Premise: To understand people better, we need to
- Encounter them in angry situations.
- Travel with them.
- Experience financial situations with them.
- Live with them.
Scenario: One day, my mother expressed her desire to run a chicken franchise business.
It came as a surprise. Given the physically demanding nature of the chicken business, I had heard that even entrepreneurs in their 20s and 30s rarely attempt it alone. Yet, despite being over 70 years old, she was determined to give it a shot. What was even more surprising was her request: she wanted me to use my business registration number for this venture and secure the initial capital through a loan product linked to my company's corporate account.
Furthermore, since my mother isn't familiar with digital devices, she asked me to take on the role of establishing and stabilizing the online aspects of the delivery app business. This included everything from setting up the online presence to managing the entire process. She also wanted me to assist with the physically demanding tasks involved in operating the frying equipment, all under the guise of minimizing initial costs. She seemed quite resolute, almost too assertive, in her request. In fact, it felt rather unreasonable. I found myself speechless in response to her words.
Phenomenon: Is this what it feels like to be a department manager summoned to the headquarters of a company whose CEO is an elementary school student?
First of all, I have my own main job. Moreover, my mother's initial request for help, from a familial perspective, was excessive. It demanded a different level of expertise in areas unfamiliar to both her and me, requiring a significant portion of my daily time. More than anything, many of the criteria related to the business outlined by my mother were drastically different from my perspective, shaped by my experience running several businesses. This further silenced me.
A business is always a private project of the owner.
Regardless of the purpose, item, or form, the beginning and end of a business always involve the owner's personal significance and goals. However, my mother only mentioned the expected revenue when discussing the purpose and goals of this private venture. I couldn't get any insights into why this item was a good choice for her as the owner, or how she could offer a differentiated value proposition to existing players as a latecomer in the local market.
A business is a marathon.
My mother emphasized the franchise company's claim that she could achieve a monthly revenue of 40 million won after the initial three months. But what if she doesn't reach that target after three months? What if, even with siblings or couples in their 30s working from 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. daily, it's extremely challenging to sustain the business for a year due to the physical strain? What if my mother, who is older, finds it unbearable after just a few weeks of investing, after determining that she cannot handle it? What if my mother's previous offline store experience, where she generated revenue by targeting pedestrian traffic in specific shopping areas with items like clothing and eyeglasses, doesn't translate well to this new business model where she has to manage online promotions, sales, payments, and customer service all on her own?
The sole responsibility of the owner lies in facing and taking ownership.
Employees can seek out the owner when they encounter roadblocks or make mistakes in their work, or in the worst-case scenario, they can simply leave. On the other hand, as the owner who invests and runs the business, I must always be there, regardless of the circumstances. Therefore, owners must strive to become an overwhelming presence in all aspects of their work. They are the only ones on the front lines, silently facing and resolving unexpected occurrences. But my mother had planned to proceed with the business registration and funding under someone else's name, not her own. It would have been better if I had fully funded the initial capital and observed her venture. However, her decision to officially delegate all responsibilities for the new business to someone else from the start was akin to a high-ranking employee declaring that they would only focus on achieving results without bearing any responsibility, essentially a declaration of their unwillingness to act as the true owner.
Suggestion: It seems like she needs a process to empower herself as a prospective entrepreneur.
Before sharing this decision with me, my mother spent nearly half a year visiting various small and medium-sized businesses in the area. She meticulously examined the space, interior design, and sought advice from business owners on topics such as market dynamics, brand competitiveness, and business capital. I remember sometimes driving her to these places because she found the bus rides tiring, and I happily obliged, hoping that these moments would become a fond memory one day. Watching her transition from a vague notion of potentially starting a business to gradually forming a more concrete direction, her determination filled me with a sense of pride and accomplishment. However, her final choice amounted to evasion.
Of course, I respect, admire, and love my mother. Furthermore, I understand her fears to some extent. For someone who struggles to install the Baedal Minjok (a Korean food delivery app) on her Android phone, the franchise company's promotion of achieving high revenue quickly with minimal costs by simply renting a cooking space and utilizing an online platform was undoubtedly tempting and terrifying at the same time. However, this constant battle between anticipation and fear is a daily reality faced by every business owner. In my eyes, my mother had already demonstrated her strong execution capability during the research phase. Nevertheless, I felt that her anticipation, sense of responsibility as a future entrepreneur, and her vague fear of the unknown had paralyzed her thoughts and actions.
Thoughts I Couldn't Express
Through this experience, I realized my father's lifelong attitude towards my mother. I suspected that my mother's plan stemmed from her relationship with my father, who had silently solved numerous problems over the years. However, even my father, with his unwavering support, cannot take on the role of an owner in her stead. What she needs is a small yet definitive process of taking action that instills the confidence to trust herself. What if she had approached the owners of the various franchise stores she visited and asked if she could learn the business for a week, free of charge? It's understandable if she might find it challenging to work alongside significantly younger employees or business owners, given the opportunity. However, if her goals are truly as clear and her will as strong as it appears, wouldn't it be the best course of action for her to take that initial step to overcome her fear, however small, as a budding entrepreneur? That's what I pondered.
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