Masakit ma-reject. Tama?

No one wants it.

But it’s a reality we need to face it as a freelancer.

Like our JasSuccess guest tomorrow who’s a former customer service representative.

Meet Papz.

He’s been freelancing for less than 12 months.

He loves spending time with his family while being able to provide for them. The work-from-home setup also helps them save money for their goals.

However, going full-time freelancing isn’t a walk in the park.

In fact, he faced many challenges including rejections and ghosting.

Let's get to meet him live on this replay.

How it all started for him.

The setbacks he faced.

And of course, how he got his first client.

Introduction

Find out what made this customer service representative endure long months of rejection and how he landed his first freelance client. 

Notable Quotes

• For those people na ganun katagal na naghihintay kayo ng kasagutan o application, pag nag aapply kayo tapos walang sumasagot huwag kayong mawalan ng kalooban kasi binibuild up yung patience niyo, yung tiyaga ninyo. 
• Huwag kayong maglalaro sa negative. Alam niyo magcrecreate ito ng frustration, ng distraction, ng depression huwag niyong imbitahin, just move on. Continue on tuloy-tuloy lang. Then you will find out, makikita niyo biglang may papansin na sa inyo.
• Maraming dahilan nagsisimula sa “eh kasi”. Ang trabaho niyan hindi kayo magprogress. Ginagawa kayong stagnant ginagawa kayong walang kinikilos. The more you think of the “eh kasi”, the more na iisipin niyo ang mga tanong na yan at wala kayong aksyon, walang mangyayare. 
• You have to learn to read between the lines. Read them on the way they talk, the way they speak, you read what they say then dun ka papasok. He ask questions, I ask questions also. 
• Negativity will bring you to your knees it will put you down pero ako kasi lumaban ako, I have no intention at all to stay frustrated, I have to move kailangan kikilos ka.
• When God created man, He breathed in his nostril, His wisdom also included. So ibig sabihin meron tayong capacity mag isip ng positibo then why not take it, why not use it?
• Everyday may disappointments, everyday may problema at may mga negatives na darating. You just have to be tough, You just have to be prepared and know your way around. Don’t suck in.
• Lage nyong tatandaan ang martsya ng sundalo pag may misyon hindi pabalik sa kampo, lage papunta sa misyon. Sa freelancing, kapagka nagdesisyon kayo magshift ng career make sure that you plan it very carefully. Kung ano man yung mga “eh kasi”na darating, planuhin niyo din paano niyo i-overcome. Kumilos kayo with wisdom kung ano yung kulang ninyo pag aralan niyong mabuti. 
• Kung merong mga bagay na kulang sa inyo like yung confidence, communication skills, and others, target on those skills. Pound on it, Plan on it, and make some action on it. 

Journey to Freelancing

• He has worked mostly as a customer service since 1991.
• He got sick and decided to venture as a customer service representative in a BPO.
• After five years of working in different BPO companies, he realized he wasn’t able to set aside savings.
• He made a decision to make a move. He made plans.,Plans accompanied with prayers. 
• He admitted that he has no resources for him to start. Later on, his mother sponsored him and he was able to buy all that he need. He thought it was the start of his freelancing career. 
• But he realized the approach online was different from a face-to-face application. 
• He researched and discovered VAB. His sister paid for the enrollment fee.
• At VAB, he learned the methods and the way around freelancing. He applied for internships and learned a lot of tools and apps. 
• After all his learnings from VAB, Internships, and Guided Hustle Challenge he still wasn’t able to get a client. 
• He experienced client-ghosting and unpaid services.
• But he never gave up he knows that rejections build up frustrations. 
• He didn’t invite negative thoughts and continued for 18 months. 
• With those 18 months, he and his family experienced hardships with no money to spend. But believes they are still blessed for the Lord provided their daily needs. 
• Finally, a client responded to him and it seems he will be hired shortly after weeks of waiting he was not hired by the client. He felt frustrated for the first time. 
• He prayed and asked for a job from the Lord. 
• One day a client called and interviewed him after an hour of good conversationn the client hired him. 
• He went back to his niche which is customer service. 
• After enduring long months of rejections, he was led to his original niche. He was blessed with a good general manager and time schedule he is now happily working online. 

