Dont Plan Your Life

It's funny how life often turns out differently from what you've planned it to be. Ever since i was a kid i never wanted to manage our hardware store. Ive always thought it to be too complicated and cumbersome. You had to constantly monitor prices, run after those indebted to you and sucker up to your suppliers. Plus it entailed a huge capital while the margin to earn was very little - at least with the fast moving items. Ive always dreamed of starting my own business and going my own way. But then things started happening. Things that were beyond my control. Banco Filipino closed down and my mom had to go away to the States. Since my two little brothers were still in college i found myself left with my Father. There were only two of us left. There was no one else to help him manage our family business but me. My mom had been pleading with me for months to help dad out in the store. But i resisted. I thought, i dont want to. I dont want to be stuck inside a store the entire day. Thats too boring. Im a free spirit. I wanted to be out in the field conversing with people. At first i tried to ignore it but then the guilt got to me. I couldnt turn my back on family. It just wasnt right. That night i couldnt sleep. I tossed and turned all night long. My thoughts were as tumultous as the sea on a stormy night. But when dawn broke I made my decision. Family first.

The first few months were hard. I wasn't used to being enclosed in a store all day long. But eventually I got used to it. I started to have fun. I began to learn the tricks of the trade. Managing a hardware store, I discovered, wasn't boring at all. In fact, it was rather challenging. And the best part was I became closer to my dad because now we were spending at least 8 hours a day together.

It's funny how life often doesn't turn out as you expect it to. Sometimes, just sometimes, it turns out even better. 

How to close a Real Estate deal in 1 Week

Last weekend our real estate team, TrulyWealthyRealty Corp., closed another deal. How much time did we spend on the deal? 1 week. For those of you who are in the real estate business you know that closing a deal can be challenging. It requires patience and a great deal of perseverance. Being a real estate broker can be tough. There are times when we get bogus buyers, when clients don’t show up on property viewing schedules or when even sellers refuse to cooperate. In addition to that is the competition. There are a lot of realties, brokers and agents (both accredited and non-accredited) in Cagayan de Oro.

So you may be wondering: what does it take to close a real estate deal in 1 week?

First of all it is vital to recognize that there is nothing “magical” about a successful sale. A sale becomes a success if the important elements are there: hard work, perseverance and, of course, a great deal of marketing. According to marketing expert John Carlton, “Luck” often has nothing to do with success. There is nothing magical about great advertising. So the first factor is Extreme Marketing. This was first introduced to us by real estate guru Trace Trajano in his Think Rick Quick Seminar. Extreme Marketing is the act of advertising your product or service using different media, multiple times. This includes both offline and online marketing. Bandit signs, fliers, online ads and multimedia marketing are only a few examples of the types of media you can use to get your message across to your consumers. Marketing plays a vital role in the success of any business. Think about it. People won’t buy your product – not matter how great it is – if they don’t even know it exists! Look at the most successful businesses today and you will see that they do extreme marketing. Take Jollibee for example. You see their advertisements on TV, you see their billboards on street corners and you see a Jollibee branch everywhere! Heck, there’s even a Jollibee stall inside their outlets. Now that’s Extreme Marketing.

Second, identify your target market. No matter how good your marketing is, if the people you are advertising to don’t need it or can’t afford it, then you won’t make a sale. In the case of real estate, say for example, you are marketing a 5 million peso property. Who is your target market? It’s the high end buyers. Don’t go promoting your property to those looking for a house with a budget of 1-2 million. Even if they liked your property they won’t buy it because they can’t. The bottom line is to give your buyer what he wants. This is pretty basic. But you would be amazed at the number of real estate brokers and agents that violate this basic tip. They try to foist off their properties to their buyers without considering what they really want. As one real estate guru said, “It’s easier to find a house for a buyer than a buyer for a house.” So craft your ads to suit your target market.

Third, act professionally. Never make empty promises and always deliver. Trust is important in any relationship and keeping your word will instill trust. If you say you are going to meet your buyer at 9 am then be there by 8:45 am. Don’t keep your client waiting. If you say you will deliver the documents today then do it today. Being a man (or woman) of your word builds integrity and a good reputation. And that is priceless. 

