Manuel desde niño fue inquieto, le gustaban el deporte y ayudar a su padre en el taller de mecánica. Con el paso del tiempo avanzó en el beisbol pero una lesión en el tobillo derecho le alejo el sueño de ser pelotero profesional.
De todos modos aprovechó sus habilidades naturales y se inscribió para estudiar el profesorado en educación física. Los estudios se le dieron bien, en cuatro años terminó su carrera y comenzó a trabajar en algunos liceos privados mientras se creaba alguna plaza en el sector público.
Un día consiguió el cargo en un liceo cercano a su casa y Manuel entusiasmado asumió su trabajo como profesor de educación física, eran los tiempos en que se sentía con fuerza la crisis económica del país, la hiperinflación hacía estragos y los sueldos del sector público perdieron todo su poder adquisitivo.
Como a muchos, a Manuel también se le presentó la necesidad de combinar su trabajo como profesor con alguna otra actividad. De otro modo no generaba lo indispensable para sus gastos cotidianos.
En ese tiempo también se había instalado una crisis en servicios fundamentales como la distribución de gas doméstico. El Estado hacía ocasionalmente operativos para vender bombonas a precios subsidiados, pero no satisfacían las demandas de la gente.
Así que nació un mercado negro de distribución de gas. Los mismos choferes de los camiones, también con sueldos muy bajos, aprovecharon el chance que tenían en los llenadores y comenzaron a dejar en algunos sitios bombonas que se vendían a un precio superior al de los operativos del Estado.
Manuel tenía tiempo yendo con su bicicleta a comprar gas en uno de esos sitios. Siempre se quedaba un rato hablando con la gente y de ese modo fue conociendo a los choferes.
Un día se le ocurrió que podía aprovechar su bicicleta para llevarle gas a las personas que no pudieran ir hasta el sitio donde vendían las bombonas. Empezó llevando una bombona en la parte de atrás de la bicicleta . Pero la demanda fue tan grande que mandó a hacer una carrucha para poder llevar hasta tres bombonas simultáneamente.
Manuel hizo sus cálculos y se dio cuenta que lo que ganaba en el liceo no justificaba el tiempo que pasaba allí. Así que decidió ponerse a tiempo completo con el floreciente negocio de la distribución de bombonas a domicilio.
Muchos clientes le comentaban a Manuel que si no apretaban muy fuerte algunas bombonas quedaban botando gas por el regulador. Manuel preguntó por aquí y por allá y consiguió el remedio a la situación. Había que cambiar unas pequeñas partes de goma en la punta de los reguladores.
Manuel aprendió a hacer el cambio y agregó más valor a su negocio de distribución, ahora también ofrecía mantenimiento preventivo y correctivo para las bombonas. Su clientela creció rápidamente.
En una oportunidad conversando con los choferes vio la posibilidad de independizar más su negocio. Él mismo podría ser distribuidor, lo que necesitaba era un espacio donde dejar temporalmente las bombonas. Habló con un vecino que tenía un buen patio frente a la calle y lograron el acuerdo.
Ahora los camiones paran directamente en ese sitio y Manuel se economiza el tiempo de ir hasta el otro centro de distribución. Y aunque tenga que pagar un poco más por el alquiler del espacio, distribuir las bombonas desde allí le resulta mucho más rentable.
En la actualidad Manuel está pensando escalar un poco más el negocio de la distribución a domicilio, para ello está ahorrando con la finalidad de comprar una moto que le permita aumentar las entregas. La última vez que hablamos me dijo que ya estaba muy cerca de lograr la meta para comprar su moto de contado.
Siempre me anima conocer gente como Manuel, que no se quedan cruzadas de brazos y a fuerza de ingenio se abren paso para vencer la adversidad.
Gracias por tu tiempo.
Fuente de imágenes. [I]( https://pixabay.com/photos/tricycle-crafts-decoration-pot-710089/) [II]( https://pixabay.com/photos/children-tricycle-village-kids-7192773/) [III]( https://pixabay.com/photos/goods-motorcycle-truck-trike-1838509/).
