Courage and conviction: two of the ingredients Hong Kong’s young need to set up a business
Veteran Japanese businessman Masaaki Ogino, who brought Prada to Hong Kong, says that young people shouldn’t let the fear of failure stop them from starting up a business
For Masaaki Ogino, it all boils down to courage.The veteran Japanese entrepreneur, known as the man who brought the Prada brand to Hong Kong 30 years ago and the force behind the City’super luxury supermarket chain, said the younger generation lack the courage to strike out on their own.
“Nowadays, there are many young people who have good ideas but they are not brave enough to take the risks to do business because they are too afraid of losing money should the business collapse,” Ogino said in an exclusive interview with The South China Morning Post.
“Many young people want to get jobs in big companies with high salaries and benefits, which does not carry any risk. This is why most Japanese in Hong Kong are working for big firms such as Nomura, Daiwa or Sony.”
Such attitudes do not only apply to Japanese, but also Hong Kong youngsters, he said.
The 74-year old chairman of fashion company Fenix Group, which has been in business in Hong Kong for 50 years, said the city remains a good place to do business because of its low tax rates and its rule of law.