Weekly Diary-Feb 15, 2009
Posted on February 15, 2009
Filed Under Blog, Satya Speaks
Incubation Lab and the Talent across the Globe :
Imagine young talent from Ghana, USA, India and Singapore setting up their entrepreneurial ideas to work at the incubation centre of a business school in India. This would have been such an imponderable just about a decade ago. Before the end of this year, this is precisely going to be a likely scenario in the business school that is focused on a single word – The Entrepreneurial World!!
When you add the campuses these youngsters spent considerable time attending as UCLA, BITS-Pilani, Insead, NYSU, etc,….. the idea brings greater fragrance. Insha Allah, IWSB will attract the brightest of minds to come and incubate their plans here.
AviraQuest and Subi Rangan, Insead
Lindsay Levin, an untiring entrepreneur and the founder of Leadersquest, brings into India a small group of accomplished leaders from diverse fields such as industry, academia, social organizations etc., every year. Named AviraQuest, this learning experience is given a deeper thought and an academic dimension by Subi Rangan, Insead.
The group had a great time interacting with the students of IWSB on campus this week. More importantly, the students had an immense learning experience interacting with these learned and accomplished role models from various walks of life.
The one purpose that I find being met by such an exercise is to enhance the understanding of cultures, social structures and processes by all the participants in these insightful interactions. Congrats, Lindsay !!
Tennis Schedule and the need to improve the Serve
I need to tell myself every day that the first priority when I hit the tennis court is to work on my game and see it improve. When I begin to play the friendly match, I realize that there is a sub-conscious change in the game – to play to win the game. Rubbish. I have realized the futility of that play…….
Whether right or wrong, I need to stick with my clarity. I go to the Tennis Court to play, have fun and improve my game of tennis. If I lose a hundred more games…. It does not matter. In fact, this clarity is actually helping in improving the score board.
The service returns, the backhand shots…..Poora maarna hai, boss. No half shots and safe shots. More importantly, my service needs to be worked upon. Hajaar service practice is a must. Mahesh …. Listening ? Pl let me know when you visit Gurgaon next J
Nauchandi Mela and the Ambience Mall:
I remember visiting the Nau Chandi Mela when we were kids at Meerut. A once in a year affair that is replete with all the Bollywood type action – song and dance, giant wheels, and the works.
The modern Mall is turning out to be very similar. The clothes, the actors, the vehicles, the language sound a bit more sophisticated. The walk through the Ambience mall (largest in India ? or is it Asia ? some such claim) evoked old memories from Nau Chandi – the family photo happened (the burqa-camera is replaced by a digital jhin-chak product offering), the singing (modern Karaoke vis a vis a recording dance of 1980s), the cold coffee with Ice cream replaces the Baraf-ka-gola and a modern day expensive and carbon-vomitting car in the place of an eco-friendly Cycle Rickshaw from Meerut Chawni to the Nau Chandi Maidan.
May be, these are actually the elements of progress of a civilization !
Mahesh Murthy and the lessons of entrepreneurship
- If your product or service needs to be advertised and promoted, your idea is not good enough. The best way to advertise your product is through the customer word-of-mouth. Not conviced ? read up about the Google, Red Bull, Ferrari, etc,.
- If your idea is to be funded by a VC, the entrepreneurial idea is not good enough. The best way to fund your growth is through your customer’s money. Not Convinced ? Read up about Tatas, Ambanis, Bill Gates, Mittal and find out when did they go to fund their ideas / plans through a VC.
- If you are chasing a domain that has already been written about as the ‘Hot’ or the ‘Hottest’ sector, you are in for a lot more bad news. Entrepreneurs work and sectors and make them hot…..and not follow others into sectors that are already ‘Hot’. Already hot sectors are for the lazy industrialists and money bags…>It is too late for you to enter. Not Concinced ? Read up about Google, Youtube, Microsoft, Infosys, and Career Launcher J
These were just a few gems that students at IWSB got to gather from Mahesh’s visit to campus. As one who really works to make time to go and meet youngsters across campuses, Mahesh is also an accomplished teacher. Kids love him for his irreverence. The appeal with the youth is more when you treat the past with the much-deserved irreverence from time to time. Thanks, Mahesh !
Satya
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6 Responses to “Weekly Diary-Feb 15, 2009”
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Thanks satya sir for writing such interesting bloggs !
Kandarp Rai
Thanks satya sir for such interesting bloggs !
Kandarp Rai
Hi Satya,
Thanks on inspiring me as well to know more about entrepreneur and some times I wish I had age in front of me , as I would have played my second innings at IWSB !
I have come across a very appropriate web site (thanks to Vivek Sonny Abraham, CL student of 2005 and IIM B -2008 batch),http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/20/what-to-do-in-college-to-prepare-for-entrepreneurship/,!
Hope to see lots more blogs !!
with Regards,
Umesh
Satya,
It is a good idea to read and revise that the dollars we are using in ads should be used to increase Customer wow!!!
So many things yet to do? But a lot of intrspection first..
Ajesh
mahesh murthy’s take on entreprenuership, venture capitalism and advertisements are quiet hatt ke. I am sure the students would have lapped it all up after all the maggas on topics ……….. Quite irreverent and refreshingly different.
Red bull and Ferrari( do not know these case studies…..need to read)
Great Stuff Satya. Do email me my snap which you took at the Marathon this morning. Running Number 6529. Am sure there would have been many like me who bothered you.
Well,Just to Introduce myself, Sandeep SAchdev, Personal Training Ambassador for Fitness First India and A Celebrity Fitness Trainer as well as the Winner of the Biggest Loser weight loss reality show which I won.
I have 2 events here on 3rd & 4th Nov called “Fitness ki Patshala” at Ambience Mall, Gurgaon & Central place, Connaught place between 7-8 pm. Do come if you your here in Delhi.