SaaS Dads S2/E11: She Nearly Had a Heart Attack… Then Built a Diamond SaaS Business in 12 Months

Speaker A: In less than 12 months. Yeah, we, uh, got our Diamond SaaS renewal award. I woke up with 4,000 people in the community. I cried my eyes out. Being a mom, honestly, did not slow me down. I would rather do it and fail rather than regret that I didn't do it.

Speaker B: Welcome M to SaaS Dads, where we scale SaaS without sacrificing family. All right, so we're here for another Sastads, and today got The. The amazing JC10, the pocket rocket from Philippines. How are you, JC?

Speaker A: Oh, uh, doing great. I'm so excited to be here. Although I was just telling you, I'm not sure if I would be the best. I'm not a dad, but we'll just change your podcast name.

Speaker B: We'll change anything for you, Jason. You know that. SAS dad, SAS Mums. We're all inclusive here at SAS Dads. We want mums in too. Right? But that's the name. That's the name. But you are an amazing SaaS mum. An amazing. I'm so glad to talk to you and have this conversation. We've had lots. We had lots of conversation, lots of chats over things that we've done, and I think it just. This is a conversation to let people understand what's behind JC and what you've accomplished and done in the last couple of years while raising a family. You've got two small girls, 4 and 6 years old. You're Diamond Sasspreneur, which I think you managed to achieve in 12 months. Is that right?

Speaker A: Yeah, that's actually right. Like I said, um, I'm super, super excited to be here, honestly. Super excited to talk about my story. Maybe I'll start with how people really knows me, because a lot of people would, uh, call me jc, but honestly, right now I'm widely known. Or not just right now, but ever since I'm widely known as CC Tan. So basically a Filipina entrepreneur. I don't think that's really. That's something that you hear a lot. But I'm also a digital educator and tech innovator on a mission to basically redefine how Filipinos are perceived globally. So right now, yes, you're right. I built my community and built my SaaS. And in less than 12 months, yeah, we got our diamond, the SaaS renewal award.

Speaker B: Yeah, it's huge. I was there. I remember seeing you go out to get it. I was like, what? You did that 12 months? It's amazing. But I've seen some of the stuff you put together. You are one of the one of few people, I would say, that can put together a webinar in 24 hours and have 3, 400 people show up. It's incredible, like the pulling power that you have. I call you the pocket rocket of the Philippines.

Speaker A: Yeah, I know. I still don't know how I'm doing that, Gary, but I think when people see your heart, like how genuine you are with your mission, with what you do, I think it's super easy to now call 100, 400 people in 24 hours. I still can't believe how I'm doing that, but it's crazy how people are supporting me nowadays.

Speaker B: I think you do it very well with your heart, as you say, because I remember the. I don't remember the exact text, but I remember the first communication I got from you. You joined our, uh, Facebook community, and when you joined it, you wrote a really nice message that said something like, is it okay? I don't. Again, I don't remember the exact words, but it was like, is it okay if I'm here? I just really want to be involved. I want to find out more about what's going on here and if there's any value that I can add. I just really appreciate to be part of this community. It was something along those lines, and there was something to it. I remember really going, I'm going to let this lady in. Even though I didn't know who you were and stuff, because we, we monitor for people, uh, that are just coming in to put vas in the group and all those kind of things and stuff like that. But there was something that you wrote and then the way that you wrote it, I was like, I'm going to let this lady in. And then we ended up talking and doing a few things. And then I've just seen you grow and evolve from there over that period of time. And there is something that you have that. I don't know what it is. Some people have just a little something. I don't know, maybe it's honesty, maybe it's your integrity, but, uh, you have a little spark.

Speaker A: Or maybe it's. Yeah. Or maybe it's really just. Like I said, it's just basically being honest with what you really want, uh, with people and letting them know your story, why you're doing it. Because honestly, I did not really start with a goal of creating big events. Right. I literally just saw the gap because a lot of people, like talented people, hard working people, especially Filipinos, do not have access to virtual events where they can learn from people or maybe Events to access the right people to connect with or to actually learn from someone. So I felt being in that situation, so I decided, you know what, this room does not exist yet. So maybe let me try building it. And that's why I reach out personally to people that I know would contribute a lot to me, building that kind of ecosystem for our people. So. And then everything just magically happens. I don't know how, but I was so speechless. We built our community like I personally built it. Just telling people, hey, I'm thinking of building a community, teaching people automation and high level. And then in, in four hours I think there's 300 comments. And then the next day I Woke up with 4, 000 people in the community. I was so shocked and at the same time speechless. I don't know how that happened.

