Ep395: Kassy Pajarillo-Braganza – Without Trust All Is Lost

Andrew Stotz 00:02
Hello fellow risk takers and welcome to my worst investment ever, stories of loss to keep you winning in our community, we know that the winning investing you must take risk but to win big, you've got to reduce it. If you're not already a member of our community, please go to my worst investment ever.com right now to join and receive the following five free benefits. First, you get the risk reduction checklist I created. From all the learnings from all the guests Second, you get my weekly investment research email to help you increase your return. Third, you get a 25% discount on all a Stotz Academy courses for you get instant access to the Facebook community to get to know guests and fellow listeners. And finally, you get my curated list of the Top 10 episodes out of now. More than 400 fellow risk takers This is your worst podcast host Andrew Stotz from a Stotz Academy, and I'm here with featured guest, Cassie pa radio Braganza. Cassie, are you ready to rock?

Kassy Pajarillo 01:11
I am ready to rock and you pronounce my name. Right? Congratulations. Thank

Andrew Stotz 01:16
you. That's the biggest challenge. That's my hardest job with the podcast is making sure I get that right. The tough challenge goes to my guests. Let me introduce you. So business growth online mentor, and coach. Cassie helps coaches, consultants, trainers, private practitioners, and service driven entrepreneurs claim their six figure outcomes for their seven figure businesses to her program. Power Profile biz accelerator, Cassie take a moment in Philly for the tidbits about your life.