How to Conquer Your Fear of Public Speaking

Have you ever experienced the feeling that the moment you stand up to speak in front, your heart starts pounding like crazy, your hands get all clammy and you seem to lose all train of thought? If so, then you are not alone. According to most studies, glossophobia or the fear of public speaking is the number one fear that most people have. Yes, people fear public speaking even more than they fear death!

 We all know that the most successful people, whether in business or any other field, are also the best communicators. And for this reason alone many people desire to become better speakers. But how does one eliminate the fear of public speaking?

The answer is that you don’t. I have been a Toastmaster for over two years now. I regularly give speeches during club meetings and I have joined numerous speaking contests. You’d think two years of speaking would have made the fear disappear, right? Wrong. You can’t totally eliminate your fear of public speaking. You can only conquer it. As someone once said, if you can’t get rid of the butterflies in your stomach, at least get them into flying formation.

So how do you conquer your fear of public speaking?

You can conquer your fear of public speaking the same way you would conquer any other fear. You have to face it. How? Speak in front of an audience – regularly. Or better yet, join Toastmasters. The more you speak in front the less you’ll find doing so “scary”.  Most people are afraid of the unknown. Once you get accustomed to speaking in front you’ll discover that it isn’t that bad after. In fact, public speaking can actually be enjoyable.

They say that preparation is the key to success. This applies to public speaking as well. Before you even think about speaking in front you should learn your material. You should know it so well that you can speak without having to think of what’s next.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself – especially if it’s your first time to deliver a speech. We learn by doing. And we’ve all got to start somewhere. So don’t expect your first speech to be perfect. Practice and then deliver it as best as you can. The best thing about being part of a Toastmasters club is that you get evaluated every time you deliver a speech. Thus, you’ll know which things to improve to make your next speech even better.

The worst thing you can do is to disregard your fear and pretend that it doesn’t exist. No matter how much we try to avoid it there will come a time when we will have to stand up and speak in front. Personally I think it’s better to be prepared so that when that time comes, we will be able to speak with such eloquence and conviction that we can get our point across effectively. 


Do you want your speech to come to life? Read this post and learn about the power of Using Gestures in Public Speaking.

Interview with Internet Marketing Guru: Jomar Hilario (Part 2)

Alex:  So after Jars of Clay, what happened?

Jomar: So after that Bo liked what I accomplished so he asked me to promote for him again. This time it was Reuben Morgan.  Eventually I became Bo’s internet marketing consultant. I was responsible for planning and deciding what content would go in Bo’s online promotional materials. I did everything – except for actually doing it. Bo had other people for that. I created Bo’s online store, video podcast and kerygmafamily.com.

Alex: How long have you been internet marketing?

Jomar: Since January 2005. 

Alex: What was the first thing you did on the net?

Jomar: The first thing I downloaded was a Sailormoon calendar. 

Alex: A sailormoon calendar? Why?

Jomar: (laughs) I don't know. It was the first thing that entered my mind.

Alex: Was it your intention to do online marketing?

Jomar: At the back of my mind, I wanted to earn online. I tried to earn for several years through blogging through Adsense. I earned several cents.

Alex: When did you start giving live seminars?

Jomar: I’ve always enjoyed teaching and speaking in front of people. When I was still with the bank I used to make powerpoint presentations. I would conduct office seminars and create a powerpoint teaching people how to use powerpoint, excel and word. I was asst manager of IT then so I had to deal with programmers and analysts. As for the live seminars, it was actually Bo’s idea. I wanted to give seminars. And at the time I was promoting a lot of seminars like the Think Rich Pinoy seminar of Larry Gamboa. So Bo suggested that I conduct my own seminar. He gave me 2 months to prepare. He managed the event and the promotion. I just showed up and did it.

Alex: How did you feel about your first seminar?

Jomar: I was very excited. I had more than 50 participants. Each had his own computer. It lasted for 2 days.

Alex: How did it go?

