兩代人的自豪

訪問前一晚下傾盆大雨，莫樹雲 (George) 的公司險遭水患，幸而辦公室安裝了水浸警示，否則損失更大。整天處理善後工作之後，甫坐下來，他竟氣定神閒：「做生意就是這樣，要將未發生，甚至不會發生的風險計算在經營成本之內，還要事事親力親為，隨時『執生』(應變)。」一句聽來簡單的道理，卻是他多年實戰經驗累積而來的智慧。
It rained heavily the night before the interview. George’s office nearly flooded. Fortunately, the office was equipped with a flood alarm. Otherwise, he might have suffered heavier losses. He spent the next day trying to recover from the disaster and manage any resulting damages and risks. Just as he was sitting down to start the interview, he calmly said: “This is what managing a business is like, you have to take into consideration both real and imagined risks into your operating cost. You also have to be ready for the unexpected.” It sounded like a very simple principle, but this was the product of his years of accumulated experience and wisdom.

早於60年初，樹雲的父親便開始了從事鐘錶零件裝組的生意，他卻沒選擇繼承家族生意，高中時代留學加拿大，遠赴艾伯塔省修讀計算機科學；80年代初畢業回港，正逢香港經濟起飛，機會處處，他從技術部門做起，幾年後，年僅30歲便已擔任一家中型電腦科技公司的高層管理人員。事業上一帆風順，他卻未感滿足，他認為創業才是他的天空，奈何正藉中英雙方開始就香港回歸展開談判，樹雲擔心香港的前途，想及子女的將來，決心舉家移民多倫多。
George was born into a Hong Kong family that runs a family business in building watch parts, which his father started in the early sixties. George chose not to inherit the family business, however, and, instead, decided to study abroad in Canada. Initially, he went to Alberta to study computer science. Following his graduation in the eighties, he decided to return to Hong Kong. At the time, Hong Kong’s economy was experiencing rapid growth, and there were opportunities everywhere. He started his career in a technology support department, and eventually became a member of the top level management team. It was smooth sailing for his career, but he was not satisfied.

He began to think only entrepreneurship could advance his career. As negotiations began on Hong Kong’s return to China from British colonial rule, George started to think how this might impact his children and Hong Kong’s futures. Out of these concerns, he decided to migrate his family to Canada.

移民後，再闖創業之門，由於資金不多，對營商環境又陌生，樹雲坦言當時全憑一份傲氣踏進創業的門檻，做生意的熱情和營商的能力，即使地方轉變，亦未有完備的計劃和時間表，均無礙他破釜沉舟的決心。
Arrived Canada, he started his business plan right away. He did not have a lot of financial resources after emigrating, and was not familiar with the business environment. He strongly believed in his passion and ability in running a business. Even if the location changed, and even if there were no fully prepared plan and schedule, his determination would not be wavered.

創業初期他曾遭折翼，同一時期經營批發蔬菜、廚櫃、汽車排氣管三盤生意，被『走數』(呆賬)，與合夥人鬧翻，最後流動資金不足，至近破產。印象最深刻的一幕是他呆望著一組龐大的蔬菜冷藏櫃，購入時價值七萬元，最終以五千元賣出。「要成功，首先要學會面對失敗，還要懂得善後。」
He experienced many roadblocks in the early stages of his entrepreneurial adventure. He was concurrently operating three different businesses, which included vegetable supplier, kitchenware, and automotive exhaust pipes. He had been cheated. He had conflicts with his business partner. He almost declared bankruptcy due to insufficient circulation of funds. What was most memorable to him was when he could only idly watch as a set of large freezers for vegetable storage, originally valued at seventy thousand, were being sold for five thousand dollars. “In order to succeed, you have to first learn how to face failure, as well as how do clean up after yourself”, George said.

樹雲直言失敗也是一個好的經驗，「明知會失敗也要做，不單要做，還要做得好。」他把握另一次商機，取得一個品牌的獨家代理權，將公司轉型代理防盗設施，終揭開成功的一頁。
To George, failure is also a good experience. “Sometimes even if you know you’ll fail, you still have to try and not only that, you also have to try your best.” When another opportunity presented itself to George, he grabbed it and transformed his company into a sole agent for a security system. Finally, he opened a new chapter in life.

