Friday, August 10, 2007

To be or not to be, to go or not to go

Saya mungkin tidak pernah menyebut secara khusus, tetapi kalau dilihatkan beberapa tulisan saya yang lepas-lepas, rasanya tidak sukar untuk merumuskan saya punya impian untuk bekerja dari rumah, atau lebih spesifik berniaga dari rumah. Setakat ini saya belum punya perancangan, masih belajar dan masih berangan. Untuk berhenti dari kerja sekarang mungkin belum lagi – saya masih punya kontrak untuk dipenuhi (cuma tinggal setahun lebih sahaja!), kerja ini memang cukup selesa, tambah pula ada peluang untuk bekerja dengan lebih fleksibel (seperti diceritakan dalam post ‘Flexi-work Policies’ sebelum ini). Tapi saya juga meyakini bahawa saya tidak suka berasa terikat dengan jadual waktu kerja, dan mahu lebih banyak masa untuk diri sendiri dan keluarga. Hmm.. kalau nak berbicara tentang topik ‘wanita dan kerjaya’ ni memang saya boleh berceloteh lebih panjang, ada Part 2 dan Part 3 mungkin, tapi itu bukan tujuan saya kali ini.

Ok, back to where I began – I would like to be an entrepreneur. But I still haven’t figured out what product should I do. I have explored some ideas, but nothing is firm yet. What do you think? Is there something that people would like to see in the market, but is not there yet? Do let me know. And as a tribute to the people already in the entrepreneurship mode whom I’m learning from (my sister-in-law Usu, Kak Najah, and F – many thanks!), I’m dedicating a separate list of links to their sites. Let me know if I missed any of your sites – I’d like to put up a link and learn from you also (anyone else?).

Last week I got an email from eHomemaker.net advertising a seminar titled “The Road to Entrepreneurship”. It looks interesting and informative, and there’ll be booths and displays (of existing entrepreneurs) also – I’ll be able to pick up information there too. And the fee is very cheap! Only RM40 for early birds – must be heavily sponsored. More details on the seminar below, or go straight to the website. I’m planning to go, but so far I haven’t registered yet because I need to confirm a few things on my schedule. And then today, I got an email from the UmmikuSayang mailing list advertising a seminar titled “Inspirasi & Kejayaan Wanita Dalam Perniagaan” (more details below). Now I’m confused – this one is interesting, too. And this one has the advantage of ‘like-minded’ (if you know what I mean) speakers, audience, and businesses. Hmm… takkan nak pergi dua-dua kot?


The 2007 Inaugural SOHO Conference: The Road to Entrepreneurship
September 3, 2007
8am – 6pm
Berjaya Times Square Hotel & Convention Center
No 1 Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
FEE (includes Lunch and 2 Teas):
Early Bird – RM40 per pax (payment before August 15, 2007)
Normal – RM60 per pax

Agenda
8.00am : Registration
9.00am : Emcee’s Welcome Remarks
9.05am : The Future of Home-Based Business (Chong Sheau Ching, ED, eHomemakers)
9.10am : Managing a SOHO With The Internet
9.40am : Keynote speaker: My Road to Enterpreneurship (Helen Read, CEO, Ms Read Fashion Label)
10.10am: Keynote speaker: Innovate Before You Act - Innovating Entrepreneurship (Dr. Kamaljit Singh, CEO, Global Innovation Research Center)
10.40am: Tea break – SOHO Exhibition Tour
11.10am: Protecting Your Business
11.40am: Making More Profit Without Leaving Your Home
12.10pm: Keynote speaker: Bad Debts and Legal Remedies (S Murthi, S Murthi & Associates)
12.40pm: Special Announcements and Lucky Draw
1.00pm : Lunch - Tour of Exhibition for Home Business and Special Offers
2.00pm : Guests and participants to assemble in the Main Hall
2.15pm : Arrival of Minister
2.30pm : Official Launching of the Conference by YB Datuk Sharizat, Minister of Women, Family and Community
2.50pm : Signing of MOU on Incubation Program for Microbusinesses between eHomemakers and MIRC
3.10pm : Press Conference
3.30pm : Concurrent Workshops (see below)
5.30pm : Tea/Networking/Exhibition Tour

Workshop 1 : How to build a profitable business faster than you ever thought possible (Jeevan N Sahadevan, Action International)
Workshop 2 : Personal Branding-The Marketing of You (YK Tang, Tach Solution)
Workshop 3 : DIY Public Relations for Your Business (Frances Tay McHugh, 3-2-1 Connect)
Workshop 4 : Working @Home – Starting Out (Roziana Rashid, Naziq Skills Training)



Inspirasi & Kejayaan Wanita Dalam Perniagaan
8 September 2007, 8.30 – 1.30 p.m., Kompleks 3C MPSJ Taman Bandar Sunway
RM100 (RM80 jika mendaftar sebelum 17 Ogos 2007)
03-80248664 or events@ummikusayang.com

Penceramah & Tajuk:
Pn Sharmi Aryanti bt Shahrani (Pemilik butik ‘Little Haven’, The Curve)
'Beranikah Anda Menceburi Bidang Bisnes?'

Pn Nuraini Mohd Ariffin (Pemilik ‘Active Attire’ Muslimah Swimwear)
'Cabaran Mengeluarkan & Memasarkan Produk Sendiri'

Pn Zaliza Alias (Pemilik ‘Genius Aulad’s Islamic Early Education Centre’)
'Anda Ada Bisnes? Kenapa Saya Tidak Tahu?'

