Lloyd A. Luna, 27, formally started his business at age 23 shortly after publishing houses rejected to print his first book, Is There A Job Waiting For You?

After long hours of self-studying website designing, he was able to raise some cash to print the book and register his publishing business. At daytime, he would personally deliver his books to bookstores all across Metro Manila. At night, he would create websites for clients.

To establish a company at a very young age without any business background or a business-oriented family to start with was next to impossible. Born to a tricycle driver and a primary public school teacher in a suburb town in Gumaca, Quezon, times were always tough and scarcity is but a common experience as he was growing up; planting rice and vegetables, raising hogs, among other activities to help them survive.

When he was eight years old, Lloyd needed to help his father sell breads to adjacent villages in their town. He would wake up as early as 4AM and would go to bed late at night.

It was a usual one-day-at-time struggle.

Yet, he proved that entrepreneurship isn’t about age, or family, or education background.

Poverty left him with only one choice: Take tertiary education at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Pressured by employment after college, he took Electronics and Communications Engineering instead of pursuing his passion and personal desire to be a journalist. Based on what he does now, he proved that previous formal education, more often than not, has very little to do with entrepreneurship.

As an entrepreneur, success didn’t come to him the easy way. Several times on several occasions, Lloyd would find it hard to start making money, a pretty fair reason for him to decide to go back to the corporate world and seek some employment opportunities instead. For one reason, he’s still very young and inexperienced. It was with the help of a very few people that jump-started his career as an entrepreneur. He proved that entrepreneurship is neither about age nor experience.

Lloyd neither started with monetary capital nor a modest funding as what many people think one should have to start a business. He started with his skills and talent using other people’s resources. He proved that anybody can start a business from what they’re capable of doing.

He started his website design service in a 20 sq.m.-apartment along Daang Bakal St. in Madaluyong City. He didn’t have any telephone line or an Internet connection. He had to use public pay phones to call his clients and would rent at Internet cafés to upload his websites. He proved that entrepreneurship isn’t about resources but rather the ability to use whatever resources one has at hand.

When he wrote his first book, the idea was never to make some cash. It’s about his contribution to help people find an answer to their question. He proved that in entrepreneurship, it’s not about what you’ll get but what you can contribute to improve the lives of the people.

Lloyd’s story is one best example of rags-to-riches story, at least in his generation. It’s a story of finding a business in an unlikely situation and rediscovering his passion in the process of pursuing what he loves to do.

From being a bread-seller in his early childhood to now a best-selling author, he has written eight more books on career and personal development that has been changing the way people think about themselves and live their lives.

His printed and electronic writings include Do You Have a Life of Your Own? (2006); Break Me Up, Nurse Your Future, and Tachniques (2007); The Obvious, Believe in Yourself, and Flavors of Success (2008); and The Untold Truth About Success (2009).

In 2004, he was cited as the youngest international journalist of the XV International Aids Conference in Bangkok, Thailand. Three years later, he was awarded as Collegiate Ambassador for Peace in Seoul, Korea.

Lloyd is also a regular columnist of The Manila Times, Good News Pilipinas, Kabayan Star and Pinoy Handy Magazine in Hong Kong, Planet Philippines in Canada, Netrepeneur Magazine, and My House Magazine. He’s also a business consultant to start-up companies and SMEs and Internet strategist to some of the top 500 corporations.

He was described as “the man on effective career planning” by The Manila Times, “a life-saver for those who are confused in the uncertain, always-changing workplace” by The Manila Bulletin, an entrepreneur with a down-to-earth disposition,” by BusinessWorld, “a natural volunteer by heart,” by Philippine Daily Inquirer, among other positive accolades.

He has been inspiring more than 50,000 people every year, writing more than 100 business and management columns for newspapers and magazines around the world, and speaking to more than 80,000 audiences on career, business, and personal development each year around the country.

His charismatic and down-to-earth personality, dynamism, youthful energy, and enthusiasm make him a motivational speaker in the Philippines second to none. Lloyd goes beyond being an author or a life coach. He is an experience that many people dream to have. This is the very reason why he’s becoming more and more in demand to be up on stage to inspire and share his wisdom and experience.

Datu Reza Sinsuat, National Anti-Poverty Commission says, “A deprived and impoverished soul would find this book a weapon to fight poverty that exists in our mind and society.”

Raju Mandhyan, Author, The Heart of Public Speaking says, “Lloyd is a rare, authentic leader who has his heart set on a brilliant future for every single Filipino. His book provides us with nine effective vehicles to take us all there!”

Atty. Adrian Sison, broadcaster and author says, “His proactive stance of having jobs look for you show that the early bird really gets the worm and all the other benefits.”

Harry D. Pound, Author, It’s All About Being Better says, “Lloyd has a unique way of looking at life. His solution to overcome one of life’s major problems, ‘landing on one’s dream job,’ is a real eye-opener.”

Milaflor Gonzales, Public Information, LGU, National Capital Region says, “I read your book, “Is there a job waiting for you?” in just one sitting. I found it very inspiring and full of wisdom. At 39, I have experienced a lot of highs and lows, and have had my share of triumphs and tribulations. Reading your book has opened me up to new perspectives, given me new hope especially during these hard times.”

Jacqueline Michelle Lim, The University of Queensland says, “First off, I’d like to congratulate you on your new book. It seems that all your perseverance has been rewarded. I am only but honored to have known a person like you with vision and motivation. Keep up the good work and hope to get my copy from you soon. I’m sure you’ll reach greater heights! God Bless and cheers.”

Nene Manalo, JRS Express, says, “Thank you so much for the continuing education and motivation you are sharing me. I always read over and over again all your teachings. You have greatly influenced me. I am determined to be somebody also in the near future and be a channel of blessings to people that God has assigned to me.”

Erwin Acosta, Globe Telecom, says, “I may have been a lurker in this entire exchange but your Master Classes have given me a lot of food for thought.”

Sotera A. Uy Marketing Operation Manager, Grepa Life, says, “Dear Mr. Luna, Thank you so much for this very inspiring message and for coaching me. God bless!”

Ramon Alberto said, “Hi Lloyd, I’m one of those who are very lucky to receive your emails. It’s very inspiring. Although I’ve come across some of your wisdoms in the past, they have reinforced mine and have inspired me to share my own “lessons in life” to almost all I come into contact with.”

Harry H. Hawson CEO, Maverick By Design, says, “Dear Lloyd, I have checked your website quite extensively. I congratulate you for your efforts and to your business.”

May Lene L. Te, PJMA, Federation President, says, “A pleasant day! I once heard you speak in one of the seminars I had attended. And because I learned a lot from your talk, I become interested to invite you to be one of our guest speakers in our event this February.”

Mari S. Moya, Sales Director, EastWood Properties, said, “Dear Mr. Luna, Thank you for sharing. Very inspiring. Will grab a copy of your book and will ask for your autograph. Looking forward in meeting you someday.”

Wilhelmina Quiroga says, “Thanks a lot for the inspiring messages that you are sending me. This one inspires me the most because I have gone through many criticisms and sometimes I allow them to pull me down. From now on I will be like the spiral spring all the time.”

No one has ever made such a positive, powerful, and moving impact in the lives of the young and the old such as Lloyd. His affection, dedication, and passion to help, inspire, motivate, and move people of all walks of lives—from ordinary citizen in the streets to the extraordinary people in the workplace and business community, from students to teachers, from employees to entrepreneurs, from church groups to political organizations—are unmatched in his generation.

He deserves to be one of the 10 Inspiring Young Entrepreneurs.