Entrepreneurship

"Why can't you get it right? Until you finish playing the complete piece no playing the devices, the little boy sulk as Ray's Aunt reprimanded his nephew for not being able to finish up his music assignment correctly"

"Ma I'm tired, I want to rest for a bit"

"No 2 more times! Your exam is in 3 days so you need to get it right"

And the boy quietly goes back to his piano as soon as his Aunt left to the Kitchen closing off the iPad, Ray watched as little Ren Li played but the kid was also getting frustrated himself after playing the wrong notes.

He slams at the piano, "I don't want to play anymore!" And stomped his feet towards the sofa. Ray felt for the boy, it reminded him of his younger days when he would push himself to play 2-3 hours every day until he master his violin / piano / guitar piece perfectly and when he can't get it right he would get frustrated too. And so this is the constant pressure of being in a family where everything needs to be perfect and competitive. His Aunt is a perfectionist somewhat demanding yet very successful as a woman entrepreneur running her own boutique fashion and clothes line.

"Ah zhen, so kind of you to visit, please pass this back to your parents and Ah Ma and and Ah Kong. I bought these from my recent trip"

Ray's aunt another entrepreneur, single mother. Her husband passed away when they were 5 years into marriage and she had just delivered Ren Li. Very strong person to be able to raise a son on her own and yet setup her business. It's been 15 years now that uncle passed away and she never fails to remember him on selected days. When I was younger as my mum would bring me over to play with Ren Li as Aunt stays alone with Ren Li and the maid after my uncle passed away. A sad but moving story was told to me by my mum. It wasn't until when i was about 15 that during one of my visit, she personally shared her story with me. My uncle is of a Japanese decent, it was one of my grandpa's client son. They met as my grandpa meets this Japanese client almost once a month and on one of his visit, his son came along, he bumped into my aunt at the corridor of the house. It was love at first sight.

"Your uncle was very persistent, he courted and ask for my hand in marriage from your grandpa when i just turned 19, 6 months after we met" Your grandpa insisted that I finished my education hence we were deeply in love through letters. We had many dreams that we spoke about we wanted to have a family that he had shared the things he wanted to do together. So much going but sometimes too much planning may not be worth it, I'd rather live each day fulfillingly. But then again on the contrarily we did live each day to the fullest. On his final days, he felt sad that he could not be there for us and see Ren Li growing up, graduating, getting married and having kids but he had never regretted each day we had since we met"

My mum told me my grandfather objected to the wedding at first but relented to it, he tried to keep my Aunt away by sending her to boarding school during her university days but he gave up after seeing how deeply in love is she with my uncle. My mum said my grandpa threaten to disown my Aunt if she refuses to break-off the relationship but she stood strongly, she was kneeling down in front of our house when my grandpa told her to leave and ask the maid to pack her clothes and threw it out of the house. It wasn't until my grandmother intervene that grandpa stop. My grandma knew my Aunt love this man very much but my grandpa wanted to use her hand in marriage for bridging a business partnership which is really of old school. I felt it reminded me of the ancient historical days where marriages were kept for bridging relationship with countries and exchanges of favours.

Since then my grandma had been very careful keeping an eye on us, often lecturing my cousins parents and mine especially so that they watch over us, not to get involved in relationship unnecessarily I guess it was because of the fear of seeing your loved one suffers. My uncle passing was a great blow for my aunt - it took awhile before she could accept it but also because she had to think and live for Ren Li, and she is very strict with Ren Li probably because she wants him to grow up well, the only memory left of her husband, a love child that was left from this relationship. She would light a little water lantern on certain days for him still.

And we get along well given somewhat experiences that we could relate to. She doesn't ask me much except if I was okay when i was away.

"Gu Gu so what is it that you wanted to talk to me about on your business?"

"Ah Zhen - I want you to help me out in my business since you are back, i need someone to run the company for me."

"What??.....I'm already helping Pa" I answered

" I know but i wanted to create a charity space where i can contribute some garments, clothes and fabric for the less fortunate through my online store and have that contribution directed to some charity organisation"

"Well you could actually put a communication out to say for every X amount spent by consumer through your online stall, the company will pledge some amount to a charitable organisation and you could also build a function on the application something like donate your loose change to the charitable organisation - you can let them pick and state their amount in the application via mobile. At the back end we can get someone to link up to the bank account or do it over like an e-wallet concept where they come into your physical store and QR code it where the link pops up at the cashier counter for them to contribute directly.

Now my aunt is looking at me amazingly. "When can you start?"

"I can't! I'm full time with my dad now and I'm still managing some side business of mine - but hmm I may be able to see if I can connect you with some friends of mine" I said

"Oh btw you can also do a launch to market out this programme - i can get someone to play some jamming music at your launch" I suddenly thought about Ruo Lan.

Meeting up with my Aunt is always nice, I'm happy she moved on as my mum did shared how devastated she was when my uncle passed away and for her to get over it, it took time but for Ren Li, after crying her heart out she picked up her life again, build her own business and never look back. My uncle must have given her every motivation and strength.

What touches me was what she said "Ah zhen...when the day comes for me to crossover to see him, I want him to know I've raised Ren Li and left him behind with something he can take on to provide for his own family and we need not worry about him and what your uncle left me with his love, our son, is what i have poured my heart and soul into protecting and nurturing Ren Li  until i meet him again"