Money and Business Lessons From Pablo Escobar!

Hola, amigos! In this article, we’re going to explore the fascinating story of the one and only Pablo Escobar and learn some valuable business lessons from his life. Now, before you get all up in arms, let me make it clear that I don’t condone or glorify his criminal activities. However, there are money and business lessons we can learn from him.

However, it’s hard to deny that the man had a certain entrepreneurial spirit, great public speaking ability and a knack for strategic thinking. By examining his life and career, we can gain some valuable insights that can help us succeed in our own ventures and investments. So, buckle up and get ready for a wild ride as we dive into the world of Pablo Escobar!

How do you fancy being worth $ 25 billion and controlling 80% of your market? Sounds pretty good to me.

Ok, so as I said, I’m neither advocating selling cocaine to get ahead nor taking it! But when it comes to absolutely DOMINATING an industry, there’s a lot to learn about business strategy. As the head of the Medellin drugs cartel, Pablo Escobar literally changed the world and made an absolute boatload of money along the way.

Putting aside the fact that most of what he did was completely illegal – there’s a lot to admire about how he ran his business (ruthless killing aside, obviously).

Here are 5 lessons you can take from how Pablo Escobar ran his empire to apply to your own business.

5 Lessons from Pablo Escobar

1. Be prepared to switch

Escobar was making a tidy living from smuggling tobacco and booze but quickly realized that he could make a shitload more from one truck of cocaine than from forty-odd lorries full of tobacco. He was prepared to take the risk to make the switch to a new product, knowing that if it paid off, the reward would be worth it.

Are you stuck in a rut selling low-margin products instead of stepping up and taking a risk for a higher margin that could transform your business?

2. Think bigger

Back in the ’70s, Escobar already had the Columbian cocaine market stitched up, but here’s the thing – he didn’t stop there (as we know!). He was shrewd enough to realise that because his product was so good, there were richer pickings for it over in America, and he could charge five times as much for the same product. The investment he made in setting up the routes for this new market paid off big time.

It’s the same for any business – could you be selling your product somewhere else for more money? It might take a bit of extra work to set up, but in the long run, going ‘global’ was what changed Pablo Escobar’s millions into BILLIONS!

3. Control your distribution

It would seem if you want to run drugs efficiently, your best bet is to own the WHOLE supply chain. So thought Escobar, and the same principle applies to any business. Pablo knew that he could squeeze more profit out of his product if he had complete control of its production right through to the sale. He went from moving his product by renting pilots, then planes, through to setting up his own airports, so he completely controlled the routes through Mexico and the Caribbean.

Having complete control like this means fewer surprises or weaknesses in getting your product to market and getting it there fast. Where could you take more control of your supply chain?

4. Build a personal brand

Now I’m not saying your brand should scream ‘ruthless drug lord’ in order to be successful, but having an instantly recognizable brand is vital to success. Escobar knew that building his credibility in the mainstream would also help protect his (illegal!) business interests. He dreamed of being president of Columbia and even ran for congress.

Getting your brand right is about consistency and making sure your customers know you for what you WANT them to see. What is your brand saying about you at the moment?

5. Be relentless

You’re not going to be the most successful global cocaine baron the world has ever known without a bit of grit! It’s the same with any business – if you want to be the best, you have to really COMMIT to it. It’s no good making excuses or crying off at the first hurdle. If you want something enough, you can find a way of making it happen. Pablo did it, even with the police, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the army and god knows how many other rival cartel leaders out to kill him! If he made it happen under this much pressure, then I’m pretty sure your business problems are tiny by comparison!

So the bottom line is – stop making excuses! If you’re looking for ways to step up your business, there’s a lot you can learn from ‘El Patron’ on how to scale up and take over the world. Pablo Escobar made a lot of money, and you can too! You need the right product, a clear understanding of your market, vision, distribution and a strong brand. Find out where the money is and have the determination to go after it 100%.

And if you’re looking for business funding along your way, then that’s when I want to hear from you! Get in touch.