As the story has it, one day I headed to the opposite side of the globe – the Flipside. I arrived in Korea February 16th, 2005 and thought I’d do a year, then leave. I was wrong. I stayed, launched my first company, Flipside Fitness, and then opened Korea's largest boxing club, Hulk's Boxing (now called Hulk's Club).

After 11.5yrs in Korea, I then picked up one day and returned to Toronto, Canada. But then I left again.

Now I live in the Philippines where I am the CEO and head coach of Empowered Clubhouse, the Philippines' first and only boxing clubhouse exclusively just for women. I also am the founder of the Lil' Sistas Project, CEO and designer of Slay Gear and Baa Baa Black Sheep .Ph.

Monday, June 24, 2019

This Feels like Deja Vu... Monday, June 24

I know I promised my family and friends that I wouldn't come to visit them until I set up the physical location for Empowered but now that I've done it, I've got other things that massive chunk of money could be spent on instead of a plane ticket.

Is it so wrong that I rather spend my money on my business than visiting Canada?

Perhaps it's a bit of bitterness that I'm sporting.  I've yet to have family visit me here in Asia and I've been here for about 14 years now.  I had one friend, a best friend of mine.  Traveling to Canada is expensive as it is but I make pesos here, not Canadian dollar, so while I make good money here, it doesn't compare to what most people make in Canada.  That plane ticket is Canadian pricing and while it costs the average Canadian one month salary, for the average person here, you're looking at about 3 months worth of salary for just one ticket.

Ouch is right.

That plane ticket costs me only one month salary but I vouch it costs me more than that because of the time needed to take away from work, clients I have to put on hold and hold my breath that they won't go astray instead, and then there's the fact that I have three dogs now and a clubhouse.  This brings my total up to about three months salary plus a lot of hassle, stress and frustration. 

Other things I want to spend my money on:
- balcony furniture for my second floor outdoor lounge
- getting an awning for the second floor
- obedience school for Balboa and Rousey who are struggling with the big changes
- surgery for Cassius
- furniture to finish off my office
- needed funds to finally launch my clothing line

Honestly, I miss my family and friends but the above list of items are going to be there whether or not I visit Canada but I'd love to relieve the burden of having to save up money longer than I have to.  I'm quite comfortable with not taking a pay check for the next few months, next half year, but it's because it's pushing my business forward.  This trip to Canada, if anything, I feel like it's a pull back, a delay.  I have the momentum going now so I want to continue it.

This is evolving into exactly the same situation I found myself in when I launched Flipside Fitness and then Hulk's Boxing.   Plans to visit every year got pushed aside as I put all my money back into building my company.  As a result, I went from visiting Canada every year to year and a half to 5 years later.  

Do I want a repeat of Korea?!  Yes and no.

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