As I write this column, our family is off to our Baltic Cruise, with around 50 Concepcion parents, siblings, in-laws, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Friends also joined us, like Mary De Leon and Ed Mijares. Aside from Filipino guests, there are 300 Filipino crew members who are among the 600 of the Crystal Cruise Serenity. This is our 3rd Crystal Cruise. It is a little like a nightmare, with all the children running around the ship.

We will be celebrating my father’s 80th birthday this Christmas and are currently celebrating my wife’s golden year. My column last Monday in the business-life section caught her by surprise. (more…)

Every week, as my column comes out, we get a lot of feedback from readers through email and my Facebook. I get compliments, inquiries, as well as constructive criticisms. To help out some of the readers who have sent their interesting negosyo questions, we asked our negosyo gurus and experts to share their thoughts.

Let me share some of the inquiries as well as our experts’ advice.

“I have been harboring a secret dream to be my own boss and own a business someday. However, I couldn’t help but notice that most entrepreneurs credit much of their success from their childhood inclinations/experiences. Do you think that this is a factor to becoming a successful entrepreneur? I didn’t have the same inclinations growing up, even if I was exposed to an entrepreneurial family, with my parents owning a garments business. Should this be a factor?” -Jacqui Evangelista (more…)

I am a big fan of simple things that work. I also believe that modern technology can improve the lives of many. Technology can become instruments for progress of a country like ours.

I remember Tennyson Chen sharing this principle. He explained how it can affect one’s negosyo and how it can impact the lives of people. Tennyson has proven it himself and is considered one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the Philippines today. He is the President of Bounty Fresh Food, Inc. and he is also the 2010 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. (more…)