Jomar: I had a hard time. I did a dry run where I practiced with other people. Unfortunately most of the participants weren’t able to understand me towards the end. The topics were blogging, autoresponders, Adsense and online promotion. I tried to make it as simple as I could but there where people who didn’t even know how to use a mouse. They’d slow everyone down. It became a lesson. On my next event I said, if you can’t prove you know how to use a computer, don’t attend.

Alex: I heard you speak during Trace Trajano’s, Think Rich Quick 2 Seminar last Oct 2009. And my first impression was that you have stage presence. You can really get the audience’s attention. Plus you’re funny. Have you always been able to talk like this? How did you come to be such a good communicator?

Jomar: I got used to talking in front of a lot of people early on. I’m naturally talkative. I don’t mean to be funny either. It just comes out.

Alex: Do you think good communication skills are important in putting up and running a business?

Jomar: Absolutely. If you know how to speak well people perceive you as trustworthy. They think you’re saying the right things, they think you’re honest. There are techniques to learn in dealing with people. One of the first books I’ve read on that was How To Meet Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie. For those who want to pursue a career in public speaking you should master the principles in this book.

Alex: Have you used the principles in the book?

Jomar: Of course. The principles are pretty basic but very effective. Smile, remember people’s names, make them talk about themselves…It was when I got to college when I started becoming very talkative. I was an active member of the church choir. I got my training in terms of dealing with people at church.

Alex: Well you certainly have come a long way. What do you think is the best way to improve one’s speaking skills?

Jomar: Practice. Give free seminars. If you are given the chance to speak in front, go and speak. Or make your own event. I did a seminar on how to invest in the stock market for free. I prepared everything. If you want to improve in public speaking, make your own powerpoint presentation regarding something you’re good at, dress up and present.

Alex: What is the best thing about running your own business?

Jomar: Your imagination is the only limit to your earning. You can create things. If you use your imagination enough you’ll be able to create new products and services….You can have fun. In the office there’s a format you have to follow or else your boss might get mad at you. But when you have your own business nobody can tell you what to do.

Alex: How many employees do you have?

Jomar: No employees, only 4 VA’s.

Alex: Why are you teaching people how to do online marketing?

Jomar: When I was still working at the bank my time for my family was very limited. And I couldn’t do the stuff I wanted to do because of work. I don’t want that to happen to other people as well. I want them to experience the same financial freedom I am enjoying right now.

Alex: If you could name the top 3 things you think are essential to succeed in business what would they be and why?

Jomar: First, learn how to sell. Selling is a personal skill that can only be learned by doing. Second, learn how to market. Third, know why you are doing what you are doing. Know why you’re in business in the first place. You need to be sure why you are in business so that you’ll succeed. If you’re not sure you won’t last 5 years in any business. 

Alex: What are you passionate about?

Jomar: Surfing the net for technology news.

Alex: What is one thing you’d do for free?

Jomar: Delivering presentations.

Alex: Did you have any fears when you started your online marketing ventures?

Jomar: I had a lot of fears, mostly about “financial security”. I was scared to resign because I was used to employment. I wasn’t prepared to get out of it.

Alex:  So when did you resign?

Jomar: I didn’t. I prayed and God fired me. I got retrenched. Ang galing ni God. It was a blessing in disguise.

Alex: When you got retrenched what was the first thing you did?

Jomar: I went to the mall. I went shopping. I didn’t even look back. Most of my co-workers were afraid and angry. But I didn’t have the same problems. I was ready. At the time I was earning online already through seminars, blogging and affiliate selling.

Alex: What is the most surprising experience you have had in your online marketing business?

Jomar: It was when I joined an affiliate contest. I didn’t really expect to win because there were a lot of really good internet marketers who joined. But I was able to join the top 10. I was the only Filipino there. I won an Ipad for that.

Alex: Do u know any other Pinoy internet marketers?

Jomar: Yes but not much. There are only a few of us because it takes a lot of time and motivation to learn. You have to show yourself to people so they’ll believe you. You have to dress the part and speak the part. I don’t know if you can find an internet marketer who doesn’t know how to speak. Speaking is part of the whole thing. Whatever you do, you will need to speak sometime.

