan sa ginawa ko…

Marami na kasi akong projects na upon its conception, nagflo-flow ang idea, tuloy-tuloy, ang ganda-ganda. Pero pag naaaprub na ito, parang kinakabahan na ako sa implementation, baka sumablay.

Parang nawawalan kasi ako ng tiwala sa sarili ko kapag naiisip ko ang mga decision ko para sa personal or family life, kasi karamihan doon, pinagsisihan ko bandang huli. Example, ang pagbili ng bahay sa Cavite, ang pag re-resign ko sa banko, at lately ang pagpunta ko rito sa UAE(mabuti na lang novercome ko na ang homesickness).

Isa sa mga examples ng projects na ginawa ko, that I dreaded (like,papano kung maaapprove at papano kung hindi mag succeed sa implementation), ay yong ginawa ko na isang course sa Business Administration that will replace Banking and Finance, para sa isang unibersidad na pinagtuturuan ko sa Pinas at nagsilbi bilang department chairman.

Kauna-unahan ito sa Pilipinas, ang title ng degree ay BSBA in Finance and Treasury Management.

I-prinisent ko ito sa Curriculum Committee and to the University Council, at nang malaman kong OK sa kanila, without revision actually, doon ako kinabahan. Hanggang sa maapprove ito ng Board of Regents (May autonomy ang univ. kaya hanggang sa kanila lang ang approval wala nang CHED).

Natakot ako, papaano kung matuloy ito, at hindi ako makahatak ng mga estudyanteng enrollees dito. E, nasa department ko itong magiging course na ito…. mapapahiya ako.

Isa ito sa naging factor para magdecide akong mag-abroad….

Lately, nalaman ko sa dean that this has been offered this school year at mayroon agad two sections na nag-enroll… Nakahinga ako ng maluwag… Imagine, kahit pala hindi ko siya iniwan, di rin pala ako mapapahiya… nagdusa tuloy ako rito sa ME.

Ngayon heto na naman ako sa ganitong situwasyon:

Nagdraft ako ng promotional plan para sa branch namin (padalahan kami ng pera). Naipresent ko na sa management, approved na siya. Gumagawa na ako ngayon ng action plan… Pero, heto nanaman ang kabug sa dibdib ko…

Papano kung hindi ito magwork? Papano kung di matupad ang target na si-net ko? Papano kung di kagatin ng mga tao? Marketing-related ito… hindi ko ito linya… ito ang pinakamababa kong grade sa masters ko… Kaya lang makati lang ang utak ko, kaya pinangahasan kong gawin.

Ngayon, parang tinatabangan na akong ituloy. Kaya lang kasubuan na, at hinihingian na ako ng requirements ng management…

There is no way out, ika nga.

Mahal na reyna… papano ko ba i-oovercome itong ganitong pakiramdam ko? Parang kung hawak ko lang ang passport ko, bibili na agad ako ng ticket at uuwi na ako bukas.

Salamat in advance… di ko ito masabi sa misis ko kasi, pagtatawanan na naman ako noon. Baka mawalan na ng respeto sa akin yon.

Give me some advice, please… kahapon lang nagtytype ako ng post ko para sa iyo, may piece of mind pa ako. Pero nang matanggap ko e-mail mula HO na kailangan na nila ang requirements at ang action plan… parang biglang nagturn around ang mundo ko…
—-

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The Coolest Little Start-up in America

June 24, 2006 by reyna11 · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Uncategorized 

What could be cooler–or sweeter–than selling garbage packaged in garbage?

The first time Eric Smith laid eyes on Tom Szaky, in April 2005, he felt a shiver of panic. Oh, my God, Smith thought. What have I gotten myself into?

There they were, about to meet with Home Depot’s global product merchant, John Fuller, a guy who could make or break a young company with a simple yes or no, and Szaky, the founder and CEO of TerraCycle, all of 23 years old at the time, shows up looking as if he’s just rolled out of bed after a night of heavy partying–rumpled, unshaven, and dressed in jeans, a sports jacket, a shirt with no collar, and a John Deere baseball cap. This was not what Smith had bargained on. The director of sales for Philips Lighting, he had set up the meeting as a favor to his former boss and mentor at SC Johnson. Granted, on the telephone Szaky had sounded young, but never did Smith imagine that he’d be walking into the meeting with Ferris Bueller on his day off.