Kassy Pajarillo 01:59
Well, my life was just newly married, my husband and I are just getting married. And in December 2020. And coming from that my entire career was on and off from the roller coaster ride of being in corporate to being a solopreneur, to venturing all sorts of things into going back to the hotel business until I finally have my own startup recognized by Google and all those things. So finally, you know, finally I said, Okay, it's time for me to have my own startup again, when I lost my job just when I was in the nickel of being my dream job of having my dream job as a general manager of a hotel. So one of my greatest dreams really was to become one of those women, general managers, because at the time, when I was a little bit more younger, or maybe High School and stuff whenever I search on Yahoo, okay, Yahoo. Yahoo, let's talk Let's not talk about age right here. Right when you were when you were going through Yahoo search, you barely got to see who are the top women leaders. And I figure there's something wrong, there was a problem here. How come there are new, you know, much women leaders on top? I mean, I know that women are, you know, great leaders, we do multitasking? Well, we nurture and at such a young age, I already had a dream. In fact, I had an online journal. And finally, when college was just about to when I was about to turn into a college, I was juggling, and I was thinking Should I go for being a doctor? Because my parents said so? Or maybe should I become a lawyer because my dad named me after a lawyer. Or maybe I should be, you know, in Mass Communications guy, I love to talk. Or maybe you know, there are just so many things until finally I said, you know, what a good thing that I have been journaling since I was young. And I saw that, okay, you love going to the spa. You love going hanging out into resorts and hotels, why not just do it? So yeah, so the story of my life was I just went straight to that. I didn't march for college anymore, since I was all about, you know, screw it. Why am I going to do that? I mean, why am I gonna waste five hours just to go through this stage and just get my diploma. That was my story, though. And finally, when I got my very first job, it was such an ambitious goal. And people have always been labeled me ambitious, like negatively. Like, EFF that, like, what's wrong with being ambitious and if I want it to become you know, to, to to work at the best resort in the world, I would do that because that's my dream. Who cares? So when in college, you know, I only gave my resume to just one company. While all of them. were sending it out. to different companies left and right, you know, shooting the moon here and there for me. I was just like, No, I'm just gonna give it to Mr. resorts. That's it. That's all that I wanted. And people were like, Oh, you're so ambitious Cassie, they're not gonna accept you. You're just the what a newly grad Who are you? And why would you even have this ambition to become a general manager anyway, and you just graduated? I was like, Okay, well, that's my dream. So if you write so, I've always had the thing in me. But of course, sometimes it creeps me in you know that self doubt sometimes curse me. And when I got in there was like, I can't believe that I was upgraded from being in the amaan resorts in the Philippines to Amman resorts in the US, which is our mangani. And that's really, really changed my life. But apparently, I realized there's just so much more to learn. You know, like being a general manager apparently is not just about cleaning, though, you know, cleaning the floors. It's not actually that, or being the chef of the house, or, you know, receiving guests and all although it was pretty fun, though, having to receive celebrities. Closing the entire resort thinking Michael Jackson was going to come in Apparently, it was Michael of Jackson. Oh, my God, I was crazy. Yeah. And that was the story of my life. And finally, when I got back in the Philippines, and long story short ventured on a lot of things. My general manager said, Hey, Cassie, if you really want to become a general manager, one secret I have to tell you, is that you got to expedite and carve your own path. So while everybody were like going for, you know, staying in one hotel, 1015 years, maybe, you know, just stick into one department, Kathy over here, was venturing out on a lot of departments by going to the best marketing agencies, ad agencies, I want to all go before pains and me and more to just really know, what are the ins and outs until finally I said, You know what, I'm ready to become a marketing director, and maybe be mentored by become a general manager. And that was a story and but he said, you know, Kathy, I think you're much better in entrepreneurship. I was like, What? Who are you to crush my dreams? I'm like, mmm, this close. I'm like, you're already mentoring me. So why? Well, why is that happening? And he said, you know, Kathy, I see you because here's the thing. He gave me zero marketing budget, zero, and you are in finance. Andrew, you're in finance, do you know like, and corporations are will always be a marketing budget, right? I mean, how are we going to earn money? If you have no marketing budget? Like how is that even possible? And it would be down, right? But he went on and said, No, I believe in you, I'm gonna give you nothing. And nothing. It's just you and your assistant. That's it. I was like, Oh, so I couldn't believe it. But Cassie, here being the ambitious that she is, I was like, I take on the challenge. If this is the, if this is going to be the test of the time, so that I can prove to you that I can be the general manager, and an amazing badass women, I'm gonna definitely do this. And what happened was I made use of my resources, I really immersed myself into business. I was, you know, talking length with him, what are the things that we have to cut cost? And I talked to him about this thing. And what he taught me was, Why do you have to cut cost in order for you to earn more? I was like, What the hell are you teaching me again? Right. But eventually, you know, what happened was, we I just finally saw here, the opportunity that in order for you to make money, it's really not about spending money, in order for you to make money was actually having to know what are the resources that you have and make use of those resources? And then 10x that so what I did was I took stock on you know, I took stock on what's happening in the resort and to hotel, what are our assets and turn it over. And we had fully booked rooms after we had fully booked restaurants after on buffets. They had just returned around and my general manager was so impressed by that, but I was actually impressed. But even if I was impressed, I was like, I'm lacking sleep. So I love sleep. So no. Yeah, well, the story there is, um, you know, that's the story of my life. Quit stuff got married pandemics should happen. And here I am teaching people the business of it though and how to make money with nothing.

Andrew Stotz 09:45
Let me just ask that question. Before we get on to the main question. The next question is just what type of person who's suffering what type of pain you know can benefit from what you bring to them.

Kassy Pajarillo 10:03
What type of pain can I bring to them? Because I think this is the desperation and also the desire, and also being focused on one goal. And when you mix them all together, it gives you this force of nature that you're just going to make things happen because you want to make things happen.

Andrew Stotz 10:24
Right? Okay, great. All right, well, what a story. And by the way, I know a lot of very impressive women in the Philippines. And now today, the audience, you're getting to know just one more. So now it's time to share your worst investment ever. And since no one ever goes into their worst investment, thinking it will be. Tell us a bit about the circumstances leading up to and then tell us your story.

