But What Then?

[plural]

An 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, senor."
The American then asked,
"Why didn't you 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,
"Fifteen to twenty 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."

Comments

[myth.livejournal.com]

Heh heh. I like that story.