Today, I turned 40.
Four decades. The big 4-0.
And honestly? I’m not freaking out about it like I thought I would. Maybe it’s because I’m too tired from having a 6-month-old baby to have a proper midlife crisis. Or maybe it’s because after 14 years of building businesses (mine and other people’s), I’ve learned that age is just a number, but the lessons? Those are gold.
So instead of throwing myself a party (who has time for that?), I’m doing what I do best: making a list and sharing what I’ve learned. Because if there’s one thing I’ve figured out in 40 years, it’s that we’re all just making it up as we go along. Winging it. And might as well share, you might get a thing or two.
Here are 40 things I’ve learned about business, about life, and about trying to balance both without losing my mind.
1. Nobody knows what they’re doing at first. When I started as a VA in 2011, I had no idea what I was doing. I just knew I needed to make money and I was decent at organizing things. That was enough.
2. Your first client doesn’t have to be your dream client. They just have to be willing to pay you. Dream clients come later.
3. A notebook and a prayer is not a system. But it’s a start. We all begin somewhere.
4. The jobs you take at 25 will teach you what you DON’T want to do at 40. And that’s valuable information.
5. Trust what your gut tells you. About that prospect you talked to, about that applicant you interviewed. Not scientifically proven, but if your gut says no, don’t jump in. I’ve ignored my gut before hired people I had a weird feeling about, taken on clients that felt off from the first call. Every single time? My gut was right. Now I listen.
6. The transition from VA to operations manager wasn’t a promotion. It was a complete identity shift. And it took me years to own it.
7. You can’t scale chaos. I learned this the hard way. Multiple times. Matigas kasi ulo ko (I’m so stubborn) lol!
8. Systems aren’t sexy, but they’re the difference between working 60 hours and working 40. Nobody’s going to congratulate you on your amazing SOP documentation. But future you will be grateful.
9. Tools. There are a lot of tools. Don’t be a hoarder. I know, I know. That shiny new project management tool looks amazing. But do you really need it when you already have three others doing the same thing? It’s okay to try and test. actually, I encourage it. But do an audit every quarter. Some tools may already be doing the same things and you’re just wasting money paying for duplicates. Been there, wasted that money. Aray!
10. Your team is only as good as the tools you give them. If they keep asking the same questions, that’s on you, not them.
11. Jumping between tasks CAN be a superpower, as long as you finish what you start. Don’t let anyone tell you there’s only one way to work.
12. Working across different industries taught me that every business has its own language. And part of being good at operations is learning to speak it fluently.
13. Time blocking changed my life. Batching didn’t. Know your brain. Work with it, not against it.
14. The buddy system isn’t just for kids on field trips. It’s how you transfer knowledge and eliminate single points of failure in your business.
15. At some point, your clients will want YOU specifically, not just your team’s work. That’s both flattering and problematic. Build team relationships early.
16. Courses. Again, do not hoard! My Google Drive used to be a graveyard of courses I bought and never finished. “I’ll get to it when I have time,” I’d tell myself. Spoiler: I never had time. Now I only buy courses that will actually help me achieve a specific goal I’m working on RIGHT NOW. And only from people who practice what they preach not just the ones with the prettiest sales pages. Your wallet and your sanity will thank you.
17. When clients say everything is urgent, nothing is urgent. Teach them (and yourself) to prioritise.
18. Don’t be blinded. There are a lot of influencers out there. They tell us to wake up at 4 AM, batch our tasks, scale to seven figures, be a girl boss, be a boy boss, be whatever boss. And honestly? Some of it’s helpful. But some of it’s just noise. Ask yourself first before you buy into what they say: Do I see myself that way? Does that align with my values? Does this actually work for MY life, MY business, MY brain? Even this list I wrote, don’t just buy into it and take it like it’s a fact. Question it. Take what works, leave what doesn’t or scarp it altogether.
19. Envy is a disease. And if you let it run your life and dreams, you’ll never be happy. I’ve watched people build businesses that look perfect on Instagram while being miserable behind the scenes because they were too busy chasing someone else’s definition of success. Your journey is yours. Their journey is theirs. Comparing the two is like comparing apples to mangoes, pointless and frustrating.
20. Travel. It’s a whole new experience. You get more wisdom. Different perspectives. New ways of seeing the world and your place in it. Even if it’s just a weekend trip to a nearby province, get out of your bubble sometimes. It reminds you that your business problems aren’t the center of the universe. (And that’s actually comforting.)
21. Working with tech companies keeps you humble. Technology moves fast. Stay curious or get left behind.
22. Let go. Let go of things you can’t control. The client who chose someone else. The team member who quit. The opportunity that didn’t work out. Give yourself time to grieve, that’s important, don’t skip that part. But then, LET GO. Holding on to what you can’t change or control just weighs you down and keeps you from moving forward.
23. Sometimes the best thing you can do for a client is push back. Real partnership means honest conversations, not just saying yes. (Your friends will think you’re crazy for “arguing” with paying clients. You’re not. You’re being professional.)
24. Your team will rise to the expectations you set. Set them low, get low results. Set them high (with support), watch magic happen.
