THE SECRET TO SUCCESS

One day, a few months back, my driver walk up to me and said that he is resigning from his job because he plans to put up his own business with his wife. Specifically, he was planning to set up a “lugawan” or a small food stall at his parent’s place which happens to be conveniently near a public market. Of course, I allowed him to resign and even gave him my blessing. Fast forward to last month, my driver came back to me and asked if he could return to work for me this November. It is not that his business failed. Conversely, his business is quite brisk and is doing extremely well. The problem is he is tired of it! He complains that he works everyday even on Sundays and holidays when business is much more brisk. He gets up early in the morning usually 4 am and cooks the food to be served that morning and closes late at night and went to bed even much later because he has to clean up the place and wash the utensils as well as prepare the ingredients for tomorrow. He told me that he preferred to be a driver than an entrepreneur. While his income as a driver is meager, he only works from 8 till 5 every day from Monday to Saturday and could have a good night rest plus he is off during Sundays and holidays. And he doesn’t have to worry about anything at all. Upon hearing what he said, I tried very hard to suppress my laugh. I’ve heard of business going belly up because of poor sales. I’ve heard of business folding up because of short funding. I’ve also heard of business shutting down its door because of poor rate of return on investment or low profitability but I’ve never heard of business closing down because of TOO MANY WORK. This is the first time I’ve heard that. Coincidentally, one of new clients who used to be a driver of one of my existing clients is also complaining very much the same thing as my ex – driver (who by the way will be reinstated). Unlike my driver, this new client of mine is not planning to shutter down anytime soon. It is not that both of them had no help at all in their businesses. They do hire some helpers but like many start up entrepreneurs, they do most of the jobs themselves. In fact, they have to go to the distance and cover the short comings of their staff when the going gets tough. They have to work doubly hard just to survive, prosper and grow. And these are the things that you wouldn’t learn in business school. Hardwork, perseverance, patience, and keen observation and learning (of the trade). More than just business plans and hypothetical business models, these values are equally crucial to the success of the firm be it a small “lugawan” or a manufacturing plant. And this is the reason why some aren’t cut out to be entrepreneurs. It is not that they’re lazy or anything. It’s just they don’t have all the values necessary to make it in business even if they have all the funds they could get their hands on. Incidentally, I remembered a story, a Chinese folklore I read in a newspaper years ago about the “secret of success”. There is this poor young farmer once who envied his rich merchant neighbor. One day, he got the courage to ask his neighbor about the secret of his success. And to which the neighbor replied, “It’s actually quite simply.” “I steal, I grab, I cheat, and I lied” was the answer the young farmer got from his neighbor and instantly, his eyes lit and a devilish smile came to him. And so, in the next few years, the once poor farmer grew rich, filthy rich, richer than a king and he did so by steal, grab, cheat, and lie. Until one day, the long arm of the law catches up with him and he went away for a long time. During his incarceration, he began to search for the reason for his failed lot and came to conclusion that he has his neighbor to blame for all the ills he has now for wasn’t his neighbor who told him to steal, grab, cheat, and lie in order to succeed?” With this in mind, the farmer vowed revenge when he got out of prison. And true enough, on the day, he was set free. He went straight to his old neighbor to settle some old score. The rich merchant neighbor was actually quite surprised to his old neighbor coming to see him after all this time and inquired as to latter’s business with him. The farmer then told the rich merchant that he came to settle an old score with the merchant for giving him false advice. Surprised, the merchant asked him what advice did he given to the poor farmer then and why is it false. To which, the farmer turned robber replied, “you advice me that in order to get rich, I had to steal, grab, cheat, and lie which I did and looked what happened to me?” “I ended up in jail.” “Now, tell me that wasn’t a false advice you gave me.” The merchant laughed upon hearing what the poor farmer said. Seeing this, the farmer got angrier and demanded an explanation as to why the merchant was laughing. The merchant then replied that it’s true that he did advice the farmer to steal, grab, cheat, and lie but the latter totally misunderstood him. The merchant explains that, “I didn’t give you a false advice at all for I myself practice what I’ve preached.” “I steal alright but what I’d steal is time itself. I woke up early in the morning and opened shop early while my competitors are still sleeping in order to get the early shoppers. I closed late at night when most of my competitors have already closed their stores so I can sell to the late shoppers.” “I do grab because I grab every opportunity that comes in my way whilst my competitors would probably give it up as a nuisance.” “And yes, I cheated.” “I cheated my competitors by opening my store at a better location, by offering better service and better products at lower prices. I essentially didn’t play “fair” with my competitors.” “And lastly, I’m guilty of lying for I lied to my customers.” “I told them that I cannot do what they requested and almost always manages to surprise them by surpassing their expectations. I under promise and over deliver to my customers.” “And that my friend is the secret to success, which are not secrets at all but basically one can manage to “learn” those things if he has hardwork, perseverance, patience, and keen observation and learning of the tricks of the trade.” And then, the farmer blushed in shame.