I can't get enough of .....books

I can't help but I'm so into sci-fi/thriller books by these authors

1. Michael Crichton
2. David Baldacci
3. Jeffrey Archer
4. John Grisham

And recently they've come out with the following books:

I wish I could make time to read them all.

Technopreneur

I cherish the past couple of months beginning my journey as a technopreneur. Strange as it sounds, I have never dreamed of starting my own business this early. I'm glad the opportunity arose at the right time for me to take calculated risks with feasible plans in hand.

I am not against those who work for others (being employed by small or big corporations), but I am against those who work without realizing the need to improve themselves (financially, emotionally, mentally and spiritually).

Recently, in a workshop I attended, we were constantly reminded that entrepreneurs and technopreneurs never fail, only businesses do.

So, what does it mean for me to be a technopreneur?

• Live out an entrepreneur life
• Look out for opportunities (more focus given on the technology/ICT area)
• Think big and act
  - Commercial viability of an idea is far more important than the idea itself
• Hungry for knowledge and able to self-motivate
• Work anytime rather than full time or part time
• Appreciate and value past, existing and potential contacts

A friend of mine recently told me that the success of a business is based on the RICE concept

• R - Resources
• I - Ideas
• C - Contacts
• E - Expertise

I couldn't agree more. How do you define a technopreneur or an entrepreneur?

Web Solutions Specialist

I promised in my earlier post to write something about this - Web Solutions Specialist. So here is my description of the term.

You may ask, what the heck is this guy talking about? The truth is, it is nothing more than just a title or a jargon for some to show that you are an expert (specialist) in developing/designing applications (solutions) on the Internet (web).

A search of Web Solutions Specialist on Google would give your about 18 million search results. And there are many definitions for it. To put it simply, these are the people who have experience developing web applications/systems on top of multiple platforms, languages and browsers. They are the people you turn to when you want to:

• build simple (static) and advanced (dynamic) web sites
• develop software and applications such as e-Commerce, Content Management System, social networking sites, etc (you name it)
• architect and design blueprint for corporate and enterprise solutions
• provide advise and guidance on the ins and outs of Internet (web)

Those are the things that I've been doing and would love to do for many years to come.

A unique affiliate model

There's a new Ebook I have just come across which I predict will become very popular.

It presents a strategy for selling any type of product using methods which will never become obsolete. Plus an ingenious twist which will send your traffic rocketing.

The Ultimate SuperTip, written by Harvey Segal (Mr SuperTips) is neatly set out, easy to follow, written without hype and not littered with annoying links.

And the cost of this book ?

It's free !

And it ends with an amazing idea for making you money from the book itself. I'd rush to get this book now if I were you at http://bit.ly/14wFyd

Snatch Theft Signage

This morning, as I was driving in Bangsar, I saw this new signage and managed to take a snap of it. The visual is not appealing and professional at all.

think big, plan big and ACT

Ramadhan or the month of fasting for muslims had been a wonderful and challenging time for me personally. It wasn't the fasting but rather the life changing events that happened during that blessed month. Here are some of the things that took place in Ramadhan:-

• Parted with Trax after 22 months (few contractual complications but managed to sort them out)
• Started on my own as a Web Solutions Specialist (I'll explain the term later)
• Cut down unnecessary monthly expenses
• Switched phone lines and broadband to Digi
• Attended Cradle Investment Program and Pre-Seed Fund talks
• Prepared a business plan (1st draft)
• Was given a small contract job at a utility company, alhamdulillah
• Proposed an SMS solution to a utility company
• Gathered requirements to propose a product estimation system to a factory in Shah Alam
• Approached by a headhunter and later was interviewed by a broadcasting company (not sure whether I'm ready to get back to employment)
• Received my final paycheck from Trax on the last day before raya (my duit raya)

I thank god for giving me the strength and courage to go through everything with the support of my wife, parents and family.

I couldn't agree more with the saying that you would not know how good your thoughts and plans are until you act on them. It's the ACTION that counts.

Salam Aidilfitri

Happy Eid to my family, relatives, friends and my fellow bloggers and readers.

You've got problems?

Problems are there for us to solve. We would not live without a problem, be it small or big.

Look around you and find ways to solve your problems. A lot of things could be your inspirations.

My family, my wife and my daughter are my inspirations.

Btw, here is a pix of my daughter, zOey, who sleeps like a starfish.

Vista to Windows 7

Just got to know early in the morning that Microsoft has released Windows 7 RTM to MSDN subscribers. Took about an hour to download 2GB Windows 7 Ultimate installer. Decided not to do fresh install but a simple upgrade (save me the hassle of reinstalling all my existing applications/software). What I thought initially to be a quick upgrade turned out to be a long 4-hour task.

