An Advice from a Mrs. Ferrer

I was waiting for a jeepney ride, standing on a waiting shed in front of Ateneo. I just came from a mtg with my  business partners, discussing about Solar.

It was starting to rain hard. To make matters worse, I forgot that I don't have an  umbrella with me. Poor me, I left it at home.

A lady was there beside me, waiting for a taxi together with her grandson, whom I presume is studying or going to prep school at Ateneo.

When a taxi finally came, she found it hard  to carry her grandson's backpack / stroller  into the taxi. So I naturally helped her as  she looked at me like she was asking for  assistance.

I wasn't asking for a return of the favor.  But she begged me na sumakay na rin daw ako  sa taxi. Kasi daw inalalayan ko sya sa  pgsakay nung bag ng apo nya, that it's just  ryt kung maisakay nya ko and then along the  way ibaba nya ko kung saan ang sakayan ko. I  thankfully accepted the invitation.

We had a short chat. She asked if i working  daw. I said i just came from a bisnes mtg.  She asked wat my business was, and I replied  with a smile. I told her we have a Real  Estate cmpy, as well as other businesses like  Solar Energy. But i said I am still starting  as an entrepreneur. She said nasa Real Estate  rin daw sya, but not in the usual way - she  said she owns & rents out apartments in the  University belt. She said ngpaayos daw sya ng  kotse nya kaya ngayon ngtaxi muna sila. I was  amazed that at her age, sinusundo p nya  grandson nya. Around 50's na cgro sya.

She asked me what's the state of Real Estate  and i replied it's booming now, pero marami  kumpetensya. We had quite a chat about  business, about wat we both do for a living.  Then she asked, "u know wat the best business there is?" She said, simply, it's "Food business."

I asked why. She said, with no hesitation,  "becoz everybody eats." Hindi pwede d k  kakain. Tinanong p nya yung taxi driver, "d b  mamang driver.. D pwede d ka pwede  magstopover minsan at d kakain?" Kaya daw  kahit mga maliliit na carinderia lang  kumikita p rin kahit papano. Above average  profits p nga daw kadalasan.

Come to think of it. It makes real sense.
U can make good bisness with a product that  ppol rly needs, that ppol are rly using or  consuming everday.

This gave me an "A-ha!" moment and shed light   into one of my businesses, which is my  prepaid loading business with Vmobile (and  the Solar Energy business). It feels right,  and i felt like God is answering my prayers  to continue on serving & working on the  businesses that i bliv in.

After that i had to go down at Philcoa. I  gave her my calling card, and she said her  name is Mrs. Ferrer.

I braved the rain. Basang-basa ako pero sakto  rin sa me babaan ko, me bilihan ng payong. I  felt like I was put there for a reason. That  all that just happened meant something, and  that there r no coincidences. That God may be  telling me, he answers all my prayers, for me  to be brave. To be strong. That he has given  me a message.

God bless u, Mrs. Ferrer. Kahit d ko po kyo  kilala, u gave me somthing to ponder on. Some  bits of street-smart wisdom from a fine &  typical Filipino Lady of her age.

:)