Chapter 11 - A business with no sign is a sign of no business.

The old American saying, "Build it and the people will come." is no longer true. How can people come to my hot spring if they didn't even knew it exists in the first place? That's why nobody came in its grand opening. Yeah, sure, I've put up a big arch made out of bamboo with the name of my business in it but, there's not much "foot traffic" or "vehicle traffic" in the street. Our location is quite secluded so, it's really understandable.

People just didn't know and didn't see that a hot spring opened nearby.

Now that I've found out what my business is lacking, I exactly know what to do: ADVERTISE!

Just like what I did before, I took lots of pictures (emphasizing on the aesthetic Japanese theme of my hot spring) using my glass phone and posted it on my social media accounts, complete with details, information and directions.

I made hand-written flyers out of recycled paper and distributed it all over the town using my bicycle.

I've made lots of directional signs out of bamboo and placed them on the road so more people will know about our hot spring and would not get lost when they go there.

To improve overall customer experience, I've set up my small sound system on a wall near the pool so my future customers can listen to old classic songs while they soak in the hot spring.

I've also done some research about the health benefits of taking baths in a hot spring and I'm truly surprised of what I've discovered.

Based on a true, two-decade Japanese research and study, hot springs has been proven to have good therapeutic effects on brain stroke and heart attack patients. If they soak in a hot spring everyday, for more than a year, the warm, mineral spring water will heal their paralysis and injuries! That's not all! Hot springs are also good for our muscles. It relieves tension and helps our bodies to relax, thus totally removing stress. Overall, hot springs are good and healthy for all of us. It can even increase the longevity of our lives! Hot springs are amazing!

And so with this vital information in mind, I've made numerous and daily posts on all available social media platforms, highlighting the health benefits of our hot spring, targeting the elderly people, creating demand when there's no demand for a hot spring. I've also reached out to young people who loves Japanese culture and anime, sent e-mails and text messages to my old friends, classmates, and relatives to come and visit our place.

It's tiring, it's labor-intensive, it's all hard work but, if I didn't do any marketing and advertising, my business will surely fail.

With all the effort I've put into this, I really hope all my marketing strategy works.

I really, REALLY, need this business to work.

I'm completely broke, drained, and exhausted...

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A few weeks later, just like a drizzle on a parched earth, customers started trickling in.

It's not much but, small earnings is always better than no earnings at all. Slowly but surely, I'm starting to recuperate the capital I've spent to build the hot spring. And after two years, I've dug a new pool, added more tables, chairs, comfort rooms, sheds, snacks, drinks, and souvenirs.

I've opened up my own savings account in a bank and I've also started to help my parents in paying our daily expenses and utility bills.

All in all, I can proudly say, that my "Bamboo Hot Spring" business, for the longest time, has finally become a success...

Well... It has some few drawbacks.

I've realized (and this is a critical information that I've missed) that a hot spring business earns "seasonally". I don't have many customers on weekdays, but I have some loyal patrons on weekends. I've forgotten the crucial fact that I live in the Philippines, a hot tropical country.

And when It's summer, there's no customers at all.

Yes, I earn some profit and managing it is not that stressful. It's a sustainable source of income but...

If I still want to achieve my dream and build the Server of Iris, I need more.

I need millions. Hundreds of millions...

But my business is only earning thousands...

It would take a very long time (my whole lifetime may not be even enough!) before I can reach that number.

And I simply don't have that much time...

Whenever I think about this, of how slow my progress is in making The Server of Iris a reality, I get sad and frustrated. But at the same time, it's like... my conscience starts whispering in my mind...

"You should be happy! Look what you've accomplished. It's an achievement! Don't think of how small it is, stop comparing yourself to other people! You have a work now! You have a business! You're earning! You have a stable flow of income! While others don't even have a job or food on their table! Be thankful to God for your blessings! What's with all this greed? You're not broke anymore! You have money in your pockets and savings in a bank! Please! Learn to be content and enjoy what you have! Why are you in such a hurry? What are you chasing after...?"

I asked that question to myself once more.

What am I chasing after...?

The answer is obvious - My dream, of course!

And it's not just all about me. I also want to help other people. Give them opportunities to make their lives better!

I stared at the hot spring water, smoothly, silently flowing from a bamboo tube.

Well... In my current state right now, and the slow pace I'm going, I can never build that multi-million tower project...

Still...

If I can't make my dreams come true, then I'll just write them down! At least it became real, sort of, even if it's only in a piece of paper! That's another secret to business success that I've learned from watching a documentary: Write it down. Never trust your memory. If you don't write your ideas, you'll forget it 100%. This is one of the principles why Thomas Edison, the famous scientist who invented the DC Current, became one of the most successful inventors in the world - He wrote his ideas down on paper...

Dreams die hard.

From now on, as I sat on my bamboo table and wait for my customers to arrive, I'll make good use of my time and write the full epic fantasy story of the Server of Iris.