Read the entire article here: http://www.inc.com/magazine/20060701/coolest-startup.html

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OFW Forum Board back in business

June 24, 2006 by reyna11 · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Uncategorized 

The OFW Forum Board is now empty. It was bombarded with a lot of crazy, annoying and disgusting posting by all these worms around the net! 

It took me forever to delete all of those unwanted posting by these insane, lunatic and demented ma-fkers who are riding free on this forum!

I am personally paying for this site to exist and these people are nothing but a bunch of worms and lice riding in here for free. I’m not sure if you noticed, but the forum was bombarded with a lot of posting for all their wares and one of them even calls himself a college professor?! What a lunatic!

So, I apologize to all of you. Blame it on my unfamiliarity in managing this site. I learned my mistake and from now on, I will have to moderate this site deligently and will block any unwanted user and IP addresses away from this board.

This board is dedicated to all the millions of OFW’s - the Overseas Filipino Workers toiling around the world to make a better living and this is not for these crazy, lunatic and demented mafkrs around!

AHHHHHH! You can’t imagine how angry I am!!!! Kung pwede pa lang ngang buhusan nang gasolina at paliyabin ang mga kaluluwa nang mga hudas na to I’ll do it!
Reyna

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Philadelphia Olympics

June 24, 2006 by reyna11 · 4 Comments
Filed under: Uncategorized 

Whereas I am proud to be a Filipino, I am just as equally proud to be an American and more so as Philadelphian. This is my home now and a city that has given me so much. Which is why I am just happy to hear that it’s an all-go for my dear city to bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. I know that this topic is way out of the OFW topics that we talk about here, but this is truly something dear to me.

Chicago, represented by Daley and businessmen Miles White and Pat Ryan, promised enthusiastic support from corporations, compact games in a city known for skyscrapers and Lake Michigan shoreline, mass transit and ethnic diversity.

“I described it as an American experience, Chicago style,” Daley said. “That’s very important. We want the Olympics to come back to America. This is an opportunity to showcase middle America.”

There are five (5) US cities competing for the honor to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. These are:

• Houston, Texas with Houston Mayor Bill White accompanied by Astros owner Drayton McLane and businessman George DeMontrond. They touted the city’s leadership and financial resources, including several Fortune 500 companies.

• Los Angeles, California with mayor Villaraigosa brought along Janet Evans, a swimmer who won four Olympic gold medals.

• San Francisco, California with mayor Newsom painted a postcard-quality picture of athletes competing on and around his city’s famous landmarks.

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was the only city not represented by its mayor. Stephanie Naidoff, commerce director for the City of Brotherly Love, said she had “every confidence that Philadelphia can deliver on the Olympic dream that not only will make the U.S. Olympic Committee proud, but will make all of America proud.”

We are a region that has a lot of facilities, not just in Center City Philadelphia,” Torsella said. “For example, imagine a Summer Games where beach volleyball takes place in Atlantic City and the equestrian events take place at the horse grounds in Devon. It really is something that would be spread across the region.”

Philadelphia found in a recent study that it has 17 of the 31 required sports venues already in place and can easily provide temporary venues for seven more. By comparison, Paris has only 11, and was a favorite to get the 2012 Summer Games. Those, however, were recently rewarded to London. Some venues can be used for more than one event, such as the Pennsylvania Convention Center, which can house five temporary venues. That means the city has very few to build: It would need to construct a swimming facility, a track and field stadium, a tennis facility and a beach volleyball facility.

The city already has about 38,000 hotel rooms, so only about 2,000 would need to be added, in addition to an Olympic Village to house the athletes.

The Philadelphia School District plans on building multi-sport complexes for schools around the city, referred to as “supersites.” Paul Vallas, the CEO of the School District, said that the South Philadelphia supersite would make an “ideal practice facility,” should the Olympic games be held here. “Which means at the end of the day they (the supersites) are going to be better off for the Philadelphia school children than they would be otherwise,” said Torsella.

Dawn Staley, a three-time Olympic gold medallist who carried the flag in the 2004 Olympic opening ceremonies, said she has confidence in Philadelphia as an Olympic city, “I think Philadelphia is a great spot for the Olympics,” she said. “I think we can accommodate all of the events in the city and the surrounding suburbs. I think it would be a great place for the Olympics; it’s a hot city with a great night life.”

