So today was the day that I've patiently waited a very long time for. I've prayed for strength and guidance for this moment to come so that I wouldn't get ahead of myself (like I always do). You can't even begin to understand my excitement when I got the text. It's almost a dream come true for me.... things like this don't usually happen.
I met him. Simply put, it made me happy.
Friday, November 20, 2015
Monday, November 9, 2015
Walking on Red
There are girls who collect purses, girls who collect clothes, or even makeup. I so happen to be a shoe girl. I love the way a nice shoe adds the perfect detail to a sexy outfit. Or the way a shoe adds character to an everyday look. It's always the shoes that pulls the entire "look" together.
Yesterday I bought my first pair of Louboutins, it made me feel accomplished. Maybe it's the Filipino in me, but one of my life goals is to have an extensive designer shoe collection. I am by all means not a materialistic person, but I do however can appreciate nice things. For a long time, I have promised to buy myself a beautiful pair of shoes and it finally happened.
Working hard pays off. It's ok to indulge and buy yourself something nice, you deserve it! Starting a business, getting fired from my "stable" job and then maintaining to grow our business in its second year.... I think I deserve it.
I will now go and walk confidently in my "red-bottomed-shoes" that symbolize my hard work and accomplishments. Until that is... I fall over. haha..
I will now go and walk confidently in my "red-bottomed-shoes" that symbolize my hard work and accomplishments. Until that is... I fall over. haha..
Friday, November 6, 2015
I Hope it's Not Too Late
Days.....
turned into
Weeks....
turned into
Months....
Now we have come full circled into a year.
Today was the day that I believed would only come in my dreams. Never did I think this moment would become a reality for me. It's crazy, because now that it's here, I'm not sure how I really feel about it. A part of me is happy and excited, but at the same time I'm sad and scared again. Then there's this other weird emotion that's telling me: "Seriously?! You still care??"
I honestly wish I could be more happy and excited than this, but I can't forget how the heartache made me feel. I have so many questions, but for some reason it's almost as if now I don't care to know the answers. That's how much it hurt.... so hurt that I'm numb.
Monday, July 20, 2015
Living in a Shark Tank
If you asked me 2 years ago, "How do you see yourself in 5 years?" My answer would have gone something like this:
I'll most likely be working in a management position for a company and hopefully work my way up to director, VP or maybe even CEO! Hopefully within those 5 years I'll have completed or in the works to complete my MBA.
Boy was I naive.
Since the 2 years have passed, I got fired from my "secure job" and my brother and I created a company that has the potential to become a lot bigger than what we first expected. In our innocent minds, we just imagined not having to work for "The Man" and make our own money the way we want to. We did it, we are living the American Dream. We created something out of nothing and are thriving.
So what's next?
This past year, and mind you, we've only gone through 7 months of it as I type, we have been approached by 3 and a half offers/potential investors. I say half, because that offer was through word of mouth and that party never really took the time to come out and meet with us. As my brother and I sit through these "talk sessions" (I call them "talk sessions" because they never really want to admit it's a meeting about how they can involve themselves with us) I can't help but notice 3 common points in their pitches:
I'll most likely be working in a management position for a company and hopefully work my way up to director, VP or maybe even CEO! Hopefully within those 5 years I'll have completed or in the works to complete my MBA.
Boy was I naive.
Since the 2 years have passed, I got fired from my "secure job" and my brother and I created a company that has the potential to become a lot bigger than what we first expected. In our innocent minds, we just imagined not having to work for "The Man" and make our own money the way we want to. We did it, we are living the American Dream. We created something out of nothing and are thriving.
So what's next?
This past year, and mind you, we've only gone through 7 months of it as I type, we have been approached by 3 and a half offers/potential investors. I say half, because that offer was through word of mouth and that party never really took the time to come out and meet with us. As my brother and I sit through these "talk sessions" (I call them "talk sessions" because they never really want to admit it's a meeting about how they can involve themselves with us) I can't help but notice 3 common points in their pitches:
1)
I love your food and I want to take you to the next
level. You have no money? Don't worry about it, we'll figure it
out.
Of course you love our food, that shit is good! I know
the money will come from you, you're just trying to diversify your portfolio. How much stake do you really want from us?
2)
I have all the resources you need to get to the next
level, just look at my accomplishments! I believe with my knowledge, experience
and network we can become the next Chipotle.
Oooookkkkkaaayyyy??? But do I even like YOU as a
person?? This is a life long commitment here, can I work with you
FOREVER?!?!?! Have you even worked in a restaurant??
3)
*** My personal Favorite *** – This is a ONCE IN A LIFTIME OPPORTUNITY!!! We don't offer this kind of deal with just anyone and we get a lot
of people coming up to us all the time. We have never offered anything like
this to anyone because we don't work with just anyone!
Of course you've never offered this kind of deal,
because our shit is one of a kind!!! And how are you offering a "once in a
lifetime" when that other guy said he was "once in a
lifetime?" Maybe ya'll should talk to each other, game plan and come back to us.
Don't get me wrong, it's SUPER flattering. I laughed at my dad when he raised the spatula and said: "I'm going to give you a million dollar sauce for free!" Now look at us, people actually want a piece of it. I can't believe this is actually happening. All I hope for is that the Big Guy upstairs leads us in the right direction for success.
What I've learned through all this, do what your gut tells you is right and PRAY. You will hear opposing critics inside and outside your circle, but YOU and God are the only ones who knows what the next best thing is for yourself. Live your dreams and live passionately. Everyone can have their opinion, but the only opinion that matters is yours.
If you ask me now what I'll be doing in 5 years, I confidently tell you I'll be living my dreams.
If you ask me now what I'll be doing in 5 years, I confidently tell you I'll be living my dreams.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
A Year Later...
So this weekend will be exactly 1 year since we’ve officially opened Sticky’s Chicken Food Truck.
I honestly can’t believe I operate and run my own business. It’s never been a dream of mine (to be an entrepreneur), but it happened. This past year has been a long uphill battle and I regret absolutely nothing.
So let me tell you a little bit about Sticky’s Chicken.
Basically, a little over 15 years ago, we took Dad to BW3, which is now known as Buffalo Wild Wings. He tasted the wings and thought to himself... “I can do better than this.” So then after that experience, he created his own sauce and figured out how to glaze it on to really crunchy chicken. The sauce is amazing, almost indescribable. It doesn’t really taste like sweet BBQ, but it doesn’t taste like sweet teriyaki either. It’s literally a burst of a new kind of flavor in your mouth. It has a distinct flavor of its own. So flash forward to now. My brother and I were at a point in our lives where we were able to just jump in head first into our first business venture. With no experience or knowledge on how to start a business, let a lone how to run a food truck.... we just did it and it turned out to be a life changing experience. I can never go back to a regular 9-5 or even think about sitting at a desk in front of a computer working for Corporate USA. It’s so much more fun and rewarding seeing people smile after their first bite of our food.
Houston has been an amazing city to serve and it can only get better from here. It truly has been a humbling experience from being on the news, meeting Karrueche and getting the thumbs up from Houston’s foodie Bun B. I’m super excited to see what the 2nd year of Sticky’s has in store for us!!
Below are links to pretty much sum up our first year in business.
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