Of passion in marriage and business

Finally, after months of detailed preparation, we have come close to the celebration of the Global Entrepreneurship Week which is going to be from Nov. 17 to 23. Next week is going to be one busy yet empowering week because it will be filled with activities to celebrate the growth and success of entrepreneurship in the country.

On Monday, we are formally launching our latest program, Go Negosyo BEST (Building Enterprising Students for Tomorrow), dedicated to the top selected students from different colleges and universities who have shown their eagerness to become instruments of change by being outstanding and exemplary. I am sure that all of them will be equipped with more inspiration and knowhow on how to succeed in life and possibly in the field of entrepreneurship. They need not become entrepreneurs. What we want them to gain from this experience are the right values and character, the relevant competencies: to become enterprising and entrepreneurial. We know that these characteristics can also help them in their future endeavours as change makers of this society. The students will get to see and understand how successful individuals achieved their positions today. These role models will become the inspirations and examples for these students to follow.

We are glad to have for our whole day program on Monday Amb. Asif Ahmad, Sen. Sonny Angara,  Anthony Pangilinan, Kenneth Cobonpue, Jonathan Yabut, Aurelio Montinola, Sandy Prieto, Dylan Wilk , Johnlu Koa, Rajo Laurel, Joseph Calata, Bro. Mike Lobrin, RJ David, Clang Garcia, Luis Gabriel Moreno, Ronald Pineda, and Mikhael Red as speakers in this premiere of Go Negosyo BEST. We have prepared a full-packed program for the students and we cannot wait to welcome them.

Aside from the opening of Go Negosyo BEST, we are also officially launching the Global Entrepreneurship Week on Monday during private dinner with the Go Negosyo advocates.

Yesterday, I met with British Amb. Ahmad and Deputy Head of Mission, Trevor Lewis, to seal our partnership for this year’s run of the Global Entrepreneurship Week in the Philippines. We are both thankful to have this joint opportunity to raise the level of awareness on entrepreneurship and the importance of being enterprising to move up in life.  We mentioned in our previous columns the other activities such as the PLDT SME Nation Bossing search and awards, the Southeast Asia Mobile App Challenge, the OFW and Families Negosyo Summit (with the Villar foundation), and a couple of other activities. Again, these will harness and strengthen the entrepreneurship revolution in the Philippines today.

Another big part of the Monday activities is the launch of the 9th Go Negosyo book in the evening. This is very dear to me as this is as special as our first book. I cannot wait to share with you all their very encouraging stories. Last Monday, I released an article regarding this book. I have released the first 25 passionate and successful entrepreneurs. I will now release the next 25 entrepreneurs on Monday to complete the list of featured entrepreneurs.

Sen. Bam Aquino, one of the most active advocates of entrepreneurship in the country, is joining us. He will be joined by DTI Secretary Greg Domingo, and both will share their views on the progress of the implementation of the new Go Negosyo Act and the setting-up of Negosyo Centers in all cities and municipalities.  Over 400 entrepreneurs, advocates and enablers well be join us that evening and we are fortunate to have with  us for a very interesting forum, PLDT Chairman Manny MVP Pangilinan, Washington Sycip, Andrew Gotianun, Andrew Tan, who are all featured as well in the book we are launching. MVP wrote the foreword of that new book.

I am now inviting everyone to be part of the Global Entrepreneurship week. You can check the activities in our website, www.gonegosyo.net or www.ph.gew.co.

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From the story of passion for business and success, comes the passion in life and marriage.

Congratulations to our good friend, Rikki Dee who celebrated his birthday last Saturday. Rikki is a serial entrepreneur and has been so passionate in the restaurant business from the very first day he started. He is a supporter of the Go Negosyo as he wants to share and inspire others to pursue their dreams so that they, too can make it in life. He is one of the 50 featured entrepreneurs in Go Negosyo book on passion which will be unveiled on Monday. He is lucky to have a wife like Beng who is an important factor in his success. As I always say, our partners in life complete our success. They have been married for 31 years and they are relishing the joy that their only grandson gives them.  As you can see in the photo, Rikki and Beng not only show the passion they have in business, but also in their marriage as well.