As Cheng Su put it, life is a great gamble, where you must dare to place a bet to have the chance to see the outcome, win or lose. If you lose, it’s just about placing another bet, and if you win, you’ll be grateful for the courage you had to bet in the first place.
It’s the same with doing business. If you’re afraid of messing up and don’t dare to take a step forward, to fight for it, then you’re bound to miss out on opportunities.
"Take my restaurant for example, it’s just selling fast food, earning a few pennies per dish. Over a day, starting from just ten or twenty, gradually accumulating popularity, capital also accumulates in this way. That’s not all, I’ve even had hooligans come in and dine-and-dash. One lunch service, I lost more than ten or twenty yuan," Cheng Su said, her eyes revealing a mix of regret and annoyance.
"Really? There was such a thing?" Old Zhou and his wife were very surprised, only aware of Cheng Su’s restaurant appearing quite successful, never imagining she had experienced such things.
Qi Taiguo’s face flushed with shame as he looked at Cheng Su, his eyes showing a hint of distress.
At that time, she must have felt helpless and scared, right?
Without thinking, Qi Taiguo reached out and held her hand. Cheng Su was startled, looked subconsciously at Old Zhou and the others, withdrew her hand forcefully, blushed, and glared at him, "What are you doing, there are outsiders here!"
Qi Taiguo was also red-faced, retracted his hand, coughed, and picked up his tea to mask his embarrassment.
Old Zhou and his wife watched this and both smirked secretly.
"So, going into business is full of risks, but if you’re scared of this and that, you won’t get anything done. Take enlisting in the army and going on missions as an example, Commander Zhou. If you’re afraid of the various dangers you might encounter during a mission, does that mean you don’t go?" Cheng Su said.
"Of course not!"
Old Zhou and Qi Taiguo replied in unison.
"That’s what I’m saying. The future is unknown, and it’s precisely because of this that we feel the urge to explore. If we avoid issues due to fear, complain, and become angry, our minds would be like duckweeds in the wind, drifting aimlessly. Instead, it’s better to bravely try and explore the unknown. Perhaps, we’ll get to see a different side of the world, and with that, gain something valuable."
At this, Old Zhou and his wife were taken aback, dumbfounded as they looked at Cheng Su.
"What’s wrong? Did I say something amiss?" Cheng Su asked, genuinely puzzled.
"No, today I just realized how eloquent and articulate my sister-in-law is. Even university lecturers are no match for her!" Old Zhou said with a laugh, complimenting her.
Cheng Su let out an awkward sound, a bit embarrassed, while Qi Taiguo looked on with pride.
"So, according to sister-in-law, what’s the best industry to go into if one were to ’go to sea’ in business?" Old Zhou asked again.
After thinking for a moment, Cheng Su replied, "If you trust me, and you’re not afraid to take a gamble, why not get into the electronics industry?"
"Electronics?"
"Yes, electronic products. Currently, people’s purchasing power may not be high, but in a few years, they will surely become a necessity in people’s lives, especially after the nineties, when the times will gradually change. And if you start laying the groundwork now, you’ll have experience and competitive capital by then," Cheng Su asserted confidently.
Old Zhou and his wife fell silent.
"At the start, you can be a vendor, a sole proprietor, to make your first pot of gold. Later on, you can open a shop, and eventually register a company," Cheng Su said with a smile: "Commander Zhou, if you trust me, diving into business will surely be better than looking for some odd jobs, just like in Shenzhen, where so many people go to strike it rich. One good deal there is better than anything else, and if you’re willing, there are definitely bigger opportunities waiting."