25. Decision-making frameworks are worth their weight in gold. Teach people HOW to think, not just WHAT to do.
26. Stop fixing everyone’s grammar. (although I still do haha!) Create a style guide instead.
27. Parenting is never-ending learning. You don’t just learn from a book or Google (although favorite natin i-consult si Google). We learn from experience, from mistakes, from totally winging it at 3 AM when the baby won’t stop crying and no article has the answer. But mostly? We learn from our kids teaching US how to be parents. They’re the real experts here. We’re just trying to keep up.
28. You won’t always look your best every day and that’s okay. You can wear your favorite shirt with the big hole in the armpit if that makes you happy. Work in your pajamas. Skip the makeup. But also? Make time for yourself to dress up and look pretty (or handsome). Not for clients. Not for social media. For YOU. Because sometimes putting on real pants and lipstick reminds you that you’re still a whole person, not just a business owner and a parent.
29. When you’re on vacation and the business runs without you? That’s not failure. That’s success. You built something sustainable.
30. But if clients still want YOU specifically, even with good documentation? That’s about relationships, not capability. Build both.
31. Having Chance taught me how to be a parent. Having Cara taught me that I could love two kids equally—and differently. They’re both teaching me patience daily.
32. For women, no two pregnancies are alike. You might think, oh I’ve done this before! I know what to expect! Haha, joke’s on you. Things change. Your body changes. How you feel, how you carry, how you recover, how you get up after giving birth, it will all feel different each time. Every pregnancy is its own adventure. (Wow! Akala mo naman 10 times na nanganak! haha)
33. You can’t pour from an empty cup. But sometimes you have to do it anyway because you have a baby and a business. That’s okay too.
34. Be present when with family. Stop scrolling on your phone. Stop being too busy taking photos for Instagram. Yes, photos are mementos, I get it. But remember: when you’re behind your phone, you’re not experiencing the moment. You’re documenting it, not living it. Put the phone down. Look at your kid’s face. Listen to the story your partner is telling. Be THERE. The Instagram post can wait.
35. Time blocking works especially when you have a baby. Structure saves you when sleep deprivation hits.
36. Working smarter isn’t just a cliché when you have limited time. It’s survival. Especially when you’re trying to be present for your kids.
37. The buddy system works because teaching is the best way to truly learn something. When you have to explain something to someone else, you realize what you actually know versus what you just think you know. This applies to your kids too, by the way. And your team. Everyone benefits when we teach each other. Knowledge shouldn’t be hoarded, it should be shared.
38. Friends will ask if you can “just help them real quick” with something. Set boundaries. Your time is valuable even if you work from home in your pajamas.
39. Saying no gets easier with practice. I’m better at it today than I was last year. I’ll be better next year than I am today.
40. Forty isn’t old (although last night, I felt my back crack while standing up haha!). It’s just the beginning of the part where you actually know what you’re doing. And you care less about what people think. Liberating, honestly.
The Real Lesson
You know what I’ve learned most in these 40 years?
We’re all just figuring it out as we go.
The person with the successful business? Still figuring it out.
The one with the perfect Instagram feed? Definitely still figuring it out.
Your friend who seems to have it all together? Also figuring it out.
Me, writing this blog at midnight while the baby sleeps? Absolutely still figuring it out.
But here’s the beautiful part: every year, you get a little better at the figuring-it-out part.
At 26, I was a VA with a notebook and big dreams.
At 35, I was transitioning into operations management and terrified.
At 39, I had Cara and wondered if I could handle it all.
At 40? I’m still tired, still learning, still growing but I’m also more confident, more capable, and more clear about what matters.
The grey hairs? Earned.
The eye bags? Battle scars from late nights with babies and deadlines.
The systems in place? Hard-won wisdom.
The friends who stayed through all the chaos? Priceless.
What’s Next?
Honestly? I don’t know. And I’m okay with that.
Maybe Operations Organised grows into something bigger. Maybe we stay right at this sweet spot where I know everyone’s name and care about their lives. Maybe I add more services. Maybe I focus on fewer things but do them better.
What I do know is this: I’m going to keep showing up, keep building, keep learning, and keep sharing what I figure out along the way.
Because if my 14 years in this industry have taught me anything, it’s that we succeed when we help each other. When we’re honest about the messy middle. When we share what works AND what doesn’t.
I’m going to keep making time for coffee with friends, even when I’m busy. Keep showing up for my kids, even when clients are demanding. Keep supporting my team, even when I’m exhausted. Keep building a business that doesn’t require me to sacrifice my life.
So here’s to 40. Here’s to the lessons learned and the ones still coming. Here’s to the systems that work and the ones that need fixing. Here’s to the team that has my back, the clients who trust us with theirs, the family who supports me even when they don’t fully understand yet what I do, and the friends who show up with coffee (and a slice of cake) when things get busy.
And here’s to you, whether you’re 25 and just starting out, 40 and reassessing everything, or 60 and showing us all how it’s done.
Aja!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have my bed waiting for me to sleep in all day, because why not? It’s my day!