Facilities might not be as much of an obstacle as attitude is. Do Philadelphians even want to host the Olympics? Torsella is confident that the people of this city will recognize that the bid for the 2016 Olympics is a great opportunity for reform. As Vallas said, “Just competing results in upgrading resources.”

One thing that would benefit is the region’s transit system. SEPTA received a lot of criticism for the delays of public transportation after the Live 8 benefit concert on July 2, but Torsella thinks that with some “upgrades and refurbishments” the transit system could be improved to handle the Olympic crowd. If Philadelphia were to be nominated and win, it would bring many jobs to assist in preparing and running the Games, and even afterward in the hospitality industry. Torsella is convinced that the Games would also lead to a sustained increase in tourism in the years following. He said: “ We are coming now from a position of some strength where we’ve had some successes, a lot of successes, but I think it would just cement that for generations. I can’t think of anything that would have as long-lasting an effect,”

Torsella said that the Republican National Convention, which was held in the summer of 2000, and Live 8 have “prepared people mentally for the idea that we can put on a show and host a party this big.” Mayor Street agrees. Street said he believes that Live 8’s concert in Philly was the best in the world. And, he said, the city has a head start on many cities vying for the Olympics because we have so many sports facilities. Philadelphia, he added, has proven it can handle big crowds with ease.

Torsella said that the initial plan was to bid for the 2024 Summer Games, but as the 2016 Games presented themselves as less of a dream and more of a possibility, Torsella became convinced Philadelphia has a real shot at getting them. He emphasized that the city of Philadelphia is interested in the first available opportunity to be a part of the Olympics, whether that is 2016, 2020 or even 2024. Torsella said that whatever the year, bidding for the Games will be beneficial to the city. “No matter if we get the Games or we don’t, it will still do great things for the Philadelphia region.”

Besides, Philadelphia being the first capital of the United States has a lot of history to offer to the world. Think Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, Betsy Ross and a host of other big named national heroes.

I’m sure that in the very near future, there will be a Philadelphia Olympics Website. Watch out for it. In the meantime, if you want to follow the news: here’s the link:

http://www.philadelphiaolympics.com/

AND FOR AN UPDATE - POSTED JULY 27, 2006:

USOC drops Houston, Philly from runningBy ARNIE STAPLETON, AP Sports Writer1 hour, 36 minutes agoBy ARNIE STAPLETON, AP Sports Writer1 hour, 36 minutes agoThe backdrop of America’s bid for the 2016 Olympic Games might be the Golden Gate Bridge, the Sears Tower or the Los Angeles Coliseum — or none of these at all.

The U.S. Olympic Committee eliminated Houston and Philadelphia as candidate cities for the 2016 Olympics on Wednesday, leaving San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago in the running for what many consider to be America’s best shot in years at landing a Summer Games.

The three finalists, however, will have to make significant enhancements in their plans for the USOC even to bid on the 2016 Games, said Peter Ueberroth, the USOC chairman and the architect of the profit-making 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

“Right now, of the three cities that were selected today, there’s none that would have an acceptable program that we could take to the International Olympic Committee,” Ueberroth said. “It’s possible that none can get to where they need to be. It’s possible they all get to where they need to be. …

“It may be that one of these cities will drop out as we tighten the regulations, if you will, or the expectations.”

The three remaining cities will now have to finalize plans, including budgets, and present their bids to the USOC board of directors, which plans to decide by year’s end whether to submit a bid for the 2016 Games. If it does, it will pick a city by the end of next March. The IOC will select the winning site in 2009.

Other cities that have expressed interest in hosting the 2016 Games include Rome and Milan in Italy; Madrid, Spain; Hamburg, Germany, and the Japanese cities of Tokyo and Fukuoka.

Led by Ueberroth, the USOC is taking a larger role in determining whether any U.S. city will bid for the 2016 Games. The failure of New York’s bid for the 2012 Games has been blamed in part on poor coordination between the city and the USOC.

Many people believe 2016 is the best chance for the United States to land a Summer Olympics in the near future. It is believed the IOC would like to put games in Africa and South America, two continents that have never hosted the games, in 2020 and 2024.