Question and answer

Do you think freelancing is good for introvert and shy person?

I am a natural introvert. Pag dating sa trabaho, kumpyansa lang. You can. You can work as a freelancer. 

How did you feel that day when you were frustrated for not getting the job?

Yung moment na nafrustrated ako, the reason na sinabi ko na isang araw lang kasi kapagka hinayaan ko na mafrustrate ako ng ilang araw walang mangyayari. I have to do something hindi ako magpapatalo. There’s no luxury for me to stay that long to be frustrated after kong nareceive yung bad news na yon hinayaan ko na muna siya. Nagpahinga muna ako one day pero kinabukasan kumilos agad ako. Pag dumaan na siya sakin history na yun. I have to move on. 

Is there a significance with the time? Why did you give yourself one day?

Kailangan bigyan mo din ng konting oras yung frustration kasi kapag frustrated ka you cannot think straight. For me to rest myself with the frustration is to clear my mind. Maayos ang isipan ko. Maayos ang focus ko.

Natural po ba sa inyo ang ganyang pag-uugali? Na go lang ng go and have that positive mindset?

I trained myself. Kasi madami na akong pinagdaanan na frustrations, depression and heartaches. Nakita ko ang dinudulot non. Di maganda and beneficial why should I play with the negative na pwede ka naman maging positive. When God created man, He breathed in his nostril, His wisdom also included. So ibig sabihin meron tayong capacity mag isip ng positibo then why not take it, why not use it?

How is your situation now as a freelancer? Are you in a good place?

Yes, I am. In fact, I’m happy that I’m working and earning we have the buying power. I also have a very good team. Yung communications namin are very open including yung GM namin. He is very open hindi lang sa proseso ng company open din siya sa mga plano. 

What is your job role now, Papz?

Customer service and sales specialist. 

Do you think another batch of disappointment is coming your way?

Very common na may darating na problema but you have to be prepared. You have to be mentally tough to face them. Know your way around and don’t suck in. 

Sir Papz, ano po ang pinaka una mong role as a freelancer?

Ito mismo ang customer service ang pinaka una kong job. Ito ang pinaka unang legit work from home ko. 

Your entire working career is, as a customer sales rep., Is it something you will retire with?

Sa ngayon hindi ko pa nafo-forecast but yung pasyon ko nandon.

What’s the biggest advice you can give to our audiences today?

Gagamit tayo ng analogy. Kunyari sundalo ka, sundalo ka na na dumaan ka na sa training then nagkaroon ng misyon. Lage nyong tatandaan ang martsya ng sundalo pag may misyo hindi pabalik sa kampo lage papunta sa misyon. Now sa freelancing, kapagka nagdesisyon kayo magshift ng career dahil nakabasa kayo ng inspiring story. Biglang  nagdesiyon ka nang magbabago ka ng career kasi maganda mag work sa bahay. Make sure that you plan it very carefully. Kasi mamaya nagdesisiyon kayo na walang plano tapos biglang wala kang makuhang kliyente. Then frustration comes in. Kapag nafrustrate ka unti-unti madedepress ka. Tapos kapag nadepress ka ang sisihin mo ang ibang tao wherein you decided on it. Huwag kayong gumawa ng desisyon na hindi niyo pagpaplanuhan, kung ano man yung mga “eh kasi”na mga tanong, planuhin niyo din paano niyo i-overcome. Kumilos kayo with wisdom huwag kayong maglalakad na you are blindfolded. Later, you will stumble on something you don’t like kung ano yung kulang ninyo pag aralan niyong mabuti.