NiQsTeR

There were a lot of things I learned from Technopreneurship 1. There were a lot of activities we went to in order to get to know ourselves better and to know the level of our capabilities. Our facilitator, Sir Randy Gamboa was able to create an environment where we, his students became more motivated and desperate to get what we want in the future, and to become a successful technopreneur. It was kind of hard on the first time but we were able to get over it and do the best that we can. It was all interesting and fun.

When we were told that Sir Gamboa was our instructor, I was kind a nervous and thrilled because of some feedbacks we heard from our senior before. It is our first time having Sir Gamboa as our instructor. So all we did was shut our mouths and observe on the first meeting.

On the first quarter of our course, our facilitator introduced to us a model called SEED, where we are going to tackle about self mastery, environment mastery, enterprise mastery and development mastery. For the self-mastery we had activities that we helped us a lot in knowing who we really are. We were asked by Mr. Gamboa why we are going to school, and most of us answered, to finish and get a good job. Some of us wanted to go abroad after graduation, (that is if were to graduate). He asked us about our goals and mission for ourselves and in our community, of course, my answer was to lend a good job after graduation. But Mr. Gamboa had it way around, he told us to change our mind set and aim higher because he believed that we can much better than what we are thinking. Instead of being employed why not being the employer? For me, it was easy to say things but I know it will take a lot of effort to be able to make my own company. Especially that I don not have any interest of making one. I am not a business minded person. I do not know how to sell myself in order to gain profit out of my creative ideas. At that moment, I still do not know what my skills are and what can I do for a living. I am still figuring things out. I am still in a coward stage where I am afraid of taking risks and exploring things. I wanted to be stacked in my comfort zone forever, but I know it was the time, the time to get out of my shell and grow in the new world that I am having. That activity made a big issue among us students, because it talked about what we are going to be in the future and it is no joke at all. Thinking about how you are going to control and run your life not as a student anymore but a career person, living independently.

After that week, Mr. Gamboa showed us a film titled “The Pirates of the Silicon Valley” where we were asked to do a reflection and opinions about it. It was really a great movie showing us great passion on pursuing your dreams and aspirations. Steve Jobs became our inspiration on that one look. You see, he did not finish college, but he became successful. His personal life was not perfect, but he was successful. There were a lot of things that contributed to Steve Jobs’ success and failure in his career life, and we were asked to determine what those are. In his success some factors I wrote were: having great determination, having a fountain of ideas, having lots charm, having an employer mindset, and being obsessive-compulsive. And the factors contributed to his failures were: his temper, his pride, lost of control, and forgetting his roots. I have learned that each of us has our own ways on reaching our goals. We may be encountering different obstacles but it is a part of learning in order for us to become motivated, wise and brave. As I was watching the movie, lots of realizations came out, finishing college is not a necessity to be successful, although it is an advantage, guts and “distkarte” are the most important things to be possessed in order to succeed. We were also asked on how we see ourselves as a technopreneur, honestly, during that time, I did not think or foresee myself as a technopreneur or a business person. I am indeed a techie person but I do not make money out of it. But talking about making myself as a technopreneur, I know I can be a good one because having the factors of being a successful technopreneur are easy to get. Discipline, determination and courage. The next question was, if we are going to take Steve Jobs’ path, and of course my answer was no. Steve Jobs is Steve Jobs. Monique is Monique. Mr. Jobs has his own way of thinking; his own ways of living and way much smarter than me. We are different and I want to experience everything on my own and not because Steve Jobs did. I have my own definition of success and he has his own.