Alex: Who or what inspires you and why? 

Jomar: Bo Sanchez. He’s very dynamic and creative. He can do a lot of things. He runs a lot of businesses plus ang payat pa niya. He takes care of his health. If you can attend the feast, he really knows how to put on a good show. But one of his greatest strengths is that he listens. And that’s why he’s very powerful. And of course,Tony Robins. I want to be as good a speaker as him someday.

Alex: Any last words to your students in online?

Jomar: For whoever is listening bumili ka nang mahal na notebook na walang laman. Then write down why you want to be successful. Fill up the entire notebook. Then move towards your dreams.

Alex: Thank you for your time Coach Jomar. I know that you have inspired a lot of Filipinos to follow in your footsteps and earn online. I guess the internet is good for more than just online gaming and Facebook after all.

PS

Do you want to work from home and earn more at the same time? Jomar Hilario can help you out. You can sign up for his online coaching program HERE

Interview with Internet Marketing Guru: Jomar Hilario (Part 1)

Earning online used to be something that seemed hard-almost impossible to do. But times have changed. More and more people are now starting to discover that earning online is not rocket science. It is doable and achievable. Last October 2010 I met, Jomar Hilario, one of my online marketing mentors at Trace Trajano’s Think Rich Quick 2 Seminar. Jomar Hilario is an internet marketing guru, endorsed by Larry Gamboa and Bo Sanchez. For many years he has taught online marketing concepts to thousands of Filipinos. He can teach you how to earn dollars through internet marketing, blogging, being a Virtual Assistant and more. He is touted as the Tim Ferris and Tony Robbins of the Philippines. His success in this field has inspired many people (me included) to learn how to earn through the internet. It has also prompted me to ask, “How did he do it?” “Where did it all begin?” “Did public speaking skills play a role in his success?” With this in mind I decided seek an interview with the internet marketing guru of the Philippines, Jomar Hilario.

Hi Coach Jomar, good evening. First of all I’d like to thank you for granting me the honor of interviewing you. I know you’re such a busy person. So as you know I have a public speaking blog. The aim of my blog is to inspire people to become the speakers and leaders that they are meant to be. We all know how crucial good communication skills are to success in life and in business. Not many people really take the time and effort to improve their speaking skills. The reason why I’d like to interview you is because you have achieved so much in the online marketing industry. You have online marketing seminars and you have live VA and marketing seminars. These seminars have helped a lot of people learn how to do internet marketing and how to basically make a living online.


Alex: How did your journey as an internet marketer begin?


Jomar: I started off as a bank employee. I worked in the bank for 15 years. I discovered the internet by myself. I started to play around with it. That was way back 2001. I began blogging and talking to people online. That was also the time when Kiyosaki’s book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad became popular so I started in real estate. I joined an investment club and met Bo Sanchez through that. I found out that Bo was bringing Jars of Clay to the Philippines. They were scheduled to perform at the Araneta. So I volunteered to promote their concert. Since I had a day job then, the only way I could really promote it was online. That was my first try in online marketing. I had 1 month to promote the concert. I did it on Friendster, Multiply and Blogger. The thing I didn’t know was that I was the main promoter. Bo was promoting it mostly inside Kerygma. Araneta’s capacity was 20,000 people. We managed to sell about 5,000 tickets.


Alex: 5,000 tickets in one month? Not bad.


Jomar: Yes. It wasn’t bad at all.


Alex: How did you do offline promotion?


Jomar: After prayer meetings, I would talk about the concert. Before revealing who was going to perform I would ask people if they knew this song, then I would sing. As for the online promotion, since I didn’t have an internet connection at home, I would go out and work in cafes.


Alex: Did you have any fears when you were promoting Jars of Clay? Like maybe the fear the people wouldn’t listen to you or that you’d get rejected.


Jomar: I wasn’t really concentrating on my fears. With the concert only a few weeks away I felt that I didn’t have the time for that. So I was just concentrating on selling tickets – on getting the message across. Also, this was the first time that a foreign artist was going to hold a Christian concert in the Philippines. So I was very excited. During Sundays we would go to the Alabang New Life Church and we would meet people on their way out of church and offer to sell them tickets.


