What should be our dream, as Bolivians?

“If you can dream it you can do it”, was the inspiring and memorable phrase coined by the American businessman, animator and film producer, Walt Disney, who not only created a true emporium in the film industry, but also revolutionized the world of entertainment. It is said that his dream was achieved after nearly 300 attempts and failures, but… he did it!

Just like Disney, every human being has dreams and aspirations, but not everyone manages to fulfill them since it is not only about imagining or dreaming – something that is easy and anyone can do – but also about making the maximum effort to make them come true, which It implies action, effort and perseverance, knowing the difference between “motivation” and “discipline”, and, as I always say, between “aptitude” and “attitude”, since the first, without the second, is insufficient to achieve the goal. success.

The dream of every businessman is to invest to produce and sell goods and services, in such a way that the reward for his ability to satisfy the multiple needs of society is a well-deserved profit.

As such, the first thing it does is analyze the market, and then devise the product or service to provide. Wanting to make your dream come true you risk your savings; If you do not have this, you acquire a debt with third parties; and, if necessary, he compromises his family assets and even his health, to make the necessary hires in order to go from the intangible dream to making entrepreneurship a reality.

Do you remember who coined the famous thought that success depends on “1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”? It was Thomas Alva Edison who said it, an American inventor, scientist and businessman, too, for whom that 1% led him to devise an incandescent electric lamp, while the 99% meant 1,000 failed attempts, since the bulb always burned out. . When they asked him why he had failed so many times, he responded that he had not failed, rather, he had discovered 999 ways on how not to make a focus. Interesting perspective, right?

The truth is that, as with all human endeavors, the businessman may not do well at the beginning of his venture, but, thank God, the determined spirit he has encourages him again and again to overcome adversity; to get up, if he had fallen, and to move forward with faith in achieving his dream. It would be sad and serious if all businessmen gave up at the first adversity and raised their hands! The consequences would be disastrous, not only for them, who risk everything, but also for society.

The first impact of losing our entrepreneurs would be the shortage of supplies in the national market, with the inevitable and growing dependence on external supplies, leading to lower economic growth due to the languishing of productive activity.

From a social point of view, the business deterioration would imply that many people lose their sources of employment, from which the heads of households would suffer from not being able to generate the necessary resources to care for their dependents in their multiple needs for food, health , education, etc.

Regarding the State, it would happen that not only would private investment decrease and family consumption would fall, but tax collection would decrease, affecting public finances, therefore, its spending and investment capacity, which would lead to a deterioration. of well-being to the detriment of citizens.

Quite the opposite would happen if the State openly supported the entrepreneurial, innovative and visionary attitude of those who know and want to do business in the country, using their imagination and ability to take commercial risks in the quest to meet the demands of the domestic market and of foreign markets, through productive, commercial and service provision processes based on investment, technology and knowledge.

The consequence of this would be a greater economic movement with more sources of decent and sustainable employment over time; greater dynamism in the domestic market, due to the income generated for families; greater tax collection to meet the needs of the State; finally, greater possibilities of private savings to be channeled into new investment processes.

This virtuous circle of achievements should be our dream, as Bolivians! That the business effort, inspired by the search for genuine utility, generates throughout the value chain countless employment and income opportunities for people and an improvement in social well-being, thereby realizing the reiterative dream of a better country. It can be achieved with a State that promotes and guarantees private initiative, within legality and formality. Only then, although we have failed so many times in the past, the dream of a “dignified, productive, exporting and sovereign Bolivia” could become a reality.