Entrepreneurship

Three Important Things I Have Learnt So Far In My Entrepreneurial Journey

Be-humble

It has not been too long since I decided to take the plunge. I still don’t consider myself an entrepreneur though. I would rather call myself a wantrepreneur (wanna be entrepreneur). But the little time I have been around the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem, I have learned a lot of things. Today, I pen down three of them:

1. It is important to fail

Yes, you read it right. It is important to fail. Why? Because from what I have seen,  many young CEOs who have achieved far too much success at a very young age tend to be too cocky. The experience of failure – financially, professionally, will make you an infinitely better businessman, teacher, and a better person, for that matter. Continue reading →

A 9-Year Old Entrepreneur and How His Video Got Viral!

Caines Arcade

A 9-Year Old Entrepreneur and how his video got Viral!

He made a make-shift Game Arcade out of cardboard boxes and offers loads of games through it. A $1 ticket gets you four spins at one of five arcade games and a $2 ticket gets you 500 spins. The industrious lad also sells $15 T-shirts — like the one he wears — that display “Caine’s Arcade” on the back.

That attention has turned into big bucks for young Monroy. It’s not clear how much money he’s made from ticket and T-shirt sales, but in donations alone, Monroy has already raised more than $178,000 through his website, CainesArcade.com. Those funds are devoted to paying for his college education, he says.

Serial Entrepreneur Gurbaksh Chalal on Turning Obstacles into Opportunities

Gurbaksh Chahal

 

Yet another inspiring talk with Gurbaksh Chahal. He speaks on Turning Obstacles into Opportunities. It always inspiring to see people accepting challenges and then going ahead learning from failures and finally being successful. At the same time, its good to see people like him coming out to share their experiences. It boosts a lot of confidence in budding entrepreneurs. Enjoy the video!

What can I, as an Entrepreneur, learn from Rahul Dravid?

Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid has been my favorite cricketer since childhood. As a kid ,many a times I have been mocked upon by my friends for being a fanatic follower while most people back in the late 90s would be thrilled about Sachin Tendulkar only and a few others too, but never Rahul Dravid. I was one of those few people who died to have a life-size poster of him in my room!

Rahul Sharad Dravid

Anyways, I believe there is loads to learn from him, both as a cricketer as well as a person. I think entrepreneurs can especially take a lot from him.

1. Dravid was always more technique than talent. He worked on his technique until he became an expert at it.

This is something I believe is so important for an entrepreneur. Many believe that someone who takes up this journey is one who has loads of talent. I, on the other hand think talent is something which plays a small part. What is important is the technique. This is something which all entrepreneurs should necessary spend time working on – mastering the technique.

2. Staying at the crease and holding on to your wicket.

Rahul Dravid is undoubtedly the best batsman to frustrate even the best bowlers by hanging in there for really long times, sometimes even without scoring. I am sure many can relate to what I will say now. We, as entrepreneurs, go through times when things just don’t work, but you know what, sometimes it’s not so important to score, sometimes its more important to hang in there, hold onto your stumps when someone is trying to knock you off.

3. Dravid always made sure he had the right weapons.

From what numerous players have shared, Rahul Dravid was one person who was very careful about things being in order. His kit was always properly arranged and one would never see things out-of-place. This is where entrepreneurs can take the lesson of professionalism from him. Having things in order will give you a clearer vision of what you really have and what you have to get. In short, he never left anything to chance.

4. Temperament and Approachability

Many young cricketers have shared comments that Rahul Dravid is a person who is very easy to approach to. Youngsters look to learn a lot from him and he has always been a great mentor. That is how an entrepreneur should be – approachable and at the same time a great mentor. There are loads to take from Dravid’s temperament too. The temperament to fight it out in the middle and to prove himself and not let people down.

5. Which is why He is “The Wall”.

There cannot be another “Wall” in Indian cricket, I am sure most will agree. Keeping up the grit and determination and having the belief of never letting down people who look up to you, that is what earned him the name. He was someone people could trust on. Entrepreneurs should be like “The Wall” – strong, determined and stable.

One more thing, Dravid was never a successful captain. He wasn’t really good at it. Dhoni is no doubt the most popular captain already and also probably the most successful. Lesson to take? There will be situations where no matter how competent you are, you will fail. You should have the ability to bounce back and get on your feet again. Dravid did make himself more useful those days by keeping stumps for a long time, thus giving one more crucial space for a batsman/bowler. Another lesson? There will be roles you’ll have to take which you’ll least expect and for which you’ll be least prepared.

Rahul Dravid never got enough acclaim, not as much as he deserved. As he retires, he’ll leave back a lot to learn from, both for young cricketers as well as people from other walks of life. This post is a tribute to him as well as all those who have taken the tough decisions in life (entrepreneurship, of course!). May all of us get the glory we deserve.