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Mighty Sports: 4 Fundamentals to Win Over Dubai Giants

The time for the much-awaited tourney has come for Caesar Wongchuking backed- Mighty Sports in Dubai. Before flying to Dubai, the PH representative has beefed up for the big players. To make the tournament more exciting, let’s take a look at the nitty-gritty of how the PH representative can win the game this year.

Good defense

Coach Charles Tiu highlighted defense as one of the most important things that Mighty Sports should focus on since the line up doesn’t have a solid one to protect the board from ball handlers. The team should put more focus on communicating and being good at defensive end. Coach Charles believes that applying pressure on their ball handlers will be helpful for defense, as it will delay the opposing team’s offense and force turnovers.

Set forth with an outside shots

PH team has former ABL Finals MVP Jason Brickman, UAAP Mythical Five member Juan Gomez De Llano and three-time PBA champion import Justin Brownlee for going in and breaking down opposing team’s defense; while Fil-Am Roosevelt Adams and former Fighting Maroon Jett Manuel can take advantage of their open looks and do their thing.

Play in transition

Mighty Sports should control the defensive rebounds and play in transition as they can have trouble in executing in the half court, considering the limited preparation time and lack of shooters.

Import Randolph Morris, UAAP standouts Papi Sarr, Leonard Santillan, and Troy Rike will have to bring their focus on the glass, while Brickman, De Llano, Brownlee, and even two-time NBA champion Lamar Odom will capitalize on their fastbreak opportunities so that they can score easy baskets.

Team chemistry

Considering their difference: nationality, position, techniques, the way of playing basketball, the importance of team chemistry should go around their passion for basketball and their confidence to win the game. Each athlete has one goal when playing inside a basketball gymnasium, that is to play hard and win the game.

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FREE Seminar Alert: Lowland Vegetable Production And Processing

Philippines has been yearning the agricultural luck for many years because of the good minerals we have in our lowland farms. Organic farming have also become a trend to many Filipino when it comes to being sustainable and healthy.

Most of our cities has been making the Philippines renowned in the  international market as a premier sourcing hub of high-end agricultural products expert in fruits, vegetables, coffee, and other highland crops. Our country grows for about  43 major kinds of vegetables and about 250 minor species that are grown during dry season when it is ideal to most crops. Our lowland vegetable most comes from Ilocos, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and CALABARZON.

LOWLAND and HIGHLAND Vegetables

Lowland vegetables are rich in potassium compare to highland vegetables. Most of these vegetables are green in color and are good source of vitamin C and vitamin B. Including in the list of lowland vegetables are squash , taro, sweet potatoes, Bamboo shoots, and okra. The hard to find lowland vegetables are camote, flat parsley, paco, chinese togue, wansoy, watercress, and whitecorn.

The Department of Agriculture has been providing free seminars for farming enthusiasts, including the Lowland Vegetable Production And Processing where the basics and process will be discussed. The seminars listed are open to all interested individuals. It will be conducted at the Agricultural Training Institute Central Office, Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City and session will start at 8:00AM to 5:00PM.

To giveback, attendees are encouraged to bring clean, empty 1.5-liter plastic bottles which will be donated to the ATIng Gulayan ng DA garden. You can visit their social media page for updates.

Image Source: ATIng Gulayan ng DA

This blog was first published at alexanderwongchuking.ph.

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Who's Your Real Estate Client: Millennials or Their Parents?

Real estate developers see millennials as a client that has the ability to invest in a property. Thus, they come up with concepts designed to appeal to this generation. who should developers really target for their real estate sales and marketing: the millennials or their parents?

A segment of the population or the so-called millennials in the Philippines are living outside their parents’ houses. As developers, here are the important questions you should ask yourself before the pitching:

Are they my ideal client?

Will they get to decide if they want the place or not?

Do they have the ability to pay?

Are they my ideal client?

According to James Kimmons,f you have no specific niche in business, the easiest way to get an ideal client is by analyzing their characteristics. Before offering something to them, understanding their lifestyle, needs, and feelings will help you make a sure-win client proposal.

