There is a Bill Gates in Asia; this is Jack Ma. Jack Ma is the founder of Alibaba Group. Jack Ma is currently the richest person in China.
1. Our world changes daily.
Jack Ma said: “Please tell your children that the world changes every day and no one will wait for them in the past. When the lighter was invented, the matches slowly disappeared. When the calculator was created, the abacus vanished. When When the digital camera was designed, the negative film market declined When direct market/Internet-based selling emerged, traditional marketing declined When the smartphone with 4G (wireless Internet access) was introduced to the world ), you no longer need to turn on your computer at home. When WeChat and WhatsApp (mobile text/voice/video messaging) were developed, traditional text messaging became less popular than before. Let’s not blame ‘who took over whose.’ This happened only because people are more adjustable and adaptable to new ideas and changes in the world.”
The world keeps changing every day; I am inclined to believe that it is changing much faster in this generation than it did in the past. I admired the owner of a local buy and sell tabloid because he cleverly conceived the idea of printing his tabloid and giving it away to anyone interested. He earns from the advertisements of companies and individuals who want to bring their products and services to the reading public.
Unfortunately, he did not respond to the Internet threat. Rather than put up a website to house his clients’ ads, he fought back by discounting the cost of the ads. Soon his business went bankrupt because people would rather go to the Internet than read his newspaper. Enterprising entrepreneurs reinvented the idea of him. Instead of a tabloid, they put up a website. This original buying and selling entrepreneur could have survived the change if he had turned his idea around and used a new platform. Instead of reacting and lowering the cost of advertising space, he could have transferred his business to the Internet. He already built the brand and has existing customers (advertisers and readers) while the new entrepreneurs were just starting from scratch.
We must be sensitive to change and adapt to it very quickly. Otherwise, we will find ourselves excluded and our business will die.
2. Don’t just watch.
Someone asked Jack Ma: “What is your secret to success?” He said, “Very simple… I’m doing (action) while you’re just watching.” Implement it.
Don’t just watch successful people become more successful; work for your own success. As soon as you’ve figured out what needs to be done, implement it right away. Otherwise someone else will.
3. The idea you like the most may not be a good idea.
I read that when Jack Ma brainstorms with his team, he has no idea that most of his teammates will vote. He reasons that if most people want this idea, chances are other businessmen are thinking of the same idea.
I hope these thoughts help you assess your business and the challenges for 2016. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.