Kassy Pajarillo 10:52
Oh, my God, Andrew, you know, when I said yes to this podcast, I was like, I love this topic. It's a topic that nobody really talks about. And it will take a lot of bravery and vulnerability to actually share that story. So kudos to you, thank you for you know, bringing us in here and for allowing me to also have this conversation to your listeners. And of course, learning from you as well. Worst investment now. As you briefed also, you know, I mean, investment is not just all about money, it's all about all sorts of other things. I mean, for me, I have two things in mind when it comes to investments, asking and knowing what is our o r? And what is the ROI, right? I mean, in finance, it's all about ROI. What do I have to know? What is our o r? So basically, what is your return of investment when you actually invest in something? Or what is your return of resources if you invest in something. So I think one of the biggest mistakes that I auction or actually learned along the way to Well, from coming from all these endeavors in and out of corporate, to startups to real being my own, and to now being the general manager, or CEO of my own company, there's just so many things, but I stopped looking on ROI alone, I have to look into also the ROI or return off resources, like if I invested on something, does it? I mean, what else aside from money do I get from it? Right? So it could be I increased the level of my confidence. They increased the level of you know, my knowledge, was I able to know now finally, I have slps in my team, right? So there's no waste of investment. if you learned from it, and you piece them all together as a learning because I want a shift that as well, my mindset, calm, I mean, I'm going to go into that worst investment, right? When I shifted my mindset that there's no such thing as winners and losers, there's only winners and learners. So when I stopped asking or telling myself that I lost from this investment, and then I'm gonna feel like bad about it, I'm gonna feel like, okay, there was a shitty move. Why did you do that? Right? But now it's really more Okay, what did I learn from that? Okay, now that you do that, you had an empowered decision. Why did you come up with that indecision? What is the objective of actually having to decide or, or investment to that? Now, the worst investment that I had, which is really pivotal in my life was, you know, when I was a little bit more younger, I always fall into the trap of sale stock. People will come to me and say, okay, Cassie, do you want to invest in this, it's going to turn extra business and it's going to 10 extra live, all you got to do is sit around in there and just not do anything. I mean, I think it was the height of mlms and all those pyramid schemes. I mean, I'm not saying it's bad. I mean, some people actually really, really are good at it. But I think for my end, I spent God, the first thing that I spent on was, I think around if I'm not mistaken around 2000 $2,500 so I just got a I just turned it into dodge and pesto was, I mean, f right. Like, Oh, shit. So sorry, I kept on saying that anyway. So the story was when I was younger, there is this reputable guy, he is coming from a good society. You know all those people who you know, leverage on I am from the elite or you know, it's okay that I can be trusted. I'm all over, you know, the newspapers, my credibility is awesome. And I'm a friend and rubbing elbows with me, you're gonna rub elbows with these other people too, and stuff like that. So when I was younger, I thought like, Okay, how much is investment and what is going to happen? And he was like, Okay, well, you Invest $2,000 as you say, when you invest $2,000, what's going to happen is when invite another person to join the community under you, right? You're going to earn, let's just say, I forgot how much it is. But example you're going to earn $500 example. I mean, I can't I don't want to even remember it. So it's hurt brain. And I was like, Okay, cool. And I was like, why am I going to support you in this? And he was like, Oh, yeah, the celebrity here. I mean, this celebrity AB me lots of celebrities. It was mentioned as part of this also. And you know, in the Philippines, we're all about showbiz. We're all about you know, and unfortunately, I kind of fell into that trap when I was younger. So, I was like, okay, cool, because I trust you, I'm gonna give you my money, and what's my next move, and he said, Oh, my next move is just sitting there hanging there, I'm just gonna do the work and my team is gonna do the work and you're just going to like, wait for the money to come in. And by the way, you're gonna have got tons of vitamins in your house. So make use of those vitamins. And you know, feed you to your, your, your family have a protein shake, and all these things, how you're going to be healthy, too. Isn't that amazing? I was like, Okay, I'm gonna fall into this trap. Okay, fine. Let me do it and go and send it over. So I gave him money that I saved four years. from it. Oh, my God, I save for the years. And newsflash, I never got a nickel. Nothing. And I was asking him, okay, I thought, I'm just gonna sit around in here. And he was gonna, like, bring in my money, like, where the EFF is

