Ramen Years

The following was published today (Saturday, October 4, 2025) on the popular AYM High Consultants blog, which I'm honored to manage along with my colleagues at our coaching enterprise. My BFAM (brother from another mother), mentor, and co-coach Fahim wrote the bulk of it and I added a little bit to the beginning, so most of the credit goes to him. Enjoy!

AYM High Communication & Vision Lead Marty often talks about his “ramen years’ with clients who have the misconception that success is instant. By Marty’s definition, the “ramen years” are the time you invest in a business—sweat equity, sacrifice, and dedication to relationship building that will pay large dividends down the road, though often years need to be put in first in order to build the proper reputation and connections to truly soar in business.

In the spirit of Marty’s “ramen years” philosophy, AYM High Motivation & Mission Lead Fahim shares the following wonderful story for inspiration:

 

From Bankruptcy to Billions: Lessons From the Inventor of Instant Ramen

At 47, most people told Momofuku Ando his life was over. His credit union had collapsed, he lost everything, and critics urged him to retire quietly. Instead, Ando turned what looked like an ending into the beginning of one of the greatest comeback stories in business history.

Working out of a shed behind his house, Ando spent a year experimenting, failing, and starting over. Then, inspired by his wife’s tempura cooking, he had his breakthrough: flash-fry the noodles to preserve them. That simple insight became instant ramen.

By the time he introduced Cup Noodles at age 61, the invention had gone global. Later, at 95, his ramen even went to space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. Today, more than 100 billion servings are consumed annually.

What can we learn from Ando’s story?

1. Failure is not final. Losing everything didn’t end Ando—it fueled him.
2. Age is irrelevant. He started over at 47 and achieved global success in his 60s, 70s, and beyond.
3. Innovation is persistence in disguise. Ando’s shed was filled with failed experiments—but also the seeds of a global empire.
4. Your greatest loss may be your greatest opportunity. Bankruptcy gave Ando a clean slate.

At AYM High, we believe entrepreneurs face their own “bankruptcies”—financial, emotional, or otherwise. But just like Ando, the key is refusing to stay down. Your shed may be the birthplace of your next big idea.

So, ask yourself:

• What problem am I avoiding because others say it’s impossible?
• What shed do I need to step into today?
• How can I reframe my setbacks as setups for future success?

Momofuku Ando built a global empire from failure. What’s stopping you from building your own?

Think Big.

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Data and story are from the Chris M. Walker Facebook page

 

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Fahim Mojawalla is the Motivation and Mission Lead at AYM High Consultants. He loves what he does and would love to show you how to make 21st century sales and marketing easy, simply by being authentic, appreciative, respectful, responsive, empathetic, collaborative, and all-around awesome. Along with his wife Seema, he is an effervescent co-owner of Island Ship Center, the Spa of Shipping. #FahimFix

 

Marty Johnson is the Communication and Vision Lead at AYM High Consultants, a columnist, and an editor, producing the mail and business center industry's leading magazine, MBC Today. In 2023, he sold his popular and growing brand, Uncle Marty’s Shipping Office (now rebranded simply to Uncle Marty’s and expanded to multiple locations and warehouses by the new owners), and retired from shopkeeper life to focus on writing and coaching. Subscribe to his Ask Uncle Marty™ newsletter and read more at askunclemarty.com; follow him on socials @askunclemarty. #AskUncleMarty