There are always some stories which change all our notions and preassumptions about life and success. It is fascinating that how honesty, hard work, and simplicity, can make one scale amazing heights in life.
Such is a story of MG Muthu who was unfortunate enough to be born in a rag poor family and going even to a school was a far cry for him. But in spite of having literally no literate background, this man became one of the most successful businessmen we have can ever see!
The story begins as the man in question, MG Muthu, first began working as a coolie on a harbor where he loaded and unloaded heavy bags from ships. It was just one shot at earning a livelihood for his basic survival.
Today he is a well-known face in the corporate India as MG Muthu is none other but the founder of famous MGM Group.
Muthu was born in a small village of Tamil Nadu to an enslaved labor of one of the big Zamindars of that era. He said his father getting exploited and they struggled to obtain even their least bread and butter.
He still recalls how sleeping empty stomach was a daily day phenomenon.
When he turned 10, he saw children from the village attending school and after getting fascinated by that he too joined there for a few days. But sitting in the classroom while fighting the hunger pangs was something he couldn’t tackle at all.
I was not able to concentrate to the teacher as I used to be devastatingly hungry.
He stopped going to school just a few days after he joined.
So to feed himself, he also then joined his father and became a labor at that tender age. This went on for a few years and lifting sacks became part of Muthu’s life.
In 1957, he began working as a coolie on Madras port and after years of hard work he managed to save some money.
I still remember the marks on my back. Still, have some of them. That is a typical coolie thing!
However, he developed some good relationships with people working in this sector and utilized his savings in a small business of providing logistics.
The business got small vendors as its first customers.
During this time all Muthu focused on was cent percent customer satisfaction.
He made sure that every task was delivered before time which made him his customer’s favorite and paved way for the humongous success that was yet to come. He eventually established his empire and named it the MGM Group.
Muthu notes:
Due to a good word of mouth, satisfied customers, bigger clients started coming my way. This gave my business a stability for its life.
Today, MGM Group is one of the leading logistics providers in the country.
After tasting success in logistics, the firm also started operating in coal and mineral mining, food chains and international hotels and was reviewed with warm success figures!
Recently, the MGM Group also acquired a Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh based drinks company. They manufacture many varieties of liquor including beverages like vodka and whiskey.
MGM Groups has now expanded its wings pan Karnataka.
Nevertheless, the company is still headed by a man who was once a coolie, has also got hold of Indian franchise of the Malaysian fast food restaurant Marry Brown.
Where there is a will, there is a way!
-Says MG Muthu.
This is the motto on which I lived my entire life and did not quit working hard day after day.
What Muthu’s story teaches us is that despite all adverse conditions around him and no formal education to back him up, he made sure that he doesn’t fail. Which directly translated into how setting the right focus can make you a successful person eventually!
