Who is Carlos Slim Helú?

The world's richest man, that's who. I expect he worked jolly hard to earn his $53.5 billion which is... (quick mental calculation) a lot of money.

He essentially owns Mexico and a whole host of companies all over the world, although centered on Latin America. You could be eating a meal provided by Slim, watching a TV show produced by Slim on power provided by one of Slim's energy companies and then interrupted by a call on your phone, provided by Slim and if you had a ring tone of the latest band, hey, their record label could be Slim's too. All whilst sitting in a home built by one of slim's construction companies.

And what do you know it's your boss... who works for Slim.

Glory be to the world's richest man who has laid out his thoughts on business in ten easy to remember thought-bites.

1. Create an organizational structure with simple, minimal hierarchies; provide personal development and in-house training for executives; maintain flexibility and a rapid decision-making capability; leverage the advantages of a small company and use these to grow and excel.
   
2. Maintaining austerity in good times strengthens, profits and accelerates the development of the company, and averts the bitterly drastic adjustments in times of crisis.
   
3. Stay focused on modernization, growth, training, quality, simplification and the continuous improvement of production processes. Increase productivity and competitiveness, reduce costs and expenses by using global benchmarks.
   
4. Companies should never be limited by the size of the owner or manager. Do not be a big fish in a small pond. Minimize investment in non-productive assets.
   
5. There is no challenge that we cannot overcome by working together with clear objectives and knowing the tools we have at our disposal.
   
6. Money that leaves the company evaporates; this is why we reinvest profits.
   
7. Corporate creativity is not only applicable to business, but also to solving many of society’s problems. This is what we do through the Group’s Foundations.
   
8. Firm and patient optimism always yields its rewards.
   
9. All times are good time for those who know how to work and have the tools to do so.
   
10. Our premise is and has always been that we leave with nothing; that we can only do things while we are alive and that businessmen are creators of the wealth they temporarily manage.

I particularly detest number nine. The exploiter's charter.