Joseph's "Just My Thoughts"

Storytelling : Life revolves around storytelling. Both business and investment depend on it. Every story has a context that should be clear through common sense and logic. Stock prices mirror the story behind trading volume . If you learn to understand these stories, it gives you a benefit in stock trading . The restaurant industry is about storytelling related to service, while sales on Internet shopping sites tell a story about product distribution. Good storytelling can grab people’s attention, entice them, and evoke their emotions . Novels and dramas offer many valuable lessons on how to build wealth , as storytelling is a powerful way to connect with the world. Humans learn and understand through storytelling. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

If you’re running multiple businesses within a single business entity or a business that generates sales by connecting with different businesses, I recommend managing the accounting for each separately. For example, if a car rental company also engages in car leasing, try to maintain distinct accounts for the rental and leasing sectors. This approach increases the chances of uncovering hidden costs or mistakes in resource allocation . In business, specific attributes necessitate this separation, leading to independent costs and improved profit structures . Neglecting this reality can result in bankruptcy without fully understanding the reasons behind it. The foundation of success is to avoid failure. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

A ‘ transaction ’ is an act of debt between parties. The seller owes goods to the buyer ( performance debt ), and the buyer owes money to the seller ( monetary debt ). A transaction is considered complete when the debt is settled and the promise to owe each other is called a ‘ contract .’ Thus, a good trader or businessman excels at making and repaying debts. When it comes to debt, the type of debt matters. Anyone who misjudges this should not engage in business. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Let’s say you have two options. If you press the blue button , you will receive 1 million USD, and if you press the red button , you will receive 10 million USD, but the probability of winning is 50%. Which button would you press? If pressing the blue button is business, pressing the red button is gambling. In other words, depending on your attitude toward the relationship between risk and reward , we can determine whether we are suitable as managers. But if you press the red button with a 50% chance of winning and you don’t win, and you have to pay a fine of 1 million USD, would you still press the red button? The relationship between risk and reward influences people’s behavior. Business is about creating a structure that is advantageous to me, and building a system in which the structure continues to benefit me is called management. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

All businesses ultimately converge in real estate and finance . This is an unavoidable fate. Real estate is the smallest unit and foundation of production activities, with a price calculated in real terms . Volatile assets that have a real price and whose prices fluctuate frequently must generate interest or dividends. Rental fees for an office or store are typically sufficient for the business operator to pay the interest on the loan owed by the lessor , the real estate owner, to the bank, akin to the real estate owner holding a particular share of the lessee ’s business. Therefore, a lessee capable of paying interest on a property as a rental fee is the strongest candidate to own that property. This fact serves as strong evidence that business is closely linked to real estate. After all, most businesses grow in size and have two asset structures : their basic operating sales and real estate revenue . Without an efficient connection between these two structures, a business will nev...

Crisis overcoming and development both begin with “what I have,” not “what I have lost.” “What I have” consists of [everything I possess now, including what I lent to others] minus [what I’ve borrowed from others], [what I’ve inherited], [what I’ve received as gifts], and [what I’ve taken unlawfully]. [What I have] + [What I’ve inherited] + [What I’ve received as gifts] is referred to as [own assets] or [net assets], additionally includes [something I borrowed], and subtracting [something stolen] in my possession, it is called [asset]. To pay off the liabilities (debts), you must have [net assets] or possess [something I borrowed from others]. The only other way to do this is to repay with [something I stole], but it’s a crime. The ultimate goal of any business activity is to acquire [assets]. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Business isn’t about making an idea come true; it’s about validating it. No ideas or plans are perfect from the beginning. The market’s reaction develops and refines the idea over time. Many individuals mistakenly believe that a business idea will be perfect if they tinker with it repeatedly or that this will enhance their chances of success through their efforts. We may not know ourselves well, but how should we know our business intimately? Don’t gamble; try, correct, and adapt quickly. A business doesn’t start with knowledge; rather, knowledge is gained through starting. So, begin by breaking it down into smaller parts from the outset. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

The most important virtues a business person should possess are, first, keeping my word by myself, even if it seems small; second, not being afraid; and third, having the ability to build structures. Since credit is the essence of money, it plays a crucial role in the exchange of value, starting with keeping one’s word. If you’re afraid, it becomes easy to lie or distort your true self, which can lead to losing credibility with those around you. To collaborate with others, which you can’t do alone in your business and may not fully trust, you must be able to create and manage structures to help grow your business, although with less trustworthy traits. The most critical of these abilities is keeping one’s word. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

What is the difference between an owner who believes that the company should never close in any situation and an owner who believes that our company can shut its doors at any time? Certainly, there are many differences. Fear stems from something that has yet to occur. The awareness sense to which work has yet to happen is a crucial perspective because it profoundly affects business philosophy. The crisis is tied to the range of fear. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