Millennial:Yes Parents: Yes

Will they get to decide if they want the place or not?

Some parents will let their children decide where they want to stay, but there are some who get to decide alone. Either of them can make the decision. Expect the parents to have input when it comes to decision making, from location to size and pricing.

Millennial:Yes Parents: Yes

Do they have the ability to pay?

Recent studies have proved Filipino millennials can pay their own rent out of their own money, while research done by Pew Research stated that 15 percent of 25- to 35-year-old millennials still live under their parents' roofs. For college students, their parents are the ones who usually pay for their rents since they are still in school. But there are students who do sidelines to pay their own rents.

Millennial: A few Parents: Yes

The conclusion:

As real estate developers selling a home or a place to a millennial, you have to consider the fact that you have two clients here: the millennial and the parents. The millennial who will use the place you sell and the parents who have the final say about everything for his child. Making two efforts in one goal can give you success in the long run, as they can trust you for their future home inquiries.

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Basics of Real Estate Business From Sam ‘The Real Estate Mogul’ Zell

If you’re in the real estate business, it is impossible to have not heard of Sam Zell. He’s a real estate mogul who has an acute understanding of real estate market and dedication to turn some troubled properties into a big bomb.

Zell owns famous media properties including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and New York’s Newsday. He is the so-called ‘Real Estate Mogul’ and is also known for his mastery of real estate investing principles. If you’re just starting in this business, continue reading to know what you should prepare before entering the real estate industry.

Don’t Belittle DIYs (Do-It-Yourself)

Successful people do have similarities, and one of them is their DIY skills. Look around, think and be creative to turn something into profit. Just like what great Zell did. He began his career by purchasing copies of Playboy magazine and resell them to neighborhood boys at a 600% markup. After receiving his bachelor and a law degree from the University of Michigan, he began buying distressed properties, fix them, and let students rent his place while he creates more profit by scouting and fixing up more locations.

Diversification and Opportunity

Diversification. This applies to everything but what Zell did here is genius and for the long-term success of a business. I love this guy! Zell set up his business as an array of real estate investment trusts (REITs), under his Equity Properties Management Corp. umbrella. EOP was one REIT; Equity Residential Properties Trust was another.

Opportunity. Zell (1) reduced his corporate income taxes wholly while he was able to (2) polish his skills in sales, (3) convinced many investors to entrust their money to him, (4) got involved deeply in manufactured-home business, and have (5) bought Anixter, best known for manufacturing computer and Ethernet cables for $600 million which today is worth eight times more.

Brand Equity Failure

Zell started branding his Equity Properties Management REITs with strong national brand names in 2010. His first target was limited to higher-end residential and commercial tenants and money casino enthusiasts. He thought that the idea of having ‘equity’ in the name would persuade enterprises to buy all their office space in EOP, but it was a flop.

Including in brand study is your ability to understand what your customers need, and as usual, Zell has it. They discovered that enterprises tended to buy office space based on local differentiators such as price and management, not on national differentiators such as brand name. Zell sold EOP to Blackstone in 2006, went back in the scene and became a newspaper mogul, acquiring a portfolio of newspapers owned by the Tribune Co., including the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Newsday and Baltimore Sun.

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5 Factors To Consider in Real Estate Investment

One of smartest ways to invest your money is with real estate rental. The idea is drawing more interest than ever. Buying rights can result in profitable cash flow upon various factors that led most of them to financial success.

Below are a few factors you must consider in order to have a smooth income from your investment:

Net Operating Income

In analyzing your investment, a thorough understanding of net operating income (NOI) is vital. This is the total compensation your property make excluding your expenses (cost you use for maintaining your property). Subtract total expenses from total income to know your NOI. Take note that your total expense should not include loan costs. Get your monthly NOI by dividing result to 12.

Cash Flow

You can consider this as your mortgage. This is what’s left when you have to compensate for your loan costs by subtracting debt service from your NOI - that’s your profit.

The more your borrow, the lesser your cash flow is. Cash flow plays a big function of great many inputs for your investment- any of them can change and damage or improve a situation.

