In business and entrepreneurship, just like in any aspect of life, those who are inspired are among the successful lot. Of course, some say it's better to be smart that being inspired (or that success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration), but, all things being equal, an inspired person persists through challenges and gets ahead of the rest.

In one of my rare trips to the mall some months ago, I chanced upon the book entitled NeGOsyo: Inspiring Stories of 50 Successful Filipino Entrepreneurs, written by Mr. Joey Concepcion. The book contains the individual stories of 50 Pinoy Entrepreneurs, with lessons highlighted by Professor Andy Ferreria. It includes Jay Aldeguer (Island Souvenirs), Vicky Belo (Belo Medical Group), Paolo Bediones (Red Eye Studios), Juan Carlos Araneta, Santiago Araneta, Carlos Araneta and Fernando Araneta (LBC) and Diosdado Banatao (Tallwood Venture Capital). Now, if you want a sneak preview on these successful Filipino entrepreneurs, just head on to GoNegosyo.

Incidentally, some of the successful Pinoy entrepreneurs included in "NeGOsyo: Inspiring Stories of 50 Successful Filipino Entrepreneurs" are also among the 10 Most Inspiring Filipino Techno Entrepreneurs. These successful Pinoy entrepreneurs include (list is through Touched by an Angel):
1. Diosdado Banatao (Computer Chips - Mostron and S3).
2. Nonoy & Ben Colayco (Online Gaming - Level Up)

3. Joey Gurango (Software Development - Webworks OS)

4. Danilo Manayaga (Biotechnology - Servac Philippines)

5. Dennis Mendiola (Wireless Technology - Chikka Asia)

6. Manny Pangilinan (Telecommunications - First Pacific, PLDT)

7. Dr. William Torres (RP Internet Pioneer - Mozcom)

8. Peter Valdes (software development - Vinta Systems)

9. Orlando Vea (Mobile Communications/New Media - SMART founder, MediaQuest)

10. Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala II (Diversified IT investing - iAyala)

Many of these successful entrepreneurs are, of course, born rich. The more amazing stories of entrepreneurship, however, are about those persons who didn't come from rich families, but still made it to the top and are now earning millions. These are the rags-to-riches stories. These are inspiring stories. Perhaps a quote from one of the 10 Most Inspiring Filipino Techno Entrepreneurs, PLDT Chair Manuel V. Pangilinan, would drive home the point. In the words of MVP:
"I was born poor, but poor was not born in me. And it shouldn’t be born in you either. You can make it. Whatever you may wish to do with your future, you can make it. It gets dark sometimes, but morning comes always. Challenges breed character. Character breeds faith. In the end, faith will not disappoint. You must not disappoint."
Now, don't get me wrong, inspiration is not entirely about money. Inspiration could come from other sources and from other people who are not at all concerned with money. Still, from a business perspective, the stories of these successful Pinoy entrepreneurs are truly inspiring.

I bought the book, by the way.

I hate it when people, especially those claiming to know Philippines, stereotype Filipinos as underachievers and see nothing good expected from Filipinos. There are also Filipinos that live in the Philippines who don't see the opportunities around them and wish only for the government to give them handouts or for foreigners to come in and give them the opportunities that they themselves have the adventage of making for themselves. After all, if someone from China, Korea, India or Europe believes that they can invest in the Philippines, even when the laws favor Filipinos, doesn't it make more sense for Filipinos themselves to take advantage of these laws?
Only when Filipinos themselves go abroad do we learn to see the opportunities that we have passed off when we see people from those countries that we visited display their national pride by believing in their homeland and investing their time and savings into a country that won't treat them as immigrants and/or second class citizens.

I hope i didn't sound off as too nationalistic but some of the posters that have been going online lately have been bashing the Philippines and Filipinos by portraying an image of hopelessness and underachievers. These same posters have not even lived in the Philippines for a long time and only judged from what they have learned from the internet and/or TV shows.

we need intelligent people and we need them to stay

and please don't double post.

Go tell that to your uncle/lolo Alex.

Hi LeeBidoo and Suzuka,

Great posts! I am always inspired to see people succeed in life. Like you wrote some are born rich and others poor, but irrespective which group you fall in, God gives us the same opportunity. We just have to tap into it. Most people today want it easy - we live in a so-called microwave society, we want it and we want it now! But true success comes in time and patience.

To me success is measured by the people one helped be successful. I came from a very conservative and middle-class background in a tiny little dot on the map called Goa, where my family had challenges making ends meet. I saw my dad sacrifice a lot for our family and that was my main driving force to get out of there and help my dad. At that time, I just knew there wasn't anything for me in Goa. Goans are generally "susegade" (as in, laid-back) and I grew up that way too, but in my mid-teens I developed this drive and was inspired by my dad's sacrifice to make things work in a much different manner.

