Piracy is good

I'm back from a 3-day seminar in KL, entitled "Creating Multiple Sources of Income". Paid less than RM$199 for the whole course, so it was a great deal. The speaker was a well-known author by the name of Robert G. Allen, who wrote books such as "Multiple Streams of Income", "Creating Wealth", "Nothing Down" and "The One Minute Millionaire".

Also there was Penang's very own millionaire infoprenuer - Patric Chan. Very humble and smart guy.

I have learnt alot from the course. Will not go too much into details, but I was told this very interesting story - about what Bill Gates answered to the media when he was asked about his thoughts on piracy.

His reply? "If they want to pirate the softwares, they better be pirating my software than my competitors."

It then dawned on me that piracy (to a certain degree) is free publicity to people who will not pay more for your products. And that is brand awareness.

Will you have notice Crocs shoes if there wasn't so many people wearing the fake version of it?

Valuing the Customers, Shareholders and Employees

There are 3 main groups of people associated with any business, namely the customers, shareholders and employees.

However, the order of importance in most companies are
Shareholders > Customers > Employees
And rightfully so.

Shareholders are the owners of the business, and why do they start a business? To make INSANE amount of money, of course. So they naturally want (and need) to take their own interest in the first place.

And what better way to make the shareholders happier by being customer oriented? Companies come up with tailored solutions and products for the customers, regardless of how much effort it takes.

And that's where the problem lies. Employees are treated as the bottom of the company hierachy (never mind how much companies keep emphasizing that employees matter). And they are forced in most cases, to do the stuffs to satisfy the customers' needs, even if they don't sound logical.

Flexibility is offered is keep the customers, but often not offered to employees, despite all the work-life balance that the Human Resource Department will preach.

In contrast, Richard Branson (my idol), owner of the Virgin Group reverses the cycle.
Employees > Customers > Shareholders

Employees's needs are addressed first. After all, these are the guys who are giving up a huge portion of their lives (no doubt in exchange for the company's salary) to help the company grow. Happier employees are more likely to be better workers, stay around longer, and be able to treat the organisation like a family, than just purely a workplace.

As employees are empowered to make decisions, they become smarter and more adaptable with addressing the customer's needs. They don't have to consult their superior for every single thing - they may make mistakes, but they become better with each mistake made.

With happy, empowered and smart employees, the customers are better served. Satisfied customers lead to better sales and thus reaping more value to the company, and thus shareholders, the "least important" people in the company, are laughing all the way to the bank!

About the Author: Shingo T never fails to get amazed at how the Virgin Group pays lesser salary than its competitors, and yet so many people want to work for it.

My passion

One of my friends just asked me an interesting question.

"Am I right to say that your passion is to earn more money?"

I guess I must have spoke about "money" too many times, and give others the impression that I'm money-minded. =p

So here are my views.

(1) Money is a tool.
It is not a must to have it, but having it makes your life easier. If you don't agree, try begging for food instead of earning for it.

(2) Money and you, who's the master?
If you are not in control of your money, that means your money is controlling you. Don't be a slave to money and work blindly chasing it, instead think of how to abuse your money to make more of it.

(3) No money is no big deal.
Never lose sleep over money issues. Learn to bounce back from financial defeats. Been there, done that, and I'm still an undefeatable cockroach.

(4) Money amplifies your values, and not change them.
If you are a stingy guy, having more money will only make you a scrooge. It won't make you an instant pilantrophist.

(5) Money doesn't make you invincible.
But it pretty much gives you tons of options in life. Sack the boss? Donate as much money as you like? Travel the world?

(6) God is fair? Nah.
Rich people have problems.
Poor people have a different set of problems.
So I rather be rich and problematic, then poor and problematic.
It's the "consolation prize" mentality. If all else fails, at least I'm rich. =(

(7) Entrepenuers, the missing link to make the world better.
Good governments can finance the people, but they are bounded by rules and politics.
Good schools can educate the nation, but they are bounded by their finances.
That's where good social entrepenuers come in. With the money they earn and the lack of politics, entrepenuers can help mould the nation easier.

Start charity foundations like Bill Gates?
Adopt kids and build schools like Madonna?
Why not?

You can have tons of volunteers to build a school in Vietnam, but eventually someone has to give the money to buy the bricks, pay for transportation and stuffs.

-------
So to answer the question. How can earning money be a passion?
Money is useless if you don't have a CLEAR purpose for it.
(And having as much money in the bank is not a "purpose")

My passion is to help people go back from work earlier, so that they can spend more time with their family.

And if I earn a hell lot of money someday while following my passion, wouldn't this be a dream "job"?

Hope that clarifies.
Have a great day ahead, my friends! ^_^

17 ways that the Rich think differently

I am reading this book called Secrets of the Millionaire Mind", by T. Harv Eker. This is supposed to be one of those classic books, very much like "Rich Dad, Poor Dad".

