【Description】
Want to know how to make a profit in business? Want to know what qualities are needed to be an outstanding businessman?
For the first time, Master JinBodhi teaches the secrets and wisdom of running a profitable business which he calls “A Fool’s Philosophy.”
【You willearn】
- How to make customers trust a product
- How to launch a new brand
- Understand a “fool’s philosophy” when running a busines
【Featured aphorism】
- In business, winning hearts is more important than winning profits.
- To make your business a long-standing success, gain the trust of your customers.
- Compassion is the highest state of running a business.
- Being attached to relationships and not attached to money is the most precious “fool’s philosophy” when running a business.
【Content】
(Good day, Master. I’m a businessman. I came to Bodhi at the end of last July. I became a disciple this February. I’ve learned a lot from Master’s way of doing business, especially about giving.)
Is it helpful? (Very much.)
Did I talk about it?
(Yes. Say, giving begets gaining. Also, doing business, we shouldn’t consider our own interests, but also our customers’. Since last July, my business has been flourishing. I’ve hired many more people. My sales have increased a lot. May I ask, besides this teaching, how can I maintain my prosperity? Do you have some deeper teaching? Master, please teach me. Thank you, Master!)
It’s hard to answer it, as I’m not a businessman. You want to gain fortune, right? In a broader view, to obtain fortune is far less important than to gain people’s hearts. You may say it’s politicians’ business. I disagree. Politics and economy never separate. In China, a few decades ago, an old brand, Beijing Tong-ren-tang, became famous. Everyone accepted this old medicine brand. This results from trust; trust turns to belief. Whenever one sees Tong-ren- tang whose specialty is an-gong-niu-huang-wan, no one doubts its quality. People will buy it if they need it. Some even buy it for future use, as its quality is ensured. The highest state of doing business is turning your customers’ trust to belief. They won’t question your brand. Like, If we go to buy a TV, will you buy an unknown-brand or a well-known one? People usually choose well-known brands. Very few would choose a new one.
A new brand also wants to survive, as merchants must be smart. Sales decrease in bad operations. Merchants dislike failures in sales. Doing business is to gain interest. Gaining interest means having good business. If manage poorly, they’ll fail. When they fail, they’ll lose all their capital. If they’re sad, so are their customers. A new brand has to be more attractive, and better than the old brands. Price must be cheaper, and provide better service to get customers. It’s more difficult to draw customers from an established business. You may have to ‘hurt’ yourself once to benefit customers more, and gain their trust.
Lasting trust becomes belief. If we buy an-gong-niu-huang-wan in China, Tong-ren-tang’s is number one. No need to doubt if it’s fake or genuine. If the doctor prescribes it, you surely buy this brand. This is belief. Belief isn’t limited to religions. Some even believe in celebrities. In the States, when mentioning Bill Gates, his words become one’s belief. He said the property value of a certain place would rise. If he said it, the next day, the price would rise. Everyone wants to buy. Why? He represents success. Even if they aren’t good places, somehow, they would be. Then if people don’t buy, Bill Gates would buy it himself. He will actualize his promise. He is capable of doing it. Eventually, belief in him arises. Trust turns to belief. Only a true entrepreneur perceives this concept.
If you can’t get this concept, at most you’ll count small bills. You may be happy as my mom was. She kept counting but couldn’t get the exact amount. “Son, help me to calculate.” “I can’t, mom. I inherited your genes.” She counted those pennies, feeling happy. Actually, there wasn’t much money. A great entrepreneur must turn his business into “belief-management.” Then it can be successful. My point seems to be lofty. Give all those associated with you economic benefits and respect. Then you will change strangers into believers. Breaking the ice is the most important and difficult step. This is very important. Don’t focus on financial gain in every step, this alienates your customers. This results in your destruction because of money — you’re destroying yourself.
