Marco wanted to open his own restaurant. He worked for other people for many years. Finally, he saved enough money and opened his restaurant. But after six months, business was very bad.
Giuseppe, Marco's old teacher, visited one evening. "Your food is very good," Giuseppe said. "But you are not running the show like a real manager. You need to make hard decisions."
Marco felt sad. "I know I lost my touch with customers. I was friendly and happy before. Now I am always worried."
Giuseppe smiled. "People tell you that opening a restaurant is easy. But take that advice with a grain of salt. Most restaurants fail because owners cannot handle the stress."
The next week, Marco had to turn down an expensive supplier. The supplier wanted a contract. It was risky, but Marco found a better choice. He also hired a new chef. The chef helped Marco figure out a better menu. Slowly, things got better.
Three months later, Giuseppe came back. The restaurant was full of happy customers. Marco was smiling.
"You almost missed the boat," Giuseppe said. "But you did not give up. You learned that a good manager makes tough choices. Good food is not enough."
Marco hugged his mentor. "Thank you for believing in me. I understand now what I need to do to succeed."