In it is a chapter which states 17 ways that rich people think differently from us. Below are the 17 points, without the elaboration. Go get the book if you are keen to know more.

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(1) Rich people believe: “I create my life.” Poor people believe: “Life happens to me.”

(2) Rich people play the money game to win. Poor people play the money game to not lose.

(3) Rich people are committed to being rich. Poor people want to be rich.

(4) Rich people think big. Poor people think small.

(5) Rich people focus on opportunities. Poor people focus on obstacles.

(6) Rich people admire other rich and successful people. Poor people resent rich and successful people.

(7) Rich people associate with positive, successful people. Poor people associate with negative or unsuccessful people.

(8) Rich people are willing to promote themselves and their value. Poor people think negatively about selling and promotion.

(9) Rich people are bigger than their problems. Poor people are smaller than their problems.

(10) Rich people are excellent receivers. Poor people are poor receivers.

(11) Rich people choose to get paid based on results. Poor people choose to get paid based on time.

(12) Rich people think “both”. Poor people think “either/or”.

(13) Rich people focus on their net worth. Poor people focus on their working income.

(14) Rich people manage their money well. Poor people mismanage their money well.

(15) Rich people have their money work hard for them. Poor people work hard for their money.

(16) Rich people act in spite of fear. Poor people let fear stop them.

(17) Rich people constantly learn and grow. Poor people think they already know.

Law of Precession

Like my good blogging friend Wenny, I apply alot of the Law of Attraction in my life. Recently, I got to know about the Law of Precession, and realised that it is also something that I apply unknowingly, as it is aligned with my values, though I somehow feel these 2 laws can kind of contradict each other.

Anyway, the Law of Precession was first stated by Buckminster Fuller, and it goes like this.

For every action we take there will be a side effect arising at 90 degree to the line of the our action. And this effect will be equal to or greater than the original attraction.

Wow, sounds a little abstract, isn't it?

There are 2 classic examples used to illustrate this law when you surf the Net about this subject.
(1) When you drop stones in a water, ripples are produced.
(2) When bees collect pollens from flowers, they unknowingly help cross-fertilise flowers.

So how is this law applicable in our lives?

The harder you try something, the harder it is to achieve. When you pursue money, the side effect produced is greed. And you might just end up losing more than you gain.

Instead, try adding value to those people around you. The side effect in this case is that you will gain more, either monetary or in other ways. The more selfless you are in helping others, the more you will gain.

Some of you may find this weird, isn't it? But I know of a few entrepenuers who swear by this law as the secret of their success.

Help others and you end up helping yourself in return.
Sounds good, isn't it?

Let the experts handle this

If you have read those Rich Dad, Poor Dad books, you will know the money-making item that we all have is our brain. And well, time is also an essence.

Free your time so you can use your brain to buy yourself more time and value.

Just because you do not know accounting doesn't mean you cannot have a balance sheet for your own company - subcontract the accounting works out.

Just because your English sucks doesn't mean you can't write a book - get a ghostwriter to do it for you. Or even a translator.

And when you have no time to get more sales for yourself, subcontract it to some energetic young people who can do it better, just make sure they are paid in commissions correlating to their efforts.

My point is this.
Every reason that is holding you back can be solved - If you can't solve it, hire someone who can.

Subcontracting can be extremely cheap. Pay US$1 for someone to write a 100 word essay for you, which equates to US$4 for a one-page article. CHEAP.

Don't make your website EVEN if you know how to make it, because someone out there specialise in doing it and can free up time for you. A friend of mine spent S$800 to get someone to make a website for him, complete with shopping cart, a management system for products, and stuffs. CHEAP.

You can be a business owner cum receptionist cum helpdesk, if you have 28 hours a day. So how about getting some help from housewives who are at home the whole day, and just want some small income?

Your PRECIOUS TIME is not meant to be doing TIME-CONSUMING LOW VALUE STUFFS. It is to generate MORE LEADS and MORE SALES.

And for those of you who have a speciality and have no idea where to pick up freelance jobs, try this page - Freelancer.com, there are thousands of freelance jobs waiting for someone to pick up.

Go take a quick look and see if you can find any lobangs.

Any problem that can be settled by a SMALL amount of money (in relative terms) is NOT a problem.

Have a great weekend ahead!

The Twin Engines to success

Despite being an egoistic guy, I always believe in the importance of being humble when learning from a teacher. No matter how much you know, you should always learn from zero. Unlearn everything you know, because you may be having beliefs, mindsets and strategies that have been "wrong all these years".

Recently, I have been doing alot of unlearning and re-learning, and even gotten myself a sifu (mentor).

And the key to his success? He calls it the Twin Engines.
(1) generate cash from your business
(2) invest what you get from (1).

This is actually "common sense", but the truth is,
Common sense is never too common.

Close your eyes, open your 3rd eye, and start "seeing" things now.

Shops in shops

For all budding entrepenuers, here's a small trend I have noticed, shops in shops.