The true business concept is: If entrepreneurs only worked for money, the US wouldn’t have Bill Gates. He invented the Windows system which the entire world is using on the computers, excluding Apple computers. I’ve been studying how these super entrepreneurs think. Such super smart people like Bill Gates didn’t know we used their pirated software in early times? Surely, they were aware of it. They thought, “These people aren’t rich. Just let them be. It’s costly for them to buy authentic ones.” He’s just pretending not knowing. Where ignorance is bliss, it’s folly to be wise. A smart person pretends to be ignorant. That’s a high mental state. That’s actually All- Compassion. That’s giving, right?
Twenty years ago, buying a set of software cost 300 RMB. Now, we don’t purchase but just use pirated ones costing 2 or 5 RMB. Does he know about it? Yes. “Go ahead, use pirated ones. They are from poor countries. They can’t afford the authentic versions.” So he won’t check which version the youths use to learn the computers. Why does he check entrepreneurs? They can make money . So he only spot-checks whether entrepreneurs use his real software or not. With great compassion, he’s become a super wealthy man.
In 2008, the American mortgage & financial crisis, many people lost their jobs. Several banks merged into one. Many bankers lost their own banks. In Europe, over 10 bankers committed suicide. What a damaging crisis in 2008! The reporter asked Bill Gates, “How do you feel after you lost 2 billion overnight?” He replied, “Nothing. I wasn’t aware of it.” “What will you do next? Are you going to interfere in the crisis?” “I can just do my service well. That has nothing to do with me.” Stocks’ volatility is the business of entrepreneurs. He advocates a loving culture, being an influential man. Why does he care about stocks’ volatility? “Does it have anything to do with me? Whether I have 2 billion or not, I won’t bring it home; without it, nothing is missing in my home. It doesn’t matter. Whether using pirated software, or selling the authentic ones, it’s the business of entrepreneurs. You find I have lost money by your speculation. Actually, it has nothing to do with a technical person like me.”
Only with such mental state is he motivated and composed to become the wealthiest man in the world. If only for making money, he would say, “You can’t miss a penny in buying my software. If you pay less, I will sue you, as I am rich. I can sue whoever you are.” He doesn’t conduct himself this way. He’s gentle. Let people who are pirating be. All those who steal are not rich.
Those who rob can’t live on anymore. He just gives out on purpose. Let them take. This is a high mental state. Sorry, my talk is a bit lofty.
Actually, what are they thinking when they have such a big career involving gains and losses? They have more Universal love and compassion. They’re more forgiving, not calculating anymore. During the 90s in China, there were many computer users. Few bought authentic copies of software. How many Malaysians did? Not many. They were using pirated versions in Taiwan and Hong Kong too. Didn’t Bill Gates’ company know about it? Yes, of course. He’s broadminded and has become the most influential person in the world, which isn’t mean, but tolerant. “Keep pirating. I don’t care.” A rich person’s son won’t use pirated software which quality could be bad, as they don’t play movies well.
What does he do? Even if he knows they’re pirated, he’ll update them for free. Have you realized it? Your pirated software is updated for free. Some are still using this software. They still update them for free turning them to authentic copies. Ordinary people would feel their blood was taken, excruciatingly painful. But Bill Gates may think, “ Those are poor kids. Just give them the chance to learn computer skills.” There aren’t many such entrepreneurs in the world. With such a broad mind, it’s impossible not to become wealthy. It depends whether he wants to become wealthy or not. Those who think about making money all the time may lose money. To have lasting success, please memorize my words: “Compassion is the key.” Write them down.
Right now, I’m teaching in Malaysia. There are many famous restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, right? Old-brand restaurants lasting 15 years? Can’t you name any? In Ipoh, there are two restaurant brands over 30 years old, right? There is a dish “Bean Sprout Rice Noodles.” (Lao Wang Bean Sprout Chicken.) Lao Wang Bean Sprout Chicken. Anyway, the dish contains bean sprouts. The bean sprouts are thicker than my waist! Waist-thick bean sprouts! Their business can last so long. Everyone knows the restaurant’s name. It’s not their intelligence but sincerity that they rely on.
