When I first started my job, I had one thing on my mind—“If you want to do well, you have to make money.” Sitting in the office, presenting to big clients, budget plans, cost cutting—everything was guided by one thing: “Profit must come first.”
But over time, I began to understand that no one can survive just by making money. Especially, if there is injustice or fraud hidden behind that money.
Once, a senior colleague said, “If a business is run only for profit, it will eventually lose its existence.” I didn’t understand that at the time. But later, I understood many things with my own eyes. There was a small businessman I knew, his name was Munna Bhai. He ran a grocery store honestly. Although the prices were a little high, the quality of the products was perfect. If someone paid extra money by mistake, he would return it. How many honest people are there these days?
Many people used to say, “How far will you go in business like this?” But the surprising thing is—after 5 years, when all the shops nearby closed, Munna Bhai's shop grew even bigger. Because people learned to trust that they won't cheat here. This incident moved me a lot. From then on, my thinking started changing.
We often think, "If we follow ethics, we won't make a profit." But I say, "If we don't follow ethics, even if we make a profit, it won't last." An organization's trust is built on its principles. When clients, buyers, and even employees believe that this organization doesn't cheat, that organization survives and grows. I myself sometimes get stressed while working—I have to show more work at less cost, I have to scrub the data. But I try to be honest. Many times, it doesn't bring that much profit, but I can sleep peacefully.
Nowadays, we live in a society where small cheating and big corruption have become normal. But I believe—if we are a little honest from our place, if we have a little morality in every work, then this world will be at least a little more beautiful. Money is important, but isn't peace of mind and building lasting relationships even more important? If a business can earn people's trust day after day, that is its real capital.