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The Fisherman and The Investment Banker

I read this story a year or so ago, and recently just stumbled over it on the Internet. Looking back at what happened over this year, the ibanker clearly had a lot to learn from the humble fisherman.



The American investment banker 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 fisherman
replied, only a little while.
The American then asked why didn't he 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 where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a
full and busy life."
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 NYC where you will run your
expanding enterprise."
The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this
all take?"
To which the American replied, "15-20 years." "But what then?"
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.. 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 sip wine and
play your guitar with your amigos."
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