Ginger Arboleda: One Woman’s Personal Journey to Success
At Payoneer, we thrive on seeing each and every one of you succeed. Join us for a truly inspiring story from Ginger Arboleda: entrepreneur, blogger, motivational speaker and overall powerhouse. Ginger, may we all have the guts and the perseverance to build a better life for ourselves and our families. We tip our hat to you!
Three years ago, I never would have imagined writing an article that would be posted on the website of a trusted, global brand (Payoneer, of course) and then translated into 6 different languages and absorbed by users in 200 countries. Just before all this happened, I felt like a tiny speck in the universe.
In July 2012, I discovered I was pregnant for the second time. I was scared and more anxious than I had been when I discovered I was pregnant for the first time. My first pregnancy in 2010 ended, unfortunately, in a miscarriage. It was now most important for my husband and me that I have an easy pregnancy and safe delivery. This made it necessary for me to work from home. My husband and I also decided that once the baby was born, I would continue working from home in order to spend more time with our child.
In the Philippines where I live, both husband and wife usually need to work in order to afford a comfortable lifestyle. I began thinking about the type of business to open. I wasn’t interested in establishing a startup with a 10% growth rate each week. I needed an income-generating business that would grow steadily at a reasonable pace. This was an overwhelming period of my life – having a baby and navigating uncharted business waters at the same time.
Fast forward to today. The little business I started three years ago, Manila Workshops, is thriving and growing steadily. Throughout these years, I also witnessed all the important milestones in my daughter’s life. How did I do it? How did I build a business and raise my daughter at the same time? As I’ve been asked this question many times, I would like to share my answers with you:
Wake up every day wanting to make a difference
We often think that whatever we do for the community will not make a difference. After all, we are only one person. For many of us, the goal is just to finish our daily tasks. If you feel this way, consider the ‘Butterfly Effect.’ This term, coined by Edward Lorenz, is used to explain how a major occurrence is dependent on minor occurrences taking place. Lorenz used the metaphorical example of a hurricane. Its exact time and path are influenced by minor occurrences, such as the flapping of the wings of a distant butterfly, several weeks earlier. In my analogy, you are the butterfly and the tasks you accomplish contribute to something much greater. If we all wake up each day not just wanting to make a difference but actively contributing to making a difference, we will feel more fulfilled and inspired.
In my case, the ‘hurricane’ I want to create is a happier world with more content and confident people. By teaching entrepreneurs and crafters the skills they need and by instilling in teenagers life skills (that I wish I had when I was their age!), I hope to create my vision of the world. After I made my shift in mindset, the effect was tremendous. Instead of only earning an income so that my family could survive, my new mindset empowered me to create something much larger and more impactful.
Set your priorities correctly
Do you feel overwhelmed when you look at your to-do list? I constantly remind myself to take a step back and prioritize my tasks according to my life goals. If we know what our priorities are, we can get rid of the clutter and ‘noise’. In this way, you can focus your energy only on the things that fulfill you and make you feel better about yourself.
Stop dreaming and start doing
We need to start acting. Implement the idea you thought of. If you enjoyed the feeling of creating your business in your head, just imagine the feeling when you see that business come alive in the real world! Do research, reserve that domain name, book meetings with potential partners, begin the business plan, make an announcement on Facebook, do any action. Just take that first step!
Build relationships
If you want to be successful, realize early on that you cannot be successful on your own. To succeed in starting a business or building a brand, you will definitely need the help and support of others – be it seeking feedback for a potential supplier or partnering with a sponsor. Luckily today, social media makes it easier for you to connect and interact with people who you want to meet. Use technology and start connecting!
Open your mind to the unimaginable
Realize that anything is possible and believe that! Three years ago, I never imagined that I would be asked to be a guest on TV shows or radio programs. I never imagined that people of all ages would come up to me and ask about starting a business, marketing, and branding. I never imagined that people would enjoy reading my personal thoughts on my blog, MommyGinger.com. I never imagined that people would appreciate and enthusiastically support ManilaWorkshops.com. I never imagined that an ordinary work-at-home mom like me could have a future like this. You can do it too! There is no limit to what you can achieve. You just have to believe in yourself and in your capabilities.
I could talk on and on about the change in my life but I feel that the information in this post covers most of what I want others to know. I truly believe that the future is bright for us all and that, together, we can achieve that unimaginable future.
I invite you to visit my blog, http://mommyginger.com/, and subscribe to my Youtube Channel. You can also follow me on Twitter at @mommyginj and on Instagram.