The U.S. has not hosted the Summer Games since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. The 2002 Winter Olympics were held in Salt Lake City.

The USOC appointed a four-person committee to evaluate information provided by the cities last month, including ideas for an Olympic stadium, an Olympic village and the amount of local and regional government support they would expect to receive.

The committee also reviewed international polling on whether the time is right for an American city to host the Olympics and which city might have the best chance to win the bid.

“All five cities that have participated in this process are capable of one day hosting the Olympic Games,” Ueberroth said. “From the outset, we have said this process is about identifying the one U.S. city that has the best chance of being competitive in the international race. If we do not believe a U.S. city can be competitive, we will not bid.”

Among the factors that will weigh into any bid is the amount of revenue the 2016 Olympics can be expected to produce — and how much will go to the host country. A big chunk of that revenue comes from TV rights, and the U.S. Olympic TV rights are sold only through 2012.

Houston Mayor Bill White had touted his city’s leadership and financial resources, including several Fortune 500 companies. Philadelphia had pointed to its storied past in American history.

“We thank the citizens of Philadelphia and the region for standing behind this project and for thinking and dreaming big,” Philadelphia Mayor John Street said. “While we are disappointed to hear of the U.S. Olympic Committee’s decision, we’re honored to have made it to the second round.”

Of the remaining candidates, Los Angeles is citing its diversity as a strong point and the availability of 38 Olympic-quality venues since it has hosted two Summer Games. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa also has suggested the events will be easier to get to than in 1984.

“L.A. is the best place in the world to host the Olympic Games,” touted Barry Sanders, chairman of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games. “We can put the Games on in a way that captures the world’s imagination — in facilities we already have.”

Sanders said that when the USOC asked the five cities last month to submit their proposals for hosting the Games, “all the other cities had to basically sit down and start creating architectural plans. Not us.”

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said his Olympics would provide a stunning setting for the Games, with marathoners crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, cyclists pedaling through the Presidio and sailors navigating his city’s scenic bay.

“We strongly believe that San Francisco’s international appeal and the strength of our regional bid will be a significant advantage in our effort to host the 2016 Olympic Games,” Newsom said.

Chicago, meanwhile, promised support from corporations, compact events framed by Lake Michigan’s shoreline, mass transit and, like Los Angeles, ethnic diversity.

“We are honored to be a part of this process, and Chicago is committed to work with the USOC to develop a plan that can secure the necessary 60 international votes to bring the Olympic Games to the United States and to our great city,” said Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. “There is consensus among Chicago’s public and private sectors and our cultural, sports and educational communities that proceeding along this path is right for both the Olympic movement and Chicago.”

All three finalists were embraced in the USOC’s worldwide survey that included 58 IOC members, said Bob Ctvrtlik, head of the USOC’s international relations department.

Ctvrtlik said he was optimistic the USOC will bid for the 2016 games — “We’ve inched a little further toward going forward” — although Ueberroth said he wasn’t so sure just yet.

“Bob is optimistic and that’s his job, to get a city there,” Ueberroth said. “I’m an anchor, and I’m not going to let them waste their money and/or their efforts unless we feel we can have a real good chance of winning this thing.”

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Jared Isaacman

June 24, 2006 by reyna11 · 5 Comments
Filed under: Uncategorized 

I have a lot of admiration for this guy?which is why I thought I would post excerpts of?his Inc. write-up here. It’s unbelievable how he?got so successful at a very young age. Check it ou!?

Jared Isaacman started his credit card business in his?parents’ basement. Can you imagine? Now, it’s a $58 million credit-card processing firm.?

His business provides 38,000 businesses, from Burger Kings to Ferrari dealerships, with credit card, ATM, and debit card processing equipment and services. Why it’s growing: CEO Jared Isaacman, 22, built a nationwide network of 1,200 independent salespeople by offering them a share of the company’s profits instead of the usual commission. Those salespeople help add about 2,500 new customers each month. Precocious: After earning his GED at age 16, Isaacman founded United Bank Card in his parents’ basement. “Let’s just say I wasn’t playing football after school,” he says.”

