There are opportunities everywhere. When approached with mindfulness, an array of possibilities will unfold before you. It all starts with that optimistic attitude. You will find the right people; you will move in the right circles, and you will ‘bump’ into the right solutions. There is always a positive and a negative perspective on everything and every circumstance. However, bear in mind that the choices you make will ultimately dictate whether you achieve success or experience failure. Look at things in a holistic way and tap the opportunities.
STORY TIME : Two Shoe Salesmen
Concerns and Strategy:
At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a successful American shoe manufacturing company that produced and sold shoes. Nevertheless, as a consequence of market fluctuations, the company underwent a significant downturn in sales. Concerned about the decreasing product sales in America, the management called for a board meeting to address the issue. During this pivotal meeting, an innovative business strategy surfaced, with the explicit goal of exploring and establishing new markets on the international front. The decision was made to send two salesmen to Africa to assess the market potential for their products. The sales director summoned his top two salesmen and proposed that they travel to Africa for a market evaluation to boost sales.
Mission to Africa:
Both salesmen embarked on a boat journey to Africa with instructions to conduct an initial survey of the market. Each of them was assigned to a different country to provide diverse opinions on the potential of the African market.
Contrasting Views and Divergent Reports:
Within a month of arriving, the first salesman completed a basic survey of the target market. He called his sales director to deliver the news that, after several days of visiting cities, he had concluded that the potential for shoe sales in Africa was non-existent. The first salesman expressed, “Boss, there is bad news; everyone here goes barefoot. No one wears any shoes; there is no market for us here! We won’t be able to sell a single pair of shoes.” The salesman conveyed a sense of dejection and disheartenment.
A few days later, the second salesman contacted the sales director with great excitement. He shared, “Boss, good news! It’s a fantastic place and a tremendous business opportunity for us. No one here wears shoes, and no one sells shoes. There is a huge potential market for us. We are going to sell thousands of pairs; all we need to do is educate them on the benefits and importance of wearing shoes.”
The Moral: How Different Perspectives Shape Business Opportunities.
