Karma has no menu. You get served what you deserve and this not only applies to personal life, it is also applicable in business ventures. As they say, when one is wronged all one needs to do is to forgive, smile and move on and karma will handle the rest. This is easier said than done. However, over time the wisdom in the saying has withstood the test of time. As sure as day is light and night is dark, payback is inevitable for every sin committed even if it takes three lifetimes. One will be dragged from the ethereal realm and undergo rebirth so as to ensure that payback takes place. Not so long ago, I was engaged in a business venture that turned sour courtesy of a third party who ended up paying the price. Fortunate thing for them is that the price has been paid in full and that reincarnation will not be their portion.
A few years back on one Sunday afternoon, my wife and I had a candid discussion on a wide range of issues. One of the issues we dissected was business related and we delved into what we needed to do to increase our revenue stream. Common sense and sound financial principles dictates that it is not prudent to rely on one source because when the tap runs dry, the consequences are dire and gut wrenching. It is akin to putting all eggs in one basket.
Subsequently, we resolved to venture into the transport business based on three key reasons. First, the capital requirement was reasonable in the sense that it was not back breaking. In addition, the potential income outweighed the expenses which included loan repayment hence we gave it a green light on that front. Second, there was no barriers to entry. Aside from paying advanced tax and having the motor vehicle insured and inspected, there was little else to worry about. Last but not least, the business did not require daily presence since we both had full time jobs. This was the icing on the cake. My wife already had a full plate; the full time job in the office and at home. I was keen on easing her burden.
After the two person household seminar was concluded, it was on to the implementation stage and so we hit the ground running. Myles Munroe once stated that the cemetery is the wealthiest place on earth because in it lies great unwritten books, unused potential and unimplemented ideas. It is against this backdrop that we resolved to move forward at lightning speed. Therefore, I secured the loan and purchased the motor vehicle. We then secured a meeting with the business partners who had their base of operation in the locality we live in. A stone throw away from where we live hence we could easily monitor the operation as well from our vantage point. Their role in the grand scheme of things was to utilize the motor vehicle for cab purposes and to remit an agreed upon amount at the end of the month. However, major maintenance expenses fell on us. After mulling over the contract terms and tweaking a few things here and there, we engaged in a handshake deal and the rest is history. The contract duration was one year subject to review prior to renewal. Optimism was high and we looked forward to earning some money. Little did we know that the experience would be short-lived.
Shortly thereafter, we left the car at their disposal and in the first month all seemed to be running smoothly. As promised, funds were remitted at the end of the month in a timely fashion and we were impressed. Nothing goes wrong in the first transaction after a deal is sealed. Most shady business people and con-artists seem to be reading from the same script unbeknown to their mark. However, in the second month, things started unravelling at the seams. The business partner summoned us to a meeting and summarily informed us that the motor vehicle was breaking down faster than a 100 meters Olympic champion can run a race. The irony is that at the onset of the deal when they took procession of the vehicle they had remarked at how great of a shape the car was. All of a sudden they made a 180 degree turn. To add insult to injury, they had fixed the supposed ‘issues’ without our consent and as a result, they now wanted to deduct their expenses from the monthly remittance. In short, no money came our way in the second month.
The trend continued and things took a downward spiral. Rather than increasing revenue as earlier envisaged, the business became a liability courtesy of the dishonest people we worked with. If one is to lie, they should at least have good memory as a bare minimum. The same thing was fixed more than twice within a short span of time. Either the quality of the purchased part was very poor or they mishandled the property. Another possibility is that they were outright liars; unashamed liars or those with poor memory. It was of no use engaging in an argument with them. Therefore, my wife and I went back to the drawing board and decided to pull out of the deal. At that point in time we felt it was better to have the car remain unused in our parking lot as opposed to out there with sharks. The straw that broke the camel’s back is when they informed us that the gear box needed to be replaced. In the grand scheme of things, we valued a peace of mind over anything else. As a result, we took back procession of the car and called it a day. We forgave, smiled, moved on and left it all to karma.
It didn’t take long for karma to act. Shortly after leaving them, two other business associates of theirs who had also leased their cars to them also pulled out for unknown reasons. Pride comes before a fall and in order to meet the demand, they saw it best to purchase their own vehicles to replace the ones that had pulled out. So they committed further capital. Barely a month later, new management took over the premises and kicked them out of their prime location inside the mall. For a long time they were the only cab company allowed to park inside the mall at the entrance where they could easily get customers. Other cab companies were kept at bay hence this preferential treatment came to an end. As if that was not enough, the dreaded coronavirus pandemic hit the country shortly thereafter and the business climate took a negative turn. Nowadays, they have become a pale shadow of their former selves. In addition, the supermarket that used to drive traffic to the mall is on its deathbed and so the place is deserted and devoid of life. It is no longer as vibrant as it was. At this juncture all I can do is to wish them all the best and probably hope they mend their ways so that they can bounce back. This goes to show that karma has no menu. You definitely get served what you deserve
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