Speaker B: I think people were just looking for someone to lead the way and there you were. But let's go back a little bit, right? Because it wasn't always like this. All right, I know you've had a few trials and tribulations. What was the start of your entrepreneurial journey? Like, where did you begin in your entrepreneurial journey adventures?

Speaker A: Yeah, so I basically started back in 2018. This is when I found about. When I found out about working from home because I got pregnant. I got into a very difficult pregnancy where they advised me that, no, you can no longer work in a corporate setup where you have to report every day to work. So I had to find a way to work from home because I'm very workaholic. So I need to find a way where I can make money from home. So then I went to Google search how do I make money from home? And then I, I found out a lot of like online opportunity jobs, including virtual assistant opportunities, teaching people online, like English and all that stuff. So I came across a post where, okay, you can actually become a virtual assistant. So I started in 2018 as a virtual assistant. It actually did not. It took me a while to get my very first client. But uh, you wouldn't believe that it took me about six months and 1800 plus applications just to get one client. That's how, yeah, that's like how hard it is back then. And then. So when I got my very first client on my six month, I got pregnant, I gave birth. I told myself I'm gonna be, I will be doing my best, like I will be doing my best to make sure that I get to keep this client forever because I get a really good paying job at that time. So I was like, I will make sure to, to. To work this out to be the best. And then the client recognized that until such time he offered or telling me that, hey, uh, I have another friend who needs a VA because he saw me being able to accomplish tasks in just a few minutes. So he was like, oh, let me refer you to this person. And then I got this second client, up to eight clients. So I was working for eight clients until I realized, okay, why not open a virtual assistant agency? Because at that time I can no longer manage eight people just by myself. And I've been getting a lot of referrals. In 2019, literally six months from the time I got hired as a VA, I started my real estate virtual assistant agency. So I started in the real estate space. So from literally one person that I was training from the comfort of my home, I was able to guru that to a hundred plus vas in maybe more than a year. So we had over 100.

Speaker B: That's pretty impressive in a year.

Speaker A: Yes, exactly. But then life happens, AI happens, automation happens. So in 2024, I didn't see, I couldn't accept the fact I could not adapt to AI. I couldn't believe AI is happening. So all of a sudden we're starting to lose a lot of clients. They're starting to tell me, hey, I want to try AI for my business. Because we do a lot of SMS marketing at that time. So there's also been an issue where they got really strict with you sending text messages in the U.S. so we started losing a lot of clients from 100 that we're managing for over five years, down to like down to 50, down to 20, until one day I was like, maybe let's just close this. It's not working out. So I made a bold decision in 2024 to just close everything. I cried my eyes out. I was so heartbroken. I don't know what to do because that was the first business I had. So it was a lot to take. But. And that's when I found another reason to start again. Oh, what happened? Let me just. Yeah, there you go.

Speaker B: Yeah. And then so you started again and that's when you started to go into the training, the education space and you wanted to build that Philippines hub, so to speak.

Speaker A: Yeah. So how it started, it's really funny because I was in the high level space since 2019 because that was the same platform that we were using to serve our clients. And then in 2024 when I got so depressed, I literally got so depressed to the point where I almost Had a heart attack. Um, I was thinking a lot of things at that time. I feel that's the end of it. And then I had a checkup. My doctor was telling me, if you don't stop, you probably will drop dead the next day. And then I got really scared. And that's when I thought about what can I do now? Where should I go next? And then that's when I decided to find something that I can do to just at least make myself busy. Because I have before or prior VA agency I was a trainer for, for a tech company in the past, like telecommunication companies. So I was like, why not just teach people automation? Because I have been using this platform for a while. I have nothing to do, so why not just teach them how to use the platform? So that's when I started, by accident, the community. Because I wasn't really thinking of offering courses, doing this and that. I was literally just doing that so I can take myself out of my like a situation, like a dark place where I just need to get myself busy. That's all that I want. So what I was doing is I was literally just doing weekly calls, daily calls with everybody so that I can talk to people four hours a day, two hours a day, until the company grew so big.

Speaker B: And um, where did your girls fit into all this? Because when you said 2024 when it all went wrong and you've grown that to 100 vas in a year, so that's sort of 2023. So you would had a, like a 1 and a 3 year old at that kind of time. Give or take.

Speaker A: Yes. And it's so fun, right? Because.

Speaker B: Yeah. How does that fit into life as well? You got a lot of people management over there with the VAs and then there's a lot of people management with two small children, even though there are only two of them.

