Review: Lessons from Robert Kuok 郭鶴年

Lessons

• Why invest in Sugar? It's a basic necessity besides rice and wheat which is always in demand; if you can source for cheap sources, you'll get rich.
• More than 90% is hard work, the rest is luck.
• What make you better than your competitors? I believe there are smarter than me, but they have a messy night life, while I work hard; my horses run faster than theirs.
• There are risk in every business; if you are not brave enough to grab on the first or next opportunities, then you shall be a poor person forever. 做生意的人一定要一种的胆量，但是胆量要对生意，不要用胆量对人。
• 你不能跑两只马。You don't try to reap sideline profit when you promise an unconditional help.
• What makes a successful sugar king? Focus. 一定要专一，不能花心。
• Why you invest in multiple businesses besides sugar, isn't that "not focus"? When doing business, you should be involved in a few types, because they are related with each other (compounded benefit).
• Hotel is a service industry (not product), and the most important element is you employees, and you depends on them fully to take of your customers; thus, we shall make it our primary agenda to take care of our employees.
• Why invest in China's industry in such an early stage? I have a good feelings that China tourism industry will become the busiest in the world, due to its rich historical relics and monuments. During that time, there is no good place to stay, and the toilets are terrible; we need to help China's tourism industry to grow.
• I admit that I am not a great businessman, I am not the calculative kind.
• 我们要争志气，不要给外面的人看不起我们华人。
• 给人帮助：不宣传，不用谢，不报答。
• My mother told me to conduct business following the path of morality, don't worship materialism.
• Advice from mother: 儿孙能如我，何必留多财；倘若不如我，多财亦是空；不为自己求利益，但愿大众共安宁。If my children are as capable as I am, there is no need to leave them with inheritance money; if my children are not capable, giving them more money is useless as well; not working just for my own benefit, but so that everyone can live in a safe and peaceful environment.
• My mom knows that I'm somehow a talented businessman, but she would not want me to turn to the dark side and be an "evil" businessman. She advice us to be a good person, and not be greedy about money.
• My love for my mom is eternal; and I believe most Chinese mom is like my mother.
• If my mom is still alive, she would advice me to continue to be modest and practice humility, and help the poor people.
• 脾气是没办法改的。You can't change your temper.
• Daughter: I father believe in hard work and learning Chinese
• I hope that my children will do good for the company, be a good leader, build a good family and reduce their shortcomings.
• He will almost invest in any development for the good of China
• In my early days, I see those people who are very aggressive in business using unscrupulous methods. We knows their methods, but we didn't complaint; we just try our best to compete. Today, these business are no longer around.
• Personally, I don't love money; but I like my company to be profitable, so that I could pay good bonus to my staffs.

Robert Kuok: humility guided by morality, passionate in building a business yet not influenced by materialism.