Look Around and Everybody is an Entrepreneur-Dahi Bhalle Wala bhi

This is my Second post in the series “Look Around and Everybody is an Entrepreneur!!”

 

The first one was on how the people seeking money in the name of Shanni Maharaj show their Entrepreneurial Skills.

However this one is of a person I know from past 15 years. To know more Read on and Listen along too :-)

 

 

 

“Bhalle Papree lelo-O”

 

This is one those Hauls which I have been listening almost every afternoon for the past 15 years. (Of-course whenever I am at Home)

And I am not alone…… More than 50000 Inhabitants of Rajouri Garden, New Delhi are my companions in this.

 

 

This is the Story of “Vaid Ram Moti Lal” Also known as Lallu to his family.

vaid-Moti-Lal-Cycle-Entrepreneur-Rajouri-garden

As soon as he said… people call me Lallu…. He was also quick to point out that in Delhi Lallu Means a Silly man….. But in his home State Uttar Pradesh Lallu is a “Love Word” which is addressed to kids whom you love, which is derived from Word “Lalla” which is further derived from word “Laadla” which means the Pampered one.

While reading the name, if you thought that VAID means an Ayurvedic Doctor…. Then you are right… he is one…… but somehow Medical practice didn’t work for him.

Like even his passion for Music didn’t pay him anything!!

He hails from Mathura, the Birth Place of Lord Krishna where we used to play Harmonium, Tabla and also sing Bhajans of Lord Krishna and songs of Bulle Shah!!

More on that after some time……

Now how does a Vaid and a Musician Find his place in a Series written about Entrepreneurs.

This is How…..

Lallu jee could not pursue his Profession (Vaid) and Passion (Music) in his hometown and having a family to feed came down to Delhi in search of Employment which could fetch him and his family his daily bread.

Sadly even after 4 months of running around…he was not able to get any job. It was then that his Wife advised that he should start something of his own.

It was one of those days…. That one of the ailing neighbour approached him for some medicine and he made his first money in Delhi. In order to celebrate that earning he made Dahi Bhalla and  Paapri at home for his 2 sons and three daughters and it was relished by all.

 

Noticing this,  his Wife suggested him to make more of them every day and sell them on a cart. Something that he did

Every day he would make some Dahi Bhalla Paapri and sit on a pavement in Jahangir Puri, Delhi to sell them.

Though everyone who tried it relished it, but still his tokri was never completely sold out.

And he then realised that the people who live in this area have low paying capacity and also that this area is less inhabited.

So, with some of his earnings he bought a Cycle and started riding to nearby developed colonies to sell his stuff.

This worked and every day he came back with an Empty tokri and filled Pockets.

It was then decided to make more of these and also go around selling it in different localities on different days.

And this is how he has been able to Earn Respect, Earn money and has been able to give quality education to his children and also marry them off.  All of them are well settled.

Now, he sells his stuff only occasionally in Rajouri Garden and that too because he has a personal Bond with this place and  with many residents over here and this is his way to spread happiness and meet people whom he had been serving for years.

So, after this Entrepreneurial Story we talked about music again and he told me he used to sing and play with Ravinder Jain who later went on to become a famous Music Director and also composed Music for more than 100 movies like Geet Gaata Chal, Chor Machaye Shor and his main claim to fame was being music Director for Indian Epic Serial Ramayan on TV.

 

Ravindra Jain- Vaidjee's one time Co-Singer and now a Famous Music Director
Ravindra Jain- Vaidjee’s one time Co-Singer and now a Famous Music Director

They would Sing Bhajans in Mandirs across Mathura, Aligarh and Vrindavan and had a great time.

And listening to all this, I was not able to resist requesting him to sing a few lines for us. He Obliged not with one but 2 Different songs and the Glow on his face while singing it was Extra ordinary.

Leaving you with 2 short Music Videos of a Minute each.

If you love MUSIC, You shall relish it, If you don’t, then probably will get an idea of it’s Pure form.

And yes, Everybody is an Entrepreneur, In his or her own way.

 

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Key Take Aways on Funding from “Google For Entrepreneurs” @ Oberoi, New Delhi

A few days back… I received  a call from “Thot Media Group”…. Probably the agency handling events for various Clients.

And they asked if I would want to be part of an Upcoming Event in Delhi titled “Google for Entrepreneurs?”