Speaker A: Honestly, I don't think I juggle it perfectly. I did not try to. I think there are a lot of days where I'm fully a founder mode, building programs, building agency, leading community, helping people change their lives. But there are also days where I'm just a mom, but I can tell you I couldn't do it without my husband and people that are helping me, like my family. Because I get to become a founder during the time that I choose to. I think that's super important. M. You really can't be an entrepreneur doing everything yourself. So for me, the big help was my husband, actually the one telling me, okay, you are making more. So maybe we can just work it out together. I'll take care of the kids. I'll take care of the house. I have all my nieces who are also helping me, so I was able to make it work. But really, it's not that easy, because sometimes your kids don't know you, or sometimes they don't even try to find you anymore because you are really busy building things.

Speaker B: You've got a good family network around you.

Speaker A: Yes, I've got literally a, uh, good family raising the kids while I was building my business. So I think that's what worked. Right. Because I don't think I could ever build the business with me being a mom and at the same time, being a business owner, like, all at the same time. Although I did that because I was breastfeeding my kids. So my. My. My eldest, I breastfed her until she was 5. So both of them.

Speaker B: Yep. So you got to get off Zoom calls on time to make sure that you can get the feeds in. I think you would have done it, JC because we've been through that, me and my wife. You're. You live in your home country. Me and my wife, neither of us live in our home countries. I'm from the uk. My wife's from Ireland. We both now live in Australia. We don't have any family support, and we only have one child, but we both have businesses to, um, run and things to do, and you just. You make it work. You would have made it work another way, but it's great to have that family support. And there's oftentimes I'm slightly jealous of people that have that in some ways, but then in other ways, I guess it's like you're saying your kids, uh, they're not seeing you, so do they understand what you're doing? So they're still pretty young. Yeah, they do.

Speaker A: It's funny because whenever I ask them, okay, what do you think you know mama's job is? And they're like, they'll tell you, yeah, you are helping Filipinos learn automation. It's funny because they now know how to tell people what I do for work. But in the past, they just thought that I'm just. Just working from my computer, and they don't know exactly what I'm doing. But what's funny is that they know they can make money using, um, computers. So they were, like, always telling me, oh, when I grow up, you buy me computers. I can also make money. That's what they're thinking. But really, Gary, I think a very big part. I just want to mention this Because I think the very big part of how I really made it work all this time, because I think when you feel like you have no choice, you just really make it work for me. There wasn't really a backup plan I don't have. I'm not coming from a wealthy family. I would say it wasn't like, you can try this and I will have somebody who will save me or something. It was more like, this has to work all the time.

Speaker B: I would say the boats have been burned. Leave the boats on the beach and burn them. And then you don't have a backup plan, so there's nowhere else to go. You have to make it work, right?

Speaker A: Yes, exactly.

Speaker B: And how do you manage to juggle business and family on a daytime. You said your husband, uh, is that your husband who's popping in the background?

Speaker A: Yes, he's trying to grab his phone. Sorry.

Speaker B: Say hi to him for me. What's a typical day juggling business and family like for you? Your sort of morning routine to working? Because I've seen you sometimes, well, you're very busy and then I've also seen you sometimes going, hey, today I'm actually just taking some time out and you were toasting marshmallows with your kids. Having a little outside fire the other day, which is really nice. What's a typical day for you to juggle business and family?

Speaker A: Like, my I schedule is really crazy because most of the time I also work with US clients. Sometimes it's Australian clients. Um, I would have to tell you that for me, what works is that I would have to make sure that I'm strict on certain, on certain projects that I'll be working with. So for example, my day would be like I will allot, let's say three hours specifically for my community, two hours for client work. I will strictly follow that schedule. So, meaning normally after lunch is when I would be in front of my computer doing all the heavy work. Meaning I'm not after lunch. As soon as I'm done eating, I'm working full time until maybe until 9pm but normally I would spend my time with my kids in the morning and then I will make sure that my weekend are also spent with them. I'm really strict with making sure that the weekends are spent with the kids. My morning, uh, will also have some space to make sure that I get to spend with them and even in the afternoon. So my break time would have to be around 4pm to 6pm because that's when they will go outside because my kids go outside every Day like they go outside in front of our playground. So I built them, uh, their own playground in front of our house. So, so they have to be out by 4 to 6pm So I need to make sure that those time are blocked specifically for the kids.

Speaker B: So you're very, yeah, you're very good with time blocking and just making sure you have everything blocked out between which areas of the business you work on and then family time as well. And I say having that weekend timeout with them.

