The Fisherman
The American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal
Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman
docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin
tuna.
The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his
fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican
replied, "only a little while."
The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and
catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support
his family's immediate needs.
The American then asked, but what do you do with the rest of
your time? The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a
little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife,
Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine
and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life,
senor."
The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help
you. You should spend more time fishing and with the
proceeds buy a bigger boat with the proceeds from the bigger
boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have
a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a
middleman you would sell directly to the processor,
eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the
product, processing and distribution. You would need to
leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico
City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your
expanding enterprise."
The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this
all take?" To which the American replied, "15-20 years."
"But what then, senor?" The American laughed and said,
"That's the best part! When the time is right you would
announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public
and become very rich, you would make millions."
"Millions, senor? Then what?" The American said, "Then you
would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where
you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids,
take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the
evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with
your amigos."