Finally, here is my laptop on Windows 7 Ultimate

Secrets of the rich

1. Rich people believe "I create my life", poor people believe "Life happens to me".
2. Rich people play the money game to win, poor people play the money game to not lose.
3. Rich people are committed to being rich, poor people want to be rich.
4. Rich people think big, poor people think small.
5. Rich people focus on opportunities, poor people focus on obstacles.
6. Rich people admire other rich and successful people, poor people resent rich and successful people.
7. Rich people associate with positive, successful people, poor people associate with negative or unsuccessful people.
8. Rich people are willing to promote themselves and their values, poor people think negatively about selling and promotion.
9. Rich people are bigger than their problems, poor people are smaller than their problems.
10. Rich people are excellent receivers, poor people are poor receivers.
11. Rich people choose to get paid based on results, poor people choose to get paid based on time.
12. Rich people think "both", poor people think "either/or".
13. Rich people focus on their net worth, poor people focus on their working income.
14. Rich people manage their money well, poor people mismanage their money well.
15. Rich people have their money work hard for them, poor people work hard for their money.
16. Rich people act in spite of fear, poor people let fear stop them.
17. Rich people constantly learn and grow, poor people think they already know.

So, do you have the mind of the rich or the poor?

* The 17 secrets are quoted from Secrets of the Millionaire Mind book by T. Harv Eker

Shelfari rocks

I reckon, Shelfari is by far the best book's social networking site.

Comfort zone...are we in it?

"Man like every other animal is by nature indolent. If nothing spurs him on, then he will hardly think, and will behave from habit like an automaton." - Albert Einstein

Let's move out of our comfort zone, while we are still able to.

Is life about money? or Is money our life?

Ok. Let's start out by understanding the concept of money and how it affects our life.

What can you do nowadays without money? To value and appreciate our lives, we definitely need money. It's not a question of how much money we have or earn but the fact that without a single cent we would definitely NOT live. In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the need for financial security is one of the first physiological needs in our lives.

So, when I hear somebody says that 'money is not everything in our life' or 'money is the root of all evil', I start to wonder whether one really values his/her life. Robert Kiyosaki said in his latest Conspiracy of the Rich (COR) book, "Lack of knowledge on money is the root of all evil". I could not agree more.

Well, now that we've established the financial needs in our life, which is money, what are the ways to better earn and manage your money to better appreciate and value your life? Wouldn't you rather work at your own time and pace, and at the same time be able to spend valuable time with your family and friends? Do you think it's possible to do that when you are working 5 days a week (for some even 6days a week) 9a-6p (or it may stretch to late in the evening for some) every day? Have you ever thought of your health condition when you spend almost 40-60 hours a week working? Did you ever have time to exercise, go to gym or jog in the park?

Today, we are trapped in this so-called employment factories that we don't even realize it. We've become robots or followers rather than leaders and thinkers. We're lured by attractive financial packages and security that we are reluctant to let go of these comfort zones. Days become months, months become years, and by the time we realize it, we are a month into our retirement age. Yes, we can't wait for the savings that we've put into our EPF for the past 30 years. Is what we have in EPF enough to sustain us for the rest of our lives? How about our medical bills? Yes, we were too busy with work in our younger years that our health condition deteriorates rapidly. In fact, do we even think we will live to be able to retire at 55 or 56 happily and comfortably?

There are a lot, in fact, plenty of opportunities out there to improve the value and quality of our lives. It's a matter of opening your eyes and minds to them. There will always be a risk in everything that we do. Don't be afraid to fail. We learn from our failure and we rise and come back better and stronger.

Back from Greece

What a holiday we had for 2 weeks in Greece. Will post pictures on facebook soon.

Update:

Here's a link to the Greece photo album in Facebook.

Greece Trip 2009

Why I chose to apply for an overdraft (OD) instead of a personal loan

1. As a bumiputera, I have a slight advantage in using my ASB cert as a collateral in order to apply for OD
2. Current interest rate (BLR) is low. Today, it stands between 5.55 and 5.65 (depending on banks)
3. OD is calculated on a daily rest vs. monthly rest in most conventional loans
4. Ability to control cashflow (money going in and out) of the OD, at the same time manipulating the interest charge on the balance
5. Lower application cost or processing fee than most conventional loans
6. No fixed tenure (repayment years) to settle the outstanding balance
7. I stand to gain the dividends and bonus from the ASB cert that I use for collateral

If you satisfy all of the above reasons, make sure you apply for an OD rather than a personal loan. Later, I'll post the current rates and OD facility by the main banks in Malaysia.

