by Alec Hogg
At a Berkshire Hathaway AGM two years back, Warren Buffett urged shareholders to read a book called “Dream Big”. It tells the story of a Brazilian trio who created 3G Capital, Berkshire’s partner in the food giant Kraft Heinz. Buffett reckons the book is certain to inspire everyone who reads it.
Driving around England today reminded me how South African entrepreneurs can never be short of inspiration. We’d hardly been here been half an hour before seeing our first Bidvest Foodservices truck, evidence of how super entrepreneur Brian Joffe has, from scratch, created a R47bn business in the UK. An hour later in a town west of London called Aylesbury, we stopped near the theatre to encounter a packed branch of Nando’s, the now global chicken brand that started from a single Rosettenville store in the south of Johannesburg.
It’s too easy for South Africans nowadays to get caught up in the bad news, the incompetence, the avarice of those misguided elites who would impose their will on the rest of us. Politics, especially in a developing country, can remain irrational longer than anyone might imagine. Rather than letting the idiocy get to you, follow the true entrepreneur who scans the landscape, assesses parameters and takes rational decisions. Railing against bad economic policy only turns those making the rules defensive, often leading to even worse decisions next time. Why waste energy when there’s a whole world waiting to be conquered?
From Biznews community member Stephen Williams
A very inspirational piece this morning. Thank you!! Not two seconds before I read your article I said to my wife, I am tired of all the negative news, violence and political interfering. In fact I’m not going to read any more of it. Then bang! Your piece pops into my inbox and makes me sit up and take interest again.
Yesterday’s top stories:
Blade Nzimande criticises Big Business – too greedy
Nuclear uncertainty – Energy Ministry turns to gas
Cees Bruggemans: Zuma fingers private sector – real story lies overseas
Why is there such a disparity in Chinese gold demand estimates?
Better that you listen to Honest Abe and remain silent, Mr Zuma
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