#029 About starting a business (18/12/2022)

This week has been incredibly busy with the opening of our new store in Tsim Sha Tsui. We were really close to finishing before the December 17th opening, but the pressure kept us going. However, I'm exhausted both physically and mentally. I want to take some time to reflect before writing about the Tsim Sha Tsui store opening, so this week I'll talk about some things. Please understand, I wanted to use this method to give myself a shake-up.

Lately, I've met different people in different settings, and everyone has been very polite, so I won't go into detail here. However, quite a few people have asked me one question that I think is worth writing about and sharing some of my humble opinions, hoping it can help those interested in starting a business, or like me, those just getting started. The question I'm asked by so many people is: "What are your goals or vision?"

What I'm about to say might not sound pleasant: starting a business is very easy to fail at. Who starts something without grand ambitions, hoping to build a career? Everyone is full of enthusiasm, but the reality is that 99% of entrepreneurs fail. So, you must be mentally prepared for failure. Starting a business can cost you all your savings; the process is arduous. I've experienced it, and I'm still experiencing it every day. I understand that no matter how much effort I put in, the world is always fair. Maybe what I do simply doesn't meet market demands, or maybe my skills in business management, marketing, personnel management, and cost control are inferior to others. Failure is always a possibility, and I understand and accept it willingly. That's really what starting a business is all about.

I'm frankly admitting that I don't have any grand plans. Many entrepreneurs have numerous ambitious schemes, but I honestly don't. I believe that sometimes the higher the expectations and goals, the easier it is to drift away from reality. When faced with real difficulties, one feels more distressed and discouraged. The gap between ideals and reality is too large, leading to greater disappointment and the urge to give up. What I believe in is simply doing the small things every day, fulfilling my responsibilities, and not thinking about those grand dreams first! Doing what I'm actually supposed to do well is already quite an achievement. When I have time, I go a step further, not only doing my job well today, but also improving what I'm doing. By doing things one by one, from the smallest details, I accumulate small steps, and the whole thing makes great progress. In fact, doing this, compared to just thinking about grand ideals, has a more genuine and positive impact on the customer experience, increasing the chances of my business plan succeeding.