How much are you willing to pay for information you need? I am thinking about this because in two separate situations I gladly paid for knowledge today.
First, I went back to the eye doctor. I had experienced discomfort all week. During my visit with the doctor Thursday, he prescribed steroid drops. This treatment brought immediate relief. During my visit this morning, he determined that the drops have resolved 50% of the muscle spasms in my eye and prescribed a decreasing level of treatment during the next week. I will receive another evaluation next Friday. The eye doctor gave me enough sample medicine to complete the cycle. So, I did not pay for any material thing, but I, and my insurance company, will pay. The payment is for information, somewhat intangible, but valuable, especially when your eyesight is being threatened.
Second, I took my pick-up into a local shop this morning. It has been running rough and I have attempted to fix the problem myself. During the past several weeks, I have changed the gas and air filters, installed new plugs and wires, and cleaned the air intake valve. Each of these “fixes” changed the vehicle’s performance, but it was still not running smoothly. So, at my whit’s end, I took it to the shop. After a couple hours, the manager of the shop called me with the good news. They fixed the problem by installing a zip-tie! There was a loose plug and the problem was easily resolved with a zip-tie. The cost to me was only $87. Ironically, I was delighted to pay $87 for a zip-tie, because I knew I was actually paying for the knowledge that the mechanic used to discover and solve the problem.
Entrepreneurs in emerging markets (the developing world) often need information to grow their businesses to the next level. They confront hurdles that are unfamiliar and get stuck with unrealized potential. Our hope at Anda Leadership is to provide a hand up to these courageous and creative risk takers. With the knowledge we provide, we help them succeed. Their success breaks the cycle of poverty and creates better communities.
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