I'm often asked the secret of my success. At least I assume that's what people are asking me, I rarely listen. I've found that, when it comes to business, it pays to have a global perspective. The idea that works for you could come from anywhere. Take for example "Kaizen", the Japanese notion of continuous improvement, as practiced by Toyota and others. Complete bunk. What if to improve you need to get worse for a while? What if to improve you need to get worse for years? I prefer the Italian practice of "Magari", which is a word that means "maybe" except without the same level of commitment. It expresses a kind of wistful desire that something might possibly someday happen, although you're pretty sure it won't (if you've ever worked in Italy, you understand this feeling). I find that a business that follows the principles of "Magari" has the kind of flexibility and might-do attitude that can just about get by until being accidentally bought-out through confusion with a real company with a similar name. Worked for me!