Alex: How did that go?


Jomar: Merong natuwa, merong hindi. But at that time I was really focused. I didn’t care whether I’d get rejected or not anymore as long as I sold tickets. If you have a goal, the goal becomes more important than shame or anything else. So it really helps if you have a big goal to believe in. And I believed that Jars of Clay could inspire people. I started promoting the concert online as well. It was my first time to promote anything online but somehow I knew what to do. We promoted the concert like crazy and as a result, we sold 5000 tickets in a month. And I was glad to do it for free. My reward was getting to meet Jars of Clay in person.

Alex: So how were they?


Jomar: They were very American. They were also very serious people. They kept on talking about the metaphysics of the church and stuff like that. But they were also a lot of fun to be with.


Alex: So after Jars of Clay, what happened?


...Find out what happened in Part 2 of the Jomar Hilario Interview. 


PS

Do you want to work from home and earn more at the same time? Jomar Hilario can help you out. You can sign up for his online coaching program HERE

Submit an Article

Do you have a story to tell? Do you want to share a particular public speaking or business experience? Do you want to inspire others?

Then email me at aisazeta@yahoo.com and submit your story today.

It can be anybody’s story. It could be your story, the experience of a friend or that of a mentor.

I believe that everyone has a story to tell. And the world deserves to hear your story. Who knows? Your story might change a life. It might inspire someone and make a difference in the life of another person.

The greatest blessing you can give to others is yourself. In writing your story you are giving a part of yourself.

If you have been blessed then it is time to pay it forward.

Inspire others with your story. 


Submit an article TODAY.

Dreamers are Deaf

Yes. You read the title right. Dreamers are deaf.

Last night my dad told me that he and mom wanted to talk to me. I immediately knew what it was going to be about. Did I mention that my mom hasn’t been talking to me for almost a month now? And all because I chose to be in real estate instead of practice my nursing career. So I went to my parent’s room. And sure enough it was another round of lecture from mom. Dad was silent for the most part – as he usually is.

“Do you know how hard life in the Philippines is?”

“You went to nursing school for 4 years and after all that WE spent and all your efforts, you are throwing away your nursing career just like THAT?”

“I know a lot of brokers and they just do the business part time. If real estate was so good why have they chosen to stick to their day jobs instead of doing it full time?”

“You do not know what you want. You haven’t even tried living abroad yet. How can you just give it up?”

“You are so selfish. You are only thinking of yourself.”

Ouch. The last one especially hurt. I mean my family is part of the reason why I want to succeed in real estate. I know I should have explained what my reasons were for choosing to give up nursing. I was a toastmaster wasn’t I? I should have used the art of public speaking to elucidate my side of the story. But I didn’t. You know what I did? Shut up. That’s right. I did not say a word. Do you know why? Because I knew that my parents were not ready to listen. And no matter how good a speaker I was, no matter what explanation I gave, they still would not have listened. I could have exhausted all my public speaking skills and that wouldn’t have done me any good. Their hearts and minds were not ready to accept my explanation. Toastmasters know when to speak up or shut up. And at that moment I knew it was better for me to just shut up. It kind of reminded me of a song, that part where the singer sings “You say it best when you say nothing at all.” For all its worth sometimes the most effective form of communication is silence. 

Dreamers are deaf.

 They close their ears to negativity, discouragement and pessimism. They choose not to listen to anything that will cause them to lose heart. Now lest you say I’m such a bad influence to children out there, I am not saying “Don’t listen to your parents.” All I’m saying is stay true to what you want. After all, it is your life. No other person is going to live it but you. Listen carefully, weigh your options and then decide. It’s a good thing I am so stubborn. If I weren’t so stubborn I’d have probably just given up and went back to nursing ages ago.

