What Marketing Budget?










Breaking Point

Have you ever heard the story about a frog that gets boiled alive?

Well, there’s this little frog. It somehow ended up inside a big pot of water which was conveniently put on a stove. The stove was on by the way (but only with low fire) which means water got slightly warmer, then slowly got a bit hotter, and a bit hotter. Interestingly the frog didn’t try to jump out of the pot. Instead, it just sat there not moving a single muscle. So the water got even hotter until it finally reached boiling point. The frog didn’t move at all (you wonder why).

It eventually died, boiled alive.

This didn’t happen, of course, no frog was harmed during the writing of this story.

It could happen though. The science behind this is simple. The frog adjusted itself to the increasing heat of the water because it got hotter slowly. The poor frog would have jumped out of the pot if water got hotter quickly. But it didn’t, so it decided to stay and try to overcome (and persevere) in the midst of hot water. It got used to the new heat and when the heat went up it adjusted itself again. Then the time came when it was too late. It got to the boiling point and the frog realized it lost the battle – it was boiled alive.

Let’s use the same principles in overcoming tough times in business. The question we need to ask ourselves is similar to the frog. “Am I being boiled alive and I don’t even realize it?”

We also tend to adjust ourselves to difficult times. We become stronger so we could face adversity. There’s nothing wrong with that because it’s us (the person). What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. It is very true indeed.

However, when we go through tough times in business it’s not only us that gets pummeled. It is the business itself also. So let’s rephrase the question a little bit now focusing on the business. “Is our business getting boiled alive and I don’t even realize it?”

Business is made up of different substances. Its blood vessel is filled (as you have probably guessed) with “cash”. While its infrastructure is made up of a complex relationship between owners, staffs, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders the whole thing is run with cash.

Now, with tough times this complex infrastructure is damaged. Unlike the human race, a business does not get stronger after getting damaged. For example, a brand does not get stronger after it got bad publicity. A business does not lose customers and gets stronger as a result.

The people inside the business got stronger though. However, these experiences, skills, and everything else that the people learn during difficult times – they don’t always stay with the business. They move around following the footsteps of their owners.

The business itself would suffer. Its complex infrastructure split, its ability to earn and keep cash broke down. It would do that until such time that it would completely break. That is the breaking point.

So what’s the point of all these you might ask?

It is crucial to know the breaking point of your business.

As much as we want to persevere during tough times our business is separate from us. It does not have our brain, heart, and soul. We are the brain, heart, and soul. Just like the frog, we cannot control the heat around the business. On the other hand, we can control whether we want to make the jump or not.

Do you know your business’ breaking point?



Know Your Numbers











Money The Necessary Evil










Anyway, back to our original discussion.




Startup Illusion

Starting a business can put someone’s mind into overdrive. It will then either shut him down or propel him forward. The euphoric moment will last as long as financial resources have not dried yet. With enough funding, the startup party can sometimes last for years. It is only after investors start demanding (sometimes not so) reasonable returns that the party turns into a big reality check. The dreams have dissipated into thin air, and cloud of judgement descending onto earth.

Party is over.

That’s the hard truth of starting a business. It will get worse before it gets better (if it does get better). Starting a business is like eating a box of chocolate – mixed with some not so edible foods. You never know what you’re going to get but the only way to find out is if you keep eating. In business we never know what tomorrow will hold, it can be a disastrous day or a day when we beat all sales record. The only way to find out is if we wake up in the morning and go to work. The only way to eat the good chocolate is if we keep eating the bad ones.

Some people are addicted to starting businesses. They have brilliant ideas, get the funding,  and off they go with an exciting venture. They don’t however stay long enough to feel the downturn, the heartbreak, the never-ending pressure, and the struggle. When things go south, they are the first ones to pack up their bags and go – some of which utilise bankruptcy regulation to move on.

Some people however, are born to build businesses. Not only that they will start their businesses themselves but they will also see to it that their ventures are successful before they move on. If things go south, they will be the last people in the company to pack their bags. Some might take part-time jobs to help with the cash flow.

There is one distinct difference between real entrepreneurs and wannabes – perseverance.

The startup illusion might be alluring but the hard reality is not as glamorous. Starting a business is hard work, it requires sheer mental strengths more than mere intellects or skills. Building a business is about getting up in the morning, go to work not knowing what will happen that day, persevere throughout the day, and then do it again the next morning.


The Call of a Busted Region

In the past few years Australia has faced one of its darkest moment in economy. The ten years mining boom busted leaving trails of destructions along its previously glorious paths. Businesses succumbed to the crisis, closing their doors, loosing millions in the process. The trickle down effects continued for years affecting even those mom and pop businesses around the corner.

Gloom and doom is the mood.

Unemployment is on the verge of a dangerous level. Government is scrambling to control its finance, trying to off-load some of them onto the tax payers. The strengths of dominance from large conglomerates keep the cost of living at unsustainably high level.

Has the long search for wealth completed its journey? Is there anything left to find? It is a moment of despair, yet opportunities are abound for those lucky enough to have left-over resources. Those with resources are feeding on the battlefield. The wounded and dying have given up. The rich gets richer and the poor gets poorer.

The lucky country is not so lucky anymore.

Should we give up?

Do we have the strengths to carry on?

These questions mark the beginning of another journey. It is through adversity a person grows stronger as those who tried to kill him has failed. The survival alone is enough testimony to the strengths required to carry on.

It is only at the bottom of the pit that we have the moment to find the strengths to carry on.

While opportunities have dried up for most people, those who survive are sitting in a pool of hidden gems. The dust has not settled yet but the smell of money is permeating the air. The call of money is echoed through the regions. Those who are brave enough will stand up and dust off their gears.

They are ready for the next challenge.

They are ready to answer the call from a busted region not yet finish with its blessings.