George’s passion towards entrepreneurship is almost like a leap of faith. Is this a trait of the baby boomers? George admitted that his and his generation’s environment growing up trained them to have a type of fighting spirit. Among his friends, there are many examples of a long held belief that if “you persevere then there will be opportunities, and if you work hard you will succeed” This belief to persevere is what allowed him overcome hurdles one after another at the beginning of this entrepreneurship.

看看今天的創業環境，樹雲對年輕一輩創業專才有何忠告？
樹雲感激父母當年的教育方法，在他升學和就業選擇給他很大自由度，鼓勵他勇於作新嘗試。他坦言當年畢業後在香港工作的十年，有機會由電腦專業人員擢升為管理階層，令他累積了經營中小型公司的寶貴經驗，且建立基本財務基礎。然而，現今世代不同，注重分門專業，而經營生意講求多元知識，冒險精神，變通能力，都是年輕一代所缺乏的，現今年輕人較受保護，少有栽培冒險精神，應變能力因而變得薄弱。此外，創業需要資本，今時今日要建立個人財務，對初出茅廬的年輕人來說，相當困難。
What advice could be given to young entrepreneurs in the current entrepreneurial environment today?
George admitted that his decade of working experience post-graduation in Hong Kong, and the opportunity to be promoted into management, allowed him to gain invaluable experiences in running a small to medium sized business, and fundamental financial management. It is different today. There is currently a focus on the multi-disciplinary, and running a business requires a diversity of knowledge.

Risk taking and flexibility are what today’s youth lacks is. Furthermore, entrepreneurship requires a large sum of funds. It is very difficult for today’s youth to independently establish their own financial base. George thanks his parents for their approach in education, which offered him a lot of freedom in academics and work. They also encouraged him to try new things.

樹雲認為他經營生意的天份遺傳自父母，特別母親。雖然她只有小學程度，但她思維清晰，眼光獨到，多年來協助父親打理公司業務，頭頭是道。「若當時條件許可，她肯定是女強人！」另一方面，父親從商多年，成績有目共睹，卻從未要求子女繼承父業，倒鼓勵兒女們盡情尋找自己喜歡的職業。訪問期間樹雲多次提到自己非常熱愛做生意，而且對自己適合做生意的執著，是受他父母的潛移默化。
George does not deny his business talent, which he inherited from his parents, especially his mother. Even though she only received elementary school education, she was very talented and assisted his father managing the business successfully for years. “If she had the right qualifications, she definitely could have been a business iron lady”, George said. As for his father, without a doubt, he was very successful given his achievements over the years. Despite their success in business, George’s parents never demanded their children to inherit the family business, but encouraged them to explore their own career path to their heart’s content. During the interview, George mentioned multiple times that he loved business and was suited for business, which was something that was strongly influenced unknowingly by his parents.

今為人父母，樹雲管教一對子女，亦「繼承」了父親的開明。樹雲的兒子曾修讀藥物學，經過一年實習後發現並不合適，轉讀法律，現已成為執業律師。
Similarly, as a father himself, George also inherited the open-minded hands-off attitude from his father in raising his own children. George’s son initially studied pharmacology but after one year of practicum he discovered it wasn’t something suited for him. He then converted to study law and now he is a licensed lawyer.

他鼓勵子女認真選擇自己喜歡的工作，全情投入，而非只為了專業身分或虛名而入行。
George encouraged his children to choose a career that they enjoy and love, not for professional identity or reputation. This was what he believes as professionalism.

樹雲的女兒現職工業設計師，她非常熱愛自己的工作。樹雲認為加拿大的教育制度給了女兒發揮潛質的空間，按自己的興趣發展。他說﹕「女兒讀中學時，只有體育和美術兩科成績最好，要是在香港，便很難有生存機會。」

樹雲說，他從不擔心子女的學業和發展，他看重的是他們如何做人處世，他說：「從小到大，我不容許他們在家裡說 『It’s not fair』。我要他們明白，世界就是不公平的。天行健，君子當自强不息。」

Despite being very open minded, George strictly prohibited the phrase “It’s not fair” to appear in his family. He wanted his children to understand that the world is naturally unfair. What he wanted to emphasize is that we should fulfill our own duties.

He had taken pride in his business talents and now, it is his children that make him proud the most. Even though they grew up in western culture, they still inherited Chinese’s view and emphasis on “family”. Interpersonal relations are very important to them, especially towards their family. This is what makes George the proudest.