2 minute read
CEO’s message
Success is never guaranteed, but inaction guarantees failure. I’ve been reflecting on this idea as we prepare to celebrate Capricorn’s 50th anniversary later this year—because there were multiple occasions, in the very early years, when the founders of our cooperative very nearly pulled the plug on the whole experiment.
If you read "First 30", the book written to celebrate Capricorn’s 30th anniversary, there’s an interview with one of our original 12 founders, Brian Tulloch. He remembers “sitting around on packing cases in Stirling Street (Capricorn’s premises) when we were making the decision whether to carry on or wind up the cooperative.”
Capricorn had about 20 Members at the time.
“The decision to carry on was made by a fairly slim margin and on the basis that every one of us would recruit one Member each in order to increase the throughput sufficiently to justify keeping going,” Brian states. “It was a relatively slow process, but we pulled ourselves up and carried on conservatively from there.”
How pleased and proud we can all be that people who steered us through the early days found such grit and determination. Their legacy is in the strength and prosperity of the Capricorn community today.
There is, I think, an encouraging lesson in the story of Capricorn for all of us as business owners. That lesson is that if we remember why we’re doing what we’re doing, if we can believe in it, if we can find the courage to trust our instincts and seize sensible opportunities, then success is possible even when it feels like our backs are against the wall.
It is a new year. A time when we traditionally think about “new starts”. So, it’s a good opportunity for us all to reflect not only on what we want to achieve this year, but on how we’re going to achieve it. Capricorn’s founders didn’t just vote to keep going, they decided on the course of action needed to achieve success.
We all face challenges in our businesses from time to time. The good news is that the outlook for the automotive aftermarket in 2024 is overwhelmingly positive. The even better news is that, as a Capricorn Member—thanks to the vision of our founders—you’ve got the power of the entire cooperative behind you to help you achieve success.
Good luck to you, and happy New Year.
