By Lcid Crescent Fernandez
Before we went public with our plans for Prometheus, our marketing agency, I went around and asked a bunch of people from established businessmen to young trailblazers about why they hadn’t ventured into that space yet or why there was no such agency in Iloilo yet. I received varied answers:
“The market’s not sustainable. Ilonggo businesses are too conservative.”
“I guess I just never had the courage. I was given opportunities to start, but I didn’t.”
“I tried to do that, but we could never get consistent projects.”
All of their answers pointed to one clear path: Don’t do it.
Four years later, Prometheus has a 40-strong team, and has created 3 new subsidiary corporations.
But today’s column is not about the present and future for Prometheus. I’m going to talk about the past, more particularly, how everyone who watched us thought of us.
We started out having to take out a loan to pay for our first camera, and then having to make a DIY lighting set-up where our light stands were people. We worked out of bedrooms, apartment spaces, and bodegas. We would finish working on a pitch at 4am in the morning, and then drive to the airport at 6am just to be able to get some time with a potential client. For the first 7 months of Prometheus’ life. We had an average monthly income of 20,000php.
And yet we were pouring in late nights and early mornings with no weekends. And I was still in law school.
They thought I was crazy. They didn’t understand.
When the pandemic hit, our income went to 0. Everybody thought it was over for Prometheus. We had to rethink our business model, reorganize our revenue streams, and change our approach to business development. We began shooting in informal settlements at the height of the pandemic.
They didn’t understand.
Two years into Prometheus, we had a clear and organized structure with 15 people. I had yet to receive a single peso in salary at that point despite working multiple roles.
People were dumbfounded. They didn’t understand.
Three years in with a team of 30 and having moved into our new office, I immediately started moving laterally into other industries that required similar disciplines and could benefit from the already established agency.
Someone told me, “You’re a marketing agency! What are you doing investing in software and weddings? You’re spreading yourself thin!” They didn’t understand.
While the new subsidiaries began to take shape and come into their own, I decided to wake up at 4am every day so I could work on all the subsidiaries while maintaining my duties in Prometheus and going to law school.
They told me to slow down, that I was pushing myself too far. They still don’t understand.
Not everything we will do will become a success. Our plans, our hopes and our dreams won’t all work out in our favor. But come hell or high water, I’m going to give it everything I goddamned got. And you’re not gonna stop me by telling me I’m crazy or I’m going too far. I probably am, and it makes me feel fucking alive.
People are going to look at our determination and our drive, and wonder what the hell is wrong with us. They can only see the things that they think are possible, things within their own sphere of understanding.
They’ll think you’re misguided or crazy or delusional. They won’t understand what it takes.
But guess what?
They’re paying attention.
Give them a show.
It’s all about mindset; How you talk to and view yourself in your journey to be a better you. Every monday, we’re going to talk about getting better.