Depreciation Factor

The depreciation deduction is a valuable component in property analysis. It can lessen taxable profits from other high-bracket investments. Depreciation is not actually a cash loss as it is not coming out of your pocket. It is a calculated number to be seen as an expense for tax purpose.

Property Taxes

You must pay for property taxes if you own a property and deduct these taxes for income tax purposes. Business properties pays the same amount from households.

Tax-Free Exchanges of Properties Pursuant to Section 40 (C) (2) of the NIRC of 1997

According to the Republic of the Philippines Bureau of Internal Revenue: “No gain or loss shall be recognized if property is transferred to a corporation by a person in exchange for stock or unit of participation in such corporation of which as a result of such exchange said person, alone or together with others, not exceeding four persons, gains control of said corporation.”

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7 Steps For A Successful Business in 2019

To think a purpose, lay a solid foundation, think about the future, and prioritize customers have been the basics steps of a startup business. If you went through this process last year, prepare to do it again this year, but if you’re new in business, buckle up.

Here are a few tips you can do to prepare yourself and your business for new opportunities in 2019:

Work and aim toward a greater plan.

Generate money by getting the people to buy your product simply because they know that you have your purpose besides money making. With a valuable mission your customers will feel the gratitude to help and support you by buying your products or services.

“If your purpose is deep, your success will be meaningful. If your purpose is shallow, your success will be hollow,” -Michelle Tunno Buelow

Shape a strong foundation.

Practically, keep audited financial records from the beginning: the longer your business, the more sellable your company will become. Considering the vulnerability of technology, make sure every data of yours is secured and private as hackers may smash into your system.

Have an advisory board.

If you’re a business owner, the founder’s instinct will always be present in you. However, I still advise you to get an advisory board or a person who you can have planning meetings with at least quarterly. This person will help you balance everything, and can give you a business perspective that is realistic, whether you like it or not.

Understand the business.

It’s better to start small and reach your way up in the game, than getting in the game without any idea of how it will work. Take time to learn every corner of your business.

Build the culture with your brand.

Create the demand.

Be proactive.

Take charge of everything, think ahead of time, and never waste opportunities.

Target customer experience.

2018 has been targeting a lot of emotions from the market. This year will be more challenging as you have to make your customer feel the experience of your product or service. What you can do is to study first your market and identify what, how, and when your customers need you the most and take advantage of the opportunity.

Take risks, accept mistakes, and move on.

Big companies worldwide went through a lot of risks and challenges before getting their name up the hill. Failures are just an episode of success. Brave it and learn from it.

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Philippine Investment Outlook for 2019

For investors and businessmen here in the Philippines, the recent inflation in the country has been a downside risk. However, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have positively projected a 6.6 percent economic growth outlook by 2019 and estimated to reduce by 4 percent from 6.7 percent current inflation rate.

The Philippines presents a positive growth direction according to the World Bank’s Economic Update through sustainable and inclusiveness, as well as the Philippine government’s efforts to tackle domestic risks through careful fiscal management and timely implementation of tax reforms and public investment programs.

Investment Climate

The growth rate from the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in 2017 continued to grow by 42 percent in the first half of 2018. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported a total of 30.9 billion foreign investments in the second quarter this year, which has been higher than the P18.2 billion foreign investments in 2017.

Hopefully, 2019 will increase foreign investment here in our country.

Information technology

Everyone right now has their own phones and internet or data connection. To comply with the demand, the Philippines has brought in a third TELCO player and looking forward to more players to enter in the future for more exploration in business and technology.

Banking and Credit

Stable credit growth will continue for the next 12-18 months, with improved cost-effectiveness. Plus, the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the country’s central bank, extended the credit rate by 150 basis points to let Filipinos cope up with the inflation. While on the other side, the Philippines had a substantial decline in the country’s external debt recently.

The growing population with an estimated reach of million has become a lure for foreign investors because of Philippines’ young, well-educated and dynamic workers.

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Profitable Investing 101: What Is Investing?

Investing. For businesses, it has become a tool for building wealth. It’s been an avenue to people who are looking where to put their money in and grow it. If you’re one of these people, you’re reading the right article.