Andrew Stotz 16:38
How much longer do I have to sit here? How

Kassy Pajarillo 16:40
much longer How much longer? It was, like hanging in there, the celebrities are coming in, hang in there I make I was getting all those things. And I was like, Oh, my gosh, this guy is a good salesman. But I didn't know that. Right? Because I was like, What 20 something. I mean, let's just forget about body age. So after that, I just walk away with it. And I just said, you know, every time I see his face, I just can't trust him anymore. But he's a celebrity chef here. Oops, this is a celebrity. Oh, my gosh, but he's a celebrity or maybe an icon or known already, or somehow I don't know you if you want to win whatever you want to call that. So that was that. And I learned my lesson in there. But here's the thing, another lesson happened. So there's this guy was like, oh, Cassie, you're in the hotel industry. You know, there's this travel package thing. And when you invest X amount, I think that was around $2,000. Again, or 2000. I never learned my lesson. But he said, Oh yeah, your parents are going to reap the benefit, because you will be able to spend time into hotels. So you're gonna have it's like a time sharing kind of and coming from someone who loves you know, sitting in a hotel, you know, lounging around the hotel out of nothing, or just love your parents love my parents, you know, all these things. I fell for that trap. And I said, Okay, and my mom was looking for something to work on. So I told my mom, Hey, Mom, I want to invest in this something, but it's just something that you want to do. So instead of me, are you gonna do the work mom? And she's like, Okay, what is it? What is it? Tell me about it. And I told her, okay, all you got to do is really, there is a coupon, and you can sell it to your friend for an overnight stay on another hotel, and you're gonna learn from it or something like that. Yeah, that didn't turn out. Well.

Andrew Stotz 18:30
What did she say? She's good. Or did she say

Kassy Pajarillo 18:33
no? She did. She did kind of enjoyed it for a while because there are free. It's not free because it's paid for it. Right? But now I come it dawned on me like I did I did pay for those rooms. It wasn't for free. What the hell? Right. So she enjoyed it. So part of me is just like, you know, it's what I learned from that was Okay, number one. Love your parents. You gave an opportunity. At least you gave them hotel perks. You stayed on the hotel, that's it. But the money back was here's the thing, the guy disappeared on me tonight. He was gone. And I don't know where he was like, even if I asked him even right now, when I see his face, I would always tell him Hey, dude, whatever happened to the money that you said, you're gonna bring back to me? I was like, oh, Cassie, you know, businesses really fail. You know, I that's the risk that you have to take. I was like,

Andrew Stotz 19:23
so let me ask you. Yeah, what lessons now I want you to think about, there's a lot of young people around the world and particularly in the Philippines that are being approached all the time, whether it's online or through other people with these types of offers, and let's just talk about offers that really probably aren't really yeah, we're doing. So my question is, what lessons did you learn from this experience? Well,

Kassy Pajarillo 19:48
you know, because of those experience, too, right? It actually brought me back to how I do business as well right now, but before I dive into how it taught me and my business, and all So how to formulate my own offers? And what are the things that you shouldn't do? Right? What I learned from there was number one is, aside from doing the research, you really got to do the work. I mean, there's no such a thing, as you know, sitting there lounging around and expect for other people to do the work for you, and have that passive income that you wanted. I mean, sure, there may be, you know, I mean, in business right now, we there's evergreen, there is other ways to do to passive income or even trading, but the thing is, even on trading, you gotta do something, right. It's not like, Okay, I'm gonna put my money there. It's not like, unlike crypto, crypto, where and you put it in there 2012. And then now it's like, just gonna, like, you know, it's have the money that you wanted, but it's not the real thing. So number one, it's do their research, do their research. Number two have credibility. And being in the newspapers and stuff doesn't really count. I mean, it may count a bit, but doesn't really count. But you that I also asked herself, is this person really after? My benefit? And my well being? Or is he just is he or she? Or they whatever, right? Are they just being greedy about it? And just wanted to? I mean, want want my money, right? And number three, I also learned that Chinese shiny object syndrome, right? People flashing money that you are going to have x amount in two months, three months, one month, I don't know how long that may be. If it's too good to be true. Run, run right now. Hmm. And number four, of course, is if they say, hey, in order for you to earn money, you got a new, you got to give me money first before I give you money. Okay, that's scary to run. Yep. So,

