Twenty hours a day...

Today I spent about six hours with Pak Jaegopal Hutapea. He is a well-known successful entrepreneur. I knew some news about him from what people say but today I know him from the first hand. A wise saying says that one night conversation with a man rich in wisdom and experience will give you more benefit than learning by yourself in a year. I agree with that and I think that's what I got from my conversation and interaction with Pak Gopal today.

Here are some lessons from him.

• Being able to make a good product is not enough. You must learn how to make good money from selling it.
  
• It is good to teach students the commercial side of what they learn. It is realistic and that's what they'll face in the real work. Someone must pay the bills, you know.
• Always find ways of how technologies can be used for the prosperity of our people. Don't be caged by the theories only. Be practical. Look at the world outside, find out what the people need and see how technology can fulfill them.
  
• Realize the unlimited potential of e-commerce. Remember, you can sell nearly everything in the Internet. Open your mind and eyes! See the open opportunities untouched around you. The way people work and make money in the internet era must be different than that of the industrial era.
• Give high standard to yourself. Push and test yourself to the limit. Stop making excuses! (Have you ever test yourself to the limit of your ability?)
• People tends to be lazy. But, the more you do a new habit, the easier it will be.
  
• One key characteristic of good entrepreneurs: they can easily see business opportunities lying everywhere which others can not see and they always think of how to make money from them.
• Another characteristic: they often think out of the box, coming up with "crazy" ideas only they can comprehend.
• "Q: What qualities do you look for in fresh graduates for becoming your employee?" "A: They are diligent, enjoy the job and make it as their first option than other jobs."
  
• His key of success: "Work twenty hours a day. If you want to accomplish more, then you have to work more hours."

Now comes the hardest part: the real life itself.

"Talk does not cook rice."
- Chinese proverb