Read this article about Singapore manicure owners renting a small space within saloons to set up their manicure service. It's an interesting idea because with a cheap monthly rental of $200-$500, it is
(1) cheaper than renting a whole shop which sets you back by a few thousand dollars rental.
(2) gives more exposure than online businesses.

People walking into the saloon to "beautify" their hair may be enticed to take the chance to beautify their nails too. This synergy works the other way too, making it a win-win situation for both parties, from both cost and sales perspective.

A few months back, I went to the cafe of one of my friend, which also boast a little "provision shop", selling unique stuffs like biodegradable menstrual pads, toothpaste made from herbs etc... While customers wait for their food to be cooked, they have nothing else to do and tend to see what the shops have to offer. And on top of that, the shop also has a seminar room for rental, which also doubles up as a tuition centre. You heard me, a tuition centre within a café. It’s 3 distinctive businesses, café + provision shop + tuition centre. But the synergy is there, parents waiting for their kids to finish tuition can sip tea or do some shopping at the same premises.

Just like how saloons are helping external shampoo companies to display the products on their shelves, I believe there are many other ways which we can leverage on each other’s business, to defray cost and energise our business.

The world is your playground.
Have fun.

Shingo T the Poacher

I interact alot with people, and I'm always constantly on the lookout for good people.

It could be a cleaner, the security guard, the coffee lady, the bus driver, the guy who sold me jewellery or anyone. Whenever I get impressed with a person's work attitude, I will tell myself that "This is the guy I will poach to work for my own company". And in cases when i'm extremely impressed, I get their namecard, just in case I might call them with a little proposition years down the road.

And nope, I have not yet set up any company. I preach alot about why we should step out of the comfort zone, but in the end, I'm this scary cat who talks alot but have no concrete action. I could come up with 101 reasons why I am still stuck helping people make money, but deep down, I know these are not reasons, these are my self-made excuses.

Anyway, pardon the digress.

Richard Branson is one who hires based on a person's aptitude, and I think that's so smart. Paper qualifications are over-rated. Unless you are getting IT guys, laboratory scientists or accountants, where paper qualifications correlates with how often the guy will produce results, it's better to get someone who has that aptitude, the X-factor.

A top-earning salesman related to me his story about a potential customer, a study mama from China, who would not buy a single product from him, not because his products aren't good, but because she's not buying into him. How do you trust the words of a person you only knew for a few minutes? So this top-earning salesman went the extra step out for her, teaching her how to secure her kids into her choice school over the next few days. It's something out of his jobscope, but it got her to buy into him as a friend. Soon, she started becoming his regular customer, and gave lots of referrals. Woot! $_$

Soft skills like charisma, interaction, EQ, mindset and motivation are skills I lookout for in my potential employees. It's important not to produce disgruntled employees, because low morale is infectious, and happy workers produce better results. I need to ensure that my own company doesn't fall apart when I go on a vacation with Wifey to Milan on a shopping spree.

Recently, Wifey got the chance to know most of my colleagues. And I singled out two particular colleagues who have that "it" factor that I'm looking for. Not everyone may agree with my choice, because one of my choice has some "personality problem". But I see why she has that "problem", and I am confident of turning turning it round to make her a great asset.

Be on your best behavior, kids, especially if you are dealing with clients or strangers.

The stranger who you impressed today, might be the guy who will poach you tomorrow.

And I might just be that poacher.
*winks*

And been poached will certainly give you a better deal than aimlessly hunting for your own job.

About the Author: Shingo T gives extra poaching points to people in miniskirts compare to those in business trousers.

Genting and Casinos

I recently came back from Genting Highlands. The hilltop resort was built many many years by Malaysia's famous Uncle Lim (who has since passed away). The main draw is the casino, and the amusement parks to a lesser extent. Well, who would have imagined that a country populated with Malays will have a casino?

The resort was built at the top of treacherous mountains many years ago, when technology was only so-so. Uncle Lim was said to be close to falling to death on a few occassions when he was overseeing the construction.

Despite Singapore having their dual casinos opening in a few months time, I will still go to Genting casino for two reasons - the cool weather, and because I'm Malaysian. Genting always have a special place in my heart.

Casinos are a dual edge sword - it creates lots of employment, generates revenue and tourist dollars, and possibly reduce the need for illegal gambling dens. But on the other hand, casinos are pretty much responsible for more bankrupts, broken families and other social problems.

If a man dies from smoking, do we blame the cigarette? In my view, I blame the man himself for underestimating the power of the addiction. Similarly for gambling, casinos only provide an alternate but legalised venue to gamble. No one can force you to gambling. It's a man's weak and greedy nature that lures his soul to the place.

You do not need to be a Mathematician to know that the odds in gamblings are stacked against you, from the card games to the jackpot machines. I go to the casino for nothing more than this teeny weeny hope that I might just strike something big at the jackpot. But I know as well as anyone that gambling CANNOT make me rich. That's why I play for fun (2 Malaysia cents per line), and to test a little few theories here and there.