As a businessman for many years, I went over a lot of companies and businesses showing their investment proposals that have tons of rewards and a massive amount of returns. Later on this article, I will explain the importance of diversification when it comes to investing.

Now, what is investing? To invest is to distribute or committing money or capital to a specific endeavor with an expectation of obtaining an additional profit or income. For Warren Buffett, a legendary investor, he defines investing as “the process of laying out money now to receive more money in the future”

The Risks

The ordeal in investing is figuring out which one is worth the risk. The‘more risk, more return’ quote is true, and as shown below at figure 1. The challenge: the market does not move in a straight line. While your goal as an investor is to buy low and sell high, in the long run, they all tend to move up with just different rates based on risk.

It is important to understand the different types of investing as they have different risks, value, and returns. They are:

1. Stock. Is an ownership in a company. 2. Bonds. A loan to a company or government. 3. Cash. Stand available as a money market or stable value bond.

Diversification

Now, to minimize risks there are simple ways you can do: don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Balance risk and rewards by holding different types of investment or being diverse.

Take for an example, when you invest on a stock issued by a single company and suddenly suffer to a serious downturn, your portfolio(grouping of financial assets such as stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies and cash equivalents, as well as your fund counterparts) will sustain the full brunt of the decline.

Diversification: By splitting your investment between the stocks from two different companies, you can reduce the potential risk to your portfolio.

Another way of reducing risk to your portfolio is to include bond and cash, as cash investments can be used in case of an emergency, and short-term money-market securities which can be liquidated instantly in case an investment opportunity arises. In addition, aggressive investors may lean towards a mix of 80% stocks and 20% bonds, while conservative investors may prefer a 20% stocks to 80% bonds mix.

Investing definition varies and a complicated subject, but rewarding to those that put effort. To tell you honestly, if you’re not equipped with knowledge in business and investing, there’s a chance you will be putting your money into waste. To invest well, you need to diversify to get an optimal return in the long run.

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Why Corporate Social Responsibility Is important To Business

Corporate Social Responsibility is a broad term used to describe a company’s efforts to improve a society in some way. Different types of livelihood have their own ways and activities to commit to their CSRs. These efforts can starts from donating money to nonprofits to implementing environmentally friendly policies within workplace. CSR is something extra that companies do to improve their local and global communities.

Listed below are CSR statistics of companies from a successful country:

Corporations has been donating $17.8 billion to charities last year.

Consumers are 55% more likely to buy products from socially responsible companies.

65% of fortune 500 companies offering matching gift programs.

93% of the world’s largest 250 companies now publish annual CSR reports.

Almost all businesses from small to large enterprises are committing to their corporate responsibilities because of these reasons:

1. Improves your company’s public image

Companies that shows their commitment to various causes are recognized as philanthropic than companies whose corporate social responsibility endeavors are not active. By publicizing your efforts and letting the public discover and hear your efforts, your business chance in becoming favorable in the eyes of consumers will increase.

2. Increases your media coverage and connections

In line with your public image, it is important that you also maintain a good relationship with local media. These are the people who will give voice to all you activities and efforts of CSR effectively. On the other hand, if a company went under negative news or case, media can easily pick them and back them up.

3. Boosts your employee engagement

Employees are more likely to happily work with a company that is active to their corporate responsibility. And by giving them good environment, better quality of outputs will come from them. Also, when they see the company’s dedication in helping, they are more likely to work harder and be more passionate with their jobs. Stay philanthropic minded, so job hunting individuals will automatically apply to your company including quality applicants from the industry.

4. Attracts and retains more investors

Investors are trusting their money to companies where they can see that their investments will be in good hands and funds are being used properly. CSR also serves as a message to your investors and employees that you’re not just after the profits. Investors are being more supportive to companies that are seriously and continuity committed to their corporate social responsibility. It impacts not only to employees and partners,but also provides help to community and to other people.

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Lessons on Livelihood: What I Learned from Buddhist Teaching

There are different types of livelihood a person can choose from this generation. The only thing that has to be figured before doing it is: how sustainable livelihood is when it comes to facing stress and how the ability to overcome will be done. Your job may be something you love or not, people may admire you for your profession or see your profession as a success. But does your work really mean a lot and is it following the Buddhist teaching?

