Roger's Rant…

Business Networking IS the most beneficial event to invest our time in.

I just want to share with you … last nite, I attended Bon Ami networking session at Yakun Coffee, Orchard Central and benefited alot!

Here’s what happened in less than two hours well spent:

…won the FIRST book prize (worth $18.60) <— it was my Beginner’s Luck as I couldn’t attend a single Bon Ami last year due to my frequent holiday trips in 2010. Thank GOD for His Blessing!

… met many good contacts, including a Book Publisher (someone whom I wanted to meet for a long time)

… participated in a joint book publishing project to get my article in so that it would generate a lot more business in future!

… had coffee and tea and 2 slices of bread (Shh! Don’t tell the organizer I ate more than my fair share

… learned some stuff about business and entrepreneurship and book publishing

… even struck up a business deal, expecting to convert to REAL $$$ for a long, long time to come

NOTE: Just a word of caution: this is a BONUS and NOT an often occurrence; when we attend networking events, our primary purpose is to get to know more contacts and then follow up to build relationships and explore possibilities, not to solicit for business there and then.

Well…

Can you imagine if I did’t go to that event? It would be such a GREAT LOSS!!

Networking IS truly very beneficial if we know how to harness it to market ourselves, our business, our products and services and NOT to treat networking events as prospecting events. That’s a *BIG* NO NO!

And… that’s the reason why I meet people for coffee almost every day, just to explore opportunities, exchange ideas, knowledge and get to know each other better… it’s so fun and so cool and yet, so few people realize the benefits

I hope you go out there and network the heck out of it… next week, I already committed to TWO networking events:

… visiting BNI Prosperity Chapter on Tuesday 22 Feb 11, 7.30 to 9.30 am

… hosting our own WIN WIN Networking Nite on Thursday 24 Feb 11, 7 to 10 pm <— do join us if you can, the details are at http://www.Autoprofit-team.com/winwin

Thank GOD for this restful – and yet restless – day…

Though it’s Hari Raya – a public holiday here in Singapore (and Malaysia) – somehow I got caught up with catching up with emails and outstanding work before they become urgent.

Anyway, still, it’s a wonderful day… at least I could work and rest at my own pace. (In fact, I spent time on one of my favorite past-times, that is, to browse around Borders book store which I ended up buying three business books costing more than a hundred bucks. Hmm… this habit is getting to be pretty expensive.)

And then…

… as I got on Facebook a little while ago, I stumbled upon a post by Ian Goh, an old friend, who posted a Youtube video of an old song:

Have You Seen The Rain?

This song, though performed by Rod Stewart (not CCR, the original group) is a beautiful and rhythmic rendition of vocal chords and strumming guitars. It brought back lots of memories as it brought me down memory lane of eons ago.

In those days during my childhood, my close friend and neighbour (another Roger) would always drop by my place without notice and we will start to strum the guitar and began to sing. And this is also his favorite song! How BLESSED we were to grow up with beautiful hits like this by pop giants of the 70’s like Bee Gees, Carpenters, ABBA, Air Supply, Lobo, etc. (Wherever was the King of Pop? Michael Jackson was just a kid growing up in those days!)

Well, it’s good to be reminded of them good old days

Oh yes, I almost forgotten about James Taylor, Carole King, Deep Purple, Don MacClean, Rod Stewart, Elton John and so many of those famous songwriters, singers and pop groups. I believe this is a golden era of the pop genre that will never be forgotten by future generations and I’m so glad to be part of it.

I wish you a Happy Holiday!

As I have a free day at New Jersey before heading up to Niagara Falls tomorrow morning, I decided to travel around the vicinity…

The previous night I read about the Frank Sinatra birth place and museum at Hoboken, New Jersey which is only one stop away from Jersey City, New Jersey from where I stay, so I took a PATH train there.

While strolling along and admiring the beautiful Manhattan skyline of New York City, I heard ‘Frank Sinatra’ singing from afar! (Frank Sinatra is famous for his rendition of ‘Strangers in the Night’)

Surprised… we treaded gingerly and realized that there is a concert going on… (more…)