Frankly, gambling is a waste of time, as with playing video games. It's just one of those brainless leisures that I crave especially after an extended peak of work.

Genting is mostly frequented by the Chinese, because the Muslims are banned by religion from gambling. I always see gambling as a very Chinese trait, because we tend to be more money-minded and practical (my opinion). We buy 4Ds and Totos (lottery) in the hope of striking a chance to go the shortcut in life. We get emotional in casinos when money is at stake. Naturally so, though not neccessarily needed.

But at the end of a casino trip, winners and losers are made. More precisely, there are more losers than winners. And winners may find themselves returning back Uncle Lim their previous winnings on their next trip back to the casino.

The Gambler's ruin theory states that as long as the money you have is limited, you will eventually go broke at the gambling table as long as you don't stop playing, it's only a matter of time.

To those who have never picked up gambling, refrain from it.

And for those who do gamble, have fun but play with minimal expectations. And NEVER take your losses out on anyone, because a REAL man take responsibilities for his own actions.

Earning a million dollars (Part 2)

This is a continuation from Part 1.

Part A: How to making millions from $1
Here is a TRUE story of a Singaporean who made more than a million dollar using 1 dollar. The story was shared to me during one of the motivational talks I have attended, and I shall try to recap and post it here.

A Singaporean, let's just call him Alex, wanted to build a shopping mall in Australia, but didn't have much capital. So he came up with a carefully thought plan and executed it as follows.

So Alex approached an Australian local who wanted to sell his plot of land for a certain huge amount. Alex said he is willing to pay double that amount, but the local will first have to sell the land to him for $1. With someone willing to pay twice the amount of money for the land, the local was more than happy to part with it for $1 first.

And so Alex now has the land for $1. The next thing he had to do was to have money to build a shopping mall. There's no way to get this huge amount of money other than to borrow from the bank. But why would any bank be crazy enough to loan Alex, a nobody, a huge amount of money? Alex had no guarantee except his piece of land, and he has no track record to show his shopping mall plans will be a success.

So Alex executed the next part of his plan, to secure an anchor tenant for the shopping mall that has not being built. He approached the founder of Australia's largest (or one of the largest) retailer of electrical, computer and furniture company called Harvey Norman and struck a deal with him.

Alex offered the founder a chance to be the anchor tenant of the not yet built shopping mall for HALF the market rental price. The catch? Harvey Norman has to sign a contract to rent the place for 25 years. With such a great deal, the founder couldn't say no.

With the contract stating that Harvey Norman will be the anchor tenant for the next 25 years, Alex went to the bank to secure the funds needed to build his shopping mall. Alex was a nobody, but Harvey Norman is a BIG somebody in Australia. And the bank agreed.

With the land and the money needed to build his mall, Alex started getting the construction up in the next few years. And after it was done, it's time to reap in the moolah, renting the shops out.

And Alex gave 2 of the stalls to the Australian local who sold the land to him for $1, and that equates to twice the price of the land the local initially asked for.

Everyone's happy. And Alex began to have bigger plans of his own after his first venture.

The end.

But before you get too happy... here is
Part B: Why you (and me) will never get rich this way

(1) If you ever want to try this, our mum/girlfriend/mistress/buddies will say you are crazy. And they will give you all kinds of negative comments to bring you back from lalaland to Earth. They don't want you to fail, that's all. And so you give up.

(2) Alex managed to convince someone to sell his land for $1. And you don't think you can do it. It's a CRAZY idea, and you don't want to appear stupid trying to convince someone to do the same. So you will just conveniently say that you suck at sales.

(3) You don't know how you can get to talk to the boss of a BIG corporation. How do you get his email or contact number? How do you even draft a good letter? You don't think you are a somebody, so there's no way he will talk to you. Even if you can, you just get cold feet at the thought of marketing the idea to the big boss.

(4) You probably don't know how to go about building a shopping mall too. And so you won't give it a try. Never mind that Richard Branson wasn't trained at the technicalities of the companies he built - train, airlines, mobile, space travel. You probably will say Richard is different. Haha.

Simply put, we raise the white flag without trying. We are wimps when it comes to setting our own business. So we just sit on the sidelines and bitch about others (we just love to pick on the rich, don't we?)

Here's something I learnt at a separate class - this time a social entrepenuership talk. If you ever want to build a business, don't worry too much about the "How to". Will write a separate article on this another day.

Earning a million dollars (Part 1)

First of all, I do not have a million dollars (at least not now), unless you convert my money to Indonesia rupiah. =p

But still, I have always been inspired by people who have made it big. In particular, I like stories of Internet millionaires. The Internet reaches out to a wide customers audience, and more importantly, it's CHEAP.

Below are 2 popular success stories that some of you may have read of.

