A Great Friend and a Surprising Mentor

Back in the 1990s, I was involved in the local knitting industry. Times were not that good as the knitting industry was considered a sunset industry; meaning to say that it was slowly drawing it last breath. A popular saying states: Yarn (Young), Fabric (Old), Finishing/Dyeing (Sick), and Garment/Finished Product (Dead).

Contrary to the same, it was still an interesting experience and I did meet my future employer there. He was one of the many suppliers of the raw material needed for production and we became friends after a long courtship of endless haggling over the prices of the goods that he would supply. At the time when I decided to move on and seek greener pastures, I was approached and offered a position with this friend. It was to assist him and the father (incidentally I grew to hold the father in great respect) in the knitting yarn import and distribution business. I spent 12 years in all working in this company. It has since grown into a formidable retail group with businesses in various countries.

The elder brother became a close friend and I would often confide in him and vice versa. This person although being one of the bosses did not have any airs around him and he was always approachable. He took time to listen and would always have the best intentions. All these possibly stemming from the fact that he grew up helping the father to move the family business up to a comfortable financial level. The hardship that he endured molded him into the person, that became my great friend and mentor. SJV I thank you for everything.