7
The Secret of Success

George Wilson had a shop where he sold and repaired watches.

One day his daughter got married. Her husband, James, soon came to work for him.

“I'll teach you everything I know about watches, ” George told him.

For the first few weeks, James served customers,dusted the shelves and learned where everything was in the shop. George was very pleased with him. He worked hard and was polite and helpful to the customers.

While James looked after the front of the shop, George was able to build up the repair business.He worked in a back room.

After about six months, James said, “Is there anything else you want to teach me? ”

“Yes, James, there is, ” George said. “It's time I taught you the secret of our success.”

“I think I know that, ” James said. “We buy watches at one price and sell them at a higher price.The difference in price is our profit.”

“That's true, but it's not where we make most of our profit, ”George said.

He picked up a watch from the counter.

“What do you think of this watch? ” he asked James.

“That's a cheap watch, ” the young man replied. “We don't make much money from selling those.Perhaps a few dollars each.”

“That's where you are wrong, my boy, ” George said. “These cheap watches make more money than any other watch in the shop.”

“I don't understand, ” James said.

“Because they are really cheap,they are always breaking, ”George told him. “We make our profit from repairing them.”