Investing in our children
My son Donny and I were invited to grace Nestle’s 2009 sales rally, being Nestle Breakfast Cereals endorsers. After the rally, I really got encouraged
about our economy’s future. Nestle continues to be strong as a company despite the recession bug going around. I was encouraged to see a sales team of around 1,000 people get revved up for the coming year. If 2008 was a good year for the Sharkforce (that’s how they refer to themselves), I believe 2009 will be an even better year, but I also am aware that as leaders of the pack, things can get tougher. They’ve got a great brand to begin with — one that’s healthy and nutritious. It’s got all the ingredients to make it succeed in the market. Nestle Breakfast Cereals all the more improved since its conversion to whole grain. Its enhanced nutritional goodness has made me even more sold on the idea of giving my children cereals for breakfast. Aside from the vitamins and minerals, whole grain delivers complex carbohydrates, contains a lot of fiber, protein, and antioxidants — all the stuff that moms like me want in their children’s diet.
Sales rallies remind me of the story Anthony shared with me about the top-selling agent of one of the most successful realty firms in the country. She told Anthony that she has sold so many lots because of two things: product knowledge and vision. Every time she goes to the site, she picks up the soil and tells herself that is where she will get the payment for her car. Then she embraces the tree and tells herself that it is what will give her her house! No wonder she sold the most lots!
In the case of breakfast cereals, it is essential for the Sharkforce team to eat cereals — and not only those that are given to them by the company for free. They also invest in their product by buying it for their homes, thus proving that they sincerely believe in the product they are pushing on the market. As their company moves forward, hopefully they also move up the ladder of success. The brands that we endorse as a family are the brands you will see us use daily. I never really trained my kids with this, but I am humbled by their loyalty to the brands we endorse even if our contract has already expired. I have to admit that endorsing a product is quite financially rewarding, but that is just one part of the bargain. With it comes a big responsibility to the people who will support the brand and it speaks volumes about the values we stand for.
Anthony and I are very careful about the brands we support because we want to be true to what we are saying and we want our children to be authentic with what they support. We watch out for what the endorsement deals do to our children. We strive not to create in them the idea that just because they are seen on television or in print materials,they are more special than the other kids. I remember walking in one of our major appearances for Koko Crunch. Before entering the stage to greet the people who packed a city’s coliseum, Donny asked me what the big event was for. I told him it was a kick-off for Koko Crunch and that he was there to greet the people. As soon as he found himself on stage, he was surprised to see large tarpaulins with his photos on them. He came close to me and whispered, “Why is my picture there?” I had to remind him that he was the endorser for Koko Crunch, and then he smiled.
I find it such a precious gift to preserve the innocence of my children when it comes to their view of self. I do not ever want them to be defined by other people’s perception of who they are, but be secure with the fact that they are precious creations with unique talents and gifts that come with a very important purpose to accomplish just like every kid.
My financial manager/agent makes it a point to patronize all the brands I endorse, making sure it is the only brand she uses at home. She says it’s her way to supporting what I do and she believes that it is also her investment in the one who invests in her. It is similar to the realty agent story. My financial agent shares that as she buys the products we endorse, she helps us help her accomplish her dreams. So we scratch each other’s backs. Haha!
For us parents, let us remember the two essentials to our success: product development and vision. Let’s get to know our children better by spending time with them, listening to their concerns and attending to their needs. For they are our products, aren’t they? What is our vision for them? As we spend more time with them, we will be able to align with their unique design and help them achieve the vision we have for them.
Spouses, find out what makes your spouse tick and you will find your partnership improve.
As Sharkforce continues to strive harder to meet higher quotas, may they still have enough time spent nurturing their families. Let me share what my sister-in-law Maricel Arenas told Anthony when we were starting a family and he was dead set on achieving in his career: “Make sure your family gets the best of you and not what’s left of you when you come home from work.”
