Entire Evening we managed to click just one pic.. And this was it
Abhishek, Bhasin, Ashish Tulsian, Pooja Sareen, Gurleen Kaur Tikku, Gurpreet Singh TIkku

Inc42 Delhi Mixer @ Olive

November 3, 2015November 3, 2015 Gurpreet Singh Tikku Leave a comment

Every time I meet an Entrepreneur, I get something to take away. Kabhi Zindagi ki Seekh, Kabhi Aage ki Soch aur kabhi acche dost. However kabhi-kabhi you get all of this in a single shot.

27th October was one such evening. It was a Startup Mixer organized by Inc42 which has become a must read, must follow for every Startup in India. The invite was by filling in a form and then waiting to get it approved. I filled in my form and asked my wife Gurleen to do the same, because of her company www.hareepatti.com and its new product Startup Secure.

Sach kahu to I had doubts about my application’s approval. However, Pooja jee and Vaibhav Bhai were very kind and approved it. So Gurleen, Ashish Bhai, Abhishek Bhai and myself left for the Venue on the scheduled date and time. The Venue Olive is an old property and is still one of the best in Delhi. The mixer was on the spacious terrace and as soon as I entered I was greeted with by a server serving Lamb Tikkas. I thought to myself ‘Uff….. yeh to abhi se khilana shuru ho gaye’. Jhooth nahi bolunga… it was the BEST. I loved it and best part was that raat ko jab hum 11 baje nikle when the mixer was about to end, tab tak bhi snacks were being served.

Anyways, while I was relishing my first kebab, I met many of my friends Fellow Entrepreneurs and its always good to meet them. I quoted some time back that

“It is said that only a women can understand a women. To that, I add that only an Entrepreneur can understand an Entrepreneur”

Kisi se jhappi, kisi se haath milana , kisi ko door se hello aur jisko na jaante ho uske saamne se muskura kar nikal jaana. Bas yehi chalta raha and in between the conversations flew, ideas exchanged, nostalgic memories shared and we all promised to meet soon. I have to say that this was a well-organised event. Good set of people, mast snacks, selected cocktails kept flowing. Main Course waale Chawal Jambalaya were good and the person serving them Mr Dutta who had just joined Olive a month back was a well-informed person.

If some participants missed the desserts then they can blame me. I ate all of them, especially the Chocolate Mousse where I used my finger repeatedly to eat and spared the spoon. By the way, desserts bas 2 mins ke liye gayab the as they were again replaced immediately at the serving table. However, I made a quick exit before I may again get tempted to try a few more.

Have to thank the team of INC42 for this amazing Event and who bhi “Free” . This one event would have made life better for many people at INC42 Delhi Mixer.

Shayad one year baad we shall see a Blog or hear someone mentioning how this one night at INC 42 Mixer helped someone with his or her Startup work better.

Start-Up in 1995

October 15, 2015October 15, 2015 Gurpreet Singh Tikku Leave a comment

Today everybody knows the meaning of “Start-up” but back in 1995 when I read Business Magazines on a regular basis I used to get confused when I read it once or twice in the whole magazine.

Nevertheless…. I loved the regular article in Business Today that had a special Start-Up page featuring stories of Entrepreneurs.

Today when I fetched that file while working on my project of and for Entrepreneurs…..Many memories came back flashing of cycling to Channa Market in Karol Bagh and buying these mags when I was in class 11th. Reading the Start-up page first and then the rest of the magazines.. My dreams of getting featured on the cover of Business Today before I turn 30 and many more of them.

Some dreams got fulfilled and some have been postponed to a later date but the memories are intact and I love myself when I see back.

Lost opportunities… Did some work which did not make me happy…. tried to please everyone and in bargain lost myself…. tried to become like others to get accepted. Nothing worked…. but for not one moment did I let my Self confidence dip. Had that happened then probably I would still be in wilderness.

It was my Parents Blessings and confidence in me and my Jhaiji’s Love that did not let me loose hope for even one moment.

Sorry……Just got carried away to a different trajectory and apni aankh mein hi ansoo aa gaye.

Kehna yeh chahta hu ki jab bhi aapko lage ki hope nahi hai…… then see towards people who have made it… People who are doing it inspite of all odds….. People who dont know where the next meal would come from. People who may have lost everything and rebuilding it…… Get Inspired, Start Building, Start Smiling, Start Hoping and Keep Achieving

I know bahut khichrri bana di hai maine…. koi na.. aaj Khichrri hi Kha lo.. Biryani kal sahi

Be Kind to Your Clients, Be Kinder to your Vendors!

February 16, 2015September 21, 2015 Gurpreet Singh Tikku Leave a comment

This Valentine day, I’m reminded of an instance in 2010 when I was in a sticky position with a vendor.

I was working with “Swiss Junction” as a Marketing Manager and for Valentine’s Day promotion, we had ordered some Vinyl Stickers to pasted on the Store (Great India Place, NOIDA) front mentioning “Valentine Gifts”.

Also ordered were 3 Pairs of Hearts Shaped Stickers to be placed on each side.

When the Stickers were being pasted, I realised that valentine has been misspelled as Velentine.

And on pointing the mistake, the vendor apologized profusely and pleaded that he will change it by late Night or Early morning. Now this was a weeklong promotion, so the Sticker was not to be used for more than 7 days, but at the same time, it made no sense to let it remain as it is.

Standing in front of the shop an Idea struck & I asked the vendor to fix the Smallest of HEART on the misspelled E. And that did the Trick.

The problem was not rectified but the complete sticker looked better with the Heart in Valentine.

