Musemancer Kicks Off Officially!

At long last, Musemancer got the official kickstart I’ve been waiting for! 1st October marked the first time ever Musemancer is operated by a physical, permanent team quite unlike the previous practice of operating solo with the aid of freelancers.

While we still count on freelancers to accomplish many tasks, in due time as the team matures and grows we will be more self-sustained.

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Ask me just a few months ago and I would have not imagined starting a formal team with an office premise to go. I feel a little bad writing this because for many years I have been advocating the work-from-home Internet lifestyle and culture.

So to forego most of its benefits such as flexible working hours, working from home and keeping a low-cost operation, it took a lot of convincing and finally I made the courageous decision to go all out.

That brings us to the here and now.

The moment I rented the office premise, I was in for many unpleasant surprises. Even for a bootstrapping attempt, there were many hidden costs. I went without a permanent workforce for two months because I was using poor, ineffective methods to try to recruit talents for Musemancer.

Every time I kept asking myself if it was really worthwhile, and wondered if I should have just stayed home after all these trouble. But what am I to do if I just carried on life the way I did for the last 9 years? It would be good, but it will never be great.

If starting my online business on a 56k modem back in 2005 was founded on the idea of achieving financial freedom and providing better for my family and self, then starting Musemancer in the new direction is founded on the idea of going big and sharing the revolution.

A new idea that people should strive for results instead of routine; freedom instead of survival; thinking big instead of giving in.

Even at the start of it all 3 months ago, my vision for Musemancer was very cloudy. I thought it would be a good idea to pursue all 6 directions I had in mind!

Ultimately I narrowed it down to this: Musemancer is an Internet Marketing consulting and digital publishing company. And that is what we will do best.

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To see this manifest in front of me gives me a surreal feeling. To think that Musemancer was just a company on paper all these years. And in years from now when I look back, this will be the photo of humble beginnings.

Don’t be quick to congratulate, we are just starting! You will hear more of us in the months to come.

Static Line Jump No. 6

Time flies too fast! I still remember the last two jumps I did here as if it happened not long ago – but that was 1 1/2 years ago. After many postponed weekends for many reasons – unavailable aircraft, poor weather, and recently the Hari Raya mood – the KL Skydiving Association got around organizing static-line jumps again!

Stayed overnight at Segamat and made sure I clocked in at least 2 more jumps. Was gunning for 4 so I could make a nice 10 under my belt, but there were many other first timers and also experienced skydivers from abroad who came here.

And with just one Cessna aircraft taking to the air, everyone had to take turns. Anyways glad to do it and good to know I grew less and less anxious and fearful with every jump.

I got my exit done perfectly on the last jump with no twist encountered! Landing still isn’t consistent as I reverted to landing on my ass – was coming in too fast.

Until the next jump! And in due time, I will be up for Accelerated FreeFall (AFF)…

New Office? (Part 2)

Selamat Hari Raya!

Taking a few days off now. FI had been at my new office to and fro for the last 3 weeks, overseeing the renovation and moving in of furnitures and everything else to get started.

I realized how NOT EASY it is to go brick-and-mortar. Even though I am bootstrapping and my office is very simple for starters – it took me a week longer than I expected and so much for keeping in with the budget. I ended up spending an additional RM12,000+ on top of my original budget due to underestimation and making some mistakes here and there.

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However I still count myself a thrifty spender already if compared to other businesses that require high 5 or minimum 6 figure RM just to begin.

The 1,054 square feet office is an open work space area with a common area and balcony outside, overseeing Paradigm Mall and the LDP highway.
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I’d like to think of my new office space as a throwback to how MindValley originally started at KL Sentral in 2006 – with some improvements of course.

I am not big about splashing money on all the secondary and tertiary concerns at the moment. Those matter, but only at a later stage. And it’s up to me to grow the business to that level that warrants all the fancy playing.

So… no official logo right now. No fancy carpet (there’s a rug at the common area). No big plasma TV. No huge glass door.

Just going to focus on getting sales first on a company level and hiring a team.

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While the trips to the office and other places to buy essentials took place in the day, I spent many of the nights going to events, gatherings and seminars for networking opportunities to build my connections and also understand the B2B game – to be precise, how the world outside Internet Marketing works.

And then figure how I can introduce my online marketing expertise that I have accumulated over the last 9 years to the tables of my new clients.
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My brain feels muddled and fried now, and I admit to having little idea as to what to exactly do next, other than knowing I have several options, newly built connections and some rough ideas. Yes, this surprised my business associates who know me for a long time as a detailed planner and thinker.

It’s because I am spoilt with choices now that I don’t know which ideas bring the best, optimal results.

Since my office at present is 95% complete – just the installation of the pantry’s cabinets to go – I’ve decided to just continue hustling after the Raya holidays is over. I trust that clarity will get better over time, as it had always been in the past. Certainly beats sitting around doing nothing.

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It so happens that Jeremy Wong (Singapore) and Fukuda Koichi (Japan) happen to be in town so I welcomed my first guests to the office last Saturday. We bounced off some business ideas and got their insights as well.

All in all, exciting times ahead!

SHORT ACTION FILM: HVT Run

I didn’t want to announce this until I was sure it was complete – and here it is! During the Raya season I collaborated with a group of friends to direct and produce a short action film of our own.

Presenting… HVT Run!

Behind The Scenes And Bloopers:

In 2011 and 2012, I made two attempts to put out a short action film for the fun of it. Even though we shot the pre-production footages – painstakingly – they never got past post-production because we were hinging our hopes on one guy to do it… and well… he sucks balls.

That was in spite of working with the likes of Dan Khoo, Joseph Germani and JinnyBoyTV on the second round and at the time, it seemed so surefire that the short action film will be out.

I was upset about it though I know that the opportunity will come again, and I will do it myself when I meet the right group of people and find someone reliable to do the post-production, even if it means paying my way through for a non-profit film.

And I finally did this time!

So in more ways than one, I feel accomplished that the completion of this piece has redeemed me of my past failed attempts, YES!

It’s not without its mistakes but then again, which movie makes no mistakes? Haha!

I look forward to making more like this in the near future, when I am not working. 🙂