Speaker A: Yes. Just make sure that you've got all the scheduled block out in your calendar. I think it's really being strict on what happens on first hour, second hour, third hour. I, it took me some time to really make that work because in, in the past I really couldn't. Sometimes I work at any hours of the day. But this time around I am, um, making sure that, okay, clients meeting will happen from let's say 9pm to 12 midnight if it's a US client and then if it's Australian client, then it has to happen in the afternoon. So things like that.

Speaker B: Okay. Is there any business skills that you apply to parenting or vice versa? A lot of the SAS dads or SaaS mums I talk to, they talk about how having kids can be a great lesson in people management because you've got to manage unreasonable 2 year olds, which we've all had to deal with. It can actually help you a lot in managing staff, customers, other people you've got to interact with. So what kind of lessons do you take from parenting into business with you?

Speaker A: I used to think that I had to separate being a mom and being a founder. But really what I realized is that the same skills I use in business is the same skills I use at home, specifically, patience, leadership, problem solving, communication. Because being a mom honestly did not slow me down. I think it really made me a lot better. So for example, when your kids are acting up, uh, in the background and things like that, they just need to apply certain skills such as keeping m your self cool, being patient with everything. How you talk to them is the same thing as how you're going to be talking to your clients. Actually it really helped me because now I'm also teaching like automation to Filipinos who are really new people. Like new, like beginners, beginner level. So how I talk to my kids is the same thing as how I would talk to my students because I would make sure that my kids would understand what I say and I have to make sure that my students would also understand what I say. So, uh, for me, really seeing like how I am able to apply, I think the same skill set, like leading a team is leading a family, solving problems, managing my emotions. Because as a mom, sometimes there are emotions you cannot control. But as a business owner, you need to know that, okay, there's a time for this. Okay. I cry for three seconds and then just get back up. So it's not really two different worlds, it's just one life. I think you just have to show up, you know, with different roles.

Speaker B: You've got controlled time. Blocking for crying as well.

Speaker A: Yes. Control, yes. As a mom, you really have to learn that. I do that.

Speaker B: And like you, you're very driven. Like you've got so much going on with the communities and all the people you're training and teaching and the vision that you have for that. What is driving you? Are you driven for jc? You driven for your kids? Are you driven for the community? Is it a little bit of all of them? What's the, what drives you to do so much?

Speaker A: Well, of course everything is driven by my family. Of course, everything. I'm building the business, the community, the events. It's not really just for me, but I think it's for them to grow up also seeing what's possible for them because again, I did not really come from a well off family. And for them to see that it should not, whatever your situation is, that should never limit you from doing things or from achieving things. To feel, to never be limited, to have choices I probably did not have before. But more than the family, because they're always your drive, right? They give you all that motivation to keep going. But more than that, a big part of my drive really comes from the people I serve because I've seen lives change from the things that we've. I've seen a lot of Filipinos who landed my first student, who landed her first client, like a janitor, literally a janitor that I personally trained. From mopping floors to mapping workflows, people earning from home, people gaining confidence. And I think once you see that, you really can't stop because you know what's possible not just for you, but really for other people. So, yeah, my family and the people who surround me, it's a great tagline.

Speaker B: From mopping floors to mapping workflows. I like that.

Speaker A: Yes, I know. I was like super, super inspired when I heard about his story. Wouldn't even imagine that he's able to do it because he doesn't even know how to use computers in the past. But he spent time really learning High level. Two months later, he got his first client. So he was so happy, he cried, telling me how he transitioned from becoming a janitor to now becoming an automation system architect. Those are the stories that would always make me proud and smile and keep going.

Speaker B: And you've really done a lot there to try. I'm not saying to try. You have done it. But what you're working for is to build that whole Filipino community and even working with the government. I remember we came over and I was lucky enough to be a speaker at the event that you did last year in the Philippines. I think it was 1300 people there.

Speaker A: Yeah, 1600, actually.

Speaker B: 1600. And then you had the government or the ministers there. Part of the government. So you were trying to make sure that you had them involved for Tech Fund. I don't know if it was tech funding, but it's part of the entrepreneurial program to get people engaged so they could build their remote workforce. Because that was an important thing that they recognized in the Philippines, that part of their domestic product, so to speak, is actually having people that can work remotely now. And they really wanted to support that. So you brought them in as well, because they see that as part of the future for the country as well. We've got to have people that have got these good jobs and can support jobs overseas that they want to fill, because they know that people are going to actually come in or actually be looking for those types of roles. So I think that's really important as well that you manage to do that.

Speaker A: But I think. Oh, sorry, go ahead.

