| s a member of one of my business networking | | | | going to take place in the world, with even large |
| groups who told me this tale when we were | | | | corporations fighting for their very survival so think |
| discussing the impact of the recession on our | | | | how this will affect a small business. Times will be |
| individual businesses. This story is so relevant to | | | | hard and the only way to stay afloat is to cut costs |
| today’s economic | | | | drastically”. His father listened attentively as |
| climate…….enjoy it. | | | | his son added, “everywhere I look, in the |
| There was once a barbecue restaurateur. But he was | | | | papers, the radio and in the halls and coffee bars of |
| no ordinary purveyor of the humble rib for he used | | | | my university, the message is ‘cut cut, |
| only the best spare ribs from only the finest, pigs in | | | | cut’. I urge you not to fall behind the trend. |
| the land. The fries that accompanied his famous | | | | My advice to you is to cut costs to survive this |
| barbecue spare ribs were of equal quality, cut from | | | | recession”. |
| the best potatoes available and fried in the most | | | | The father was by now in awe of his learned son, |
| exclusive oil. He operated from small business | | | | and he could not ignore advice from him, which was |
| premises not exactly on the restaurant strip and put | | | | so well supported by the media and the discussions |
| out the advertising message on his frontage proudly | | | | that take place within a recognised seat of learning. |
| stating that his barbecue spare ribs were the | | | | He drastically cut his orders of pork ribs and |
| “best in the world, made with only the finest | | | | potatoes, chose a cheaper, more common frying oil, |
| ingredients.” | | | | did the same with the wood chips for the BBQ |
| As a result, his small business flourished and, in his | | | | smoker and changed the advertising message on his |
| own moderate way, he was financially successful. He | | | | diner to reflect that he no longer used the finest |
| had one son, his only child, and he wanted nothing | | | | ingredients. |
| but the best for him, so, using the money earned | | | | Within only a few months, his business could no |
| from his BBQ restaurant, he sent him away to | | | | longer support him and his family, and he sold it to a |
| university. | | | | BBQ restaurant franchise at a great loss and was |
| His son did well, enjoying being exposed to such | | | | forced to take early retirement. He called his son to |
| clever people and weighty opinions, and it was some | | | | tell him of the sad news, telling him he must stay at |
| time before he returned home to his father during a | | | | university, as his son had become so clever that he |
| holiday. He waxed lyrical about subjects previously of | | | | had foretold the difficulties the recession would bring. |
| great mystery to the father, demonstrating his | | | | His final words to the educated offspring were: |
| newly acquired knowledge with great panache and | | | | “what a wonderful thing a university |
| style, and his reputation grew. | | | | education is.” |
| One evening, shortly before his return to university, | | | | And the moral of this story? |
| the son took the father aside to discuss the family | | | | Don’t believe all that you read and take |
| business. “Father”, he said, | | | | control of your own destiny. |
| “there is talk of a great recession that is | | | | |