Aimy said I "cari pasal". Many times for the past few weeks, I told myself how right she is. Now, alone in this office of mine, I wonder whether what I'm putting myself into is worth it.
It started in mid-April. I finally took up the courage to take Dextra Resources Sdn Bhd to a new level - a full-fledge company with an office and staff. Armed with my little capital I saved up for the past few years, I started with renting an office here at Section 15 Bandar Baru Bangi. Very strategic location. First floor, an office apartment so I don't have to spend any dime on renovation or even partitions. Convenient place, just 10 minutes from my home. I hired an old school friend from my Yayasan Selangor days, Linda, as an office administrator. Bought office furniture and other equipment. Dextra takes up the living room and the master bedroom. I have my own office now with my dream black leather director's chair. I also have Sarah's table and chair for her to do her work. It's a very Sarah-friendly place. I have her mattress and pillow, her writing stuff, even her milk and bottle.
I rented out the first room to Caspian, a friend from our old days of skali.com. We are business partners now. The middle room is rented out to Eza, my TESL junior and Corp Comm classmate who shares my passion for this business we are venturing. She has the room equipped with chairs with the folding table (what is it called?) for her to start her English classes. So far take-ups are still slow so she started off with her make-up classes. (Suka hati kau la Eza, janji bayar sewa!).
This office, realised single-handedly by me, has finally took the form of a real office. I still feel the wonder every time I step in - the furniture, fax machine, printer, even the wireless router (well, that was donated by Caspian since I paid for the streamyx line). I never thought that one fine day I will have my own office. And it is a beautiful office, painted in my own colour of choice, my own furniture of choice, even my own curtain of choice. Yes, it has curtains instead of blinds. It looks more like my second home than an office.
Now, how did I started all these? After a few months of working 3 days a week, I finally felt bored. I have at least 2 free days a week. After some time I didn't know what to do with the free time. Of course I love spending the time with Sarah, helping her with her homework, reading together, going places, but I finally caught the boredom bug. And I remembered Azmi's words - people like us can't live like that, we love the rush of adrenaline. I finally realised I can't stand having the free time.
The price to pay? Now that I still work for the EPF project for Skali, and I have Dextra to manage at the same time, I work every day, 7 days a week. The time I don't look like I am working, I actually still do! I have all these things going in my head. I look at an advertisement in the newspaper and instantaneously I have ideas wondering in my head. I read an article and eventually start to plan something. I work all the time. The last time I waited for Sarah to come back from school was middle of last week. And right after, I took her to the office. I have not got the chance to wait for her this week. I promised her tomorrow but I'm now not so sure.
I miss that excitement on her face when she sees me waiting for her at my mother's place. I miss helping her out with her homework. That's the price I have to pay starting my own business. Not to mention having to fork out my money to pay for Linda's salary and all the other bills. Things look brighter now. We just successfully conducted our first training yesterday. The response was quite good. We are heading somewhere.
I hope Sarah understands.
It started in mid-April. I finally took up the courage to take Dextra Resources Sdn Bhd to a new level - a full-fledge company with an office and staff. Armed with my little capital I saved up for the past few years, I started with renting an office here at Section 15 Bandar Baru Bangi. Very strategic location. First floor, an office apartment so I don't have to spend any dime on renovation or even partitions. Convenient place, just 10 minutes from my home. I hired an old school friend from my Yayasan Selangor days, Linda, as an office administrator. Bought office furniture and other equipment. Dextra takes up the living room and the master bedroom. I have my own office now with my dream black leather director's chair. I also have Sarah's table and chair for her to do her work. It's a very Sarah-friendly place. I have her mattress and pillow, her writing stuff, even her milk and bottle.
I rented out the first room to Caspian, a friend from our old days of skali.com. We are business partners now. The middle room is rented out to Eza, my TESL junior and Corp Comm classmate who shares my passion for this business we are venturing. She has the room equipped with chairs with the folding table (what is it called?) for her to start her English classes. So far take-ups are still slow so she started off with her make-up classes. (Suka hati kau la Eza, janji bayar sewa!).
This office, realised single-handedly by me, has finally took the form of a real office. I still feel the wonder every time I step in - the furniture, fax machine, printer, even the wireless router (well, that was donated by Caspian since I paid for the streamyx line). I never thought that one fine day I will have my own office. And it is a beautiful office, painted in my own colour of choice, my own furniture of choice, even my own curtain of choice. Yes, it has curtains instead of blinds. It looks more like my second home than an office.
Now, how did I started all these? After a few months of working 3 days a week, I finally felt bored. I have at least 2 free days a week. After some time I didn't know what to do with the free time. Of course I love spending the time with Sarah, helping her with her homework, reading together, going places, but I finally caught the boredom bug. And I remembered Azmi's words - people like us can't live like that, we love the rush of adrenaline. I finally realised I can't stand having the free time.
The price to pay? Now that I still work for the EPF project for Skali, and I have Dextra to manage at the same time, I work every day, 7 days a week. The time I don't look like I am working, I actually still do! I have all these things going in my head. I look at an advertisement in the newspaper and instantaneously I have ideas wondering in my head. I read an article and eventually start to plan something. I work all the time. The last time I waited for Sarah to come back from school was middle of last week. And right after, I took her to the office. I have not got the chance to wait for her this week. I promised her tomorrow but I'm now not so sure.
I miss that excitement on her face when she sees me waiting for her at my mother's place. I miss helping her out with her homework. That's the price I have to pay starting my own business. Not to mention having to fork out my money to pay for Linda's salary and all the other bills. Things look brighter now. We just successfully conducted our first training yesterday. The response was quite good. We are heading somewhere.
I hope Sarah understands.
Comments