As the saying goes, better a bad life than a good death! How desperate and helpless must one be to reach the end of the road? I know of two examples where white-haired parents had to send off their black-haired children. Both were diligent and hardworking entrepreneurs. I feel those who speculate and play with finance often have stronger resilience, while those in manufacturing are more prone to take the ultimate step.
The first was my good friend and business partner. After the pandemic outbreak, the banks started taking away the umbrella when it rained. The loan officer in charge of his company's loan actually told him, "The loan is almost due. Find a way to pay it back, and we'll try to arrange a bridge loan within a week to lend it out again." My old brother took it at face value. He mortgaged his house, sold his car, pawned the family's valuable jewelry, and even borrowed from loan sharks. Unexpectedly, almost two weeks after repaying, there was no news. Every time he followed up, the loan officer said policies had changed, and they were trying their best to assist as soon as possible. During that time, he chatted daily with me and other brothers, huddling together for warmth. One night, he turned on the gas. His wife and eight-year-old daughter left this sorrowful world with him, leaving only his parents, who were sent to a nursing home. Initially, we lied to them, saying the family of three had emigrated abroad.
The other was a good friend of my friend. They came from the countryside, were particularly honest and hardworking, and had built up a vegetable wholesale business through their own efforts. Unexpectedly, after the pandemic outbreak, the local wholesale market suspected the goods carried the virus and demanded their complete destruction, without any compensation. Their entire stock was financed by bank loans. Perhaps he just couldn't figure a way out; he drank pesticide in the cold storage room, leaving behind a daughter to be raised by his parents.
I'm sharing these two examples not to highlight the helplessness and tragedy of the world, but to remind everyone: from the very beginning, one should have a sound financial plan – one-third savings, one-third expenses, one-third investment. But for business people, this is quite difficult to achieve. However, there's an old saying: Only by staying alive is there hope for a comeback! Even if bankrupt, grit your teeth and persevere, because life is the most precious thing.
To be continued...