Many years ago I had a friend who was extremely intelligent, had a photographic memory, and finished university with top marks in business administration. He had all the credentials to get a great job.
Sounds good for the most part, wouldn’t you say!! Maybe even a nice boy who you would want to marry your daughter!! Shortly after finishing school he landed a job working for the owner of this large company, whose business did millions a year in revenue.
The person he worked for was old world, very little formal business education, and built a wonderful business from scratch. He was shrewd person with tons of business experience under his belt. After working there awhile my friend decides that he can really make a difference in this man’s business.
Here is what he actually did:
He goes into the employer’s office and asks if he could speak with him, the man says sure. He starts explaining that the way he is running the business is wrong. He enlightens him by reciting certain paragraphs out of the text books he studied at school, and tells him that is the way a business should be run.
The Employer’s reaction:
The Employer looks at him and says: I can see you are a very bright boy who has studied hard at school and learned everything about business. The question I have to ask is, if I am doing business wrong … how come I have been in business for 30 years , never finished high school, supported my family, sent my kids to university. The difference with experience is you do not always believe what you read!!! You need to use your gut sometimes to know what is really right. I thank you for the education, but if it is all the same to you, I would like to continue the way I have been.
My opinion
I am a firm believer in education especially if you are going to be a doctor, a lawyer, or even a business person. When people study to become a doctor they must intern to get the practical experience needed to practice. Business is very different and can not be learned strictly through books and exercises.
If I was considering going into business for the first time, had very little experience, here is what I would like to happen for myself. I would hope to work for someone prior, who had years of experience, who would be willing to take me under their wing, and teach me real world business, and how to be savvy.
They never put this situation in any parenting handbook.
A few years ago we went to a restaurant for dinner. As we approached the entrance...
Business is very similar to understanding the game of hockey
Have you ever walked into a busy retail store, and heard a patron say, “this place must be making a fortune”? Obviously this analysis is simply based on the amount of people in the store at the time. Then maybe a year later, the same establishment closed. That very same patron might wonder what happened.
Would you consider yourself a diamond in the ruff waiting to shine?
I worked at many different jobs in my life before going into business on my own. Most people I knew could not figure out why I just didn’t stay with one, and move up the proverbially ladder. The truth is at the time I was not sure myself, except that something inside told me it was time to leave; I had learned what was needed to move on.
