It was January 22, 2009 when Intel Corporation announced that they’ll shutter its Cavite factory and laid off 1,800 workers and undisclosed number of executives.

This news was a shocker not only because lots of people lost their jobs in an instant but because Intel Corp. was the leading chip manufacturer in the world during that time.

Every year we hear similar news of thousands of people losing their jobs. The reality is, there are even more people being laid off by smaller and less known companies but we don’t often read them in the newspaper.

These are poor people who experienced a rude awakening of the reality that job security is an illusion and there’s nobody else to rescue them.

Know this: Job security is a thing of the past and you can’t play today’s game with yesterday’s rule if you want to have financial independence.

Having your own profitable business will give you the freedom and security that you can’t get from any employment.

So while you’re still employed, quietly and steadily build a part-time business that soon will replace your income, make you more money, and have a lifestyle that you want.

Unahan ko na kayo, hindi ito kapuso vs kapamilya vs kapatid.

But as an aspiring entrepreneurs there are lessons we can learn from the success and roller coaster life of Willie Revillame.

Rarely you can find shows that can match Eat Bulaga, and Wowowie did it. Actually, wala na akong maalala na tumapat sa EB maliban sa Wowowie.

The question is, how did Wowowie did it?

The prices? The sexy girls? The games? The show?

None of the above!

It’s the character of Willie.

Simply stated, people are really drawn to character of Willie. It doesn’t matter if you think he’s bastos or mayabang.

Proof?

See what happened to Pilipinas Win Na Win?

They struggeld to find the “character” in the show. They almost have the same cast PLUS Kris Aquino. But it didn’t work.

So you may have the same or even better show, games, prices, but if there’s no character that people will follow, you’re in trouble.

Why is Eat Bulaga remains unbeaten?

Because “bosing” Vic and Joey de leon. The rest of the gang are just support but they’re the pillar. People are naturally drawn to TVJ. Whether you love them or hate them.

So what we can learn from this?

In your business, you should have a character that people can relate to. The more people feel connected to the character, the better.

This is why KFC have Mr. Colonel Sanders. Robert Kiyosaki of Rich Dad. Donald Trump of Trump Organization.

So do your research about the pains, wants, desires, and fears of your market and create an attractive character.

Let’s face it. The reason why people buy a franchise is, so that they can get started in business immediately and make money quickly.

The truth is, franchisor is selling you the illusion of…

Instant Business = Instant Money

But is it really true?

So the first criterion in choosing the right franchise is “Will this really help me make more money?”

Obviously, every franchisor will tell you that you can make money if you buy their franchise as long as you do all the work.

So how would you know which franchise can really help you make money quickly than those just trying to sell you an illusion?

Simple, by their track records.

You need to know the success rate of their franchisee.

Here are the things you need to do:

1. Get as many contact information of their franchisee.
2. Call them one by one and tell them that you’re planning to buy a franchisee too.
3. Ask them these questions:

• Knowing what you know now, if you can turn back the time will you still invest in this franchise?
• Will you recommend it to your best friend?
• How long you think will it take you to recoup your investment?

Asking these questions will give you a hint if they’re happy with the investment or not. Sometimes, you may have to read between the lines because some people are not humble enough to accept that they made a mistake.

In addition, you’ll also learn a lot what’s working and what’s not in operating this business. So if you decided to buy this franchise, you have upper hand from day one.

Now, you may be thinking…”This is a lot of work Jon.”

Look, if you’re going to invest your hard earned money on something, you better do your due diligence so you minimize your risk.

Franchisors are notoriously known to hyped their marketing and offer. If you’re going to believe them without confirming the truth on what they’re saying, I’d recommend that you save your money for now.

REMEMBER THIS: In business, whether you’re starting from scratch or buying a franchise, you need to do what most people are not willing to do.

So that someday, you’ll have the success that most people will never experience.