Doing restaurant business is the hardest in the world. It’s harder than selling marijuana. Everyone is a consumer and can give opinion. If you found a hair in your homemade dinner, you think it’s your mother’s. If it happens in a restaurant, I am sure you would complain and ask for changing. For me, maybe I would be pickier ask for another 2 free orders. It’s very hard to do business. Selling cheaper prices makes it hard to find dish-washers. They have to serve well to last for so many years. It’s really hard. But this is just the highest intelligence called “the philosophy of fools.”
Yesterday, I recommended our youths watch an old movie of the 90s. Its English name is “Forrest Gump.” In Chinese, “Ah Gan Zheng Zhuan.” It’s about a slow-witted guy whose legs didn’t grow properly since childhood. He was bullied by his peers in school and in the army. In the end, he became the wealthiest person in the USA. Of course, many people’s life stories were presented on the main role. I think many businessmen had watched the movie more than once. There was no intelligence or any plans involved in his success. Some say the 2008 financial crisis was made by few highly intelligent people. These people were too smart. I don’t even understand the movie. How intelligence the people were!
But with “the philosophy of fools,” Forrest Gump didn’t use his brain. What he pursues isn’t economic benefits, but friendship. The first business he did was co-partner with a fellow African-American soldier. His intelligence was even lower than Forrest Gump’s. He always told Forrest about his family: “My grannies and parents caught shrimps. We boiled, fried, and steamed them.” Every day he talked about shrimps. So they planned to catch shrimp after returning home from war.
Too bad the friend died on the battlefield. But Forrest didn’t give up the plan. He promised his friend to continue the business. Forrest Gump had never sailed a boat, let alone caught shrimp. He kept his promise and carried it on. This is trustworthiness. He borrowed money to buy a boat and catch shrimp. He couldn’t catch anything at the beginning. But, his sincerity touched Heaven and Earth. A storm wrecked all other shrimpers, only his left intact. Wherever he went, he reaped the harvest and became a national business.
His former platoon leader who cared about titles, yet still is a loyal person. He said to Forrest, “Though I have lost my legs, I am still your commissioner. Even you are the boss now, you have to listen to me.” Forrest said, “No problem. As long as you are willing to join me, I am happy.” Such a business-partnership made the wealthiest shrimping team. Forrest didn’t care about his own gains. His partner, legless, was good at managing the shrimping business. They succeeded because: First, they cared about friendship; second, they cared about money the least. They turned out to be the wealthiest. This “spirit of fools” is the most valuable thing in doing business.
What I am talking about isn’t a political term, but the essence of doing business. When you need to buy something, which shop do you go to? Surely, you will go to the well-known and trustworthy one. You have used their good products. You continue to buy and become their patron. This already turns sales into belief-sales. Great entrepreneurs consider credibility more important than anything else. Trustworthy people are loyal and caring. Being loyal must be loving deeply. With deep love, they don’t cheat others. They sell them the best products. How many unconscientious people cheat others by selling fake products? Cheaters hardly remain wealthy for life. Even if they make a fortune, eventually they will be beaten to death. No thieves or gamblers would live easily in the end even they become wealthy.
Also, I want to remind you: Don’t gamble. Cheaters will end up be cheated. Gambling kings are all in danger. Who are not in danger? Honest people. Merchants in Ipoh do business diligently and properly without cheating. Even they are holding a bag of money to the bank, no one will harm them.
Such a topic about business makes me talk this much. In our youth, we were told that all merchants were crafty and bad. Now I learned that a good merchant is a great person. There are different types of people. People with sharp tongues have no friends. Honest, and even slow-witted people will surely have friends. Honest people easily achieve what they want to do, as their energy is focused. Surely do good businessmen. That’s all for “business”. Thank you!