Kyle MacDonald started his "business" with a website and a red paper clip. And he asked the world to trade his red paper clip for something. Well, he first traded it with a pencil in the shape of a fish. And then subsequently traded the pencil for a doorknob. And then the trades became more and more valuable (he even exchanged for a BBQ pit at some point). 14 trades later (and 1 year later), he finally traded for a house. Happily ever after.

Link: One red paper clip

And then there's Alex Tew (who's just 21 years old), who has nothing more than a simple webpage, and sells a million pixels (a pixel is just one small dot) from that website online. Well, this guy sold each pixel for US$1 each, so selling all the pixels will give him US$1 million. Because the idea is original, advertisers and bloggers bought the pixels like hotcakes, and soon the man is laughing all the way to the bank.

Even famous Singaporean blogger Xiaxue (I'm not a fan of her actually) has adopted a modified version of the scheme, with decent success.

Link: The Million Dollar homepage

As year 2010 comes your way, have you started to utilise the best weapon in your arsenry - the brain?

Start the new year with a goal in mind.

Sacrifice some of your leisure time, watch less TV, and cut down on non-value adding stuffs like gaming and lazing around.

Try to go home on the dot after work. That's not to say you don't work hard, but you gotta work smart during your official hours and skip the non-essentials. There's plenty of things you can do with your free time at night.

Start dreaming up some crazy ideas. You will be amazed at how the world love those "infeasible" ideas of yours.

Be glad that the world (and your mum) is sceptical about new ideas. That's why new ideas are still new. Don't judge your own ideas and reject them.

Don't fear what people fear. Embrace it.

Note: In Part 2, I shall share the story of how a Singaporean made a million dollars with S$1. And why most people will find it hard to duplicate his success.

About the Author: Shingo T says there's nothing to fear but fear itself and Wifey.

Network Marketing (Part 1)

I have always been a very open guy. I have attended all kinds of talks, ranging from investments, motivational and network marketing talks.

I'm constantly amazed at how narrow minded Singaporeans can be. I can't blame them actually, many wants to get rich, but they are also too practical and cautious to try out new things.

Take Network Marketing for example, it is a very taboo word. If a local ever get invited for a business opportunity, one of the first question that he might ask is "Is it network marketing?" And if he were to get a "Yes" for that answer, he will probably say "Errr.... actually I'm not very into this kind of thing", and just simply dismiss it without even bothering to know what the company does.

We cant blame them, with all the scary stories circulating around the newspapers. Stories about people who have spent alot in network marketing, and yet not earned a single cent.

As I always said, there are 3 kinds of people.
(1) Those who fail and give up.
(2) Those who fail, didn't give up and keep failing again because they sticked to the SAME way.
(3) Those who fail, didn't give up and FINALLY succeed because they keep ADJUSTING their approach till it's right.

And people who fail normally are those in (1) or (2).

I have written many articles regarding Network Marketing, but I have never shared my views on the blog.

I'm in a good mood today, so I will take the chance to clear some common misconceptions. It should be noted that I'm not for or against the industry.

You may agree or disagree with what I say, so let me know your viewpoint. There's really no right or wrong.

Q1: Network Marketing equals to scam?

In theory, there is a clear distinction between network marketing and pyramid selling.

Network Marketing has 2 components, the compensation plan and the products.

Pyramid selling on the other hand, is more about the compensation plan. as the products are in some cases fictitious or way way overpriced to be mentioned much.

Pyramid selling is about recruiting people mindlessly so that the downlines feed the uplines. It's also known as a Ponzi scheme. And that is why it's illegal in many countries. It's promises exponential returns and reassure potential clients that it's the best decision they ever made. And then sooner or later, the company folds up.

And then the poor entire Network Marketing industry gets another tainted reputation because of this black sheep.

In short, pyramid-selling is a non-sustainable business model that involves the exchange of money primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme.

And REAL Network Marketing companies survive! Amway has been around for more than 20 years and still going strong (despite having a so-so compensation plan. =p).

Q2: How do I know whether the company is a network marketing or pyramid-selling company?

A rich male friend of mine once asked this question - did the girl love me for what I am, or is she after my money? Clearly, no one knows the answer to that except the girl involved. What we can do is to test the girl, but seriously, if she's smart enough, she will pass all the test even if she REALLY is only keen about his money.

Similarly, no pyramid-selling company will tell you that it's a scam. That's digging their own graves. But here are a few tests that you can employ, but just remember there's no guarantee.

(1) Pyramid-selling companies have VERY little emphasis on the products, because their products are overpriced or fictitious. Their primary emphasis is on the compensation plan - how you can leverage on the downlines, and easily rope your friends in. And they show you plenty of examples of people who have gone from blokes to riches, just by joining the scheme.

(2) Pyramid-selling companies have very little ethics by assuring you that getting your friends to join is easy. It is NEVER easy to get your friends to attend the talk because that's how Singapore goes. And your potential uplines assure you that they can add downlines for you. If you REALLY understand how the compensation structure works, you will know why they will NOT add downlines for you.

