Any salesperson has likely experienced extreme stress over quarterly performance. The protagonist of this book, ‘Joe’, is also a salesperson working in the real estate resort development field. The story begins as he approaches the legendary industry figure, Chairman ‘Finder’, ahead of the ‘Big Kahuna’ contract—a massive project that could make or break his career. Joe likely intended to secure the contract not only through the chairman’s advice but also by leveraging his formidable network. However, after meeting with the chairman, Joe receives a puzzling proposal: weekly one-hour coaching sessions, with the condition that he must immediately put what he learns into practice. In a situation where every minute and second was precious, listening to advice idly seemed like a waste of time and appeared unrelated to this contract. Yet Joe decided to honor the agreement. Subsequently, meeting various people—from the owner of a restaurant the Chairman frequented to Rachel, the secretary who brewed ‘the world’s most delicious coffee’—Joe’s perspective gradually began to shift.

Through these encounters, the book explains five principles of success: the Law of Value, the Law of Reward, the Law of Influence, the Law of Authenticity, and the Law of Acceptance. I particularly resonated deeply with the passage stating, “My value is determined by how much more value I provide than the compensation I receive.” It reminded me of advice a senior colleague gave me when I started sales at IBM: “The company expects you to generate sales ten times your salary and benefits costs.” Ultimately, a salesperson’s value is proven by the tangible value they contribute to the organization. Similarly, the CFO of a game company I recently met, earning a 10 billion won salary, felt his compensation was justified because he provided immense value during the company’s IPO process. The section on ‘The Law of Influence’ was also striking. A network isn’t just a list of clients or customers; it’s a network of people who like and trust you. Whether a business meeting evolves into a personal relationship or a private connection aids business, both fundamentally operate within the ‘influence of trust’. I reaffirmed how crucial it is, especially in Korean society with its complex web of regional and school ties, to carefully manage one’s position and maintain life balance to exert positive influence. Ultimately, Cho fails to secure the immediate quarterly contract, but his attitude toward life completely shifts. Focusing on the essence of creating greater value and impact rather than obsessing over performance, he doesn’t become deeply disheartened by failure. And in a final twist, he reclaims the contract lost to a competitor through the medium of ‘the world’s most delicious coffee,’ bringing the story to a close.

I too create value across a wide spectrum, from parcel delivery and collection, freight services, to sales providing real-time communication software for metaverse projects. Value in the physical economy allows you to feel the market at the customer touchpoint, while value in the digital economy creates new wealth in the virtual world. I believe neither holds greater importance than the other. To create greater value with the limited resource of ‘time,’ I rise at 4:30 AM today and energetically begin my day.