A couple of lucrative businesses

People go into business with optimism, especially those naive ones who are first-timers, who are likely to count their chickens before they are hatched. Those with sufficient start-up capital, ie. those who happen to have a daddy (or mummy) who would provide for it, or sugar daddy (or mummy) who is happy so long as his girl friend (or her lover boy) is happy, are likely to be more concerned about form rather than substance (in Malay, 'ada gaya, tiada mutu'). A pleasant office or shop with a nice catchy name, and a grand opening ceremony to announce their presence in the locality is common.

But business depends on... business of course! What good is a nice looking set-up with high monthly overheads eating into capital? It is only a matter of time when the reality sets in and the business has to close. So sales is the most important factor in any business.

Over the years, we have seen some businesses which are meant to be successful. I am leaving out those depending on political connections, commonly known as cronyism. They are opportunistic and the successful ones are those who grabbed opportunities and not meant for those faint-hearted and genteel, who are politely waiting to be given.

If you are a sin seh or Chinese medicine practitioner, your simple business set-up and low overheads would give you a head start when new, and increasingly profitable as you become popular. Just imagine, working from home and the cost of medicine is virtually negligible (herbs can be found for free if you know which type and where they can be found). Of course, you need to be knowledgeable in your field and you need people to believe in your ability to cure them. But compare this with having to be top student and to study for years to get an MBBS and another few years to get that specialist qualification, your medical practice may not be as profitable as the simple sin seh! Of course, you have that extra bit of respect from your status as Dr. so and so, but other people judge you by the house you live in and the car you drive! By the way, many people do not realize that a surgeon is known as Mr. and not a Dr. So you started as Mr. Who, and qualified as a doctor to become Dr. Who, and with your cutting skills, you get back to a simple Mr. Who!

The next lucrative business is that of a licensed money-lender by name, but a loan shark by game. In Malaysia, money-lenders are not under Finance Ministry but that of Local Government. In law, they are supposed to lend at reasonable rates, say maximum 18% per annum. But in practice, they are able to charge more than 10% per month! Yet, there is no shortage of customers who do not mind being charged exorbitantly for a short period. Then there are those who think in terms of paying interest only, so Rm100 interest per month for a Rm1000 loan seems affordable to them. How the money-lenders manage to keep secret from the Ministry the exorbitant rates they charge is a wonder. How they manage to escape paying due taxes for those extra profits is a greater wonder. Bear in mind, to the taxman, even a prostitute's earnings, though illegal, is subject to tax.
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