The temporary high
Free use of the airport lounge all the time.
Able to board the flight first before everyone else.
Showing off the business class ticket on social media.
Getting your luggage first thanks to the priority tag.
Being welcomed by someone holding your name and chauffeured around.
Sitting in a luxurious car with wifi, drinks and snacks.
Staying in the best hotels in the world with the best food.
It's all just transitory.
Getting Krisflyer gold is great and with all the priority stuff, it just saves time. I earned it by travelling even more, staying in a big room all by myself, zooming to meetings and conferences. The best hotels and attractions are useless because the whole day, I am just stuck in a cold meeting room and never get to see the sights outside.
To those who envy my job, this is not the real meaning of travelling. However, I agree you have got to try it to know it.
Life's journey always has to be experienced by the hard way.
It's not all so bad. Travelling has helped shape my character. I became more independent, confident, street smart, knowledgeable and have greater understanding of how things work. In other words, I took home all the transferrable skills and I have matured.
Now,
Starting over
With no regular income.
My finances are decreasing every day.
I do not have a pre-defined role now.
My bills keep coming.
I am at a cross road.
Can I make it?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Please support my business venture at www.snackfirst.com! Like me on Facebook to follow my entrepreneurial journey.
Able to board the flight first before everyone else.
Showing off the business class ticket on social media.
Getting your luggage first thanks to the priority tag.
Being welcomed by someone holding your name and chauffeured around.
Sitting in a luxurious car with wifi, drinks and snacks.
Staying in the best hotels in the world with the best food.
It's all just transitory.
Getting Krisflyer gold is great and with all the priority stuff, it just saves time. I earned it by travelling even more, staying in a big room all by myself, zooming to meetings and conferences. The best hotels and attractions are useless because the whole day, I am just stuck in a cold meeting room and never get to see the sights outside.
To those who envy my job, this is not the real meaning of travelling. However, I agree you have got to try it to know it.
Life's journey always has to be experienced by the hard way.
It's not all so bad. Travelling has helped shape my character. I became more independent, confident, street smart, knowledgeable and have greater understanding of how things work. In other words, I took home all the transferrable skills and I have matured.
Now,
Starting over
With no regular income.
My finances are decreasing every day.
I do not have a pre-defined role now.
My bills keep coming.
I am at a cross road.
Can I make it?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Please support my business venture at www.snackfirst.com! Like me on Facebook to follow my entrepreneurial journey.
Jes
If you have benefited from this post, support our first business venture at snackfirst.com or like us on Facebook!
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Hi there, chances upon your blog and I can really identify with this, having a traveling corporate job for the past almost-20 years. Its really easy to get caught up in the euphoria, almost like cocaine and forget that this is all temporal. Its inportant to still be able to connect with people and know that travel is as much Airbnb as it is 5 star hotels, budget carrriers as it is First Class, buses and trains as it is limousines! Thank you for enunciating my thoughts and keeping us (well at least some of us) rooted to the ground!
ReplyDeleteHi Lambert,
DeleteWoah a fellow traveller! Truly, it's easy to get lost in the moment and addicted to the business class/hotels but to get there, we have to work even more. I don't think the great food and stay can beat spending time with family but it is a perk for people climbing up the corporate world.
Haha, you are still travelling but yet you don't seem too caught up with those moments. Sounds like you are pretty rooted to me. So jiayou and good luck in getting a promotion + big fat bonus soon! :)
Hi Jes,
ReplyDeleteI believe that when SnackFirst takes off to the moon, it will be the next transitory that you'll be experiencing. This time round, it's first class not business class, and the prestigious center seat in the meeting room!
Hi Sleepydevil,
DeleteMuahaha, I don't even dream about it. My aim is not to build a listed company, but just to make the company successful enough for my career and be sustainable without having to travel. Best is don't have to work, of course. Not wishing or even envious for first class or the high life anymore, it's my past life :)
You are still starting out so go explore and have fun with the world. The perks are really cool too!
Hi Jes,
ReplyDeleteI certainly hope you can make it. I have a soft spot for Singaporean entrepreneurs. Particularly for women entrepreneurs who are mothers and have the courage to give up a well-paying job. I guess you were quite a high-flyer in your previous job since it allowed you to travel business-class at a young age.
Most entrepreneurs fail, so no need to feel too stressed about failing. I don’t think it will look bad on your resume even if you fail. I will actually be impressed with someone who risked giving up a high-paid job and tried hard to pursue her dream. Never mind if he/she failed later. Failure is expected anyway based on failure rate of past entrepreneurs.
