Business and Money Tips

The Quiet Pillar: Labels and Legacies The Man They Called "Irresponsible" In the busy stalls of Chinatown 1960s to 1983, the image of my father was often painted with the brush of frustration. I can still see him sitting there, using a torn scrap of cardboard from a shoe box to scribble down a customer’s items, totaling them up with a steady hand.  Later would we realize that he made a mistake: he undercharged the customer! To the casual observer, and even to us, his family, he didn't seem to fit the mold of a "successful" businessman. He would often do the unthinkable: he would tell a customer not to buy from us, directing them to a competitor instead if they could find exactly what they wanted there. He never pushed for a sale; he only served and served.  Then there were the business "blunders." During the oil crisis of 1973-74, his lack of aggressive negotiation led to a warehouse full of excess plastic sandals we couldn't sell. He didn't s...