When e-commerce was coming of age, so was Jared Isaacman. In 1999, while other New Jersey kids were shooting hoops after school, the 16-year-old was working part-time in the IT department of a nearby credit-card processing firm. There, he discovered a critical industry secret: “They were 20 years behind in technology and had to outsource almost everything they did,” says Isaacman, now 23.

Read the rest of this story on Inc’s Website: The Wunderkind

You could also view his interview here: Inc TV-Jared

Viewed 136 times by 72 viewers

Letters to Reyna:

June 24, 2006 by reyna11 · 3 Comments
Filed under: Letters to Reynz 

I thought I’d share some of the emails, posting and what have you from all these guys just to show my gratitude to them at pasasalamat of course. Here they are:

By: dxbofw
registered: 6/7/2006
member
Cavite, Philippines

Mahal na Reyna Elena,

Nakakatuwa at nandiyan ang mga katulad mo na nakapagbibigay ng mga magandang tips at advise sa ‘ting mga kababayan tungkol sa negosyo.

Gusto ko na sana umuwi na sa Pinas tapos ng 3 years contract pa. Meron naman kaming naipagawa na 2 apartments na may 4 na kwarto bawat isa. Nagumpisa yon kasi may mga nagbebenta ng maliliit lupa sa murang halaga. Ok naman kasi may monthly na siguradong pumapasok lalo na at madalas delayed ang sahod ko ngayon dito.

Pero di pa namin sigurado kung ituloy namin ang apartment o gawing grocery (tipong 7-11) yung tidahan sa tapat ng subdivision. Mga magkano kaya ang dapat ihanda sa grocery? Para malaman ko kung gaano ko katagal paghahandaan iyon…3 o 4 na taon. Maraming salamat.

Mabuhay kayong lahat at pagpalain kayo ng Panginoon! lalo na sa inyo Reyna Elena! 

-

By: mikenquez808
registered: 6/22/2006
member
Mandaluyong, Philippines

ms. reyna elena,

Kakatuwa k nmn dito sa forum mo na ito.. ang tagal ko naghanap ng forum bout sa pag start ng business na madali kausap. anyway, gusto ko sana mag start ng busness sa pinas, ang naiisip nmin ng missis ko is san miguel dealership kaso wala ako alam bout dun, kung pano mag start kung maganda ba ang profit dun, etc.. sana matulungan mo ko thakn you verymuch.

mike
——

By: sho-ha-da
registered: 3/25/2006
member
Philippines

ReynaElena,

Aba, e, parang kelan lang nagkukuwento ka ng mga sakit at dusa mo sa mga ahensiya ng gobiyerno para ayusin ang mga permiso nito. Ngayon, parang naglaho na ang lahat?

Naku, moral lesson: huwag magnegosyo na hindi ikaw mismo ang magmamanage.

Ipunin mo na lamang ang pero mo sa Switzerland.

Pag-umuwi ka na for good, saka ka na lang magnegosyo.

Magtayo ka ng transport company na ROSA ang mga sasakyan routing Cavite to Lawton.

Kung kasing dami mo lang ang pera ko, ito ang mga negosyong gagawin ko.

Transport. Maraming middle class Pilipino na miyembro pa rin ng “alipunga brigade” at “estribo gang”.

Yong mga “nagsisinosyal” na kababaihan na wala namang pambili ng sasakyan, kapag nakita nila ang mga van mong Rosa na maayos, mukhang malamig, at walang nakatayo, aabangan nila ito para siyang sakyan over an FX or korean van na mainit at masikip na amoy lumang sinehan na de-buhos ang kubeta.

Puwede ka pang mag presyo dito hanggang sa mabawi mo ang acquisition cost mo, kasi bagong mode of transpo. Sasamantalihin mo siyempre dahil ikaw ang una.

Pwede mo rin gawing pre-paid card ang pamasahe. May mga machine naman diyan sa tate para dito. I-sa-swipe lang nila ang card nila. O di mo na kailangan kabahan na baka itakbo ng driver o ng kunduktor ang perang kinita mo buong maghapon.

Naadvance mo pa ang pera. Ano sa palagay mo?

O kaya, ikaw ang magpauso ng Helicab from Laguna/Cavite to Ayala, Ayala to Laguna/Cavite. Mga exec. sa makati imbes na magdrive sa traffic na more than three hours from Tagaytay o Laguna Bel-Air, maghi-helicab na lang.

