Sometimes when you venture out to something that is part of your unknown, you end up losing most of the battles — however gain valuable scars which could then turn into wisdom.
A year ago, I tried my luck in breeding fighting roosters —and in my first year, I failed and burnt a lot of cash in return of the experience. I know for a fact that this venture requires a handful of capital given how high the maintenance cost comes with breeding. However, I was hopeful, idealistically thinking that I could get my way out of the breeder's dilemma in a short time.. and that's where I got it all wrong.
Like every business, there's an unspoken rule which makes a gamefarm last. And that's something I had to decode along the way.. going through each challenges first-hand..
... and so I'm sharing what I've learned so far.
- Secure a good location. When I started, I immediately jumped into putting all infrastructure into a land that is not suitable for what I am trying to do. I didn't consider the rental fee knowing I won't be seeing any ROI in approx. 2years. Cutting the story short, I ended up transferring my base camp to a new location (somewhere in the province and into the highlands) and accepted the hard truth that I have to double spend in the upfront cost in putting up the infrastructure.
- Build up your team. Sometimes, the concept of ownership clouds your judgement and you try to delegate "everything" to your team. While it's good to have a level of trust be placed to your people, as the owner, you should see to it that your people are following your standards. Until then, you have to teach your people about your way, and little by little let them earn your trust to act with autonomy. The aim is for everyone to observe those standards religiously as you do.
- Get yourself a mentor. The league you are into is rich in history. Gamefowl breeding/fighting has a ton of patron esp. to countries where this has been part of their culture. There will be someone who you will look-up to, someone who's been in the scene for a while that knows almost all the ins and outs of operating a gamefarm. If there's a way for you to build a bond to those individuals, you'll surely save yourself from the pitfalls through their guidance.
- Act with discipline and acknowledge the temptation. This business highly involves money. And when you get into the game, what you'll notice is that, money easily comes and goes. Betting on your own fighting rooster is one thing, betting and becoming addicted to gambling is another. I am guilty about this as well! It's important that one should be able to distinguish the "act" you're about to commit. Do not get tempted in draining your funds because you can't handle being a bad loser in your gambling activities —its the fastest way to bankruptcy.
- Make sure you have a support system. When things doesn't go your way or luck isn't just in your favor. Your losses will hurt you and sometimes get into your head. Having a group of people, ie. your family, cheer you up does make a difference. A simple "you can do it" or "just bounce back tomorrow" will give you a sense of assurance that someone is looking after you, they care.
- Always look for something to improve. Operating a gamefarm is a continuous progress — it never stops. People will always improve themselves, their winning lines, their infrastructure, their peripherals and tools. If you stick to what you know, you won't be able to reach the higher grounds. So taking risks is essential in this venture. The competition is always "on" day-in day-out.
While I'm still a long way to go in my journey... I'm in a better place now than a year ago.. and I'll continue finding my way into the hall of fame, as the gamefarm I've put-up aims to be a living legacy of my father.
PS: This is only a side-gig, but I'm very passionate about it. I'm still into software engineering and I'm keeping up with all the trends in the tech-space most esp. in the crypto landscape.
