In Hong Kong, they refer to him simply as “Superman.” To the rest of the world, Li Ka-shing is known as one of the most astute businessmen and investors today.
What began as a small venture into the plastics industry has grown into a global empire; Li’s fortune is an estimated $26.5 billion, earning him one of the top spots on the Forbes list of the world’s richest people.
From living as a refugee and being forced to drop out of high school, to becoming “Asia’s Most Powerful Man” as ranked by Asiaweek, Li overcame the odds to create one of the most successful stories of entrepreneurship ever to come out of Asia.
From manufacturing plastic flowers to becoming one of Hong Kong’s savviest businessmen, Li must have had an intense interest in his work to accomplish all that he has.
How did this one time refugee and high school drop out become one of the world’s billionaire businessmen?
“The first year, as I didn’t have much capital, I did everything myself, which kept my overhead low. I am very prudent financially because of those hard times I went through. I spent nothing. I had a haircut every three months. I shaved my head like a monk. I needed to save every penny…I needed to be strong, and needed to find some way to secure a future. That’s why I am always conservative. I never forget to maintain stability while advancing, and I never forget to advance while maintaining stability. I wasn’t lucky. I worked hard to achieve the goals I set for myself.
Vision is perhaps our greatest strength. It has kept us alive to the power and continuity of thought through the centuries; it makes us peer into the future and lends shape to the unknown. I had a clear intention of taking over one of these companies with underperforming assets and developing it into a multinational corporation.
I wake up every day just before 6:00 am and exercise and play golf for an hour and a half. I insist on reading before I go to bed at night. I am still energetic during the day. Your energy comes from being interested in your work.
You can believe in Fung Shui if you want, but ultimately people control their own fate. The most important thing is to improve yourself and give it your best. Then many things previously thought to be impossible will become possible.”
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