Some time back, I wrote a series of 4 articles named अ…….अभियंत्याचा. I wrote in my mother tongue i.e. Marathi. This being a ritual now a days, to share it on WA, I did it. One my friends asked me question: Why did you write this?. The question was not simple as seen. The hidden meaning between lines also tones "Do you consider yourself over smart?" "I know people read your blogs. Does it mean that you should write any scrap?" "Don't you have any other better thing to do?" "Are you not doing good in business?" He asked only one question, but it echoed many more.
I too questioned myself. Why did I write those experiences? The simplest answer to this was, who else will write this? There is nothing noticeable happened in my career. And my achievement are not those noteworthy that I should write autobiography. I can not beat drums as well. May be I can whisper in someone else's ears by sharing my experience. I lived life so far with straight forward principles with very few hurdles. Still a company from US could locate our company situated in one corner of Pune and decided to join hands with us.
The first question is often asked "Job or business?" Many young friends ask me this. (I am almost nearing 50 now. Naturally I have right to offer free advice). This set of people normally passes the comment "You are lucky, you are in business" Or "You must be having fun filled life, you being in business" I laugh at them. The things are not easy as you think to do business. I have simple equation. If you work as if you are an employer, you end up climbing managerial ladder and reach top or one day you become an employer. And when you run business as if you are an employee with feeling of creating value of stakeholders, your company reaches new heights. No doubt, you become wealthy having your own business. But you pay price for that. Some pay by offering less time to family or some pay sacrificing on their health. I strongly believe that had I been employee all my life, materialistic point of view I would have been at same status quo as of now. And if some one derives out of this statement that I am not good businessman, so be with it. The only difference I could sense is the liberty to take decision is more as businessman than as an employee.
The first question is often asked "Job or business?" Many young friends ask me this. (I am almost nearing 50 now. Naturally I have right to offer free advice). This set of people normally passes the comment "You are lucky, you are in business" Or "You must be having fun filled life, you being in business" I laugh at them. The things are not easy as you think to do business. I have simple equation. If you work as if you are an employer, you end up climbing managerial ladder and reach top or one day you become an employer. And when you run business as if you are an employee with feeling of creating value of stakeholders, your company reaches new heights. No doubt, you become wealthy having your own business. But you pay price for that. Some pay by offering less time to family or some pay sacrificing on their health. I strongly believe that had I been employee all my life, materialistic point of view I would have been at same status quo as of now. And if some one derives out of this statement that I am not good businessman, so be with it. The only difference I could sense is the liberty to take decision is more as businessman than as an employee.
The other important aspect of business that there is lot of risk. Many people withdraw PF, some one mortgages his house, some one boroughs money from open market to fulfill his or her business dreams. To be frank, I have not done any of it. Does it mean that I did not stretch myself to limits? I did, but not related to money. It does not mean that I had ample of money. But I have stretched my finances till the time I could sustain. While I took risks on all other fronts but not managing finances. And because of this I never had to pinch my stomach to live. It is said that your professional life blossoms when you face odd situations. And mine must have been dull for rest of the world. But personally, I am content with this calculative risk taking life style.
Does it mean that I did not work hard? Certainly I did. I traveled almost 100 kms a day on M 80, I have traveled in six seater hanging half of my body outside of it, many a times I walked under the scorching heat and I have also traveled in trucks to make sales call. But to be frank, I never felt that I am doing some thing great nor did I had grudge for my life style. I enjoyed it a lot.
As a businessman, I prey to the Almighty to give me wisdom to pay my team's money which they deserve in time, pay suppliers payment without any delay and not be defaulter while repaying bank loans. And believe me, He was always kind to me to fulfill these aspirations.
I strongly believe entrepreneur is not a noun but an adjective. It is quality. And this need not be monopoly of businessman alone but it can be quality of employees as well. You may call them as intrapreneur.
I would like to give an emphasis on the fact that business is not too risky affair provided you should have calculative or analytical approach. Once you decide your directions based on professional experience and more over you walk using ethical business practices, no wonder you get on the highway of progress prosperity. This is my experience and I am sure many entrepreneurs will second it.
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