Motivated By Independence: My Dream Business

3 September 2025

One afternoon, I was sitting at the corner of my shop, staring blankly at the pouring rain. A lot of thoughts came rushing into my mind, mostly about disappointments from wrong decisions I’ve made. I know we can’t control everything, but I can’t help feeling disappointed with myself every time I end up making the wrong choices. The what-ifs start creeping in, and the overwhelming thoughts follow.
That’s how I ended up creating my recent questions on LOH.

1️⃣ If given a chance, what type of business would you like to put up, and why?

2️⃣ Do you see yourself as more motivated by passion, profit, or independence?

As I’ve shared before, the questions I post are always connected to my real-life situations, thoughts, or reflections.

Growing up in a large family, I disliked being dependent on others because there were already many at home who needed more attention. At a young age, I was motivated by independence. I tried not to be a burden to my family.

I did a lot of things on my own, attending recognition days and even some graduations without my parents. Believe it or not, they only attended my college graduation, never my elementary or high school. Thankfully, I had my aunt to escort me during those times.

After school, I started working to earn a living, not just for myself but also for others. I wanted freedom and independence, but I also carried responsibilities that weren’t supposed to be mine. Oftentimes, I feel unlucky, and I still don’t really see myself as successful.

I worked in different fields, motivated by profit, because I needed to survive. Over the years, I’ve tried to think harder before making any decisions. But of course, I still make mistakes. I'm not perfect, anyway.

Because I was too focused on survival, I put my passion aside. Even when I started my business, it wasn’t driven by passion. I was motivated by profit. I just wanted to earn to support my family. I’ve never really lived just for myself. Sometimes, I wish I were a little more carefree, but that’s not who I am.

But what really is my passion? And what’s my dream business?

If I ever get the chance or enough funds, I’d love to put up a small cafe. My current snack house doesn’t really count. It’s just a simple one. The location isn’t ideal for a cafe either, so even if I were to set one up, I know it would eventually fail.

My true passion is traveling, and many of you are already aware of this. Sadly, it feels impossible now because of my current situation. That’s why I started dreaming bigger. My new dream business is to have a Rolling Cafe, a mobile cafe that goes with me wherever I travel. That way, my love for traveling and my business could go hand in hand.

Why a Rolling Cafe?

_{AI-generated photo}

With a rolling cafe, I can go to places with prospect customers while also exploring my town and my province. Something I’ve never really done before. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone.

I imagine myself traveling, setting up by the beach or tourist spots, staying for a few days, and then having time to wander around after work.

I’ve seen rolling cafes on social media, and they really inspired me. But the challenge is, of course, the money. The e-cart alone is expensive. I even thought about converting my late father’s old car into a mobile cafe, but that would also take a lot of funds.

One thing I’ve learned since becoming a small entrepreneur is that there’s money out there in the streets. And if customers don’t come to your place, then go to theirs.

Therefore, my next goal is to get an e-car, so I can finally make my Rolling Cafe happen. I honestly can’t wait to make it happen. I hope and pray that it will happen. For now, I’ll keep grinding and saving until I can finally turn this dream business into reality.

To end this...

I believe one should be motivated by passion, profit, and independence, because they complete each other. It's your passion that keeps you inspired and makes every single thing you do, meaningful. Meanwhile, profit keeps things running. After all, there are bills that we have to pay. That won't change. And of course, independence. This gives you the freedom to choose whatever path you want to take without relying on others. So, if one is missing, it feels unbalanced. But when all exist, you get to enjoy what you do while earning from it, and living the life you've wanted.

Thanks for your time.

---

_•••

---