Last April 14, I delivered a talk about "From Student to E-Commerce Entrepreneur" to the more than 1000 students of AIE College (now a DigitalFilipino.com Club SME member) who converged at the PICC Forum.
Pangasinan-based professional blogger Dr. Julius Mamaril delivered an inspirational talk about his experience in blogging. Dr. Leo Fuentes whom I have known since the early days of e-commerce in the Philippines and president of AIE College introduced me to the students. As Senator Chiz Escudero could not make it, I covered the whole morning slot and extended the question & answer portion.
As blogging is an idea being pushed to the students, to be used as a tool in promoting themselves. It can't be helped if there is doubt among students on its potential as an e-commerce and income generating tool. Furthermore, being newcomers, they wonder as well how can they compete with those who are established already.
I encouraged the students to have something like a 5-year plan for themselves on what they want to be and start working on building the necessary blocks to become a reality. Shared that DigitalFilipino did not reach what it was today without a vision to strive for and focus on. Any endeavor, whether career or business or even blogging, requires having that vision in order to have a sense of direction or purpose.
Received a lot of questions (in paper form) but the lack of time prevented me to answer them all. However, will use them as blog and article ideas in the weeks to come.
Thank you again AIE College and look forward in catching up with you again soon!
I'll be at the Forum room of PICC this April 14 (morning) to do a 1.5 hours talk about e-commerce titled as "From Student to E-Commerce Entrepreneur". Participants are students of Asian Institute of E-Commerce (AIE) College. I have always been intrigued about this school as it's the only one I know that focuses on e-commerce. In addition, my talk will be followed by Senator Chiz Escudero. If he shows up, it will be my first time to see him in person.
In these trying times, I'd like my talk to focus on:
It is great when you see a community that has become much more than just a practitioners and enthusiasts group. I guess it is inevitable that you may find someone whom you may just "clicked" with when you least expect it. Like the famous song line, "I didn't know I was looking for love till I found you", truly rings a bell for Jay & Aileen especially when you get to read their love story.
Club Eyeball, Blogging & Social Computing Forum (January 5, 2007) - where we are supposed to have dinner together after the event but had to back-out then leaving the two of them together. (My instinct just told me to back out for some weird reason then. Very glad I listened. LOL!)
Then there was this Finding a Valentine Date Challenge in 2007 also where I end up having to blatantly promote my girlfriends, Aileen included, and where Jay was even part of Aileen's screening committee. But based on their love story, they end up spending the day together.
As time goes by, I always see the two of them together and the blossoming relationship, I sensed, was inevitable. Last October 12, 2007, the three of us had a live Yahoo Messenger conference and was need to be told of something important. I was already asking when is the wedding and the baby due. Of course I was teasing. Then the two announced their love relationship. I was so elated and immediately sound off via Twitter sharing the news to common friends.
And of course, many things happened since. =)
So to Jay Frank De Jesus and Aileen Apolo, I am so happy for the two of you. As promised, I will be organizing a club members eyeball this May so that we could celebrate this further (in addition to other club announcements by then). Best wishes and all the love! (hugs!)
We would like to extend our congratulations to the following winners of the DigitalFilipino Social Networking Awards. Winners were recognized last April 24 at the 2nd Social Networking & eBusiness Conference 2009. They are: (photos & videos to follow)