Speaker B: No, I was going to say. But how did you approach that when you start and actually go to the ministers of your municipality or whatever you call it there, to, uh, actually say, hey, look, we're going to do this event, and this is what we want to do, and we want to actually grow the virtual community of workers. You're a small lady, right? And going in and having those conversations. And I don't mean this disrespectfully in any way at all. Right. But you're a small lady. You go in and what gives you the courage to go and step up and go and do all that kind of thing? Because people would look at that and just go, oh, that's. I don't want to go and talk to those people. They're way too important. Like, how did you manage to do that?

Speaker A: Like I said, I am really. I'm still trying to find the best word to explain how I am able to invite these people, because I think I was Just telling people what I do and what my missions are. And ever since I started my virtual assistant agency, and the moment that I found out that there is an opportunity for Filipinos to work, to work remotely and to earn money from the comforts of their home, I started sharing that opportunity and at the same time, building the mission of, like, providing jobs and really creating 5,000 jobs to Filipinos. So when I started telling people that mission, I started attracting people who resonate that story, that actual mission. For a while, Gary, I have been working really, with the government, specifically Department of, like, dict. Like Department of Information Technology, where we go to different areas in the Philippines, like remote areas in the Philippines, to actually train them, uh, on digital jobs. So for a while, like, at least for about three, two years. Two, three years, they're sending us to these remote locations so we can at least teach people how they can also make money without having to leave, like, their city or their provinces. So from there. From there, I was able to build that kind of relationship and just making them feel how invested I am, um, with this mission of creating jobs to every family in the Philippines. So when I requested, hey, guys, I'm planning to have this big event in the Philippines where I know that this is going to attract a lot of potential clients that we can partner with or investors so we can partner with. I think they did not hesitate to right away say yes to the request, because, honestly, one of the things that really encouraged me to do this was I told this to a lot of people because normally when I, before I saw a certain video where Filipinos are just being called illegal slaves or just maids abroad, that they. They're not meant to become somebody. So I kind of channel that narrative. And then I'm thinking of Filipinos are better that we are not just box into supporting roles, that we can also be more. Or when we. When we do more, we can actually be better. So what I'm saying is I am trying to send them the message of Filipinos, uh, are not just anything we can lead. We can innovate, we can build, we can create. We are Filipino, not just Filipino lang. When I started sharing my Filipino Filipino lang, it's like Filipino lang means just anything. Like, just made just this. We are being boxed into certain roles that I think most people sees us. So what I'm trying to show them and at least portray is that Filipinos can also be. Can also can also be part of global stages, not just attendee, but as a speaker, as a trainer, as a trusted voice. So I'M trying to be that little voice. Although I'm 411. Yeah, little voice that we can be more on global stages. So I think that messaging that story attracted them to support the movement. So it was really easy for me to just tell people because they know the story is real, genuine and they can see the actual story. So they right away said, yes, let's go.

Speaker B: Yeah, you've done that now. You've been an international speaker. You've spoken in, uh, high level events. I know you're speaking in the UK in a few months. I want to go back though, and just touch on. Like you said before about you close to having a heart attack. You were very, not very well. You overworked yourself, overstressed. You've probably got more going on now than you did back then. I think by the size of the things that you're doing now. Right. So what are you doing now to take care of yourself, look after your mental and physical health?

Speaker A: Personally, my husband would watch this video and he would tell me, no, you're lying.

Speaker B: Um, I'm not really pulling in and get his opinion.

Speaker A: Yeah, he was like, he always asked me to walk every single day. Honestly, I try my best to walk every single day, at least 5,000. But I'm gonna be honest, I have not done that consistently. But I try to eat at least healthy food, sleep minimum six hours a day. But anything special that I'm doing? Not yet, but that's where we're planning to go. Eat better food, like less processed food. It's also for the kids, actually. So, yeah, uh, that's what I'm doing to take care of myself and of course, get my hair done, my nails done.

Speaker B: Go do the lady things.

Speaker A: Yeah, do the lady things. That will at least make myself happy. And I do now invest a lot in traveling with my kids because for me, I really have to. Like right now I'm working so I could literally make sure that we can travel the world. Right. So that's the kind of self care I do.

Speaker B: What's your vision now for the future for you with your family and your girls? What do you hope for them? For the future?

Speaker A: For them to just have better options in life, honestly. Because like I said, I never had that much option when, uh, I was a kid. So this time around, I'm trying to build some wealth. Yeah, well, build some wealth so I can make sure that I can send them to good school, maybe in Australia. Yeah. For college. At least give them all the options available so they can have a better future. I don't see them doing what I'm doing. Maybe they will. I just want to give them the freedom of being able to choose what they want and do what they want when they want. So that's really my goal for them. I don't have specific. Okay. They have to be this person. I just want them to be happy.

