A taxi driver recently ventured into piggery as an alternative source of income. He was trying to sell a black native pig to his passenger. His sales pitch started with how the meat tasted better and is healthier as the animal was grown on organic matters such as camote, sayote and leftovers from their own kitchen or from those of restaurants which are being sold to pig raisers on a yearly contract. Then the clincher: “And the ghosts of our forebears only love black pigs being offered to them during kanyaos. Such will make them rest in peace. They won’t haunt us with illnesses or misfortune.”
So how much would you sell your black pig? The driver seriously looked at the passenger and said, P400.00 per kilo of live weight. Or almost double the price. In all seriousness, he retorted. It is easy to see the difference. The fat of non-black pigs appear so oily and sticky. He would even get into a bet by shaving first some parts of the skin to prove that it was not painted with used oil. Allegedly, another hog raiser had been doing that but was caught in the act by his customers. Since then, black pig buyers never went back to him. He got bankrupt in no time.
Unethical business practices don’t create regular customers. They will get wiser later and would spread the word to all and sundry. Ultimately, it will result in the bankruptcy of your business. It is also called bad karma.
What endure are honest to goodness business practices. They entail hard work and would take time to bear fruit. But there is no other better way.
Now you feel it in the air that so many are trying to get up and go in business. There is always the temptation to use short cut methods just to survive but such are sure killers of upstarts. Even well established ones will go that way, in due time.
So do things the right way. Don’t paint white pigs with black just to get higher profits. Any dishonest practice will sooner or later get back to you.**