O siya pag-isipan mo, kung kailangan mong magloan sa bank, just tell me.

TANDAAN ANG MORAL LESSON MO: HUWAG NANG MAGTITIWALA SA MGA RELATHIEVES MO.
—-

By: ziljian
registered: 6/19/2006
member
Philippines

hi am reyna elena…i ventured into laundry business last 2002 and closed 2004..now im venturing in the real estate…build and sell…hope to communicate to you through email…here’s my email: laundrycorner@yahoo.com.hk

we can share insights…graduate me Entrepreneurial management sa Univ of Asia and the Pacific.

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How to start a business in the US - Part 2

June 14, 2006 by reyna11 · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Uncategorized 

Start with the Legal Entity

Decide on what you are going to be doing as a business entity. Sole proprietorship ka ba? Limited partnership? Corporation? Or a Limited Liability Corporation which is unique dito sa Amerika.

Yong sole proprietorship is the form of entity used by most small businesses. Kung gusto mo nang additional capitalization, you can always incorporate later. There are a lot of website that can help you incorporate. The one the I use is www.legalzoom.com. Wala po akong komisyon sa kanila.

The LLC naman, even though it is limited liability, it is limited as to your personal assets pero it has this corporate entity. Ngayon, simple rule like if you fail to file income taxes at other requirements for an LLC, it presumes that you are operating as a sole proprietorship kaya there is this accounting saying about “piercing the corporate veil” especially if the funds are misused, you can still be personally liable and your partners as well.

There are a lot of business who incorporates in Nevada because of privacy issues, no state taxes, kaso, if you search through the internet, karamihan nang nakikita ko is that, medyo tititigan ka nang IRS if you incorporate doon dahil parang meron kang tinatago. True, there are no state income taxes. Delaware naman is really known for a lot of companies incorporated there. But the point is, you can incorporate anywhere generally, and still do business kung saan man ang state mo.

As Corporation, daming Sarbanes-Oxley requirements. Ano to? Hay naku, dahil sa Enron na yan, there are so many reporting requirements ang SEC na kelangang gawin mo. Laws are very strict, higher State Income taxes in some states, yong legal work involved at heavy accounting and tax reporting requirements are some of the disadvantages of running your business as a corporation. Ngayon, if you decide later to close out your corporation, the paper work involved, especially to conform to the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, is difficult and often runs into more problems than the initial incorporation.

There are so many articles on the net tungkol sa LLC (Limited Liability Corporation). Ang kagandahan nito is that it combines the best aspects of incorporation with the tax advantages of partnership and without the red tape of either. 

Simple to Form

Easy to Run

Tax Advantages

Liability Protection

Instant Credibility

Try mo this link on LLC: http://sbinformation.about.com/cs/ownership1/a/LLC.htm. This is just one site that offers you explanation kung ano tong LLC na to.

BUSINESS NAME

Come up with a good and catchy business name that describes your product o kaya kung ano mang service that you are offering so that the madlang people would be aware of exactly just what your company is offering.

Mag-apply ka nang fictitious business name with your state or county offices when you plan on going into business under a name other than your own. Also, the bank will require a certificate or resolution pertaining to your fictitious name at the time you apply for a bank account. Your county clerk can tell you where to apply for the name.

LOCATION  

Of course, depende sa business mo, your location may vary. Retail businesses kelangan sa heavy traffic area. Wag yong sa gitna nang Edsa tsaka Ortigas or sa bukana nang New Jersey Turnpike papuntang Delaware dahil puro traffic dun with no adequate parking space at heavy foot traffic. Pag sa shopping center ka naman, be certain you understand the terms of the lease. Is it a Net-Net lease requiring the tenants to pay all center expenses including utilities, signs, lighting, taxes, insurance, garbage, maintenance, etc., in addition to all the usual store expenses? Kung  “office” business ka naman, or nagsisimula ka pa lang and you’re not sure kung papatok tong gulaman business mo, then get a month to month rental agreement para hindi ka ma stuck with future rent as you would if you were under a long term lease. Bida ang landlord - tandaan mo yan. Get mo ang approval nya in the event you want to sub-lease ki Aling Kikay for her labada shop and even if he agrees you are still secondarily liable for the term of the lease.