My mom asked me what assurance I had that I was going to succeed in real estate. In truth? NONE. I’m not a fortune teller (if I was I’d probably be rich now). I can’t possibly predict what the future holds for me. But what I am sure of is that God is for my success. He will never leave me. I am also sure that I love real estate. And I’d rather die than not do what I love (wow, aren’t I melodramatic?).

A lot of people ask me what I would die for. But I always tell them, instead of thinking about that, why not find something to live for?

I live for real estate.

What about you? What do you live for?

You have one life to live. Live it now.

Go live your dreams!

What are you passionate about? What do you burn for? Check out my post I want you to burn…burn for me, baby

I want you to burn…burn for me, baby

Has anyone said a few words to you that compelled you to rise to great heights? Someone that made you desire to become better? It may have been a friend, or a parent, or a teacher. For me, that person was my English Lit professor. One thing I liked about this guy was that he taught us unconventionally. Oh, he certainly wasn’t your “Ok class, turn your books to page 100” type of teacher. He made each class refreshing and fun. One day, he brought a cassette to class and played a song. The song was Burn by Tina Arena. It’s an old song so most of you must be familiar with it. The lyrics go something like this: “I want you to burn. Burn for me, baby. Like a candle in the night. Oh burn, burn for me, burn for me.”


Then when the song was over, he solemnly switched it off and turned to us, “So class, I want you to burn. Burn for me…baby.”


I admit we all cracked up when he said that. He said it with such a straight face too. But we got his point. He wanted us to burn for something in our lives. To have that passion, that raging fire to go after what we truly want. Whether it is writing or singing. Dancing or teaching. We have to be on fire for something. This is what makes life meaningful.


When my teacher dared us to burn for him, it ignited something in me. I felt a rush of excitement take over me, like liquid fire coursing through my veins. Though English Lit was a minor subject in our curriculum, I threw myself into it with a passion even I didn’t know I had.


This teacher made me see what I wanted. I burned with each paper I wrote. I was determined to write my best, writing and rewriting over and over and over again until I got it just right. It was grueling, but let me tell you, it was worth it. I got high grades on every paper (I don’t mean to brag a little ^_^) and at the end of the term, he said: “Alex, you have a feel for the language. Keep on burning.”


I was on fire with overflowing inspiration. By challenging us to burn for something, my teacher made me see what I wanted to burn for.


Growing up I watched my parents run NRZJ, our hardware store, capably. But I never fully realized until then how much I wanted to be a business woman. The world of business has always fascinated me. But it was more of a tentative spark. My teacher’s words were like the air that stoked that spark until it became a raging flame.


I was in my 2nd year as a student nurse in Silliman then. And since I promised my mom to stick to whatever course I chose, I decided to continue on with Nursing. So though I am a nurse by profession, I am now certain that my true passion is business. I grew up around it. I got to see how exciting and challenging it was.


My original plan was, work as a nurse, save and then with relentless passion, pursue my dream of being a real estate magnate. But I’ve changed that plan. It has become more simple; Pursue Real Estate NOW. Not tomorrow, not in a few years but NOW. Why? Because I realized that you do not have to migrate to a different country or work in a job you do not like just to make money. You can be wealthy wherever you are. Wealth comes to those who pursue their passion. It comes to people who know how to take care of it. When you love what you do and do it to the best of your ability, success will inevitably follow. And money always follows success. Think about it, if you love what you do how can you NOT be a success.


Right now there are a lot of people telling me that I cannot do it. The Philippines is a poor country, it’s too hard to practice real estate here, blah, blah, blah. But I don’t care. I have closed my ears to all this negative talk. I love the game of real estate and I am going to continue playing it. I don’t know exactly how I am going to do it. But I believe in these powerful words:
If your “why” is strong enough the “how” will come.


Why is it important to pursue one’s passion? Because it gives you a sense of purpose. It gives you direction. It gives you a reason to get up each day and do the things you do. It adds color and spice to your life. Simply put, it makes life worth living.


So wherever life takes me, no matter how many detours and left turns there are, I will always find my way back to my passion. I will never be lost because of that one song and that one teacher who made me see what I wanted to burn for.


So what is it that you yearn for? What do you burn for? What makes you get up in the morning everyday? What do your really desire to be?


