10 Lessons to Their Children: The D Family’s Path from Bankruptcy to the 0.1%

The Story of Mr. and Mrs. D

Mr. and Mrs. D did not become wealthy overnight. They spent more than a decade building their company, enduring cycles of struggle and recovery. It may be hard to imagine now, but just over ten years ago, they were on the brink of bankruptcy. They climbed out of that abyss, endured many ups and downs, learned from their failures, and ultimately built meaningful wealth. Today, they belong to the top 0.1% of households.

Below are the 10 lessons they shared with their children — hard-earned wisdom from a life rebuilt twice.

1. If you’re going to fail, do it early.

If you’re going to go bankrupt, make mistakes, or try starting a business — the earlier, the better. When you're young, the "tuition" is cheap. They’ve met many people who spent their whole youth working for others, only to feel restless and unfulfilled in midlife. But by then, taking risks becomes harder; later in life is when your decisions must become conservative.
So if you're young and you have ideas — go try them. Boldly.

2. Be extremely cautious with debt.

The D family now owns many properties — commercial office, retail storefront, and residential homes. But they never used loans to buy any of them. They always reinvested extra profits from their business instead.

Why? Because they understood a simple truth:
Business cash flow is unstable. Profit is unpredictable.

So they avoided leverage.

Their conservative approach ended up protecting them during sudden economic downturns. Around them, many highly leveraged business owners collapsed during “black swan” events. But the D family’s steady, low-debt strategy allowed them to survive crises while keeping a stable stream of income.

3. When investing, always imagine the worst-case scenario.

In the 1990s, the D family became wealthy from business. But one wrong financial investment wiped out everything. They fell to the bottom of society and the economy.

Mr. D pushed a bicycle down the street selling tofu to survive.
Mrs. D went from being a comfortable housewife to having no choice but to find work. Many people never recover from such a fall — but they spent more than ten years rebuilding their lives.

It was a decade of pain, but also a decade of unforgettable education.

Through relentless effort, Mrs. D rose from a temporary warehouse worker to a full-time employee. Drawing on her accounting foundation, she eventually became the company’s CFO — then left to build her own business. After that, their path became far more stable.

4. Be frugal, but not stingy.

The D family is frugal. They never bought excessive luxury goods. They own a few expensive items, but never for showing off — only when professionalism mattered, such as meeting clients or other business owners.

When their company performed exceptionally well, they once took the entire team on a trip to the Maldives. They enjoy life, but never for vanity or appearances.

Once, while out grocery shopping, they passed a Porsche dealership. They looked around, liked a car, and bought it outright. On normal days, they still drove their Toyota to work. But when Mrs. D wanted to go for a leisurely drive, Mr. D would take her out in the Porsche.

Mrs. D doesn’t drive. After retiring, she enrolled in many classes — sewing, crafts, cooking — happily taking the subway to the classes.

5. In business, character comes first.

Mrs. D deeply admires Kazuo Inamori and often tells her children: “Character is the foundation.”

Mr. D says, “Petty tricks to gain small advantages are for street vendors. If you want to do big business, you must become a first-class person.”
Character is everything.

6. Do things fast, accurately, and decisively.

Fast: Opportunities disappear quickly. Especially in business — when you see one, you cannot delay.
Accurate: Judgment matters. Many deals look profitable but will destroy your cash flow. Mrs. D repeatedly emphasizes the importance of financial literacy — it gives clarity.
Decisive: Not ruthless, but efficient. Finish things cleanly and well.

They built their business from nothing.
Mr. D grew up so poor he couldn’t finish middle school.
Mrs. D came from an ordinary teacher’s family.

They had no family connections, no inherited advantages.
What carried them was reliability — the confidence others had that if they handed something to the D family, it would be done right.

7. As a woman, never rely on shortcuts.

As a woman in business, Mrs. D saw many younger women tempted to use their looks to win projects or contracts.

She refused such shortcuts.

She never drank or partied with clients. She said,
“I’d rather not take the project than cross my boundaries. If someone wants drinking and entertainment, find someone else. If they want the work done well, come to us.”

Respect first — always.

8. Dress appropriately.

Fabric and fit matter. Don’t expect people to look past a sloppy appearance to see your character.
This does not mean buying luxury brands — but cashmere, silk, and well-fitted clothing communicate professionalism and self-respect.

9. Don’t gossip. Respect everyone.

To do big, enterprise-level projects, you are not dealing with “companies” — you are dealing with people.
Be someone who can be trusted with secrets.
Never flatter those above you or mistreat those below you. Give everyone full respect.

Don’t be snobbish.
Respect everyone.

10. Honor your elders. Love your children.

The D family believes in gratitude and good faith. They care for and support their parents. They give their children the best education they can, encourage them to read, and teach them to contribute meaningfully to society.

And yes — as you may have guessed — Mr. and Mrs. D are my parents.
I am lucky and deeply grateful to have been raised by them.