But better still - he'd used the profits to fund an arms deal.
By 2005 he was able to use his profits to purchase a home.
These were all built using the profits from the Congo.
Instead of investing in physical capital, many companies are using profits to buy back their own stock.
Then there is the question of how the airlines will use their recent healthy profits.
He thinks if the owners of the business desire to use their profits for social good, fine.
He has been successful in doing both, using profits from the former venture to drive the latter.
Since the 1930's, investors have learned how to use balance sheets and profits to value companies.
They have social aims, trade in competitive markets and use their profits for community benefits.
They started their business two years ago with a Web site (www.steamertrunkmerchants.com) and used the profits to move from e-commerce into the more traditional kind.