HAVING A COLUMN gives you the blessing (some may say curse) to be
a listening ear and platform for many people’s experiences which they want
the general public to know about.
I see it as a blessing Whether it is the farmer who curses me every time I go to the carwash because I haven’t written about the woes of farmers (another article for another time. Sorry, Mr Farmer, not this Sunday) or the waitress I told you about who was asked what kind of n**** she was by a prominent businessman after he thought she took too long with his family’s order, it is my opinion sharing other people’s experiences can teach us many lessons. According to an old friend, “Some lessons I ain’t gotta learn by experience”.
Once upon a time, there was a small businessman known as Peterpop. Peterpop invented a potion that caused people to lose weight when they ate fattening foods. What a novel idea! It reversed the effects of junk food and all those dishes which we have to turn away from teary-eyed because we don’t want diabetes or high blood pressure.
In actuality, his portion made one healthier after eating junk food.
Peterpop came from humble beginnings. Although he knew he
had a billion-dollar idea and product in his possession, he needed investment for this to become a reality. Everyone he told or offered the portion to
sang its praises and encouraged him to pursue his dreams with the product. It was decided the potion would be known as Reverse It.
Peterpop approached a local funding agency and discussed his ideas with an officer and the head of the agency, Nottobe and Trusted. They lauded and loved his idea. They, like everyone else, praised Reverse It and verbally committed to doing all they could to ensure that he gets what he needed to make it successful.
Peterpop left the recipe and strategy document with both Nottobe and Trusted in good faith, with the understanding it would support any declarations they made to the board about the viability of Reverse It.
Unfortunately, Nottobe and Trusted were just that – not to be trusted.
Two things happened that changed the course of fate for Peterpop, who still lives at home with his parents and has over the years become very bitter.
Nottobe, the officer, passed on all of Peterpop’s plans to his cousins. The cousins then submitted a copy of Peterpop documents to the said same funding agency but under their own business name. The cousins’ proposal was approved and they were able to successfully make millions off the business idea. Peterpop is unable to sue because he cannot afford it and legal aid does not cover such matters.
Trusted, the head of the funding agency, mulled over the documents for quite some time after Peterpop left his office. Reverse It kept him up late at night and consumed all of his thoughts. It was not for the reasons we would think. Trusted could not bring himself to support the “small man”. He thought about
the fact that he went to one of the best schools, slaved away at university to get all levels of degrees and would never make the kind of money
Peterpop would, if he approved and fully supported the agency’s facilitation of Reverse It.
“Life ain’t fair” was what the voice in his head constantly told him. Envy got the better of Trusted and he sat on Peterpop’s proposal and avoided his calls. Trusted, however, pushed for the approval of Nottobe’s cousins after it was agreed both he and Nottobe would have a ten per cent stake in that business.
There are so many people like Peterpop. It is true; life is not fair. I encourage all Barbadians in business to research all the ways in which we can protect ourselves because in business, you either hunt or be hunted.
Toni Thorne is a young entrepreneur and World Economic Forum Global Shaper who loves global youth culture, a great debate and living in paradise. Email: [email protected].
