The Successful Mistake Story

1980

A True Story

Written 1/2019* 596 Words*

#163 By Howard Yasgar

It was in 1975 when I first met Barney Kaplan.

Barney was the owner of Barney Kaplan Surplus or “BKS” located in Detroit Michigan.

Barney’s specialty was in purchasing excess automotive and truck parts from various manufacturers.

My finding a person like Barney was as if a miracle had happened.

My business, which was in Miami, Florida, was selling and exporting automotive parts, specializing in electrical items.

Every year my company “API”, produced a catalog that went out to thousands of customers around the world.

Barney, and his company soon became one of my best suppliers, and after a while Barney not only became my best friend but my mentor as well.

When I first met Barney, he was around 55 years old and I was 36 years old.

Barney had lots of business experience, and he always offered his advice freely to people even if they didn’t want it.

Most of the customers that Barney dealt with were self-made entrepreneurs, so not all of them took kindly to his unsolicited advice, but that didn’t stop Barney from giving it.

As the years passed, I would travel with Barney on buying trips and to conventions.

As we traveled, whenever Barney met someone new, he would always hand them his business card.

On the back of Barney’s business card was printed, “Do you know what a successful mistake is”?

Presenting his business card was Barney’s way of engaging someone in conversation.

Of course no one could ever properly answer the question, and that would allow Barney to explain his version of what a successful mistake was. His explanation usually had something to do with the automotive business that Barney was a specialist in.

As I traveled everywhere with Barney, I saw Barney ask the same question hundreds of times, I’m not sure the answer Barney gave everyone was always the same, but it really didn’t make any difference as no one ever told Barney to his satisfaction what a successful mistake was.

In 1980, we were attending a trade Show in Chicago.

I was at the bar sitting next to my very best representative, who worked out of Dallas, Texas. We were discussing business strategy.

His name was Ron, and he was one of the finest representatives my company had.

Ron was always quick witted and you just enjoyed talking to him. Sometimes Ron would tell me a joke and I would find myself waking up in the middle of the night still laughing.

As we sat by the bar talking, who should walk up, but my dear friend Barney Kaplan.

As always, I was happy to see Barney so I introduced him to Ron.

Barney immediately took out one of his business cards and handed it to Ron, with the back side up.

Barney, as always said, “Ron, do you know what a successful mistake is”?

Ron looked straight at Barney and said, “Certainly I know what a successful mistake is”.

Barney was shocked, no one had ever replied like that to him before.

Ron said, “A successful mistake is when you meet the women of your dreams, and you talk her into going home with you. Then once you are home with her, you find out she is really a female impersonator, now that’s what I call a successful mistake. Barney was speechless.

The next time I saw Barney; the successful mistake question was ho longer on his business card.