(3) The ultimate test to determine pyramid-selling companies. If the company is REALLY so good and everyone in the whole world joined, can you still make money? If the primary money-earning method is ONLY by recruitment, there won't be anyone else for you to recruit because the whole world has joined.

And that is why Network Marketing (not pyramid-selling) companies survive, because the emphasis is on the products.

I can spend the next 49 hours typing essays on this topic, but I'll stop here. If you have any questions to ask, let me know and I'll probably compile my views on Part 2.

Cheers!

Note: You may have note that I use the word Network Marketing as opposed to Multi-Level Marketing. The latter has a negative connotation and places too much emphasis of a ponzi scheme recruitment exercise. Real network marketing is VERY much about sales.

One-hit instant kill

In Singapore, everything is expensive.

A small 4-room resale flat of 85 square metres set me back by S$320,000. Under the current exchange rate, that works out to be US$228,000 or RM$768,000.

Which means I can sell my 4-room flat in Singapore, return back to Johor
(1) buy 2 much bigger double-storey terrace house
(2) buy a small car
(3) and still have some small cash left

And resale flats in Singapore are supposedly subsidised housings for those who couldn't afford private housing.

And so the Singapore government has set restrictions on who qualifies for the flats. Generally, it can be jointly purchased by married couple to start their family, or singles who are above 35 years old.

Anyway, the story goes like this. A close friend of mine got married with his long-time girlfriend some months ago and started to shop for a resale flat for their love nest.

My friend finally found the perfect flat.
(1) High floor (13th level), which means it is more windy.
(2) Just opposite the MRT station, which is good news for non-car drivers.
(3) Bright, which means lights do not need to be switched on in the day.
(4) Well-maintained, which means less renovation.
(5) No odd-shaped rooms (rooms that are not rectangular are less optimal for maximising space usage).
(6) And best of all, the price is below government valuation.

And while he's overjoyed, his wife outright rejected the flat.

Why?

Because it is on the 13th floor. And to the superstitious Chinese, 13 is an unlucky number. And that's a one-hit instant kill. So now, they are still "homeless" and staying separate with their own family despite being married. And still searching for the perfect flat.

Have you ever had 50 good reasons to do something, and yet have it shot down with a one-hit instant kill by someone close to you?

The 5 years gap

Wifey is 5 years younger than me.

Many years ago, she went to my ex-company for polytechnic attachment, and ended up getting "attached" (pun intended). Though I have left the company, my legacy as the legendary intern-killer lives on in the company. Hopefully, I have inspired the company to get more female interns, for the sake of the single man who are too caught up at work.

Before we realise it, Wifey and I have been together for 6+ years since we started dating. As I have learnt, there are pros and cons for a man to choose a gal who is 5 years younger than him.

Pros
(1) Savings gap
Since I have worked for 3-5 more years than her, it is natural for me to have much more savings than her. So compared to my peer couples with similar age as me, we have to settle for a cheaper flat. But compared to Wifey's peer couples with similar age as her, she could settle down and buy a flat earlier.

(2)Maturity Level
The typical girl matures earlier than the guy. There were 2 of us who were chasing Wifey at the same time. My love competitor was someone she knew in school, but wasn't as matured in mindset. And I triumphed. Till now, Wifey and I still share alot of common opinions, something I really loved. Also, as I have mentioned in my previous post, if you are a shrew, please get a older man to accept your nonsense.

(3)Aging
Woman age faster than man. So if your man is older, you won't look as old comparitively years down the road. But I believe this is trivial, especially if the gal starts taking care of her skin condition when young. Anti-ageing cream, or even botox (gosh!), anyone?

Cons
(1)Widowing
According to the latest United Nations Longeivity report, the average Singapore citizen dies at an average age of 80. Males are expected to live till average of 78, and woman till age 82. (Yes, the average Singaporean lives longer than Michael Jackson)
Women in Singapore lives an average of 4 years longer than Man.
So if a gal and her hubby are of the same age, it means that she is more likely to live beyond her hubby, and be a widow at the later point of her life. For a man like me who is 5 years older than her, the esimated length of her being a widow is likely to be much longer at about 5 + 4 = 9 years on average. That's really long for my poor Wifey. =(

My Conclusion
To the ladies:
Man are like red wine. They taste better with age. A matured man will give you a wonderful married life. Sure they can't be expected to be as happening as the younger guys, but as you grow older, you will appreciate why experience will beat romantism hands down. And nope, I don't mean those old rich man who are old enough to be your dad.

To the man:
Take care of your spouse's well-being, but pay GREATER attention to your health. For the sake of your loved ones, watch your diet, DON'T BLOODY SMOKE, and go for checkups every 1-2 years, and exercise. If you have time for TV, then you have time for exercise.
Live as long as you can, because you aren't expected to live as long as her.

Be aware of the presence of death, so every minute of your life has more meaning, and you will put better use to it.

Rich man's curse

Are rich people cursed?

