Tag Archives: business challenges

The Field of Dreams: A Financial Fairy Tale

The Curious Traveller was traversing a wooded area of the Kingdom when he came upon a weather-beaten sign that read ‘Field of Dreams.’ A short distance away, he noticed a tiny cottage perched at the entrance of what appeared to be a large cemetery teeming with rows of graves.

Intrigued, the Curious Traveller strolled over to the building and raised the rusty metal knocker. Instantly, the door opened and a wizened old man stood in front of him. “How can I help you?” he grunted.

“I am curious about the Field of Dreams,” the Curious Traveller responded. “What is this place?”

“This is where the businesses of the Kingdom are taken when they die,” the old man explained. “I am the caretaker who lays them to rest.”

Just beyond the cottage, the Curious Traveller noticed a walled-off area secured by a heavy iron gate with a large chain and padlock. “What’s in that section of the Field of Dreams?” he queried.

The caretaker sighed deeply and shook his head slowly. “Sit down, my friend,” said the caretaker, pointing to a rickety chair in the office. “Let me tell you the story of what lies beyond that iron gate.” Continue reading The Field of Dreams: A Financial Fairy Tale

A Jamaican Business Owner’s Fight to Survive: The Longest Night

Last week we introduced business owner David, whose trucking company was facing serious challenges. After losing a major client, David was tempted to give up on his entrepreneurial dream. In his darkest moment, however, he was encouraged by some business advice on the television.

“Business success is about the three P’s: People, Process and Product.” Billionaire investor Marcus Lemonis had reiterated this advice several times on his hit reality television show, The Profit, but it never meant much to David until he watched the programme that evening.

Like the embattled entrepreneur on the TV screen, David contemplated the future of his enterprise in an environment that was getting increasingly hostile. He understood that reduced sales and rising costs produced meagre margins, which were a recipe for disaster for anyone’s business.

Self-help brought little assistance

David had never been one to wallow in self-pity. He thought people who complained about their problems were wimps who lacked the strength of mind to find solutions. Despite his bravado, David was now forced to admit that he just didn’t have the expertise to solve his business challenges. Continue reading A Jamaican Business Owner’s Fight to Survive: The Longest Night

A Day in the Life of a Jamaican Business Owner

David’s head jerked at the insistent sound of the telephone ringing in his office. He hadn’t realised that he had fallen asleep at his desk until the call interrupted his late afternoon nap. For several months, sleep had eluded him during the night, and his body was trying to regain well-needed rest.

Despite being bone-tired when he finally crawled home after 10:00 pm most nights, David found it difficult to wind down and relax. Concerns about his business swirled around in his mind and he spent many more hours contemplating strategies that could help him fix the serious problems that he faced.

As the proprietor of a small trucking operation, David enjoyed the freedom that business ownership brought to his life. Twelve years ago when he made the courageous step to start his own venture, David had big plans to turn his fledgling delivery service into a multimillion-dollar enterprise.

The business had enjoyed initial success, as he was the only operator in the eastern parish where he lived with the type of equipment that could meet the needs of the local businesses. Eventually other entities had joined the market and fierce competition now made it a cut-throat environment. Continue reading A Day in the Life of a Jamaican Business Owner