The visitor park

A group of middle-aged and older friends stood looking at the immense plot of land, about 50 hectares. Clumps of trees mixed with grassy patches lay untouched and untidy. You could tell it was newly bought land. A man named Lộc said:

• I had to buy from twelve people to put together a plot as big as this. Now we can plant trees as we intend, and at the same time go through the procedures to ask permission to set up a recreational park. The local authorities would also like to have a park like this to refresh the district's image. I alone do not have the ability to create an attractive recreational park, so I have invited you to come and look at the land and the legal documents, and perhaps to put in capital as shareholders to carry out this project.

Everyone chattered and discussed, except one woman who stayed silent and said nothing. After a while, noticing this, they turned round and asked:

• Tuyết, why don't you have any opinion?
  Mrs Tuyết replied:
• Because what you are saying does not suit me, so I don't want to take part.
• What do you mean? You are the most reputable and capable businesswoman among us; with you in, the project will be strong.
• When you are willing to listen, then I will take part. So far everything you've said has been contrary to my business philosophy.
• And what is your business philosophy?
  Mrs Tuyết said:
• My business philosophy is, first, that our enterprise survives, just survives, with no need yet to grow rich, so that our colleagues have stable work first of all. Second, our customers must gain more than the money they spend. This is a hard problem, so the leadership of my company must be made up of people who are both skilled and good-hearted in order to run it.
  All this time I have heard you talk only about picking people's pockets, this will make a profit, that will draw customers, so none of it resembles my view at all.

Mr Lộc spoke up:

• If we don't find ways to take people's money, then it isn't business, Tuyết, is it? People come here to visit and play and get the benefit of relieving their stress, and in return they give us a little money to operate on.
• Their feeling of ease soon fades, whereas the money you take from them lasts rather a long time.
• Then what do you tell us to do?
  Mrs Tuyết said:
• Many people have set up recreational parks, and many have gradually closed, because the benefit they bring people is not great. I propose setting up a different kind of park: an Exhibition Park for Visiting Job Opportunities.
  Visitors who come here would pass along a route in several stages and receive many suggestions to help them start a career that succeeds in the long term. First come suggestions about ethics, dedication, contribution, loyalty, tact, kindness, mutual support, constant self-effort in training... These are the qualities for living and working with others in the long run.
  In the second stage, visitors would be given suggestions about the professional skills they need, such as foreign languages, managing indicators, industrial psychology, operating machinery, using certain computer software, understanding the market, anticipating society's consumer demand over the next few years... Each such suggestion would be presented in a very appealing and easily understood way, followed by addresses where they can go to study and earn a specific certificate.
  In the third stage, visitors would be introduced to companies that are looking to recruit more staff, and we would analyse each company so that visitors know how to apply effectively.
  The fourth stage would offer visitors some suggestions on starting small and medium-sized businesses of their own.
  Each stage of the visit would be presented both entertainingly and educationally. Even people with no particular need would enjoy visiting it. Others would feel that a visit here is extremely beneficial for their lives.
  If you share my approach, I will take part in this project and guarantee that the capital is not lost; in plain words, I will underwrite all the capital required until the project goes into operation.

Everyone was stunned into silence by an idea they had not expected. Mrs Tuyết went on:

• What I hate most in life is going out for fun. I have no concept of going out for fun. I also dislike anyone who loves going out for fun and urges others to do so. "How long is this life, to be so indifferent to it?" How long is life, to spend it going out for fun? 👸

Anyone intending to set up luxury leisure resorts, recreational parks, clubs for wild dancing, or spots where young men and women slip out of the house to meet for dates... should consult this Mrs Tuyết.
We should create more opportunities in society for cultivating ethics, for training and learning, and for working and contributing, rather than add more meaningless, fleeting amusements to this burning world.

In business we are haunted by the thought of attracting other people's money, not thinking of the hardship they went through earning it. Now we should change: if we do business, let us find ways to provide our customers with lasting benefits for their lives.