“I’m passionate about so many things. I worked as a training consultant for a couple of years clocking in at least 45 hours a week.
On the side, I started a passion project called Giving is Social. I really wanted it to get off the ground but there was no way I can manage it while holding a demanding corporate job...
On the side, I started a passion project called Giving is Social. I really wanted it to get off the ground but there was no way I can manage it while holding a demanding corporate job...
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So I watched how successful people do it—they had people working for them. 'Maybe I can have someone working for me,' I daydreamed one day.
‘But I’m just an employee!’ I debated with myself. Then I saw the real cost of my time. It didn’t matter that I wasn't a CEO yet. My time is as valuable as one. So, I looked at my potential costs if I continued trying to do everything on my own—the stress, the time with family and friends I’d lose and dreams I won't be able to fulfill. Then I looked at what I was earning back then. I actually could afford to hire a virtual assistant for a few hours a week! |
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2013 was the start of my journey working with both physical and virtual teams. With this support, I grew Giving is Social and created more brands, including The Smart Shopper and The Asia Mrs. Blanding. I have since then also published a book and two online courses. I continued to invest time to learn more about branding, marketing, and managing a virtual team, spending thousands of dollars in the process.
In 2020, a friend who owns a 20-people business selling forklifts and repairing buses and trucks in Singapore approached me for digital marketing support. That was the start of The Collective Asia. Since then, my team and I have been helping creators and entrepreneurs create and grow life-changing profitable brands. — Joanna Blanding, CEO, The Collective Asia |