It’s not that there is no money, but rather that people can’t find a worthwhile entity to invest in. The businessman misunderstands that he can’t do what he wants simply because he lacks money. However, just as water flows to a low place, money naturally gravitates toward where it’s valued, even if you have no cents. In other words, it’s not that they don’t have money; it’s that they don’t instill the kind of trust in investors that encourages spending it. No matter how dire the situation in the country may be, money doesn’t simply evaporate. You miss opportunities because the conditions aren’t right for investment. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

The scariest customers in the world are regulars, not picky or complaining customers. Regulars pay a fair price. However, there is no such thing as ‘natural’ in the world. When regulars change their minds, not only do businesses suffer significant financial damage, but they also suffer emotionally. There are traps in naturalness, seeds of failure, and wounds caused by conceit. The older and closer people are, the more cautious you should be. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

For a business to succeed, kairos, situations, and relationships are all essential. Kairos is an aspect beyond human control, often described as ‘luck.’ It exists within a realm ruled by coincidence and timing. Situation pertains to the interests of the land, encompassing all resources except human resources. Relationships represent human resources that I can cultivate through human unity. Among these three elements, there is a saying that kairos accounts for 70% of success, leaving 30% to other factors. This underscores why we should avoid boasting about our abilities, even in the face of our achievements. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

The prerequisite for working is to earn a profit. Profit is defined as revenues minus costs and expenses. In other words, you must incur costs and expenses before you can make sales. Profits arise when sales exceed costs and expenses. If I overlook this straightforward reason, the harder I work, the more I will struggle and negatively impact others. Behind the concept of generating significant revenue lies an oversight of the importance of making a profit. Increased revenue also leads to more significant expenses. The total costs and expenses associated with making sales are referred to as prime costs. Many businesspeople in this world are unaware of prime cost structures and focus solely on boosting sales. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

The concept of “seed money” is crucial in business and investment; it is a notion that cannot be overemphasized. This “seed money” is termed “capital money” in accounting. If a person who is 50% profitable loses 40% simultaneously and continuously finds himself in this situation, will he become wealthy? No! Due to the 40% loss, the seed money will gradually diminish; as investments are repeated, profits will decline, leading to financial hardship. In any business or investment, it is essential to know how to preserve your seed money, and when you face losses, you must act decisively, understanding how to swiftly extricate yourself from the situation. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Only a few founders genuinely grasp the essence of their businesses from the start. After launching, they often start to grasp the core of their ventures as their customer bases expand. If startups had a clearer insight into their businesses from the outset, they could significantly lower their chances of failure. The sooner you identify your business’s essence, the greater your chances for success will be. Furthermore, if you can quickly pivot your business direction—even if you realize it later—the likelihood of failure diminishes. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Any business can succeed if it generates more revenue than it incurs in costs. When you achieve high sales volume with low expenses, a surplus occurs; only with a surplus can production and investment continue. “Replication” enables humanity to create surplus legitimately. Humanity has learned that surplus can increase if similar costs are incurred or if goods or services of equal quality are sold at minimal costs. The growth of a management organization demonstrates that it continues to replicate its members at the same level as the founder, and increased revenue indicates it can easily “replicate” the designated quality. The cells in our bodies also “replicate” to sustain life. For handmade products to thrive, they must prioritize scarcity over productivity since improvements in productivity can reduce scarcity. If you don’t grasp the principles of duplication, achieving success in your business becomes challenging. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Business isn’t just about “doing something” — it’s about “building trust.” In running a café, my focus should be on fostering customer confidence in my service rather than simply selling coffee without consideration. Before making sales, establishing trust as a business owner should be a priority. Gaining experience by working part-time in another café can facilitate this trust-building process. When you create financial credibility, running out of money can harm your reputation. However, if you earn money through established trust, you can regenerate funds even after they have been depleted. Trust serves as the foundation of money and is central to successful business operations. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

There are two types of businesses in this world when approached through the value of time and divided by the kinds of business: a business that requires discounting future value and a business that needs a surcharge. The bundle discount is a “future value discount business,” while the loan business is a “future value premium business.” Currently, it is unnecessary, but a bundle of sales is a business that offers customers incentives called “discounts” when they buy what they want in advance. The principal is not returned now in the loan business but must be returned in the future, providing the present incentive as a “delay repayment” in advance. Future discounts and surcharges can exist simultaneously in a business or a product; some enterprises will be ruined by mixing them if they change positions. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

There are two key meanings in the world: abstract meaning and conceptual meaning. Abstract meaning relates to values and philosophy, while conceptual meaning pertains to methodology. A successful businessman effectively understands abstract meaning in a conceptual context. Some businessmen struggle to grasp abstract meaning, whereas others have difficulty with conceptual meaning. It is essential to enhance understanding by collaborating with external experts, regardless of whether it involves developing internal organizations. Businessmen should excel at creating both abstract and conceptual representations. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

In business, a “transaction” is essential. This transaction focuses on addressing human needs. To fulfill these needs, one must choose methods that align with one’s moral values while also recognizing the limitations in addressing them. Therefore, businesses should satisfy these needs within the bounds of morality. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”