2022 was a year of change for me. I made the decision to move to a new country with my partner. Along with this decision, I finally took the plunge to wean off my dependence on private tutoring to fund the start-up to focus on growing the start-up so that I could hit ramen profitability.
It has been 12 months since the transition and I am a little ashamed to share that the start-up had not hit ramen profitability yet. However, I am also thankful that the start-up is not shrouded in debt which I would have to be personally liable for.
Therefore, in the next 12 months (Year 2023), I hope to take the lessons I learned from 2022 and before to grow the start-up to bring pleasant surprises into the lives of 1 million customers.
What I have learned in my twenties?
In my early twenties, I fumbled with how to manage my time as I transitioned from college to my first job. I remembered a mentor advising me to draw out 4 buckets and write down the 4 big things that are most important to me at that point in time. I tried listing out my priorities with this bucket method but felt that there was still something missing about it.
These buckets identified the 4 key things that are important to me but it does not rank them in order of importance.
As I am reflecting on how I had spent my time this year, I find myself mapping it out as follows:
As compared to my early twenties, I learned that in my late twenties, my life is more intertwined with my family members. While I still make a big effort to prioritise my health, I have learned that the needs of my family members would have to be considered in my decision-making process. While it frustrates me that my plans may have to be toppled at times, I have learned that if I remain determined to pursue my goals, I would still find the means to fulfill them albeit it would take a longer time.
What keeps me going?
Whenever I feel dejected, I would think of the start-up as a mango tree which typically requires 10 years or longer to bear fruits, unlike a cabbage plant which can be harvested in 4 to 6 months. This insight was derived while exploring the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden with my students several years ago.
Hello to Year 2023!
In the year 2023, I look forward to strengthening my Mastermind and focusing on bringing pleasant surprises into the lives of 1 million customers through the educational toys business known as SurpriseME.