The Art of letting Go

Let me share with you my thriving Shake Business. Here in the Philippines, almost 75% of the year, the weather is hot. So cold drinks like fruit shake, ice candies, and even juices sold on the streets are very in demand. As I can remember, the shake industry was started by Zagu . It is your friendly Starbucks, as you can see their cart almost everywhere in the country serving these cold beverages, which are somehow synonymous to the frappe served by Starbucks. They have a lot of flavors (from fruits, chocolates and coffee ), and sizes to choose from. Most importantly, it is affordable.

What is my Shake Business all about? I'm an online supplier of Shake Powders that is similar to the ones used by Zagu. I do not claim that it is the same, but similar. But before I give you the details of this business, let me share with you the story behind it, and why I made this post entitled "The Art of Letting Go". I used to have a snack house, close to a school inside our village. One of the products I served is the Pearl shake. It was a very lucrative business, that I have nurtured for almost three years. Daily, I would have students lined up to buy our products. Though it is tiring, I really put my hands on that store. However, last year I have been busy with our main business, which is really the one putting food on our table. I wouldn't have much time tending the store, and the dilemma of getting a trusted helper is really a main concern. My husband over the past three years, would tell me to give up that store as he sees me tired most of the time, the domestic problems which consumed us on a regular basis, more so, the envious people around who wanted to take the business from me. You see in business you have to face not only internal but also external problems. Anyhow, last March of 2017, I finally decided to give it up, and sell my store to someone who I know would devote her time, money and efforts as much as I do. It was a dilly dally decision, as I have so much attachment to it. As I'm writing this blog post, it still hurts. I have to make a better decision that time, because I cannot divide my physical body doing two different things at two or many different places at a time. And so with my eyes closed, I sold it!

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After I sold it, I spent most of my time in our main business. I also am busy with my other online shop, and shopping online with raw materials. It was in September of 2017, out of the blue I searched online, the Shake Powders I used to use in my store. And lo and behold! I was shock to see the prices of these items being sold for a hefty amount online. The business-minded me, that very same day posted screen shot images of the shake powders, marked up less than 10% from the price I bought them before, without even thinking if it is the same price and then posted them. Viola! in two days someone sent me a message inquiring about the products. After a few more days I got my first order, and it all started my daily orders. In matter of four months I was able to sell less than 200K worth of these products and other baking needs.

The last four months of 2017 have been very busy for me. I was caught in a surprise. The reason I haven't been visible in steemit for almost two months. I wasn't even prepared financially for this. The capitalization is not a joke, as I have been receiving minimum of 3 to 5 orders per day on an average. And with the holiday season approaching I got even more. It was during, the past holiday season that I was able to reflect on this blessings. It was indeed a blessing in disguise, and I realize somehow that in life, one should let go of the things that is not healthy anymore. I was holding on to that shop for quite too long, hoping I could make it big and put up another branch somewhere. But here it is, after I have let go of that one dream, another unexpected blessings came. In that shop I was only serving people in the neighborhood, but now I'm serving people all over the Philippines. I got loyal customers from Luzon, Visayas, to Mindanao.

I'm just amazed on how God can turn things around. Looking back, I now realized that all my hard work in that shop was not in vain, it was set-up for a greater purpose serving more Filipino small entrepreneurs. Because of that shop, I got to know the In's and Out's of the business by heart, and so I can advise my clients on what to do. Now, I truly believe that being able to serve first, money will come in. I'm a follower of Chinese's business principle by selling products with little mark-up, ensuring that my products will be sold in less time. Likewise making sure that customers will keep coming back.

I've made this blog post to inspire all of you who would like to have a business, but the fear of doing it consumes you more. In life there are always struggles and as in areas, if we only strive to give value and serve people in whatever business we try to put up. I'm pretty sure, in no time one will reap it's rewards.