Cursed with impending poor health due to his rich diet?
Cursed with unhappiness due to family politics?
Cursed with future dispute over inheritance when he passes away?
Cursed with higher chance of getting a spouse who’s only interested in the money?
Cursed with having little time left for the family?

When money comes into the topic among poorer or middle-class people, sometimes we hear phrases like

So what if they are rich? They are not even happy.
He may earn a lot of pay as an accountant, but he is working day and night. He won’t have time to spend it.
Rich people are like that one lah.

I used to stereotype the rich negatively when I was young. In fact, I nearly got a record in the police station when I was young, special thanks to a rich classmate who turned on me to save his butt from his mum’s cane. Anyway, as I growing up and reading more, I start realizing that these statements are lousy justification to remain poor. They are sour grape statements made by the poor either out of jealousy, or injustice.

If rich people are more likely to have diseases associated with rich food (gout is known as the rich man disease, and caused by high intake of seafood and alcohol), then poor people should more likely have exposure to diseases arising from hygiene or unhealthy cheap food (think McDonalds and oily fried kway teow). But at least the rich have the money for supplements and surgery if needed.

Often in family drama serials, the rich has been casted as snoobish people who looks down on their son’s girlfriend’s humble background. If that’s the case, then what about those stereotyped money-minded poor folks who are out to milk a fortune from their daughter’s rich boyfriend? Or the girl with big boobs and great looks out to score herself a rich angmoh (foreigner)?

Rich man’s kids who are portrayed as spoilt brats who believe money can solve anything. But I know a lot of rich kids who had great education from their rich dad to make money with money, as compared to aimlessly exchanging time for money. Think Robert Kiyosaki, his rich dad taught him to make money, while his poor dad taught him to study hard and earn money.

If the rich has to fight for the their rich papa’s family fortunes, then the poor has their own problem of losing a breadwinner when the poor papa dies – who will support the family now?

If the rich like to gamble huge amount of money, at least most of them gamble with their excesses (or the company’s funds. =p). For the poor, they are more likely to bring their gambling problems home. Look at those people who are barred from the Singapore casino, as requested by their family. Are they poor or rich people? Poor.

What about straying from marriage? Well, rich man has mistresses. And poor man has lovers – it’s the same. Lust does not exist only for the rich. As long as you are a uncontented low-morale god-damned son-of-a-doggy and you have the guts, then you will stray if you want to. You don’t need to be rich to be a playboy, you just have to go for a different group of girls.

And what about the stereotyping that rich people are always busy? I personally think this is another misconception. The idea of wanting to get rich for me is to have more time for myself. After all, rich people hire poor people to work for them. My angmoh boss goes back much earlier than us because HE WANTS TO. I have colleagues who work so long hours due to their strong sense of responsibility, even though they are getting much lower pay than the bosses. Even if the rich guy work long hours, he’s at least better off than being a poor man and still work long hours (or hold double jobs).

In short, rich and poor people have their own set of problems.
Don’t be biased and be fearful of getting rich.
And stop demonising the rich. They are like you and me - most have 2 eyes and 1 nose.

The rich have beer belly. The poor have char kuey teow belly.
It’s the same.

Giving sour grape statements about rich people will not make us any richer.
And it certainly won’t make us any better either.

Why be poor when you can be rich?

Wrong problem, Wronger solution

My Wifey has a issue of identifying the wrong problem, and then solving it with a wrong solution.

As I was hanging up the washed clothes to dry recently, I realised the house was out of clothes hangars. So I asked Wifey for a solution.

She said to buy more clothes hangars lor.

I told her that was solving the wrong problem. The problem wasn't the lack of clothes hangars, it's the atrocious collection of clothes that she has.

Being the naughty Wifey that she is, she probably might just take the chance to throw away the unwanted (and not neccessarily old) clothes.

And THAT, is still not solving the right problem.

When I get around to ruling the world someday, all online shopping websites will be accompanied with a warning label.

CONTENT WARNING
The site that you are about to view may contain sales only suitable for adults with plenty of cash to spare. In general, Google does not review nor do we endorse the content of this or any blog. For more information about our content policies, please visit the Blogger Terms of Service.

About the Author: Shingo T's Wifey has 5 times more clothes than him. And he doesn't recall her bathing 5 times more than him.

Big John won't pay

One of those forwarded emails that I thought will bring you a chuckle.

---------
One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route. No problems for the first few stops - a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well.

At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a guy got on. Six feet eight, built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the driver and said, "Big John doesn't pay!" and sat down at the back.

Did I mention that the driver was five feet three, thin, and basically meek? Well, he was. Naturally, he didn't argue with Big John, but he wasn't happy about it. The next day the same thing happened - Big John got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. And the next day, and the next.

This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him. Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff.

By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; what's more, he felt really good about himself. So on the next Monday, when Big John once again got on the bus and said, "Big John doesn't pay!"

The driver stood up, glared back at the passenger, and screamed, "And why not?"

With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied, "Big John has a bus pass."

