At the end of each year, no matter how clear I am about the work and initiatives I've undertaken, I still find myself questioning, even for a split second, 'How did I manage to get through this past year?'
As 2024 drew to a close, a profound lesson from the previous year stood out. The most significant lesson was humility. While my goal remains to generate passive income from my bubble tea shop, I've come to accept the reality that, despite how distant it may seem, I must be fully prepared to run the shop just like all my staff does when no one else is around as a small business owner.
It was challenging for me to schedule my content marketing activities around spending several days at the shop—making drinks, cleaning equipment, and taking orders. However, the days I had to cover shifts for my staff on holiday taught me to appreciate this business more, shifting my focus from only striving to run it remotely.
These experiences have subconsciously shaped my plans for 2025, making me more open than in previous years to putting myself out there and dedicating time to learning. In the first week of January alone, I've made several decisions that were quite different, all stemming from reminding myself of the importance of staying humble. I look forward to sharing the outcomes of these decisions in the upcoming entrepreneur log.
Meanwhile, here are some highlights from this past December:
i) Hosting my first team bonding event ever as a small business owner
This was, in fact, a reward I set for myself upon achieving one of my goals for 2024. I have always wanted to host a gathering at my place, and since I participated in a team bonding event with my old client's team at Sandbox last year, I've been eager to organize one myself.
It was truly amazing to witness my staff enjoying the VR experience, having fun, connecting with colleagues, and engaging in deeper conversations. Listening to their stories beyond our usual discussions on bubble tea and marketing was enlightening, offering insight into what the younger generations seek in life, work, and their futures.
ii) Falling in love with my small business
I have to admit that before, even though I knew I owned the shop and the business within it, I never truly felt like I belonged there. I was unfamiliar with where things were kept, I merely approved recipes rather than creating them myself, I only interacted with customers who engaged actively on our Instagram, and I always perceived the shop as disorganized. However, after spending several days in the shop, immersing myself in its operations, establishing my own opening routine, and directly serving a variety of clients, I developed a much stronger sense of belonging to this enterprise I own.
Previously, my main focus was on its performance. Now, however, I have discovered a new sense of pride in simply owning and managing a small business like this one. While there is still much work to be done, numerous areas to explore, and many changes to implement, it no longer feels like a chore or a checklist waiting to be completed.
We have indeed fostered a sense of belonging within the community, and I have encountered truly supportive individuals in the neighborhood whom I can now connect faces to.
iii) Continuing to share value as an educator
"Similar to previous years, I have continued to dedicate my time and share my story with the Cocoon Foundation. Additionally, this year, I had the privilege of concluding the year with Makerbay, where I conducted a storytelling workshop for their SIE funding applicants. While preparing the presentation, I realized that I had gained a much deeper and clearer understanding of the topic myself. I was pleasantly surprised by how effectively and simply I could distill the concept. It feels like just yesterday when I was working in-house and tasked with 'storytelling' the brand, feeling completely clueless. Now, I can proudly say that I have grown significantly in this field.
In 2025, education continues to be a crucial aspect of Joyce Tsang Content Marketing. I have made three significant decisions to further enhance these efforts, and I am eager to share the process and results with my readers in the coming months. Once again, I find myself questioning why I have taken on such challenging tasks towards the end of the year. However, I trust my instincts that the effort will be worthwhile, and I know I would regret it if I didn't seize the opportunity and take action.
iv) Graduating with my EMBA
The biggest goal and celebration for 2024 is undoubtedly successfully graduating from my EMBA program. There were many moments when I doubted I would ever complete the program, feeling uncertain about my abilities, especially when faced with concepts and learnings that were entirely new to me. However, I have indeed learned a great deal throughout the process. I credit many of the strategies I have implemented in the bubble tea shop and in my 2025 JTCM plan to this EMBA program.
There were numerous occasions when I had actual business documents and strategies open on one screen while studying the curriculum, applying the insights into actionable plans simultaneously.
This EMBA program not only demonstrates to others and myself what I am capable of, but will also serve as a gateway to more opportunities for advancing my personal brand and career!
Joyce
Comments