Coming from the book of The Buddha’s Teaching on Prosperity by Bhikku Basnagoda Rahula. Written from the scripture of “Numerical Discourses” says that a person’s objective is to live a long and dignified life with the wealth obtained through rightful means. A business is considered rightful livelihood when there is no harm done by the work in terms of creating, processing, and manufacturing it.

Living in the business industry can be crucial because there are millions of ways you can really earn money, positively or negatively. Our global economy complicates the right livelihood.

As a person who follow the Buddhist teachings and as a businessman, I have to make two things combine and make it effective. To do that, there are five precepts in the Fifth Path: Right Livelihood:

1. Should not kill any living things.

Make sure that every products, ingredients, and equipment are all harm free from any living things. Tobacco business is like being vegetarian, plant-based and must always be organic even in using fertilizer and the way we harvest them.

2. Should not steal from anyone.

Well, wherever you go stealing was never right. In our business, our first priority will always be our farmers. These are the people who really work hard for our livelihood, and they should get what they deserve. In whatever business, equality is a must. This will keep everything running smooth and inline of future progress.

3. Should not be scandalous, nor misuse sex.

We always maintain all activities inside or outside our business wholesome and will not initiate any scandalous activities.

4. Should be honest and never lie.

Being honest with the people, business partners has been a practice within our community. To make it happen all the team, we make sure that we build a good relationship with them and make them feel that without them, we’re nothing.

5. Should not abuse intoxicants.

Growing tobacco plants need fertilizer. We always use organic fertilizer for our farm and even encourage other local farmers to use organic pesticides for a better quality of soil and harvest. This will also serve as a good contribution to the environment.

Applying these precepts can help you keep a sustainable livelihood because you’re following the lawful way of living.

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10 Rules of Long-Term Business Success

Running your own business takes sacrifices, especially when you’re managing a family business. My Wongchuking family knows that very well and has built a strong foundation for our venture —Mighty Corporation. If you have a business or just starting to build one, here are 10 pieces of advice you should stick with to succeed.

These 10 rules are based on my decades-long experience as the head of Mighty Corp and being a member of Wongchuking, a clan of businesspeople and philanthropists.

1. Foresee the future and create a plan for it. One of the biggest problems facing companies is how to plan for the future. What to invest in and where to place bets. We may not have the ability to predict the future but we can study and analyze it based on trends and what we have right now.

2. Always work in harmony. Business can only do well and last longer if you have harmony and you can work well together with family members and other people.

3. Always choose the right path. If you’re afraid to risk and undergo hardships even when you know that it can help your business grow, you’re not walking on the right path. When making choices, keep in mind that succession should always be based on meritocracy.

4. Keep the patience, ignite the perseverance. There should be a high degree of patience and perseverance. It is like courting a girl, a lot of patience is required. And ignite determination in every step of your way.

5. Have faith and be confident. Faith is important to any business or profession because faith gives you spiritual development and direction. Meaning, faith keeps you cool all the time, whatever happens to your business, profession or life.

6. Take care of one’s people. Mighty Corp‘s success is also because of very prudent and very dedicated people around us and we respect them just as how much they give respect to us.

7. Respect your elders. In business, our Wongchuking family also adhere to a Confucian reflection by offering love, respect, support, and deference to one’s parents and other elders in our family.

8. Be innovative. We always have to make sure that Mighty Corp will have its innovation every year by modernizing manufacturing equipment, and in addition to our line is the Mighty Sports Apparel and Accessories.

9. Be compassionate. Goodwill is vital to a long-term success of any business. It strengthens your business connection, opens and create opportunities for expansion in business.

10. Stay focused. Allotting time, money and energy to multiple tasks can slow down or interfere to your focus to execute well. You have to organize everything based on what should be the priority.

Mighty Corporation will surely have a long way to walk through, challenges to overcome and people to meet. Success doesn’t just come and find you, you have to go out and find it.

This was originally published at Alexander Wongchuking’s blog.