Vision: the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom.
Professor Google
Such a simple yet profound concept.
I remember my mentor asking me back in the day: What is your vision?
Back in 2011 when I first started my digital marketing agency (which eventually evolved to cloud computing – a complete 179 degrees turn – 1 degree for the fact that both are in tech), I was looking at becoming the best digital marketing agency around the world. Such an abstract concept, no wonder it didn’t materialize… Eventually, we had to pivot…
When we were forced to pivot to the cloud computing space in 2014, I took 2 months to clarify the company’s new vision: To serve the small and medium enterprises around the world and reduce their inefficiencies, by coming out with the product that reduces errors from double entries. We will be at the top of mind for our customers when it comes to admin services and streamlining operations. It was so clear that my team (very thankful for them) and I were able to penetrate Malaysia and Thailand without raising any money within the span of 26 months. We then started to strengthen our roots there and made sure that our customers were well-served, and that was so important for our success that we managed to get acquired by a US-based company.
I respect entrepreneurs who have the guts to make pivots when things didn’t go well.
Deng Xiaoping is a great man… He fought a great revolution. He saw the product of that revolution turn sour. He was fortunate to live long enough and he had the courage to say “NO! WE CHANGE COURSE! LET’S LEARN!”…That’s how we succeeded because we have open minds, common sense. A lot of analysis, careful weighing of the odds, make a firm decision, monitor it, implement it, modify as it goes wrong. ABANDON IF IT IS NO GOOD!
Lee Kuan Yew (Founding Prime Minister of Singapore)
Today, when you ask me about the vision of my esports & gaming tech VC, I will tell you:
We are a venture firm empowering the next generation of esports and gaming tech entrepreneurs that are hungry for success, resilient, radically open-minded, innovative and action-takers. We partner with them to create the best value for their clients and in the process ours, by giving them a platform to scale globally. We create win-win-win situations for our founders, LPs and team by creating the top decile returns. Entrepreneurs backing entrepreneurs.
Gamerforce Ventures – Our Vision
This has been “indoctrinated” into our team as they are onboarded because I strongly believe in the concept of vision alignment. Our visions should be aligned so that our business will flourish. If our visions aren’t aligned, we will eventually fall out.
This is a 300-year vision. I would like my companies to be able to continue growing over the many years to come. Having said that, I have one person to thank, Alvin. Alvin has clarified and gave me the confidence to make my 300-year vision a reality. Some people thought I was trying to be funny or joking, but this is as serious as it gets. 300 years later, when I am no longer around, my vision will be my legacy.
Is this masterclass for everyone? One thing I realized is that the word “legacy” itself carries a very solemn and heavy meaning. A legacy is a part of a person that lives on long after that person has passed have passed. A legacy also leaves behind the story of a person so they are not forgotten. Legacies are important path ways or the future to follow or to be guided by in order make better decisions in life. This is a huge undertaking. Here are my questions for those who would like to join Alvin’s Masterclass:
- Are you comfortable working as a freelancer or self-employed? If yes, please don’t go for it.
- Can you commit yourself to action after learning? If no, please don’t go for it.
- What is the vision you have? If you don’t have one, clarify it before going to his masterclass – or maybe you might get it clarified during the masterclass, I’m not sure.
- What is the legacy you want to leave behind for the world?
Peace,
