I am still high from the recently concluded launch of my FQ Book last Thursday.
Giving birth to a book may not be as physically painful as giving birth to a child, but it has its own challenges and uncertainties. And mind you, this mom has given birth to three bouncing baby boys, all weighing over seven pounds, via La Maze method with no anaesthesia! What makes giving birth to a book more challenging is this. When you conceive a child, you know that the pregnancy will last for nine months. But not with a book. You don’t know if it’s going to take nine months or nine years, or if it will actually be delivered! So the next time someone invites you to his or her book launch, think twice before you say, “Sorry I can’t.”
I am so happy, honored, and grateful to all those who came, braving the rains and traffic going to Quezon City, and the parking challenge at Victorino’s, a restaurant that serves good Ilocano food (very FQ J ). Your presence at this milestone event will forever be etched in my heart.
I am fortunate to have the support of my family because each one of my boys – from the Honey to my sons were all involved in the preparation of the launch. We were also helped by Isabel Lim and Gem Mailum and the staff of ABS-CBN Publishing. My son Anton, who was our main host was helped by his older brothers Martin and Enrique. They came up with the program, script, event flow, and all the other matters I wouldn’t have thought of.
During the program we had a lively discussion about the childhood money memories of no less than business giants Wilson Sy (dubbed as the Warren Buffett of the Philippines), Edward Lee (known the country’s millionaire-maker as he has helped people become millionaires through COL), and Fernando Zobel de Ayala (whom my sons referred to as the “Duke of Makati” during the programJ). They were all game to share their childhood money memories. This was made part of the program because the FQ book is a call for everyone to talk about money in a healthy way, to understand their relationship with money by going down their childhood money memory lane.
I also had two loyal readers who flew in all the way from the south to attend the event. Pol Espanola, who flew in from Iloilo on his birthday, shared our similarities in raising our sons, how he has been donating The Retelling of The Richest Man in Babylon to schools down south, and a wonderful story of how he has designed the implementation of the basic laws of money to simple workers in his hometown, starting off with not 10%, not 20% but 50% savings rate!
Doris Dimailig flew in from Davao together with her husband Gerald and son Jed. She shared how she has been doing the tips she read from Raising Pinoy Boys and how The Retelling of The Richest Man in Babylon has helped her son win the BangkoSentral ng PilipinasKiddie Saver of the Year Award!
The opening prayer was led by a favorite Jesuit Fr. Johnny Go, S.J., fresh from his trip abroad. The opening remarks was given by the president of ABS-CBN Publishing, Inc. Ernie Lopez. In his speech he said that the top 2 best-selling book of all time, second to the Bible, is Purpose Driven Life and that he wishes the FQ Book to be as successful as this one.
Two people who had hoped to be at the launch but were not available sent in their messages. They are Bo Sanchez who wrote the Foreword of the book, and no less than the governor of BangkoSentral ng PilipinasNestor Espenilla, Jr., who has been championing financial inclusion. The two of them were among my “readers” in the video of my Babylon book.
I wish to thank all those who came and who helped me in this project. The launch is just the beginning. This will probably to be my life journey in the years to come. I wish that all of you who will read this will join me in this FQ Movement. Let us make everyone mind their FQ and prepare for a decent old age now. You may wish to help a student at any of the following public schools: H. Bautista Elementary School, Fortune Elementary School, Nangka Elementary School. For every book that you donate, I will make a counterpart book donation. You may email me at FQMomm@gmail.com if you’re interested to help.
I wish to share what I said at the end of the launch program.
(Click video thumbnail below)
Maraming salamat and cheers to high FQ!
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Thank you to Beam and Go for providing free coupons and other freebies to our FQ Live! viewers during the launch
- I will be part of a writer’s event by National Bookstore at Fairmont Hotel on August 10, 2018. I can also sign books at that event.
- Catch me on Wednesday August 1, 2018 at 3pm on DXMM Teleradyo with Ariel Ureta and Winnie Cordero’s show Todo-TodoWalangPreno.
- If you’re interested to see what’s inside the book watch this FQ Book Preview
You may now purchase the book in major bookstores or if you want autographed copies, please go to FQ Mom FB page (click SHOP), or FQMom.com (click BOOKS), or email us at FQMomm@gmail.com - Want to know your FQ Score? Take the FQ Test Challenge now! Click link. http://rebrand.ly/FQTest
Rose FresFausto is a speaker and author of bestselling books Raising Pinoy Boys and The Retelling of The Richest Man in Babylon (English and Filipino versions). Click this link to read samples – Books of FQ Mom. She is a Behavioral Economist, Certified Gallup Strengths Coach and the grand prize winner of the first Sinag Financial Literacy Digital Journalism Awards. Follow her on Facebook & YouTube as FQ Mom, and Twitter & Instagram as theFQMom. Her latest book is FQ: The nth Intelligence.
ATTRIBUTION:
Images from the author and the official photographer of ABS-CBN Publishing, Inc.