Andrew Stotz 21:48
got it. Yeah. So for four lessons, number one, you got to do the work. Number two, I wrote down that fame is a seducer. And shiny, shiny object syndrome is the idea of if it's too good to be true, then it's not. And also don't give money, you know, their businesses about maybe I'll add in my my, of course, my thoughts on this. But you know, business is about trust. And I think we don't learn that in school. But when you go into business, you realize every business is operating with trust, because you know, you have suppliers, that you've said, you're going to pay, and you've got customers that you've trusted, that they're going to pay. And you've got employees that are working that trust that you're going to pay at the end of the month. And so it's all about trust. So trust is a much bigger thing than what I think a lot of young people realize. So think about trust. And remember that trust is only built over time. There's no shortcut or hack to trust. And the second thing is that I wrote down the word seduced, as you know, one of the things I take away, and that's, there's so many people out there that are so seductive in what they're proposing to you in a business, you know, idea that it's so in their very skill, there's so skilled at it, that it's almost impossible to resist. So be very careful. And I would just say, you have to be careful about every business opportunity, I like to say that in investing, never invest in something that somebody called you about. Because you know, anybody calling you is doing so because they're getting paid in one way or the other, or they expect to be paid. And then the last thing is passive income. As a finance expert, I can say, this is gonna sound a little bit weird, but there is no such thing as passive income. Yes, I learned along the way. You know, any little business that you're going to do, you're going to put in work as you explain. But even you know, if you look in the world of finance, we have like this exponential curve that says of compounding your money, compound interest. But the point is that exponential curve has one built in assumption that most people never know, because they're not finance experts about it. The assumption that's built into that curve that shows exponential gain later in your life, assumes that 100% of all the gains that have been received from that investment are reinvested in that investment. And that means that, particularly if you're young and you're building your wealth, you can't get passive income, because if you took that income out, then you wouldn't get an exponential rise in your income 20 or 30 years from now. So that's even another reason why really, there is no such thing as passive income, unless you can say, the mega rich could just put their money could put their money in the bank or in some bonds and just get no interest off that but that's far away from what most people who are hoping for passive income get anything you'd add to that.

Kassy Pajarillo 24:56
Yeah, um, I think that's where I want it. You're really, you know, talking about over here as I mean, in this podcast to that, and especially in Asia raising money around the world, I mean, that doesn't matter. But I think it's really more of like people are show. So I'm gonna call this blind sided by the entire word Oh, you're gonna have passive income if you do this. Oh, you do affiliate marketing? Sure. And I mean, yeah, of course. These are I mean, these are strategies and tactics. But it's not like it's going to turn you into like a Bill Gates right away. Right. Or even Bill Gates. I mean, he doesn't believe much on like, passive income, like, right. I mean, he's diversified the wealth. But yeah, I think this is something that really needs to be talked about even more like how do you actually define finances? How do you actually define diversification? And even if diversification there are books that would say, you know, like, you need seven things. So that's why go for an MLM. Or, for me, I mean, I was at least on a point when my worst investment ever, it was. I mean, I think the worst investment ever, there wasn't because I lost money. And you're honestly, what I lost, there was the trust that I gave to that person. I really lost as well the confidence and investing in other people that it pained me. I mean, imagine this, I mean, Andrew, it took me a while as well to, to trust myself again. Right. It took me years to tell myself, okay, Cassie, I mean, especially now, in this pandemic, I lost, you know, I mean, just like you your coffee business, and all right, I lost my business. I mean, I mean, there's no events whatsoever, I can't do all these things I used to do, and all I got to do is like, be creative and do something about it. I was in negative 5000, almost a million pesos on $20,000 that if I didn't do anything, I love forecasting, by the way. So yeah, so I was like, okay, as new married, if we don't do anything, I mean, it's just, it's gonna happen. And here's the thing, and I was hurt too much that I wasn't betting on myself anymore. Because I said, Okay, wait, I invested on these things. And it didn't give me r o. r, then, right. I mean, forget about ROI. Okay, sure what but I think I'm an RR what it really hurts me. So what happened was, you know, before I hired my very first coach, by the way, I paid my coaches $35,000 money that I didn't have, oh, my God, I know. But because of that, okay, I did my research, I also asked people about it. I also check on the social proof, I also really spoke to her like in depth, I really had to go through process to talk to this person, okay? If they I'm going to bet on myself, but really more or better than you and this is going to work and because of that, you know, because of that connection, all those things that I learned in the past, right, I was able to bend myself again, and this is how I was able to build my business now because this is where I learned right? That you don't have to manipulate people in order for you to actually earn money because money is a tool right money it's just going to go gone after but what about a trust right the trust so the worst investment here again, I just want to go into a much deeper you know, meaning into that. It's not because I lost the money I lost trust, not just you know, from that person, I lost trust in betting on myself in lost confidence. I lost the contract Actually, it's I'm not sure if it's really confidence, Andrew, I think it's actually yeah, I think it's deeper more than just confidence because confidence there are different types of confidence, right? confident and speaking confidence and all these things. But I think confidence on up leveling or self confidence and knowing that you are empowered to have decisions again when it comes to betting in yourself. So that was it. So I guess yeah, that I hope that helps. Yeah.