Bank Account: 

Get a Federal ID muna before you open a bank account kasi kelangan mo yon together with your social security number. Ingat sa SSS ha? Wag yong binibili dya sa Los Angeles nang mga Mehikano! Kelangan mo rin nang certificate of assumed (fictitious) business name. Pag incorporation ka naman, the bank will want a copy of the minutes and a corporate resolution authorizing the account. Alam mo to! Natandaan mo nong high school tayo? Student Govt kunyari? At mga minutes, minutes? Yon yon!!!

Chikahin mo yong bank manager. Kelangan mo ang ganda at guapo nya. Madali lang yong. Sabihin mo lang na maganda sya o kaya gwapo sya lahit na kasuka-suka ang sikmura nya. I’m telling you, ambabaw nang mga kaligayahan nang mga yan, Eh kasi he/she/it will be one of your best references. Hingi ka nang advice na simple at alam mo and that he could answer you kasi magmamayabang yon na ang galing nya and get his help on financial matters. O, di tienes best friend ka na sa bank?! The more he advises you the better he will come to know you. Baka bigla kang bigyan nang line of credit!

Get ka na rin nang Amex, Mastercard or Visa. This is not shopping card iha ano? Wag mo kung isusumpa pag nahulog ka sa utang! It will cost you from 3% to 5% but you must have this service available for your customers if you want to stay in business. Aaply ka na rin nang Merchant Account. Ano yon? Balikan mo yong best friend natin sa bank. Remember? He’ll be very helpful to set up a merchant account for you.

Payroll Taxes:

Eto ang matindi! When you start a business dito sa USA, one of the first things to do is to get Federal and State application forms for ID numbers. Magrequest ka nang “Business Start Up” application forms sa Internal Revenue Service. Tawagan mo na rin ang State Tax Office ninyo and they will send all this to you via mail.

Payroll taxes and expenses range from 13% to 17% of your gross payroll depending on workmen’s compensation rates for the various job classifications. Payroll expenses include:

  1. FICA taxes
  2. Federal Unemployment
  3. State Unemployment ( SDI or Workmen’s Compensation).

Require ka na mag-withhold from your employees wages and pay over to the Federal and State the following:

  1. FICA taxes (Employers share)
  2. Federal Income Taxes & State Income Taxes
  3. State Disability Insurance (Some States)

Kung sole proprietorship ka or kung partner ka, you will have to file and pay Federal estimated tax reports each quarter based on estimated annual income. (Some states also require periodic estimates through the year.)

Hiring Employee

This part reminds me nung andun pa ako sa Manila. I’m not sure if it is still the norm. Pero, then, when you apply for a job in Manila, karamihan says - “with pleasing personality, must be a graduate of UP, La Salle, Ateneo”, whatever! Isn’t it disgusting? As if we have made this horrendous mistake coming out of this world and went to school in some wala-wala university? Ansakit di ba? All I know is that - it doesn’t necessarily follow that if you’re a graduate of a best school - you are the best! Na-ah! Anyway… 

Advertise in the classified section na lang o kaya dito sa Monster or Career Builder, take applications, set up interviews and hire the best.

Utilities 

Call the Yellow Pages or kaya your local phone company when is the next issue of the telephone book going to be printed or yong deadline. Apply ka kaagad baka andyan na business mo, wala ka pa sa Yellow Pages. Antagal maghintay ateng!!!

Landline phone tong sinasabi ko ha? Ngayon, apply for Electricity, Gas, Water and Sewer. There are states that they have one Electricity and Gas provider. Advance deposits are usually required.

INSURANCE

Wag pong kalimutan ang insurance. Mahal ang premiums, especially business liability, pero maloloka ka naman nang kaiisip at wala kang peace of mind without full coverage. Kelangan mo nang Fire, Liability, Workmen’s Compensation, Business Interruption, Burglary, Glass, Extended Coverage, Vehicles, etc. Have two or three agents submit estimates. Kung ayaw mong makipagdeal sa mga agents na yan, try www.lendingtree.com.

