Meet Hiraz….
Galle has always been one of my favourite places on the planet. The Galle Fort — the only living fort on the island — is, by far, the place I go to whenever I need to recharge, or simply want a good day out. And every single time I visit, there is something new. A new little shop, a café, a bistro, or — only in Galle — a corner selling momos.
I have always enjoyed talking to random strangers. So when this young man fell into step beside Roons and me as we were walking past, I couldn’t help but smile. He reminded me, almost uncomfortably, of my younger self — all energy, all chatter, zero filter. A proper jabber jaw. But also, as it turned out, a natural salesman.
He called us in. When we mentioned we were trying to cut down on sugar, he didn’t miss a beat. Just flashed the widest grin and told us, with complete confidence, that they had sugar-free options too.
How could we say no?
Not because we particularly wanted ice cream. But because Hiraz — that’s his name — was far too enthusiastic a young man to let down.
So we walked in. And what we ate was genuinely fantastic — sugar-free ice cream, made at home, by his mother. Proper, honest, good ice cream.
As we sat there, Hiraz told us a little about himself. He’s waiting to get into medical school — hoping, working, watching for that door to open. And while he waits, he’s out there every single day, helping his mum sell her ice cream. No complaints. No pretence. Just showing up, and giving it everything he’s got.
There are a few small things I carried home from that afternoon. I offer them here, not as grand lessons, but as quiet reminders.
Show up fully — wherever you are. Hiraz isn’t where he wants to be yet. Medical school is still a dream on the horizon. But he didn’t let that make him half-hearted about where he is right now. He was completely, infectiously present — on that pavement, in that moment, with those two random strangers walking past. There is something quietly powerful about a person who gives full effort to the chapter they’re in, not just the one they’re waiting for.
Handle the objection, don’t fear it. When we said we were cutting down on sugar, most people would have nodded politely and let us walk on. Hiraz heard it as information, not rejection. He adapted in a heartbeat. No sugar? No problem. That instinct — to listen, adjust, and keep going — is something a lot of seasoned professionals are still trying to learn.
Never underestimate what’s behind a small thing. It was ice cream at a little roadside stop. But behind it was a mother’s recipe, a son’s loyalty, a family doing what families do — holding each other up. When Hiraz sold us that ice cream, he wasn’t just selling a product. He was representing something he genuinely cared about. And you can always tell the difference.
I’ve trained leaders for a long time now. I’ve sat in boardrooms and workshops with people who have every credential imaginable. But every now and then, you meet someone like Hiraz — someone who hasn’t read a single book on sales or persuasion or personal effectiveness — and you’re reminded of something embarrassingly simple.
Most of the time, it’s your energy and your enthusiasm that sells. Every bit as much as the product itself.
And sometimes, the best classrooms have no walls. Just a warm afternoon, a scoop of sugar-free ice cream, and a young man with a grin that simply refuses to take no for an answer.
Everything teaches. Not everyone stops long enough to buy the ice cream.
V Over Tea 
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