The solution to a problem is always present in the problem. If you believe in this universal truth, understand your problem fully, become conscious of opportunities around you and develop resourceful ideas, almost all financial problems can be solved without shedding oceans of tears.

“I came to Australia from India two years ago. Though I don’t have a professional qualification and am not good in English, I was able to enter into Australia as I had family sponsorship. My sister has been helping me for the past two years but now I have come to the point where I have to earn money for my survival. I am not able to get any decent job,” said Ganesan. He comes from a community that has set up grocery shops all over Tamilnadu. All his friends and cousins are successful grocery shop owners. Ganesan did not like this ‘mean and petty’ business. He wanted to take up some ‘higher-level’ occupation.

“Most of us don’t understand that all businesses are honorable and respectable. We mask our inefficiency and laziness with lame excuses and try to make easy money. We never exhaust our potential and all available resources. If all of us resolve to do it, our country will come out of poverty within a few years,” I told Ganesan.

“It is true that I know a lot about grocery business. If I start a shop in India, I am sure I will be successful. I have enough contacts India to raise money and buy goods for the business. What can I possibly do here? I don’t have even a dollar to buy a loaf of bread,” Ganesan said.

I said to Ganesan, “Place, circumstance, age, gender, qualification, money and time can never come into your way to prosperity if you really aspire to be an entrepreneur. You already have knowledge about grocery shop. As knowledge is more powerful than money, you can earn money with that knowledge. That’s what professionals such as Chartered Accountants and Advocates do.”

“Can you please tell me how my knowledge will help me make money under my present circumstances?” Ganesan was skeptical. I replied, “There are hundreds of Indian shops in Australia and the nearby countries such as New Zealand and Fiji. All these shops import products from India. Help these shop keepers import products at a low price. You know where to buy products at low prices in India. You know hundreds of wholesalers in India. Work as a commission agent for these wholesalers and you will be employing people in the near future.”

“Your words are inspiring. But, the local shopkeepers are already buying from Indian wholesalers. Why should they change their loyalty? How can I assure them that I will supply only at the lowest price?” Ganesan asked me.

I replied, “If you use the power of the Internet, you can do it. First you contact the Indian wholesalers and also the local shop keepers and collect the information on all the products that they deal in. Then create a website where the retailers can enter their monthly requirements. You will have the power of collective purchases. The exporters will bid for the supply of each product on your website. As the quantity will be sizable, sellers from all part of India will indicate the best prices possible to them. You will be able to buy products at the lowest prices. Both the buyers and sellers can monitor this transparent business process without revealing their personal information.”

“I don’t know anything about website programming,” said Ganesan. “No need to worry. Off the shelf scripts and software programs are available in the market at throw away prices. Within a few days you can set up such a website,” I assured him.

A smile sprang on his face. “The project is interesting. There will be no secrecy in the business transactions and all are benefited. Wholesalers will be relieved of executing small orders from retailers. I will be making money without big investment as I can take letters of guarantee from each buyer. Retailers will be getting the products at the lowest prices.”

In the following months, Ganesan earned decent money from the website. Once he had substantial savings, he bought an Indian shop. Now he is both an online and offline entrepreneur. Had he gone for a job he would still be toiling in the streets of Australia.

There are hundreds of such opportunities. Even if you are in India, you can enter into partnership with your friend or relative who lives in the United States or Europe and start a website that will make all the parties in the business big winners.