Management Lesson: "Be sure there is a problem in the first place before working hard to solve one."

How to win in the Stock Market

As an appreciation of your faithful readership, today I shall share with you the ULTIMATE secret to earning at the stock market.

We all know that buying stocks is about "buying low, sell high".
But what if you buy low, and it goes even lower?

After years of doing endless economic factors regression pattern forecasting, technical analysis and simulation using historical data, I have realised that the key to a successful and profitable trade is NOT about SKILL. And it's NOT about TIMING.

It is about LUCK! And thus, I ventured and explored through the Amazon forest (tons of mosquitoes), the Sahara desert, and the Himalayas in search of four leaf clovers. With each of these samples, I conduct rigoruos experimentation to narrow down my choice to three species of the LUCKIEST four leaf clover.

Engaging the help of prominent botanists (damn, are they expensive!), I have leveraged on the latest knowledge and CUTTING-EDGE technological methods of the latest pollination, cross-hybridisation and DNA mutation to come up with THE four leaf clover.

Yes, the SHINGO T FOUR LEAF CLOVER!
(I had to name it after myself. Hey, you gotta admit that I should get some credit for such a masterpiece)



This WONDERFUL four leaf clover is one of a kind. It may look ordinary, but beneath its mediocre look lies a mystic and intangible luck that attracts money like a magnet.

For faithful readers, I will part with my LIMITED stocks at ONLY $499 per four leaf clover.

In fact, I am so confident that this SHINGO T FOUR LEAF CLOVER will make you money in the stock market, that I am willing to return you back your $499 if you don't earn money (which is by the way, IMPOSSIBLE!).

Stocks are LIMITED and SELLING OUT FAST!

Hesitate no more. After all, the best way to beat risk is to START EARLY!

Bulldoze your way to financial freedom TODAY!

So how many do you want, suckers?

About the Author: Shingo T is making err.... little TONS AND TONS AND TONS of money in the stock market. And so can you!

So what if you are my friend?

For budding franchise entrepenuers, do you know that Subway has one of the cheapest franchise system around? About US$10k for annually licensing. Anyway, if your good friend one day tells you that he has opened a Subway franchise in the city area, will you go and support him?

Will you support him if you are not a fan of the sandwiches?
Will you support him if you live and work far away from the city?
Will you support him if the sandwiches are more than double the price of your favourite chicken rice?

I am not one who do things for show (except attending weddings and funerals, which I consider basic respect). I will not show support to a friend just because I want him to earn my money. Friend or stranger, you will have to work to earn my cash.

I can help you in other ways like publicity. These are ways in which I won't have to force myself to contribute cash, but you will still get that incremental marketing (no matter how insignificant) required for generating more sales.

If the business you offer does not appeal to me, I will tell you straight in the face. If the prices are steep, I will not be a sucker for it just because you are my friend – but I will tell you which of your competitors are offering a better deal.

I am one who believes that money should be circulated within the inner circle. After all, that's what those rich people always do. Small companies often subcontract to a company or subsidiary belonging to his family or friends. If a friend and a stranger are offering me a insurance policy from the same company at the same cost, I will try to buy from my friend, or his recommendation.

A person’s nett woth is determined by his network.
It’s something that network marketing industries always emphasize on. A friend’s friend will turn out to be your friend. For every friend you have, you are looking at him and his 200 other friends.

The real estate agent I engaged is a church friend of my insurance agent.
And the renovator I engaged is recommended by my colleague.
And one of my insurance agent is my former colleague.
And my broker is the dad of a friend.

But still, just because you are a friend doesn’t mean you can give me less than desired services. Remember the power of the word of the mouth. If an insurance agent who is a relative gives me poor service, you can be assured that he will not be getting any referrals when my friends ask me for recommendation.

Also, just because you are a friend doesn’t mean that I should be serviced by you without any profits or at steep discount. Recently, a insurance agent of my wife offered to help us buy our travel insurance without charging us a single cent (his family is pretty rich, so he’s doing it for friendship). I denied the offer, and asked that he charge us the same amount that any insurance agent from his company will charge. After all, he has to help us get quotes, run down to the office to make apply and make payment etc... if he doesn't charge us a cent, he is actually earning negative profits for this transaction.

I know of another insurance agent who was mercilessly asked to be treated free meals by his prospective clients (who are his colleagues) in consideration of him buying numerous policies. After he had his fill, the client ended up buying a cheap policy. Well, obviously the agent ended up being the sucker in this case.

I don't expect my insurance agent to treat me drinks. In fact, I buy drinks for my agent because of all the hassle that she saved me from.

Business is about making money. And your time is money.

I do not take advantage of anybody. And don't expect to take advantage of me.

Business is a transaction.
Be my friend, and I guarantee you first consideration.
But bite me once with your lousy service/products, and you can say goodbye.

Earn my trust, and convince me why your goods and services are superior.
Then we can talk about how to make me part my cash.