I found it interesting… Especially so because Google has been known for some ass kicking Events and their Content, Speakers and Hospitality is always talked about.

And as soon as I registered, being a obedient husband I am, told my Wife Gurleen about it on Phone….. She too said the same and confirmed that she has registered too, a day earlier.

“Women are Smarter” and whoever said this, was a Real Smart Women!!

So… on the appointed hour and time, we did reach the awesome venue and took our seats  Bean Bags…. And the learning flowed.

Ohk let me confess……… I know Google has many products which if we use properly can make our life simpler as an Entrepreneur and I thought that this Event is more so an opportunity to learn more about Google Docs/Google Forms/Google Hangout and other products which we do not know how to utilise in best possible way.

But….. as the event started… I realized that it was more about Finance, Accelerators, VC’s and Nasscom’s Initiative of 10K Start-ups 

And Since me and Gurleen have no Intention to seek funding and frankly at this stage we don’t even deserve to……. We started feeling uneasy on our Square Bright Google Coloured Bean bags and started exchanging notes on the Google Diary…. Something school kids do in School during a boring period and just before recess :-)

But…. Just then the learning’s started flowing…… and here I try to present a Mash up of all that was Said, Observed &  Analysed.

  • Research about VC/Investor as much as he does about your company
  • Any Funding takes 3-6 months of efforts/ Due Diligence etc. Be Prepared
  • Don’t get so involved in the Funding process that you let your Business suffer due to it.
  • Don’t just accept funding because it is available. Accept it when you need it.
  • By the time you are ready for Series A, you should have atleast 70% of the company ownership.
  • Social Presence is Important. If you calling a VC and he is not taking your call. Then you should have enough Social presence and reputation that other people of trade do put your recommendation. It is usually hard to ignore then.
  • In India….. Seek investments only when you have a running model and proof of traction. Nobody is willing to invest in an IDEA.

  • Don’t compare our Entrepreneurial Eco system with USA. They have been going through this for past 40 years….. We are not even 10 years old.
  • When seeking funding look mainly on what comes along with Namely Mentor/Network/Acceptance in Market/ Affiliation. Some times they prove more valuable than the funds themselves
  • If you want to expand overseas or want Foreign Funding…. Then do keep frequenting abroad. The VC’s want to have a regular touch, feel factor.
  • Investors look for Trends. Say a one time 1 crore revenue may not be as attractive as a growing trend which goes from 2 lacs to 12 lacs in one year. Same for Customer traction
  • Nasscom has taken a Big initiative of helping 10,000 start-ups in next 10 years and has partnered with key players to reach this goal. One of it’s Initiatives is a Co-Working space of 150 seats in major cities called the Start-up Warehouse. Where only Start-ups would be allowed to work from… for Max 1 year and Max 5 employees. The charges would be almost half of what others charge. Less than Rs. 4000 a Seat/Month
  • Accelerators are booming and wooing Entrepreneurs. If an Entrepreneur is looking for an Accelerator then One has to do some good Brain Storming while selecting an Accelerator too.
  • The Investor….  Gives a high priority to a TEAM. Most of the Ideas/Business that start initially does not actually go the same path. As per experience they change the plans….. And make a successful product. Only Because the TEAM is good.
  • A Mentor Helps you, Does not Work for you.
  • Any Money you raise…….. Try to raise it for a Particular Goal or Time…because if that’s not met…… Then the prospective Investors may shy off and even the Existing Investor will start suspecting you.
  • Do not think that if an investor is Invested in you…. He will save you from all the Financial Crunches you may face. Investors are here for business…. And he may be better writing off $50K than giving you more and then writing off $100k a year later.

That’s what I could take away from the Event…. And as usual it’s Different Strokes for Different Folks.

If there’s any thing you do not agree or want to add, then please share I am a learner always and you never know who may silently read your view and gain immensely from it.

Oh yes….. The food was yum and why not…… it was being served at the “Oberoi Hotel”….. A Hotel owned by the BEST HOTEL ENTREPRENEUR India may never  have again. Rai Bahadur Mohan Singh Oberoi, worked as a BELL BOY in Hotel Cecil, Simla and then within 10 years brought the hotel from the owner.


This is True Entrepreneurship and did I forget to mention, there were no VC’s then !!

Tags: 10kAcceleratorsAngelEntrepreneurFundingGoogleGurpreetHotelInvestmentMoney,More…

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