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 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 he didn't 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 to relax and play guitar with my amigos; I have a full and busy life, seņor."
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 New
York City where you will run your expanding enterprise."
The Mexican fisherman asked, "But seņor, how long will this all take?" To which the American
replied, "15-20 years."
"But what then, seņor?"
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, seņor? 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 relax and play your guitar with your amigos."
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