Li Ka-shing, the future business giant, faced an insurmountable obstacle in the early days of his business – finding a guarantor. In the business world, the role of guarantors is crucial, they do not have to lend directly to the business or individual who needs to be sponsored, but they must take on all the risks associated with it. Once the secured party is unable to fulfill its contractual obligations or loses the ability to repay its debts, all the risks are like a heavy burden on the shoulders of the guarantor.
Against this backdrop, Li Ka-shing is in deep distress in Hong Kong, a society where money is paramount and relationships are more important than blood, in order to find a suitable guarantor. As a young man with an ordinary status and limited financial resources, he had no choice but to ask Mr. Zhuang Jing'an, a high-ranking relative and uncle and future father-in-law of the chairman of a large company, to be his guarantor.
Mr. Zhuang Jingan is the chairman of the board of directors of Zhongnan Corporation, which has been involved in the watch assembly business since 1950, and its sales network has expanded not only to Hong Kong, but also to Southeast Asia, South Korea and other regions. Although Zhongnan's business is booming, the capital investment is also huge. Under these circumstances, Li Ka-shing submitted a request for guarantee to Mr. Zhuang Jing'an, hoping to get his support. However, to Li Jia's sincere expectations, Mr. Zhuang Jingan did not lend a hand, perhaps because of the rapid growth of the company's business and the huge need for funds, even as a super-rich man, he faced various unexpected difficulties. Some commentators believe that as his own uncle, Zhuang Jingan should not hesitate to help and support, but he did not do so. This experience may have influenced Li Ka-shing's later business decisions, causing him to avoid seeking the vouch of wealthy people for the rest of his life, perhaps because he felt that the experience was a thing of the past and not worth dwelling on. Or maybe he believes that going through hardships is necessary to make a career.
However, the god of fate has not completely turned his back on Li Ka-shing. He was filled with gratitude for the visit of the European wholesaler because it provided him with a new opportunity to solve his financial problems. The next day, he personally went to the hotel where the wholesaler was staying and showed off nine well-designed samples, hoping to impress them. The wholesaler's sales network spans Western and Northern Europe, covering the most important markets in Europe. Although Li Ka-shing failed to find a guarantor, he did not give up hope. He worked through the night with the designer to rush out nine samples that he hoped would win over wholesalers. If wholesalers are interested in these samples, they can try to find workarounds; If not, at least you can leave the sample as a gift to the wholesaler to lay the groundwork for future cooperation.
When wholesalers showed great interest in these samples, especially when they couldn't get enough of the bunch of fuchsia grape samples, Li Ka-shing's heart was full of hope. The wholesaler even praised it as the best set of samples he had ever seen, and spoke highly of Li Ka-shing's design talent and work efficiency. However, when the wholesaler asked to sign a letter of guarantee, Li Ka-shing was unable to provide a guarantor. Facing the wholesaler, Li Ka-shing candidly recounted his plight of not being able to find a guarantor, but he assured his credibility and ability. He emphasized that he is a small entrepreneur, relying on his own efforts and the help of friends to achieve today's achievements. Although the company's production scale cannot meet the needs of wholesalers for the time being, he promises to do his best to expand the production scale and provide the best discount in Hong Kong**.
Eventually, Mr. Li's persistence and sincerity impressed the wholesalers, who offered to work with him and unexpectedly announced that he had found a guarantor for Mr. Li – himself. Because he believes that Li Ka-shing's sincerity and credibility are the best guarantee. This turning point not only solved the immediate dilemma for Li Ka-shing, but also opened a new chapter in his business career.