LICENSES & PERMITS

Go ka sa county office ninyo or apply ka sa City Hole for local licenses. Kung retail ang business mo and your state is subject to sales taxes, a-apply ka nang permit and number sa State Franchise Tax Board. You will have to add the taxes sa customer’s purchases. Iiponin mo to and pay the proceeds over to the state, siguro monthly or quarterly. Some states require a nominal deposit with your application. Your various suppliers will need your permit number for their files before they will sell to you. You do not have to collect sales taxes across state lines unless you have businesses in other states.

PROFESSIONAL LICENSES

This one, alam na niyo to. If you are practicing as a CPA, aba, kelangan, you have passed the State or local licensing agencies. Kasama na dito yong mga realtor, doctors, nurses, pati na nga barbero, beauty operators, electricians, plumbers, contractors, insurance agents, engineers. Di to kagaya sa Pinas na issue lang nang issue nang kung ano anong licenses na wala namang proper licensing or kaya exams and tests. Hindi naman lahat. Ako nga nakakuha nang driver’s license without actually driving! Get nyo?

more….

Up next, bookeeping, suppliers, etc.

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On Grocery Business

June 10, 2006 by reyna11 · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Uncategorized 

dxbofw posted on 6/7/2006 | 02:36

Mahal na Reyna Elena,

Nakakatuwa at nandiyan ang mga katulad mo na nakapagbibigay ng mga magandang tips at advise sa ‘ting mga kababayan tungkol sa negosyo.

Gusto ko na sana umuwi na sa Pinas tapos ng 3 years contract pa. Meron naman kaming naipagawa na 2 apartments na may 4 na kwarto bawat isa. Nagumpisa yon kasi may mga nagbebenta ng maliliit lupa sa murang halaga. Ok naman kasi may monthly na siguradong pumapasok lalo na at madalas delayed ang sahod ko ngayon dito.

Pero di pa namin sigurado kung ituloy namin ang apartment o gawing grocery (tipong 7-11) yung tindahan sa tapat ng subdivision. Mga magkano kaya ang dapat ihanda sa grocery? Para malaman ko kung gaano ko katagal paghahandaan iyon…3 o 4 na taon. 

Maraming salamat.

Mabuhay kayong lahat at pagpalain kayo ng Panginoon! lalo na sa inyo Reyna Elena!

(Be back with you dxb…. mukhang mahirap to…)

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How to start a business in the US - Part 1

June 10, 2006 by reyna11 · 8 Comments
Filed under: Uncategorized 

Mahal na Reyna,

First of all, thank you naman at meron palang kagaya mo who is one of a kind, I mean really, really kind. Impressed na impressed po ako sa mga nabasa ko sa board including all of those na mga advices mo. Ang gagaling at napapahagikhik po at natatawa kami dito sa boarding house namin in Florida.

I am a nurse. I have been in the US for about three years at one time lang po akong umuwi nang Manila at talaga po namang dumami ang aking mga relatives. Plano ko rin pong mag business dahil wala po akong interes maging nurse forever at balak ko rin pong kunin ang aking family sa Manila.

Pano po ba magsimula nang business. Kahit ano. Or, ang naiisip po namin dito nang mga kasama ko is a nursing recruitment agency. Pero, we don’t know where to start. Dito po namin gagawin sa US at hindi sa Manila. (Natakot po kami sa experience ninyo! Biro lang!)

Nabasa po namin yong posting mo in the beginning and it was really helpful. Ngayon, pwede nyo po ba kaming turuan where to start?

Maraming salamat po at sana maging successful po kayo sa mga plans ninyo sa negosyo.

Cheryl, Analyn and Silvia

———————————————————–

Aba?! Ang ating mga tres marias! Maganda yang mga balak ninyo. Hayaan nyo mga iha, magtatrabaho ang Reyna ngayong weekend and hopefully, makakuha ako nang sagot sa mga katanungan ninyo. - Reyna

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From being a waiter to an entrepreneur

June 9, 2006 by reyna11 · 1 Comment
Filed under: Letters to Reynz 

Good afternoon po,

Ako po si MGF, nagtatrabaho sa united arab emirates bilang waiter . matagal na po ako dito simula pa nuong 1988. sa liit po ng sahod dito AED 700.00 or equivalent of US 190.00 nakapagipon naman po ako kahit papaano. kinwenta ko po and gratuity ko at ang naipon ko sa bangko umaabot po ng hindi kukulangin sa 500,000 pesos.

Read more

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