Becoming a businessman and being successful is not determined by talent or inheritance, but also interaction with their environment. This was said by Dahlan Iskan, a leading businessman, when giving a general lecture at Kertanegara building of Faculty of Economics and Business UGM on Thursday (15/2).

In his opinion, becoming a businessman is not just because of one’s talent but the process of business transmission through interaction with their environment. "Business is not about talent and education, but business is transmitted," he said.

He gave the example of Chinese business success which is not done through talent or family, but by the process of business transmission in the family that happens massively. "The process of business transmission in the Chinese family is seen as not just being done wholeheartedly but also perfectly because the process runs for 24 hours a day," he said.

Such process, he said, has started since early at the beginning of someone’s life. For instance, a child that goes home from school will directly go to the store of the family. When there are many customers, the child will help take orders from the customer and serve them.

"Things like this marks the formation of business process. If you feel you have no talent in business, maybe it’s because you have little interaction with the business people," he said.

The former State Enterprises Minister called on the young generation to start business at a young age. "I always suggest people that want to do business to start when they are still young. When you are interested in doing business, do it immediately and start small," he said.

So, when they face failure, they experience it at a young age, hence, easier to get back. Failures are made at the young age so at their senior age, they will no longer face it. According to Dahlan, there were not many successful people running a business, because it is indeed difficult to be successful. Being a businessman has to have strong will and determination whilst not easily giving up.

"If you fall down once and give up, it means you’re not a strong entrepreneur. If you fall down and want to get up again, you have a very strong will," he said.

Source: Ika/UGM