These kids are pretty lucky they have parents who supported them business-wise like I did. In the summer of 1985, Mama gave me seed money to sell cigarettes and candies in front of her dress shop in the busy P. del Rosario St in front of what is now the ABS-CBN station in Cebu City. I was technically a cigarette vendor with my pwesto in front of Mama's dress shop. I was earning an average of 120 pesos a day and I was so happy because in 1985, that was good money for a 14-year old boy, and Mama never took my earnings. She allowed me to plow it back to 'my business' so I opened an account in PSBank in Colon Street. I also did my own buying of stocks!!
Ang tapang ko pala nuon! I would go to this wholesaler in Colon street and I would buy my stocks of cigarettes and candies from her, every few days. I loved my business because most of my customers were male and some of them were really cute!! I remember this young guy would buy a pack of Champion Lights from me, everyday around 7AM, parang 20 pesos pa ata yun per pack, and my heart would always swoon when he bought from me! I had this huge crush on him and when he would speak to me, ayun, nganga ang baklita!! I was so happy because busog na ang mga mata ko sa boys, kumikita pa ako!
I remember I would open my 'store' at 7AM to catch the early morning crowd and pack up around 7PM just in time for dinner. Everyday yun, including Sundays!! Ansipag ko raw, sabi ni Mother!! Di lang niya alam na my incentives were I get to see hunky men tapos, I don't do household chores pa kasi nga, I have to man my store!! O dibah!! What an enjoyable vacation!! May datung pa ako!!
One impact of that experience though was that I learned then that I would never work for anyone except for myself. I really hope that I can impart a similar experience to Dylan and Laura when they grow up.
Starting ’em young