You sound a bit kan-cheong about finances. I have no experience as entrepreneur. My experience as a trader/investor to reduce money anxiety during losing periods is to know exactly when to fold. Too early and the person may be giving up just before things recover. All the pain and loss for nothing. Too late and the damage can be very deep to have a timely recovery later. It is a number that you know best yourself.
I just liked your Facebook page. All the best! Entrepreneurs cannot make it without supportive spouses. Send my regards to your supportive husband too.
Hi Hyom Hyom,
DeleteThanks for liking my page, I have linked up your blog on my website as well. I especially love your article titled "More Singaporeans need to be entrepreneurs but". It states perfectly why most people should not try to do their own business and made me refined my goals and intentions.
Appreciate you following me throughout my journey. I do believe I was a high flyer and have not worried about getting another job, should I fail. I believe that's why I took the plunge, the worst is to go back to the same job. As you said, I think failing should not be the fear factor, my fear is not having enough financial means to sustain a growing business.
With that said, I don't think all recruiters are like you and will appreciate people who tried and failed. We all know how some people like resumes with big names and status. Failure is ok but the key thing is to adapt and change quickly, to recognise that things are failing and work it through.
Nicely put on your experiences as trader. I am not worrying, more of thinking of ways on how to make this self-employment sustainable. For now, part time job is one solution, for another is to take on more marketing ideas for my company.
Thank you for the support, I just wish there are more like you, people who appreciate those who can embrace failure, and willingness to try things. That's something a normal, salaried worker can never be. Probably with my mindset, I can't return to being a normal worker too. Let's see! Haha :)
Hi Jes,
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking my blog to your website. I have done the same by linking your blog to mine. I warn you it is a bad trade for you because my blog is not as active as yours, so most probably the traffic flow will be mainly to my favour:)
If I were to put myself in the shoes of a recruiter, I really don't mind someone who has tried and failed as an entrepreneur since most of them fail anyway. Even the best can fail if they suffer bad luck. I think the main concern when interviewing failed entrepreneurs is whether they can still be obedient workers after tasting the freedom of entrepreneurship. Many bosses don't like workers to be too independent-minded, argue too much and have a streak of disobedience. These small-minded bosses may simply tell their staff to shut up. Hmm ... maybe that's why it's not a bad idea for you try out being an entrepreneur? Nobody can tell you to shut up except yourself. Never again.
Best of luck! You need lots of it in your new job.
Hi Hyom,
DeleteWell we are virtual friends and friends don't need benefits to remain as friends. Just by you stopping by and sharing your thoughts is good enough for me, if traffic goes in your favour, I would be happy for you too :)
Hahaha, you are like foreseeing my failure beforehand! Nah, I understand, I also thought through this path too, if I can still be a worker after this. But sales people is sort of different, we don't really need much managing or even micro managing as we go by results. If I can't hit the targets then out I go. That's why I don't get my boss, it's not like I am performing badly, but likely I am just not doing any bootlicking. Hahaha, maybe my customers who are my bosses now will tell me to shut up ! Ok not really, haven't met such bad customers yet.
Thank you, I do really need lots of luck... and hard work! :P
hi Jes, one of the positive trade-off is you get to choose your customers. I had a funny meeting with one of my B customer and my boss. During our meeting he told me that he quit a high flying corporate role to go back to manage his family business due to the flexibility. He could ''choose'' his customers now, if someone is an ass, he could just walk away, but not if he had a boss.
ReplyDeleteYou are still young, but I hear the same from a semi-retired colleague whenever we fly together.
''If last time... I would already go inside.. Gold very fast expire''
''If last time... we just take the airport limo''
I also want to try first, then talk like that after I'm done with it haha!
Hi CP,
DeleteI don't think I have reached the point of being able to choose my customers yet. Anyway, online business not so much face-to-face, just have people who keep asking for discounts, so not too bad. For your sales job, I hope you have not met any customers that you really don't want to meet! Probably I can go through the list with you but fortunately, some of them already retired :)
I like the flexibility in terms of time, sometimes busy like mad, sometimes free and able to relax. Eh, you younger than me so we both have long ways to go... haha! I am sure you will get there, probably next year can start recommending some regional jobs to you, there is always a shortage and you can definitely can a job because not many want to fly. All the best and keep in touch ah!