After the movie, we were also able to read Steve Jobs’ commencement address and learned so much from it. Steve Jobs became our inspiration and a mentor in achieving our goals. He possesses great characteristics a technopreneur should have; like having great determination and perseverance. Having great confidence and optimism to reach what you really wanted. It’s not just about good grades but it is the value of what has stored in your life. I have also learned to think about myself, on what I like and I do not and also my interests in life, because it is going to be very useful in the future. I felt a little disappointment because I was not able to know what I really want in my life and what my goals are. I keep on doing things which are totally nonsense and useless. I tend to like everything and throw it all afterwards. I do not know where I was going and risking everything. When I read the commencement letter, I felt sad but now really determined. We only had one life and we should make the most out of it; by doing what we love so that we will die happy. Just like Steve Jobs which was diagnosed by a killer disease but fortunately survived. And he was able to do what he wants and he was happy.

We were also tasked to take some tests such as personal traits test, IQ test, EQ test and AQ test. On the personal traits test, it was done on our lab room; everyone got a satisfactory result, not really a technopreneur but almost there. At that moment we were still under the adjusting period where we are about to change our old views in life. In my IQ test, the result was as expected, not that high but at least it is above average. On my EQ test, I forgot the results but if I am going to judge myself, I am not an emo but I am sensitive enough to feel if I am still doing good or I am hurting somebody and being a technopreneur, being too attached and personal to every people you meet is an issue. Everything should be pure business. And on my AQ test, well, I do not really dwell on my failures although I think about it a lot, but I do not let it get in my way; I can easily move on after a certain fall, but I am not insensitive and dumb; I just use my mind over my heart a lot.

Determining our purpose in life was one of the goals, mine was: to work out on my dreams and make them come true without stepping on others. Learn from mistakes and continue living life in God's will. It is very simple but it means a lot me. Putting God as the center of my life is a big factor in succeeding without him all our efforts will be wasted.

We also had an activity where we were asked to write our mission to ourselves, to our friends, to our family and to our community; then our facilitator took it all away, with an empty hand, we were asked again about what is our mission. It was a quite hard activity because I was too attached with what I wanted to achieve before. I then realize that there a lot of things to be discovered and lots of things that are interesting.

Another activity was we were asked to write down what we love, what we are best at and what were our irritants. I have observed that most of the things that I loved and where I am best at are not related to the career I have chosen to go now. It was kind of complicated. Out of those, we were asked to make a business plan, group and individual. In our group proposal, we had a hard time making one with my group mates because we have our own ideas and it just don’t get along with the others. I and Claire are so much into pop music, Abigail and Ralph are into arts and Benjamin is into gaming. It took us weeks to figure out what business should we propose. Until the day of presentation, we still have not made up our minds, so we decided to just mix it up together and ended up rejected. Because of the lack of understanding and lack of communication, we had to think about a new proposal again, thanks to Benj and his weird ideas, we were able to submit one and sir approved it so easily, our business was an online dirby. I was shocked at first when Sir approved it because I was honestly doubtful on our proposal because it is a kind of gambling, it is a cockfight and I know for a fact that it is kind of complicated to begin with. But still luckily, we were able to pass through it. In my personal proposal, I have decided to create an online artist agency or management. It is a website where amateur artists come and they will let us promote them by having clients who needs performers. I had a great vision on that proposal because it is what I really want, and what I am fond of doing, performing. If my online business will succeed, my next target is to make an actual artist company, where I will be training artist and make them known not just here in the Philippines but worldwide as well. Quite big huh?

There were a lot of things I got from all of those activities and by the help of Sir Randy. I am surely sure that I will be able to use all of those in my future career life and to become a successful technopreneur. To number my learning, having an open mind and be considerate for the ideas of others, because there could be times that I will be working with other people. Like what happened in our part activity, you see not every one of us think the same and have the same hobbies and likes. Also one thing is to keep the fire of determination burning, never let one failure ruin your entire dreams; I will use all of those in order to be courageous and wise in the future even today. Now that I am not getting any younger, I will practice on how to think mature and but to be too serious. Have fun and explore. Have a sharp mind and keep an open visuals for new creations and inventions. Because of these, I was able to determine what I have been wanting ever since. And I am glad I took this subject.