For those who do not know what an ASB cert is, the above is a sample of a cert converted from an ASB Book. You can convert any amount of your ASB savings to a cert at the PNB offices/branches. Only then you can use it as collateral when applying for OD.

GTY reminds me of GTO

I used to be a fan of anime. I watched them a lot during my undergraduate days. One of my favorite series is Great Teacher Onizuka or GTO.

Well recently, a friend of mine lent me a book called Greater Than Yourself (GTY) by Steve Farber. Notice the similarity? GTY -> GTO. Nah, although they both convey a similar message in a way but that is not the point.

The point is, this book is by far, the best book leadership book I've read so far. Its simplicity and direct messages could not be clearer to the readers. The funny thing is, we've all known the concepts but in practice, I've never personally experienced it.

Ok cutting the story short, I won't be explaining what the book is all about but rather, I'd like to share the three (3) basic concepts in GTY:

1. Expand Yourself
2. Give Yourself
3. Replicate Yourself

Again, I'm not going to elaborate each of the concept above. My recommendation is, buy the book, understand the concepts and practice them.

Alright then, I'm off to find and start my first GTY project.

Let's do business

Today, around 4.30p, I received a text from Syazwan a.k.a. Asan, letting me know that I'm officially in. Thanks bro, for bringing me to this unfamiliar territory, which I'm certainly looking forward to conquer it.

Personal loan to start a business?

I needed quite a sum of money to start a new business.

It was down to the banks to lend me the money.

The obvious choice was to apply for a personal loan. After doing some research, it seemed like the best package and rate offered was provided by Bank Rakyat (5-6.5% based on tenure). It was surprising to see most of the commercial banks in Malaysia have high interest rates for personal loans (between 8-12%)...and we wonder how on earth do the banks make a lot of money.

The only problem with getting a personal loan with Bank Rakyat, is that my company has to be in the list of panels with the bank. My company, however, is not a panel. The panel registration with Bank Rakyat would take at least a month for approval.

That was when I decided to fall back on my last option, the one which I've learned a year ago from financial blogs and web sites but haven't really mastered or put it to use effectively. I'll write about how I used OD or Overdraft Facility to start my new business in my future post.

An officer with no manners

This is the email that I sent recently.

Dear Immigration Dept,

I am writing to complain on the conduct and behaviour of one of your staff in the Passport Unit by the name of En. Husaini.

Below is a summary of events that happened in the Immigration Dept @ Pusat Bandar Damansara around 8.00a on the 30^th April 2009:

• I was directed to see En. Husaini after I complained about the form that is being used (IM . 42B - Pin.2/93) is not clear and misleading
• I wanted to update my daughter's picture on her passport and the instructions on the form do not say whether or not my daughter has to be present
• En. Husaini explained to me that the procedures require my daughter to be present in order for them to do face recognition. I accepted his explanation.
• I then complained about the form not stating clearly about the procedure and he clearly stated it was not his responsibility on what's written on the form
• He walked away and made the following remark, "Orang lain pun boleh/reti paham", which I believe is really unprofessional and degrading coming from an officer in the public service department
• I felt insulted and asked him what he meant by that
• He started raising his voice and even tried to get one of the staff involved by asking her to be the witness
• He arrogantly gave me a complaint form so I can make a complaint about him without a slightest guilt
• Fortunately, En. Tarmizi, the HOD, was there to handle the situation

This is the worst experience that I have ever had when dealing with an officer from the PSD. What kind of behaviour or attitude is this officer showing? Where did he learn his manners when dealing with customers. And what worry me even more is the fact that the officer is so young that you wonder what will happen in 10 years time when he assumes a more senior position. 

The fact that the officer himself did not offer an apology made me to officially submit this complain through this channel.

Thank you.

Let's just wait for the reply before I proceed and send it out to the papers.

IE 8 - Is it worth downloading?

My take on IE8

• Loads faster than other browsers - comparable to Chrome
• Very sluggish when many tabs are opened at the same time
• Opening new tab is super slow
• Interesting web slice feature (but not useful at all)
• Supports CSS 2 very well
• Compatible with sites developed on previous IE versions

It took me only one day to switch back from IE8 to Chrome, my favorite browser.  If you have IE 7 on your machine, do not bother downloading it.

Microsoft has a lot more work to do before it can fully convince me to use it as my default browser.

simple...

I like simple blog templates.  Like the one I'm currently using.  It loads up pretty fast and is nice on the eyes.

Life is also simple in many ways.  It is us who make life complicated.