An acclaimed actress? A respected writer? A famous magician?


Whatever it is, that is your passion. And that is what you are meant to be. So don’t give it up. Don’t let it go. Burn for something (not someone – but something). Burn for something NOW.


Now go live your dreams!

Check out why it is sometimes good to be deaf in my post Dreamers Are Deaf

Amazing People I Met While Reviewing For The Brokers Exam

Reviewing for the Real Estate Brokers Exam is crazy-fun. I just got back from another weekend review for the RE brokers exam. It was so draining. Seemingly endless lessons, mind-boggling computations and problem solving strategies only accountants could understand… (Ok, I did understand it-after considerable effort). And our review schedule? From 8 am to 9 pm. 13 hours of learning. And I thought I already graduated from college! But you know what? I had the time of my life. The people I met were just so diverse and interesting! Now this is where my table topics training in Toastmasters came in handy. Knowing how to think and speak on your feet when meeting new people is always a plus.

The great thing about meeting new people is that you always learn something from them. I learned a lot about the different ways of doing the real estate business through my classmates. I met Zackie Lalwani, the VP for Marketing of Plumbline Development Corporation. This is the company spearheading the development of the very first condotel in Cagayan de Oro- Uptown Condotel.  Zackie is outgoing, funny and very down to earth. And I guess that’s what you need to be if you want to sell condotels. And he’s very convincing too. I don’t know how he persuaded his college daughter, Princess, to attend the review.  What I learned from Zackie is that you do not have to be so serious all the time. Success also comes to people who know how to laugh and enjoy. Everything just has to be put into the right perspective. He might not look it (no offense, Zack J) but Zackie is very smart. He gives wise advice too. When asked how he defines success, the all-knowing Mr. Lalwani answered, “It’s the opposite of failure.” (Oh well, I did say he’s funny). Ok he did give another definition. “Success is not the result or the reward. Success is the process of performing your prescribed obligation.” And I agree. Success is more of the journey than the destination. It is who you become in the process that really matters.

I also got to know Jovy and Wiggy. Yes. I love their names too. They might have cute names but what they do is no mean feat. Jovy and Wiggy are developers. They develop low-cost housing. Yes, low-cost housing - the answer to many family’s prayers. Units are priced from P400,000 to 3 Million. It must not exceed 3 Million or else it won’t be classified as “low-cost” anymore. From Atty. Wiggy, I learned that you can do many things at once. Not only Superman knows how to multi-task. He operates his own law firm, engages in mining and does real estate on the side. His secret? Time management. And of course you have to be passionate about what you are doing. Otherwise, you’ll just get tired and give up. But if you love it, no matter how many times you fall, you will always get back up.  According to Wiggy, “Just love what you’re doing and do it with a noble purpose.” Spoken like a true lawyer. From Jovy, I learned that the right ATTITUDE is one of the keys to success. You just have to be humble and willing to learn. Never act like you know it all (even when you do know more than the person in front of you). According to Jovy, “Being a developer is hard work. You really have to put in a lot of sweat, blood and tears. And you have to be strong and determined. No matter how tough it gets, (and it will get tough) do not give up. Keep on doing what you have to and success will come. Being a developer may be tough but the rewards are worth it.”

I also met this pretty and young business woman with amazing hair, Abigail Lim. Yes, her hair is amazing. It’s long, lustrous and shiny. Abi looks like a walking hair commercial. But that is not the only great thing about her. She’s the assistant branch manager of Johndorf Ventures Corp.-a company engaged in developing and designing residential communities. Johndorf is one of the leading mass housing developers in Northern Mindanao having completed the development of more than 20 subdivisions. She focuses on sales and marketing. Abi might be only 23 (Yes, she’s my age. That means I’m young too!^_^ ) but she’s already starting to learn the ins and outs of the family business. She haggles with suppliers, meets with clients and supervises the interior design of model units. Age is only just a number. I believe you are never too young or too old to start doing what you want.

