Victoria’s Secret once created underwear worth 1.9 million USD, adorned with diamonds and jewels. Of course, wearing such underwear in real life is impractical and may not sell, but once Victoria’s Secret produces it, media outlets worldwide will promote this underwear. When considering the promotional impact, 1.9 million USD is not wasted as a publicity expense; the cash may be gone, but the jewelry-adorned underwear remains an asset, and brand promotion occurs globally, making it a genuinely profitable venture. Moreover, the existence of 1.9 million USD in underwear means that even if Victoria’s Secret products carry a higher price than competing brands, consumers may feel less price resistance. Spending money wisely is just as crucial as earning money. To understand the relationship between costs and assets, one must learn accounting. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
In business, capital means business funds. A successful entrepreneur often says, "I started my business without any capital". It's partly true, but it's a lie. The entrepreneur just said that capital means only cash. However, all kinds of businesses need to be fundamentally business funds in any even not cash. The entrepreneur didn't count the founder's labor cost. No inputs, no outcomes. The uncounted labor costs are called "alternative costs" or "opportunity costs". This comes from comparative advantage. If the entrepreneur doesn't accept the uncounted labor cost as a debt, the entrepreneur is equivalent to losing the profit due to opportunity costs. Please always remember this. There is no free lunch in this world. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”