Manuel was restless from childhood; he enjoyed sports and helping his father in the mechanic's shop. Over time, he advanced in baseball, but an injury to his right ankle prevented him from pursuing a professional baseball career. Nevertheless, he took advantage of his natural abilities and enrolled in a physical education teaching program. He did well in his studies; in four years, he completed his degree and began working in several private high schools while some positions were being created in the public sector. One day, he landed a position at a high school near his home, and Manuel enthusiastically took on his job as a physical education teacher. These were times when the country's economic crisis was felt strongly, hyperinflation was taking its toll, and public sector salaries lost all their purchasing power. Like many others, Manuel also found himself needing to combine his teaching job with another activity. Otherwise, he couldn't make enough money to cover his daily expenses. At that time, a crisis had also hit essential services like domestic gas distribution. The state occasionally held operations to sell gas cylinders at subsidized prices, but they didn't meet people's demands.  Thus, a black market for gas distribution emerged. The truck drivers, also earning very low wages, took advantage of the opportunity they had at the filling stations and began to leave gas cylinders at certain locations, which were sold at a higher price than the state operations. Manuel had been riding his bicycle to buy gas at one of these places for a long time. He always spent time talking to people and in this way got to know the drivers. One day, it occurred to him that he could use his bicycle to carry gas to people who couldn't get to the place where the cylinders were sold. He started by carrying one cylinder on the back of his bicycle. But demand was so high that he had a cart made to carry up to three cylinders at a time. Manuel did his calculations and realized that what he earned at school wasn't worth the time he spent there. So he decided to start a full-time business distributing gas cylinders to homes. Many customers told Manuel that if they didn't press down hard enough, some cylinders would leak gas from the regulator. Manuel asked around and found the solution. Some small rubber parts on the end of the regulators needed to be replaced. Manuel learned how to make the change and added more value to his distribution business; now he also offered preventive and corrective maintenance for the cylinders. His clientele grew rapidly. Once, while talking with drivers, he saw the possibility of making his business more independent. He could be a distributor himself; all he needed was a space to temporarily store the gas cylinders. He spoke with a neighbor who had a nice yard facing the street, and they reached an agreement.  Now the trucks stop directly there, and Manuel saves time traveling to the other distribution center. And although he has to pay a little more to rent the space, distributing the cylinders from there is much more profitable. Currently, Manuel is considering expanding his home delivery business a little further. To do so, he's saving up to buy a motorcycle that will allow him to increase his deliveries. The last time we spoke, he told me he was very close to achieving his goal of buying his motorcycle outright. I'm always encouraged to meet people like Manuel, who don't just sit back and use their ingenuity to overcome adversity. Thank you for your time.
Manuel was restless from childhood; he enjoyed sports and helping his father in the mechanic's shop. Over time, he advanced in baseball, but an injury to his right ankle prevented him from pursuing a professional baseball career. Nevertheless, he took advantage of his natural abilities and enrolled in a physical education teaching program. He did well in his studies; in four years, he completed his degree and began working in several private high schools while some positions were being created in the public sector. One day, he landed a position at a high school near his home, and Manuel enthusiastically took on his job as a physical education teacher. These were times when the country's economic crisis was felt strongly, hyperinflation was taking its toll, and public sector salaries lost all their purchasing power. Like many others, Manuel also found himself needing to combine his teaching job with another activity. Otherwise, he couldn't make enough money to cover his daily expenses. At that time, a crisis had also hit essential services like domestic gas distribution. The state occasionally held operations to sell gas cylinders at subsidized prices, but they didn't meet people's demands.  Thus, a black market for gas distribution emerged. The truck drivers, also earning very low wages, took advantage of the opportunity they had at the filling stations and began to leave gas cylinders at certain locations, which were sold at a higher price than the state operations. Manuel had been riding his bicycle to buy gas at one of these places for a long time. He always spent time talking to people and in this way got to know the drivers. One day, it occurred to him that he could use his bicycle to carry gas to people who couldn't get to the place where the cylinders were sold. He started by carrying one cylinder on the back of his bicycle. But demand was so high that he had a cart made to carry up to three cylinders at a time. Manuel did his calculations and realized that what he earned at school wasn't worth the time he spent there. So he decided to start a full-time business distributing gas cylinders to homes. Many customers told Manuel that if they didn't press down hard enough, some cylinders would leak gas from the regulator. Manuel asked around and found the solution. Some small rubber parts on the end of the regulators needed to be replaced. Manuel learned how to make the change and added more value to his distribution business; now he also offered preventive and corrective maintenance for the cylinders. His clientele grew rapidly. Once, while talking with drivers, he saw the possibility of making his business more independent. He could be a distributor himself; all he needed was a space to temporarily store the gas cylinders. He spoke with a neighbor who had a nice yard facing the street, and they reached an agreement.  Now the trucks stop directly there, and Manuel saves time traveling to the other distribution center. And although he has to pay a little more to rent the space, distributing the cylinders from there is much more profitable. Currently, Manuel is considering expanding his home delivery business a little further. To do so, he's saving up to buy a motorcycle that will allow him to increase his deliveries. The last time we spoke, he told me he was very close to achieving his goal of buying his motorcycle outright. I'm always encouraged to meet people like Manuel, who don't just sit back and use their ingenuity to overcome adversity. Thank you for your time.
Translated with Goggle translator.
Todos tus comentarios son bienvenidos en este sitio. Los leeré con gusto y dedicación.
Hasta una próxima entrega. Gracias.
Las fotos, la edición digital y los Gifs son de mi autoría.
Comunidad Be Entrepreneur