The entrepreneur as a teacher

-Nelson Mandela all have dreams and imagined ourselves to be in. As they say, the journey is as important as the destination.

- it to be. immersed in activities that at as models to young people in

“Mios”, as she is fondly called very passionate in music and the performing arts. As a child, or on the television screen as up, these interests took a back seat as she pursued an educa of Management Information Systems in Ateneo.

Success during her young the corporate setting and securing a high paying job and jumping from one company to another. Yet the demands her feel limited and restricted although it provided her a comfortable life. For a freespirited

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E- lady like her, she felt her. She left it all behind to search for something that has been missing in the past years of her life.

She decided to unearth the dusted passion she buried all these years – acting. From one project to another, she audi up being offered a teaching - - parents – the joy on their experience opened her eyes to the possibility that her real

She joined the UP Diliman’s Theater Arts program to hone - ming on a major paper hours just before the deadline for a “mock school project”, she coined the term “MIOSIC” her career as she decided to execute her project proposal. music studio. She started her business by offering voice lessons and it evolved into a little enterprise, the Miosic Academy of Performing Arts.

year as she helps young students in perhaps to be future movie or TV stars, but more Importantly to build and develop their confidence in facing life’s challenges. As in any fledgling enterprise, she met a But her love for music and the performing arts coupled and learning provided her the determination to push through despite the odds. This also opened the door for her to go back to school at UST’s Conservatory of Music to enhance the skills that she imparts to her students, hoping that she can do her job better and make her students -

lessons from her experience. life’s course as it’s important to have searched and found than to not have searched at all. The Jesuit’s principle of Oblation’s cry for independence, and the Dominican’s compassion, competence and commitment have dominated my spiritual and social vocabulary. I have summoned all the patron saints of these schools “Solfeggic” despair . And yes,

I had to check the meaning of solfege or solfeggio. It’s a musical term, a tone comprised of frequency required to balance your energy and keep your body, mind and spirit in perfect harmony.

spotlight to her students made - ing and fulfilling, maybe even more invaluable than becoming a famous movie star. By helping her students reach their brightest stars, she has a chance to effect eternity as a

Entrepreneurship indeed success. And for many, it’s the joy of delivering the service that matters most. A business that entails sharing one’s skills or passion and enriching other people’s lives through for making a difference in this - ence someone else’s life. Being a teacher means shaping one’s ideology and molding someone else’s future. There’s no greater

Every entrepreneur’s journey is exceptional. Don’t give up on your passion. And even if your trail is leading you to existed from the very start.

Benel D. Lagua is Executive Vice President at the Development Bank of the Philippines. He is an active FINEX member and a long time advocate of risk-based lending for SMEs.

- sarily reflect the opinion of his