THE PARABLE OF THE FISHERMAN AND THE ENTREPRENEUR
A successful entrepreneur was taking a much-needed vacation in a small coastal village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. The boat had several large, fresh fish in it.
The entrepreneur was impressed by the quality of the fish and asked the fisherman how long it took to catch them.
The fisherman replied, “Only a little while.”
The entrepreneur then asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish?
The fisherman replied he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.
The entrepreneur then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The fisherman replied, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my friends: I have a full and busy life, señor.”
The entrepreneur scoffed, “I am an Ivy League MBA, and I could help you. You could spend more time fishing and buy a bigger boat with the proceeds. Then you could buy several boats until you have a whole fleet of fishing boats.
Instead of selling your catch to the middleman, you could sell directly to the processor, then open your own cannery. You could control the product, processing and distribution.”
Then he added, “Of course, you would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to the city where you would run your growing enterprise.”
The fisherman asked, “But señor, how long will this all take?”
To which the banker replied, “20-30 years.”
“But what then?” asked the fisherman.
The entrepreneur 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 could make millions.”
“Millions, señor? Then what?”
To which the entrepreneur replied, “Then you would retire. You could 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 friends.”