Speaker B: Yeah. They're only young now. Like 4 and 6 is still very young. They got a long time to go and they just want to be girls and play with dolls and dress up or whatever it is at the moment.

Speaker A: Yeah. Sometimes my youngest would just tell me she just wants to be a dinosaur, like, and then the next day she wants to be a bird. I'm like, yeah, go.

Speaker B: Whatever, whatever. They're so nice at that age because they're beautifully clueless.

Speaker A: Yes. Yes. And then they ask, like, they ask really a lot of questions that I don't even know how to answer properly. I think these are the age where they ask a lot of questions. What they do. How do I say this? Things like, just, just curious little questions.

Speaker B: Yeah. It's a good time though. You got to enjoy that time while they are there. Because my son's turning 8 and it seems like he's going on 15 at the moment. So he's only a couple of years ahead of your oldest girl. But it seems like there's been a. There's a big change between I remember him at 6 and 7 and now he's 8 and it seems like he suddenly turned to a 15 year old or something.

Speaker A: I don't think I'm ready for it, like to see them grow up as teenage.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker A: But my eldest would always tell me that she's no longer a baby. I still can't accept that. No, you're still a baby. We argue every single day because she won't accept that she's still a baby. She's six.

Speaker B: Yes, you want to stay young, but you also want them to grow up as well because you want them to become whatever they want to become. Right. So it's our job as parents is just to lead, communicate, educate them and then show them their path in the world is to be whatever it is that they want to be. Which is what sounds like what you're. What you're trying to do as well.

Speaker A: Yeah, exactly. But I do try to enjoy the time because it's really going really fast. The next day she's seven. The next time you woke up she's ten. So that's why I'm really trying to spend as much Time as I could. That's why I invest a lot in traveling with the kids. Although I don't post it a lot, we do try to travel together, especially on their birthdays. They no longer want parties, they now want to travel.

Speaker B: Nice. Where do you go? Anywhere special that you take them? Like in, in the Philippines or outside the Philippines?

Speaker A: Outside the Philippines. Right now their dream is to go to Japan. My youngest wants to go to Australia, so hopefully we're coming back next year because she wants to see a Kuala.

Speaker B: Okay. You have to come to the Sunshine coast and we have one of the best. We have Australia Zoo, which is one of the best zoos in the world. Just down the road from where I live. So come there. Come to Australia Zoo and we'll go to Australia Zoo together. I'll take you there with the kids.

Speaker A: Yes, yes, please. They want the zoos. They really want animals. I, I think they just really want to see, experience those things. Right now. They watch TV and then they would tell me the next day, hey, can we go to Australia? As if it's just, um, the next city. Yeah. I'm like, I don't even know Australia exists when I was, when I was young. But now my kids would tell me, hey, can we go to Canada? Can we go to Australia? I'm like, guys, hold on.

Speaker B: Yeah, hold on. That's why mum's going back to work for a bit.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: Yeah. They don't have that concept of finances and time either. Do it just. Why can't we just do that tomorrow? You're like, yeah, because we've got to pay for it. And we also need to organize other things. And that's the juggling of parenting and being an entrepreneur in business. Yeah. And, um, the high level community, that's been a huge thing for you. How much has the high level community supported your journey? I know you've done a lot of things with the, with the official high level community or, uh, sorry, the official high level business in terms of speaking at SaaS events. But how are you? They seem to have really got behind you as well.

Speaker A: Yeah, I think I've been getting all the support that I could from high Level, specifically them sponsoring all of the events that we're doing in the Philippines. Not just in the Philippines, but anywhere we go. So every time we reach out for sponsorship, they right away would say yes to it. Every time we have crazy idea about this is what we want to do for our event, they will fully support it. And right now I'm really big on the affiliate side. So I think that's also why we're, we're getting the support. But I think they really try their best to make sure that they will. They provide the support specifically for podcasting, like all these invites for speaking engagements. Right now they plan to do an event in the Philippines. So hopefully in the next couple of months that's really going to happen. It could probably be one of the biggest event that High Level is doing and hopefully we will be at least helping them out. I'm sure we will be helping them out. But yeah, I think the entire, um, community has been really supportive. Not just High Level, but every single person in the community, including yourself. Every time I throw stuff, you guys are like, yeah, sure, we'll support. As if you have no choice.

