entrepreneurship

My biggest challenge with entrepreneurship is the amount of hype it gets. We are not some modern gladiators or in the fashion parade.
We don’t need all the media boost and appeasement.
Some end up calling themselves entrepreneurs just for the glory and wrong reasons.

Entrepreneurship is like any other occupation to solve customers’ pain, work with like-minded people, and increase collective stakeholder’s wealth.

Very few get rich or end up having a rewarding life opposite of what the media speaks.

I dislike this extra baggage or stardom some of us carry along with because we are entrepreneurs.

focus

Focus is our most valuable currency. We are living in a connected world where everyone is seeking our attention. It is on us to decide what to prioritize.

The same goes for running any business. It takes lots of sweat, will, and luck to make it a success. But above all, it requires focus. There is no such thing as overnight success.

Some of you might disagree with seeing the PR shown on newspapers or news how 18 years old making a successful company or an entertainer end up millionaire overnight.
Such news get eyeballs and your attention, beware.

Maverick Effect

Harish Mehta is one of the NASSCOM’s founding members and has written a book titled: Maverick Effect. The book talks about his life journey keeping NASSCOM at the center.

I was not aware of what all went through in the journey of making India an IT Nation. The role of NASSCOM as a lobbying body to help industry foster has been phenomenal. It was like reading some documentary in itself.

NASSCOM has fostered an Indo-US IT relationship as a flag bearer and evangelizing IT policy in the government.

The book talks about NASSCOM’s role in saving: Satyam after forgery by its founder Ramalingam Raju.
It also talks about bringing anti-piracy laws.

In short, I feel India’s IT policy and telecom revolution have some role in NASSCOM. That is what the author wants to convey in the book.

diverse

I have been to over five states of India in the last 15 days.
It makes me more humble.
It affirms our country’s diversity.
Every state has its specialty and problem.
I wonder what keeps such a diverse state together as a country.

Is it our will to live and represent a unison or our need for roti, kapra, and makaan? What keeps us all going?

cycle

I am at my home in Sitamarhi, Bihar, visiting my parents. I was born and studied till class 10th here. It’s like waking to memory lanes and walking across the gallis and fields.

Many things have changed post-COVID, one being I see many houses ending up vacant. The owners have passed away. The kids have no interest in taking care of the property.

I still remember my neighbors and fights in giving land for road construction. I was part of this mohalla when it was barren land.
My father and dozen others worked towards making roads and bringing electricity poles.

We have a road. The houses are there but empty.
Every generation toils lifetime and earns for the next generation instead of living their own. It’s like a mad rush of accumulation of wealth for whom? We are running fast and creating wealth, but for whom? Will our next generation care about it?

We are living for the future instead living now for ourselves. Are we all part of this cycle where one generation creates wealth, and another leaves it and walks away? It saddens me to see the houses, their gardens now turning haunted. The liveliness and cheers are all gone.

everyone

In No Rule Rules, Reed Hastings talks about individual competitiveness and incentives. I felt it fosters toxicity within an organization.

In the book Score takes care of Itself, the author talks about working together as a family.

An organization includes people with different levels and roles.
They are all valuable and need love, care, and respect. A leader should grow stakeholders’ wealth and everyone on the team together.

What will an ace bowler do if a batsman will not score runs or the fielders will drop all catches? How will a team win when everyone is not together and for winning?

Standard of performance

A team with a mission, vision and organizational philosophy also needs a standard of performance. Bill Walsh mentions these below in his book “score takes care of itself “

  1. Focus on specific actions and attitudes relevant to your team’s performance and production.
  2. Be clear with your expectations of high effort and standard of performance.
  3. Everyone has to deliver their best and be responsible for their expertise.
  4. Beyond standards and methodology, teaching values and beliefs are equally important.

Do & Don’t

I am reading the score takes care of itself by Bill Walsh. I like the part where he talks about what to do and not do as a leader as a philosophy to stay sane in life or field. 

Don’t

  1. Don’t ask, why me?
  2. Don’t expect sympathy.
  3. Don’t keep accepting condolences.
  4. Don’t bellyache
  5. Don’t blame others

Failure is part of everyone’s life. We have to learn from it and plan for the next big day. It makes us more humble.

Do

  1. Do expect defeat.
  2. Do allow yourself appropriate rest and grieving time.
  3. You are closer to success when things are worse.
  4. Do begin planning for the next serious encounters.
  5. Do force your brain to stop looking backward or dwelling on past failures.  

Agriculture

India has a long way to go. Our majority of employment still comes from agriculture. Our government is taking the steps needed to bring technology and modernization into it. The grants, funding, and public-private partnership is bearing fruits.

Many generational farmers see farming as a burden. Some are headed back to metros and taking up other jobs. At the same time, with technology in the armory, the new age entrepreneurs are crafting new highs.

Global warming and the current climate crisis are making things worse. Everyday consumption of items like coffee and chocolate growing is under strain.

absent

There are times when you are engulfed in thoughts and take up multi-tasking seriously.
As a result, one or the other thing suffers.
Here I am at the airport canceling and re-booking my ticket for my flight.

The level of absurdity came to light when airport security says am at the wrong airport for boarding.
I had security check and boarding pass all collected without realizing am on the destination flight, not the source.

Thankfully there was another departing flight.
I purchased the ticket, entered the airport, and shared this.

No software or automation could replace our human presence of mind.
Be more focused, don’t end up like me. Good Morning. 🙂