Joe Issa Puts Ideas, Self Esteem Above BMWs

-
The Jamaican face of oil and energy, successful businessman and philanthropist Joe Issa, is believed to be true to his word today, as he was three decades ago when he put ideas and self esteem above possessions.

For it was with ideas and self esteem that made him hugely successful and popular in the business community, and among citizens in particular for his philanthropy.

“I said it at graduation and I‘ll say it again today,” Issa said in an interview, as he responds to the primacy possessions hold in today’s generation, stating “we have lost nothing if we still have our ideas and our self esteem.”

I a philosophical approach to urging acceptance of change in daily life, so that it does not break one down, Issa, in his valedictorian speech in 1988, used some stereotypes which he experienced when he entered university in the USA.

“I remember being asked: ‘what does your dad do?’ and, ‘does your mom work?’ A true indicator that some people’s value systems, came with the question: ‘what kind of car does your dad drive?’

“Does it matter? Does it change who I am? If we lose our BMWs, our standard of living, or our computers, surely we will still have our ideas and our self esteem,” Issa said, stating, “Change cannot take these away from us! But change is inevitable.”

In challenging his graduating colleagues to respond positively to a reduction in privileges, if and when it comes, he asked: “Will we share our reduced wealth? Well, will we be crushed? Or, will we be ready to persevere and conquer as we, the class of 88, meet the new century, the height of our social and economic power?

Issa’s ideas have been many and successful including the cool brand he founded and built from a gas station to a retail conglomerate of over 50 companies.

But it was Issa’s self esteem, which is said to have brought him his biggest deal when he was sought in the buyout of Shell’s assets in Jamaica.  


In addition, Issa is said to have persevered and conquered after losing privileges in 2003 and is sharing his wealth – the fruits of perseverance – through Cool Charities, a subsidiary of his Cool Group. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PICA Chairman Pleased with Imminent Paperless Custumes Operation

-
Image
Chairman of PICA Joe Issa, who has often seen reforms taking place in the public sector, including his own Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency, as enhancing Jamaica’s readiness to increase travel and trade, has yet another occasion to do so; this time, as he compliments the Senate for approving measures for its sister agency and partner is securing the country’s borders, to enhance trading with other nations. “I think it’s the kind of reform the IMF was referring to in part in its latest report, in which it called for it in order for countries to take advantage of looming opportunities from the upswing in global economic activity. “I also think it is reform the authorities, including the Prime Minister himself, have recognised is important for Jamaica to be able to increase exports, either by removing barriers or introducing measures to facilitate it, such as improving processes and systems by which we trade.  “The removal of the export certificate of entrie...
Read more

‘Learning from the Best’: Jamaica’s Importation of Development Prototype from Singapore Sagacious – Joe Issa

-
Image
Founder of the successful Cool brand Joe Issa says Jamaica shows sound judgement choosing to learn from Singapore, stating the little learnt would magnify Jamaica’s development outcomes many folds.   “If we can learn even a little bit from Singapore, we would have taken a huge leap towards our economic development and in particular our strategies, systems and processes. “Singapore has a long and stable history of economic development and it has remained the best for years…We couldn’t have chosen a better partnership to help us grow our human resource base and the economy”, said Issa. Issa was commenting on an addendum signed a Memorandum of Understanding between Singapore and Jamaica, which will see more than 200 Jamaican government officials trained in key areas of economic development by Singaporean experts, the Jamaica Observer reported recently. A week-long study visit to Singapore has already been undertaken by heads of various key ministries, departments and...
Read more

What’s Wowing Joe Issa? : Birth of Perfectly Healthy Babies, Could Ease Sterss on Family, Friends, Public Health Services

-
Image
Family and community oriented businessman and philantropist Joe Issa, who is a big contributor to the education of underprivileged Jamaican children is wowed by new discoveries which could relieve families and friends of the stress of fighting diseases in young children and put less pressure on the health services. DNA Testing “It’s a remarkable discovery that scientists can now remove disease genes in human embryos and allow for the birth of perfectly healthy babies. “You can imagine the stress this will relieve for generations of parents and friends who will no longer have children born with genetic diseases, as well as the pressure it will reduce on the health services. “Most importantly, healthier children make for a healthier, better educated and a more productive workforce, which is the most important input in the production of goods and services for economic growth,” said Issa, who founded the successful Cool brand that is being leveraged internationally. Is...
Read more