Tom Peterson worked for many years to build a solid business selling television sets, stereo systems, and home appliances. He gave people good value, a full satisfaction guarantee, and friendly service. With the help of his wife Gloria, who handled the books, Tom developed an excellent reputation. He was proud of his high percentage of repeat customers.
汤姆.彼得森苦干多年开创了一家公司，生意兴隆，主要销售电视机、立体声装置和家用器具。他向顾客出售的产品价格合理，保证顾客百分之百的满意度，并向他们提供热情周到的售后服务。他妻子格罗丽娅是个书商，在她的帮助下，汤姆赢得了极好的声誉。他为自己拥有高比例的回头客感到自豪。
About five years ago, Tom was approached by the owners of a competing company, Stereo Super Stores. They wanted him to buy them out. The price was very attractive. Everything looked good. Before making his final decision Tom asked Gloria what she thought about the purchase. She told him that even though the numbers looked good it didn't feel right to her. However, Tom was so self-confident and so convinced that this was a rare opportunity, he went ahead and made the purchase. Within months he discovered that he had made a big mistake. He had paid much too much for a dying company. He tried as hard as he could to make it work out, but he couldn't turn things around. He was forced into bankruptcy. He was about to lose everything, including his original business.
大约五年前，汤姆的竞争对手——一家立体声超市的拥有者和汤姆进行了接洽，他们想让他把这家超市买下来。价格非常诱人，一切看起来都很合适。在作出最终决定之前，汤姆征求了格罗丽娅对这一购买的意见。格罗丽娅对他说，尽管数目看来合适，但她还是感觉这次购买不对劲。然而，汤姆太自信了，坚信这是一个难得的机会，于是他采取行动，将超市买下来。不出几个月，他发现他犯了一个大错误。他在一个奄奄一息的公司身上花费了太多的钱。他竭尽全力让公司运转起来，但未能得逞。他迫不得已破产。似乎所有的一切就要失去了，包括他原来的公司。
Tom was embarrassed, but he is a survivor. He looked at his situation. He decided to openly admit his mistake and, rather than getting bogged down in lawsuits, he would focus his energies on saving and rebuilding his original business. He saw also that he had made a mistake by not listening to his wife, and that he needed to learn from this experience. Tom played up p his mistake in judgment. He dealt with the crisis in a way that delighted many people and increased their respect for him. Old customers flocked into his store. He and Gloria adapted to changes in retailing and have built an even better business than before.
汤姆窘迫不已，但他是个幸存者。他审视他的处境，决心坦率地承认自己的错误，而不是陷入诉讼案件中去，他要将全部精力放在如何拯救和重建原来的公司上。他同时还明白他因为没有听取他妻子的意见才犯了这个错误，他得从中吸取教训。汤姆犯这个错误是因为判断失误。因此在处理这场危机时，他在取悦顾客和提高顾客对自己的尊敬度上下了一番功夫。老顾客蜂拥而至，他和格罗丽娅适应了零售方面的变化，又成立了一家公司，生意甚至比以前还红火。
In the business world, it is natural for businessmen to gain and lose. Only those who regard their mistakes as gifts and learn from them attract endless profits.
在商界，胜败乃兵家常事。只有那些从自己犯的错误中吸取教训并将之作为礼物的人才能赚取无尽的利润。
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