Speaker B: I feel like we don't. Just kidding. Of course. It's always good to support you. And there's been various things that we've tried to help you with over the last year or so. It's always been a pleasure. I still have my little. You see this? This sits on my desk all the time. This is my little thing that you guys gave me when we came over, did that talk last year, which was great. I was hoping we could come back again and do it next year or this year, I guess it would be now.

Speaker A: Yeah, that's really cute. I hope at least you have it in your desk.

Speaker B: Yeah. Since they're on my desk all the time. But it was such a nice event and the people there was so engaging and so kind and so nice and I forgot what is grateful or thankful, but just pleased that we'd come. And there was me and a bunch of other people there.

Speaker A: How many pictures you took?

Speaker B: Oh, yeah, a lot. There was selfies everywhere. Everyone just wanted to take selfies.

Speaker A: I remember them hiding in tables. Alicia hiding. Ah. In tables. Even Rupert. Because a lot of people have been asking them for photos and I think they took about a, uh, maybe a hundred or two hundred photos with people.

Speaker B: Yeah, but it was nice. Everybody was just not sure what the right words were. But yeah, I know if it's. Yeah, just warm, just kind. Just appreciate. Appreciative. I think maybe is the right word. Appreciative, I think would be the right word. Yeah, they were just so happy that everyone was there and they were just there and keen to. To learn and see other people and just hear stories and, and just look for. I think they were all just looking for, uh, other opportunities and really willing to put their best foot forward for it, which was really cool to say.

Speaker A: Yeah, I think that's the unique, I would say, characteristics of Filipinos. Like, when you come here, you definitely feel so welcomed, so love by everybody. So I think that that's really one of our best assets, right, The Filipino spirits. I'm sure you felt it.

Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. I'll be coming back this year if there's another event for sure. Definitely. Definitely. If you look back over the journey you've been on over the last few years and you've had failing business, you now got successful business, you've got two children, supportive family, supportive husband. If you could go back and give yourself a bit of advice and have a little chat with jc Six years ago, when you started out on this journey, is there something that you would say to yourself? If you could go back and just whisper something in your ear?

Speaker A: Because right now I really like the version of myself and I think I could never change any of the choices I've done the past few years, because all of those choices actually helped me get to where I am right now. So what to tell myself, I think I would tell myself, I'm so proud of you. Because even with all the failures, even with a lot of people leaving my side during the darkest time of my life, I kept going. Even without the support that I. I needed at that time, I still kept going. So if there's anything I want to tell myself, I'm just so proud of you. And really, I think for every moms out there, you guys should be proud of yourself, especially those who are building businesses, even the dads, right? Because we don't really have it all figured out. I mean, but we do try. We don't have all the support, we have all the destructions, but then we just keep showing up. We do things every single day, even if it's messy, even if it's really slow. Because we want our kids to see us and we want to build something better for them. Not just mom or dads, but as someone who had a vision. So, yeah, I'm so proud of myself because I did not give up.

Speaker B: Yeah, I think that's a key message there is. Just keep showing up, all right? Some days you just don't feel like it. Some days it's rubbish, Some days it's great. Other days it's lukewarm. But you just have to keep showing up. And even on where you're at in business, and we're at that stage now with our business, things are good, but you're still making things up every day. Because where you are today is in a place that you've never been before because you've never been at this size or this age or had children of this age or had staff, this, this many staff or this many customers. So it's constantly learning, constantly evolving. And that's the thing. Someone asked me a little while ago and said, oh, you must be like feeling really good about what you've done and feel very secure about it all right now. And I thought to a degree, but I don't know, never been at this size and scale of customer base and staff and all the things that we have going on. So this is all very new. Uh, and I don't think you'll ever. I can see that it won't ever not be new because you'll just get to another level and then that'll be a new level and there'll be new problems. But the new problems, which are the bigger problems which now you now face, they dwarf the ones that you would worry about a year ago. There's problems I'd had a year ago or things I've seen a year ago that would have freaked me out. And now I look at them, that's not so important.

Speaker A: Like they're becoming really small because I think every failed attempt, um, that we do, it's just a proof that we did show up. Right. Even if other, even if the days are not as good. But again, most people don't even get that far. So for me, I would normally remind myself to just keep trying because at the end of the day I would rather do it and fail rather than regret that I didn't do it. So, yeah, um, I literally just eat failure every single day. Rejections every single day. Because it gets easier when you're used to it.

Speaker B: They eat failure every day. That is the life of an entrepreneur.

Speaker A: Life of an entrepreneur. And a mom, right?

Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. And as a mum and a dad, it's eat failure every day because you're always getting something wrong. You don't know what you're doing with. Even with kids, there's no manual for children, right?