Puan Dayang Lily Abang Muas (Pengasas ‘UmmikuSayang.com’)
'Merentasi Pasaran Glokal Melalui ICT'

Wakil dari agensi kewangan dan jaring niaga WENA
'Bantuan kewangan untuk usahawan dan pentingnya jaring niaga dalam bisnes'

8 comments:

Anonymous

mynie, it seems that both conferences will be interesting! Tapi yg second tu nampak lebih fokus ke arah wanita.
Rasanya memang ramai kaum wanita bercita-cita nak bisnes dari rumah ni...including me..hehehe.... Orang kata, kalau nak bisnes ni cari benda yg kita sendiri memang suka, so that kita akan enjoy walaupun tak untung sgt (initially maybe?) Hmmm.... mungkin anamiraa boleh jadi mentor...hehehe...

Anonymous

mynie, y exactly can't u go to both? it's not terribly expensive, and also u can compare =) especially since the 2nd one is only 1/2 day. the 1st one pun, actually blh lepak sket after lunch n just go 4 workshop ptg tu kan =P jahat tak? ok love, check ur email

knv

mynie,
i've done quite a bit of 'biz from home' ni. memang kalau fokus boleh masuk 3-5k monthly. my mistake was i couldn't let go of my 9-5job. so at the end i was exhausted with the whole ordeal. kerja kerja kerja. i worked 24-7!! at one point i was asking my self: "apa yang aku kejar ni" at that point jugak i noted that i was neglecting my children. now ni dah slow down. still dapat the extra income monthly but not so much like before.

nak bisnes ni kena berani buat decision dan work it right no matter what. kena be fizikally dan mentally prepared. you have to be strong inside and outside. it's not an easy path, but if you perservere and hand on long enough, the victory is sweet..

your first decision to make is:-
which conference to go. remember decision need to be made fast. and work to make it right. doesn't matter what you decide in the first place. just work it to be right!

take care dear. we keep in touch!

Anonymous

ye lah mynie, kalau ada kelapangan & budget, maybe boleh pegi dua-dua.

anamiraa, hmmm... seronok kalau dgr bab bisnes menjadi tu, teringat your story dlm SI dulu. Tapi, kenapa ye tak boleh berhenti kerja yg 9-5 tu? Itupun kalau boleh share...hehehe...ke dah ada dlm your blog?

aida ni aida yg dulu belajar satu uni dgn mynie ke aida lain? sorry nyibuk...hehehe...

Anonymous

hmph, i think maybe u should try venturing into cakes business. try sikit2 sekarang ni. i'm in the same boat as you, nak berhenti tp most likely jadi fulltime housewife yg terror masak, menjahit for family's sake :)

- aini (mardhiah12)

SMM

kak cuya, i agree - beter buat benda yg kita suka. tho i've read an article somewhere saying first criteria shld be to choose a product yg tinggi demand.. for those yg aim more for profit than satisfaction la ni.. and yes, this aida is the same aida that you know :)

aida, yg 2nd one tu sabtu. rasa sedikit 'kedekut' nak sacrifice masa heheh ;p teruk betul...

kak ana, many thanks for your advice. really appreciate your words of wisdom and sharing of experience! and cakap pasal kerja 9-5, bukan you ada kasik 'love letter' tender resignation ke bbrp bulan lepas?

aini, thanks for the suggestion. ada baking sekali-sekala sekadar mkn sendiri, tp rasanya not good enough utk dijual la.. takde talent hehe :)

knv

Ummuahmads,
Couldn’t let go the 9-5 job since I thought it would be nice to have the extra $$$. Itulah bila dah selesa dengan two good income. Rasa tak best nak lepas salah satu. Too greedy I think. My weakness.

Mynie,
Yes the love letter. It never went tru. For two reasons:-
1) after my sudden outburst, they promoted my to management level. As a young muslim lady, I take it as a compliment as that was a first for this typical Chinese company. And practically double my income. Afterall it comes down to $$$ jugak akhirnya.
2) I took it as a challenge to my self development. I never ever imagine that I can manage doing marketing and sales. Scared like hell in the beginning. Tido pun tak lena malam2. I was thinking that I can’t do this and the company going to throw me out in now time. But you know what. Allah been there every step of the way, guiding and helping me out bit by bit. Alhamdulillah in the first two months I secured rm600k order for the company. Quite a bit of an eye opener for me as well as the rest of the bosses. I’m ambitious as hell. Now my aim is to get the directorship by I’m 35. I don’t know how I’m going to do it but somehow I will. I’m not addicted to challenge, but I must say that I love seeing the person I’ve become after I’ve overcome any hurdle in life. And staying in the company, doing my job is now the biggest hurdle in my self development. I like to think that “everything I touch turn to gold”. It’s gud for the self esteem.

And for your dear, just decide what you want in life. Do just ONE thing best and you will prosper….

Gud knowing a young spirit like you. Insyaallah we will meet in future..

SMM

kak ana, good thing for the 'outburst' - at least they appreciate you more now. sebenarnya muslimah korporat pun banyak peranan untuk dimainkan.. insyaAllah your presence in that company boleh jadi dakwah by example. i wrote a bit abt this last jan. ni link:
http://myniemat.blogspot.com/2007/01/catatan-bangkok-2.html

i'm glad i started writing comments in your blog, and memberanikan diri berkenalan (biasanya pemalu yg amat hehe)..

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