Monday, 6 January 2020

Mexican fisherman fable


An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with one fisherman docked.
Inside the boat were several yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
“Only a little while.”
“Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?”
“This is enough to support my family’s needs.”
“But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
“I sleep late, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, and stroll to the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life.”
“Well I have an MBA from Harvard and can help you.”
“Yeah?”
“You should spend more time fishing, and with the money buy a bigger boat. With a bigger boat you can make more money, and now you buy several boats, and eventually have a fleet. Instead of selling your fish to a middleman, you sell directly to the processor, and eventually open up your own cannery. You control the product, processing, and distribution. Of course, you leave this small village and move to Mexico City, then LA, and eventually New York City, where you run your company.”
“How long will all this take?”
“Oh, 20 years or so.”
“Then what?”
“That’s the best part. When the time is right, you take the company public and become very, very rich.”
“Then what?”
“Then you can retire. You move to a small coastal village where you sleep late, fish a little, play with your children, take siestas with your wife, and stroll to the village in the evenings where you sip wine and play guitar with your amigos.”