What I love about real estate is that I get to meet so many kinds of people. And from each one, I learn something new. Something I can use in my future business plans. Experience may be the best teacher, but you can’t make all the mistakes yourself. For one, no one can live long enough to do that. Instead, learn from other people’s triumphs and tragedies.  Now I’d love to write about the remaining 53 classmates that I have. But I gotta sleep first. Maybe another time. Live a great life!

related links: http://www.johndorfventures.com/aboutus.html

                            http://www.plumbline.com.ph/

Brokers Exam review is so on!

I just got back from a weekend of reviewing for the real estate broker’s exam in Cagayan de Oro. Whew! Talk about information overload. The review might have been a bit tiring, but it was also very interesting. I was especially impressed with one of our reviewers, Ms Pilar Torres-Banaag. She is one woman who has already accomplished a lot in life. She has been a licensed broker for the past 24 years and a licensed assessor. She is also the president and CEO of Larriegil Realty Corporation and Iwag publishing and the Chairman of PAREB (Philippine Real Estate Board). She is also the author of Real Estate Broker’s Examination Reviewer – the reviewer that we are using right now. Her colleagues call her superwoman. And I can’t say I’m surprised. With all these achievements under her belt, superwoman sounds like an understatement. One thing I like about her is that she is a very good speaker. She was clear, concise and straight to the point. And she was able to break down complicated concepts into simple terms so we could better understand her. With her public speaking skills and good business acumen, it is no wonder why Ms. Pilar is so successful. I bet she can smell a good deal a mile away.

My take on the brokers review

The brokers review was a different experience for me. For one thing, I found it more interesting than reviewing for the nursing board exam (no offense to nursingJ). But it was also a bit overwhelming. There were so many new terms and laws I had to learn!

 The brokers review is going to last for 3 more weeks. The last day is set on December 5. The schedule is every weekends on Fridays (5-10pm), Saturdays (8am-8pm) and Sundays (8am-8pm). And then I’m on my own to review for the broker’s exam which is going to be on March 27, 2011. Failing is just not an option. Aside from the fact that the review cost me 16, 000 (yes, it is not cheap), starting June 2011 certain universities will now start offering BS Real Estate Management courses. That means if you want to be a broker, you have to go school for four years.

Failure is just not an option. So for those who are taking the real estate board exam next year, good luck to us! Let’s study hard and have faith. I personally believe that God is always for my success. And I know He will help me in this one. 

Who is Alex Zeta?

Hi everyone! My name is Alex Zeta and I am a real estate investor and public speaker. Yes. I speak in public – which I think we all do too. I am currently the president of Iligan Toastmasters – a non-profit, public speaking organization that can help you improve your leadership and communication skills. I joined this organization primarily because I wanted to be a better communicator. Why? Ever since I was in high school I always knew I was going to be an entrepreneur. And if I wanted to be successful at that I needed to learn how to communicate effectively. In business, you deal primarily with people. And dealing with people means you have to talk-a lot. Now I had nothing against talking, but public speaking was another story.

Why read my blog?

Most people have GLOSSOPHOBIA or the fear of public speaking. Statistics show that most people fear public speaking more than they fear death. Are you one of those people? If you want to improve your communication and public speaking skills, or if you want to share your public speaking experiences then this blog is for you.

Who is this blog for?

This blog is for people who want to become better speakers, better leaders and ultimately a success in life. Even if you are just beginning in your journey or are already a pro speaker, this blog is for YOU. That’s right. YOU. My journey in Toastmasters has helped me improve my speaking skills considerably. But I know there is still a lot of work to do. In this blog I will share with YOU my experiences as I journey in the world of public speaking. Join me in this journey so that we may learn from each other and help one another become a success, not only in business, but also in life.

So READ ON, COMMENT and SHARE your experiences. Let us take this journey TOGETHER so we can be the SPEAKERS and LEADERS we are meant to BE. 


Alessandra Victoria D. Zeta
President, Iligan Toastmasters Club (2010-2011)
Champion - 2011 District 75 Evaluation Contest
Champion - 2011 Division Prepared Speech Contest
1st Runner Up - 2011 Division Impromptu Speaking Contest