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: They come along and just like, what is going on today? You have all these different mood swings with kids and then they change as they go through growth spurts. They change as they've got more intelligence, they change as they've got new friends and new questions. And you like, what's happening now? Like I said, I've now got an 8 year old who seems like he's young, 15. I've never had to deal with an 8 year old living in my house. All the time. The only 8 year old I've ever had to live with was myself. And I thought I was perfectly reasonable at the time. I probably wasn't.

Speaker A: But I'm probably not yet ready for my eldest to turn eight then because now she asks a lot of crazy questions. A lot of questions.

Speaker B: I'm sure she will be lovely. I say girls are easier until they get to the teens. So you've probably got a few years, I don't know. But uh, what are you most excited for now about the future for both your business and your family? What excites you on the horizon at the moment that you've got coming up?

Speaker A: Uh, right now, of course for my community it's all the upcoming events that we're doing and I think being able to see our students transition from just a high level specialist, also becoming a saaspreneur. So that's the next level because now the goal is to also help them become a saaspreneur themselves. Right. Meaning not everybody, everybody's meant to be an entrepreneur. But at least my goal is to bring 100 saaspreneur in the next high level event. Right. Dallas event. Right. At least Filipinos who are saaspreneurs. That's what I'm so excited about. Maybe it will take me about two years to work it out but I'm really looking forward to do that for my family. I think looking forward for all of our travels. We are going to Japan this coming May any future, future things that I'm looking forward. It's really just enjoying the time with them as much as we could, as long as we could. Because as soon as they hit maybe 15 or 16, maybe they will have their own world for now that they're still longing for us. We want to be able to at least travel twice a year, thrice a year at the most. So that's where I want to spend what I'm working hard on right now.

Speaker B: Japan is on my bucket list. That's. It's one country that I really have on my list that I want to go to. So I'm very jealous that I've got to. I need to get my, get my flights and something organized for me to get there. But my wife isn't so keen. I don't know why she doesn't want to go to Japan. So I might just have to go myself and take things. Yeah, I don't know why. There's nothing that interests her in going to Japan.

Speaker A: For some reason that's the kids dream country I think that's because of Sanrio, hello Kitty, things like that. They're both girls. Uh, imagine Tokyo, Japan for the kids. They would love it.

Speaker B: Yeah, I just want to go. I want to go on a bullet train as well. Want to go see that? I'd like to go snowboarding there. I think it'd be amazing.

Speaker A: I'm really excited for them. And also for me because that's going to be my first time in Japan too.

Speaker B: We've got Japan and then Australia where you'll have to come and see us.

Speaker A: Yes. I am, um, thinking we're actually thinking of bringing them to Dallas this year too, but it might be a little complicated because of school. So maybe just next year. Australia, like after school.

Speaker B: Awesome. Awesome stuff. All right. What's the best place for people to connect with you? I know you've got community, you've got. Obviously you're on Facebook so people can look you up, they can find you on Facebook. They'll find you in the high level community. What's the best details where people can reach out and connect with you?

Speaker A: Yeah, so they can follow me on Facebook. I'm really active on Facebook. That's official. DOT CC tan C E C E T A N tan and they can also join our community of people learning Go high love in the Philippines. Philippines. Our community is called GHL for Beginners by HL Accelerator. All of my socials are actually official cctan. So I'm active on Facebook. Not really on Instagram, but on YouTube. I do post a lot of tutorial videos and yeah, that's it. Like Facebook, YouTube and our Facebook official community.

Speaker B: Awesome. Last words. Last words that you would like to give out to saaspreneurs, especially SaaS mums that are out there. What's the last piece of advice that we can give them? From JC Diamond Saspreneur to all the

Speaker A: moms or even the dads. Right. If you are looking to also have your own business or to become, um, a saaspreneur entrepreneur, I think you just have to realize that you don't need to have everything figured out at the very beginning. So you don't need perfect timing, you don't need full support, you don't need zero destructions. You just need to know that you need to start and you have to keep showing up because one day your kids will see you not as just their mom or their dad, but as someone who had a vision and you followed through. So, yeah, someone who did not give up like I said, or someone who built something literally from nothing. So just keep going.

Speaker B: Keep going. Wise words. Thank you so much for coming on today. It's been a pleasure to know you over the last year. Be at some of your events, meet you there, support the things that you're doing. If there's anything else that you can do for that, then we're always here for you. And thanks so much for your time today.

Speaker A: Thank you, Gary. I'm so blessed and really, um, happy to be here.

Speaker B: All right. You take care of yourself.