So I set out on this quest after struggling for a couple of years and ended up in Dubai at the age of 23, where I spent just over 6 years and worked at an American bank. In Dubai, I met a lot of Filipinos, in fact, my apartment mate got married to a beautiful Filipina named Jane. The Filipinos I met in Dubai were pretty much all hard working and fun people to be with and wanted to succeed in life. I guess that's one of the main reasons they were in Dubai.

I'm inspired by people who've got a drive to succeed in life and help others do the same. We live in a world where there is so much need and some people just need a push and some inspiration. I totally agree with what you said in your post LeeBidoo and I'll quote "an inspired person persists through challenges and gets ahead of the rest". That is so key in being successful because along the way, no matter how hard your work, you will be faced with tremendous amount of challenges. I can look at my life and testify that challenges are a part of daily life and I've learned to embrace them. I now look at every difficulty as an opportunity for victory or success.

I'm now settled in Ontario, Canada for the past decade and I love it here. I've progressed steadily in the corporate world holding several management positions in the Human Resources field making the 6-figure income. But I've always wanted to branch out on my own and be an entrepreneur. So in late 2008, I was able to do just that and I'm glad I did so even though it was bold step given the state of the global economy. But I walk by faith and have done so consciously for well over a decade. The faith that I talk about is in Christ (hope I don't offend any of you in saying so), but Christ has been the cornerstone of my success so far and will continue to take me to higher ground. It's amazing how limited we human beings really are (no matter how intelligent one may be) as compared to God. And one thing I've received revelation on is that "the more I know, the more I know that I don't know" and it's humbling because even though you think you've spent all these years accumulating a wealth of knowledge and wisdom, you just see how little that is in comparison to the grand scheme of things. That's why to put your trust only in oneself is futile because we are limited in our capacity, but the Lord is not.

Anyway, I don't know how I got to this forum, but I'm inspired to help any Filipino, who is ready to step up to the plate and challenge themselves to succeed. I'm willing to invest my time and money in training, coaching and mentoring and help tap into their God give abilities. This is an entrepreneurial opportunity I'm offering to help with an international exposure. As I stumbled over this forum late last night and read through some of the posts, I was inspired to create an account an reach out to people, who want to be helped, but who have the drive and willing to put in the effort and hard work. The important thing is that we will work together in unity and in one accord. There is so much power in coming together in unity with a pure intention of helping one another because in doing so, you can't help it, but succeed. Everyone benefits from each others efforts and the more people help one another, the more they succeed. As it is written, "it's more blessed to give than to receive" and I've definitely seen it work in my life.

The company that I do business with is expanding and right now, I can personally work with only two additional people, however, there is much opportunity even if there are more than just two at this point. However, for now, I'm looking to work with only two dedicated Filipinos, who are willing to either do this full-time or part-time.

If you know of anyone who would like to explore this opportunity, please feel free to contact me via this forum or email me at "ajgodinho@sympatico.ca". Also, feel free to check out my websites below:

http://www.explorefreedom.com/ajgodinho/
http://ajgodinho.marketersmanifesto.com/

Your Partner in Success,
AJ

You're a standout.

The Philippines need people like you.

Keep posting. I don't miss any of your posts.

We're proud of you.

I'm humbled by your praises.

But i actually was hoping that these Pinoys would get the recognition that they deserve in inspiring Pinoys like ourselves.

Inspiring, hardworking Pinoys that should be recognized.
Back in December 2006, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo awarded five overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who became successful entrepreneurs. These inspiring OFW entrepreneurs are:

Agnes Marrero (Mt. Province)
Mrs. Marrero now manages a family resort, a dry goods store and a banana plantation in Tadian, Mt. Province. A mother of four, she worked as a domestic helper in Hong Kong for 15 years.

Eugenio Tayag (Tuguegarao City)
A medical doctor, Mr. Tayag now has a farm and a ranch in Tuguegarao, while at at the same time working as the City Health Officer of Tuguegarao. Dr. Tayag previously worked in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Consuelo Valencia (London)
Mrs. Valencia became a successful businesswoman by setting up remittance, freight and travel services, in addition to venturing into the sales of phone cards and real estate and recruitment and publishing house business. Mrs. Valencia was a domestic drudge in London.

Michael Abubakar (Sulu)
A civil engineer, Mr. Abubakar came home to build homes for the homeless in conflict-stricken Sulu. He worked in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for 27 years.

Norma Macalindong (Batangas)
Mrs. Macalindog succesfully ventured into selling Filipino food and products in Rome, Italy. She previously worked in Rome as a parttime domestic helper cleaning several houses in a day.