Andrew Stotz 29:01
So based upon what you learn from this story and what you continue to learn what one action would you recommend our listeners take to avoid suffering the same fate?

Kassy Pajarillo 29:12
Well, really, it's having to know what is really the goal that you want and what is this big vision that you have? What is the vision that you have and go through that direction? Because if you don't have a vision, you will always be there direction less than I should say that right? Right? Yeah. So we if you don't have a vision, you don't have you know, you don't have these Okay, one thing I also do every single day is I actually write down Okay, what are my What is this big goal that I have again, and then I remind myself about that number two, where am I going to house my money? If and when I get those money, where am I going to house it and why am I and then I will ask myself through Why do I want this? Right? What good will it bring to my family to My health to my parents to whatever reason that may be right and not fall in. I mean, I do those checks every single day. Because I don't want to be that person who was like that, you know who just manipulated. Right? And just being you know, it'd be shiny syndrome object and stuff like that or just you know being directionless. So, for me, I get it's rlr. So what am I getting out of it? So, yeah, so those were the lessons I basically I had to re morphic psychologically, what does it do to you?

Andrew Stotz 30:35
Last question, what's your number one goal for the next 12 months.

Kassy Pajarillo 30:40
My number one goal for the next 12 months is to have more women to help more women reach their six to seven figure income dollars. I haven't had anyone at a seven figure dollars yet, but I have some with seven figure Philippine pesos. would speed and of course, would work life integration. Because in the Philippines, or where I see everywhere, as well in the world, majority of the people are all about Hustle, Hustle, Hustle, Hustle. right for me, I want you to have time for yourself. And that is my goal. I mean, it feels great. I think this is also the lesson that I had from then. Right. Like, it feels great to know that when you actually impacted another soul. I mean, in fact, I just am yesterday, somebody said, Hey, Coach do a show. They were she was sharing to me. Hey, coach, I know I must deeper. You don't see me often. But thank you for guidance, you know, building our house. That in itself was just amazing. And I want more stories like that. But personally as well, aside from that goal, of course, with my mentees and a feat I mean, responding to calling my number one goal for my family to is to actually renovate the house. Okay? Yeah, it really excited because we're trying to conceive, we're trying to, you know, have a baby. So I'm already what excites me really more is like, motherhood, I'm getting prepared for that. So it's not about the money. It's really not about the money, but it's really more of the experiences that my family is going to go through because of the resources that I also gained. And I give

Andrew Stotz 32:16
great, well, listeners, there you have it, another story of loss to keep you winning. My number one goal for the next 12 months is to help you mind listener, reduce risk and increase return in your life. To achieve this. I've created our community where you gain the five free benefits I mentioned earlier, just go to my worst investment ever.com right now to join us. As we conclude, Kassie, I want to thank you again for coming on the show. And on behalf of a Stotz Academy I hereby award you alumni status for turning your worst investment ever into your best teaching moment. Do you have any parting words for the audience?

Kassy Pajarillo 32:58
My parting words is drive ambition and keep on serving love and do that one thing that fuels you.

Andrew Stotz 33:03
Beautiful. Well, that's a wrap on another great story to help us create, grow and protect our well fellow risk takers. This is your worst podcast hose Andrew Stotz saying. I'll see you on the upside.