3 Marketing Lessons by Grandmother (Short story)

My grandmother passed away in August at age 92, two weeks before turning 93. I will always remember with joy the good times she gave me, as well as the “reports” of hard times and poverty that she passed trough.


She was not an easy person. In her hometown has always maintained a status as a fighter, a person who does not give the other face when confronted with difficulties.


Always distrustful, she was for all, no exceptions – even knowing this trait was not totally visible from the outside.She was often involved in quarrels to demonstrate her point of view or her moral reason. The firm and sometimes inflexible character give her friends, enemies and in-betweens. Few tried to mess with her, even now, at an advanced age. You could love her or hate her, but never look at her with indifference.


She taught me, with the help of time, what was positioning.


Still, her firm character had the particularity to bend but not break. Born at the end of World War I, managed to overcome the difficulties imposed by the times that today, we can only dare to imagine. Soup was often made with potato pells that more wealthy neighbors give her, which was better than not having any soup. Never knew how to read or write, but has kept close the ones that will read the letters and postcards. She never knew how to tell time from a clock, but controlled time looking at the position of the sun or the sounds of the church bells. As far as I know, she never arrived late to anything. My grandmother reinvented herself many times throughout life, especially in the last 20 years, in order to pass unharmed through the hardships that age accumulates in our body.


She taught me what was brand’s flexibility, in a world that now assumes permanent change as a standard.


She had particular attention to image, especially in public acts. Puts her best dress to go to church, a baptism, a holy communion. Was always careful, frequently going to support someone who goes through a difficult time, and liked it to be known in the village. She loved a good conversation and gathered around her a lot of people, thanks to an eloquence of speech that does not come from the books. Long time ago, she has joined a folk group. Often sang in the church events. Street auctions addicted, she was a master of bidding – we all knew right away that she was present. Giving the “good days” and “good afternoons” was a sine qua non condition of her existence, even in big cities where people have forgotten what it was.


She taught me what it was personal marketing, long before it was spoken in the literature.


For all this and other things I left to say, thank you very much my dear grandmother.


Best regards,

1 Min Motivator

“Nizam Shoes”

Madan Mohan Malaviya was a freedom fighter, author, editor & publisher of newspapers, educationist, staunch Hindu. He is credited with popularising the slogan "Satymeva Jayate". He was the first one to establish a private university in India which is based on the model of historical Nalanda, Takasheela Vidya Peethams.

When Malaviya was trying to build a good university, he had to overcome many difficulties and barriers. He worked with determination to start the university. There was a funds crisis, but he did not get disheartened. He went from town to town, met many rich people and traders to collect donations.

He went to the Nizam of Hyderabad (then reputedly the richest man in the world) to request him for funds. The Nizam was furious,  "How dare you come to me for funds and that too for a Hindu University? " He roared with anger, took off his footwear and flung it at Malaviya.

Malaviya picked up the footwear and left silently. He went directly to the market place and began to auction the footwear. As it was Nizam's footwear, many came forward to buy it. The bids kept going up.

When Nizam heard of this, he became uneasy. He thought it would be an insult if his footwear were to be bought by someone for a pittance. So he sent one of his attendants with the instruction, 'Buy that footwear no matter whatever the price be!'

Thus, Malaviya managed to sell the Nizam's own footwear back to him, for a huge amount. He used that money to build the Banaras Hindu University.

Moral of the story: It does not matter what you have, but what matters is how you make use of what you have, in your Life & Business.