#Entrepreneurship has inspired me since a long time now, perhaps since the time of my early professional career. Having said that, my understanding of today’s #startup world is limited, though I claim to be a mentor to few of the early stage #startups.
When I started my venture in early 2000s, the #startup ecosystem wasn’t in place, hence my idea of doing business was to provide ‘value’ to my customers, and in the process have a source of my livelihood and have financial independence.
With a structured #startup ecosystem in place today, the young aspiring #startups or early stage #startups – in most cases, aim to raise funds and enter into a valuation game. The failure ratio in such cases is high and it might lead them to frustration and demotivate them.
Gujarat was considered business hub in the past. Many Gujaratis created their name in the business. Had skin in the game as they invested their own money and worked diligently to earn healthy top-bottom lines. The success ratio was more when the personal money was invested.
The focus should move back to:
– Taking risk by investing one’s own money in the business.
– This risk would add accountability for their actions.
– Creating ‘value’ and not think of ‘valuation’.
– Aiming to earn healthy top/bottom lines.
I have been working closely with people in towns and semi-urban areas, for them the current #startup ecosystem isn’t much of help, unless the focus shifts to help them in creating a decent business to earn their livelihood and perhaps generate few jobs in the process.
I haven’t watched #SharkTankIndia, but whatever little I heard about the show, it didn’t impress me or motivated me to watch it. Here, I don’t intend to belittle the show but I feel that this show doesn’t represent the current need of #startups in India.
If we wish to have a robust #startup ecosystem, we need to create a structure that helps rural and semi-urban centres, create their own businesses and focus on getting self-employed. That would be real #economy booster!
