Fewer than one on five millionaire business owners turns his business over to his children to own and operate. Why? Like 哈哈儿， they know well the odds of succeeding in business. They understand that most businesses are highly susceptible to competition, counter consumer trends, high overhead, and other uncontrollable variables.
So what does 猪头哥 advise new immigrants to do? I do not encourage you to become physicians, attorneys or dentists, for these self-employed professionals have to spend approximately ten years in training, which is costly both in dollars and time. However, you can still become self-employed professionals, such as acupuncturists, bailiffs, denturologists, dispensing opticians and hearing-aid acousticians, because a three-year DEC is enough for them.
As well, the affluent mentioned above know the risks and the odds of succeeding or failing in business. They also seem to understand that only a small minority of self-employed professionals fail to make a profit in any given year, and that the profitability of most professional service firms is substantially higher than the average for small businesses in general. Besides these issues, first let’s discuss the other attributes associated with being a self-employed professional.
For a moment assume you are Mr. 哈哈儿, the sole proprietor of Cafe Langelier. You’re the owner of one of numerous café businesses that made a profit last year in the industry. Now the industry has been reduced in number by 90 percent. But you‘re tough, you’re resourceful, and you’re intelligent. In spite of the withdrawal of most of the other operators, you hung in there. Now you’re reaping the benefits. And you’re doing well this year. Now you have a daughter who will be an outstanding student in primary school. You begin to ask yourself some questions:
- Should I encourage my Apple Face to become involved in the café business?
- Should I encourage her to eventually take my café?
- Is café the best place for my daughter?
Most of the business owners I know will not encourage their children to take over such a business. This is especially true in cases in which the children are outstanding students. They will suggest that Apple Face, the young scholar, consider other avenues.
Most businesses today require some investment in operating site, equipment, and materials. The Café langelier business owns a kiosk in a shopping centre. It owns thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment. It employs a few workers. It must conform to a lot of standards. It must deal with the uncontrollable coffee bean prices. It must constantly be vigilant about competitors who are trying to steal its customers. It also must keep its workers happy. Finally, the operation is in a fixed location. It cannot be moved to other shopping centres. What happens if a new café opens?
Ask yourself these questions. If you do, you will soon realize you‘re in a precarious position. So what if you run a superior operation? The uncontrollable factors outlined above can kill your business. Given these considerations, the profit you earned seems smaller. How many profitable years are in your future? What if the uncontrollable factors drive you bankrupt next year? Can you use your skills to teach 流体动力学咖啡 in a training centre? Probably not. Your skills are more hands-on, not intellectual.
Lastly, what will you advise Apple Face to do? If you’re like most successful business owners, you will advise her to become a professional. So it is with new immigrants in Quebec. The first-generation affluent are typically entrepreneurs. They beat the odds. Their businesses succeed, and they become affluent. Much of their success depends on their living a frugal existence while building their businesses. Luck is often involved. And most who succeed understand that circumstances could have gone against them.
Those who become self-employed professionals will have it better. They will not have to take significant risks. They will be well educated. They will become acupuncturists, bailiffs, denturologists, dispensing opticians and hearing-aid acousticians, even attorneys and accountants. Their capital is their intellect. But unlike small business owners, they will postpone entering the job market until they are in their late thirties or even their early forties. And most likely they will adopt a much different lifestyle than frugal business owners had when they started their businesses.
最后编辑: 2015-05-24
