An American investment banker 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
yellow fin 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.”
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, how long will this all
take?”
To which the American replied, “15-20 years.”
”But what then?”
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.. 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.”
Anonymous