And yes, the Smile on the face of the Vendor was priceless

Mentioned below are a few lessons that I learnt from this incident.

Act frugal: Try to find a solution. In most cases its simple logic and Common Sense, not Rocket Science

Find Solutions: Rather than looking at the problem for too long. Start thinking what would be the best solution to the given problem. Running away from the problem only creates more problems.

Don’t Waste Money: You may be an Entrepreneur spending from your own pocket or a Company Executive who would have a certain Marketing Budget to spend. In both the cases, it is your responsibility to ensure that every penny you spend is utilized to the fullest.

Don’t act Pricey because you are a Client: Around the same time as this incident, A Very Senior Corporate executive who was trying to shift jobs told me “Gurpreet, I’ve learnt a big lesson. “Never to Ill treat your vendors”. It is commonly thought that since one is a client he can delay payments, Reject Work, Shout at vendors and Create problems. And he did exactly the same. But now when he was looking to change his Job, he is finding none. Nobody is willing to refer him and even if somehow he is about to get the job, the word spreads around of his cruelty and he is refused the Job. Being Strict for quality is Right, but being heartless is not.

And do remember to share it with your Vendor, So that they can expect to be treated well from you and also with Clients, so that they can get an indication that you too want to be treated well 😉

If you have something to ADD, Compliment, or Criticize? Please do

From Guts to Glory!! An Evening with YC Deveshwar, Chairman ITC Ltd.

September 9, 2012 gurpreetsinghtikku Leave a comment

A Few Days back, I had a Golden Opportunity to be at the Young Turks 11th year Anniversary Celebration at Delhi.

Earlier the Tag for Successful people was “Rags to Riches” but now it is “Guts to Glory”

Seems perfect for An Entrepreneur.

Every Moment of the Event is captured in my Mind and The one that I want to share with you is the talk by Mr Yogesh Chandar (YC) Deveshwar, Chairman of ITC Ltd.

It was so good that it inspired me to tweet that

“Listening to Mr Deveshwar for 1 hour is equalivent to 2 years Learning at Business School”

Some key takeaways were:-

We Need to have Indian Brands/Companies Going International

To Improve Indian Economy Companies/Entrepreneurs need to Focus on Business wherein, Either you “Export More” or “Substitute Imports”

Everything today’s young Consumer is buying is a Foreign Brand. On Every Purchase of a Burger, Aerated Drink, Diaper, Chocolate, Phone etc etc, we are paying a Royalty which goes out of our Country.If we don’t make more Make Strong Indian Brands…. Then we will only be a Royalty Paying Nation.

India should build its own powerhouse of Indian Brands. Firstly win Indian Market and then explore other countries…and make it Global Brands like Tata, Mahindra and Mahindra

A Country Like Korea produced Samsung.

India requires Institutions driven with Values & Vision and Requires effort of 2-3 generations.

Tomorrow’s Business

Tomorrow’s Business should be responsible businesses

Tomorrow’s Consumer would demand Value Proposition that you have for society at Large

Research and Development is Way to go.

ITC has 250 Scientist working in their R&D Department and have been given free hand and ENOUGH Time to produce Results

About ITC

5 Groups, 30 CEOs and 30 Businesses, all Businesses are Leaders or next to Leader in their category.

5 Business represent Diversity… If u can handle them well. Then keeping them aligned will be great.

Also, it proves to be a boon, if different Businesses can be interlinked and help each other.

ITC was helped in Packaged Food Business by their Chef’s….Whom, he claims are the best in India. He mentions, nobody can understand the Indian Palate better than ITC Chef’s and that is the reason why Aashirwaad Atta is doing so well. They have different Mixtures of Atta for different Regions to suit their Palates..

That is also the reason that Yippee Noodles (2^nd after Maggi), Aashirwaad Atta, Bingo Chips, Sunfeast Biscuits, are giving tough Competition to Market Leaders, in such a short span.

Yippee Noodles–We bought SIMPLE Insight— Long Noodles as Consumers want t Slurp more and Round Packs, as the Pans used to make then were Round as well. Know your Consumer!! Think as a Consumer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aIWsqb0jR0

QUOTES

If your business makes only money, then it’s a Poor Business.

True Glory Lies in bringing value to many unprivileged people

If u think, U can do something, and if u think you cannot do something… In both the cases u r right.

Bet on Yourself.. Ask Yourself.
While Explaining that It is tough to do Business in initial Years, And then is easier. He shared that The Times are Tough when you are a Baby. When you Grow up, You develop muscle Be Quick!! Whoever will do it fast will rule the roost tomorrow.

THINK GREEN:-Facts about ITC that were Shared

Only Company in the world which is Carbon Positive and Water Positive.

Leeds Certified Greenest building in the “World”, ITC Hotels Office.

All ITC hotels are Leed platinum certified which also Translates that ITC chain of Hotels are the GREENEST Hotel chain in the World

CONVICTION AND CLARITY

When asked about the Future…He mentioned that I can SEE it very clearly and based on that we diversified. Apart from Conviction in his Idea/product, An Entrepreneur should be clear of where his company would reach in next 5-10 years. It should be Crystal Clear.

ITC was told to sell hotel as international player by Top Consulting firms that when Foreign Chains would come in the entire Business would be wiped off. We had the Conviction in our Business and the clarity of what and how we wanted to do. Results are there for all to see.

Mr Deveshwar was asked, His Company is doing lots of Corporate Social Responsibility Projects. Is this because they feel guilty of being in Tobacco business?

He answered,

I didn’t start it.

If I don’t do, somebody else will.

If ITC was not in the cigarette business. Then people would not stop Smoking

If we Ban it in India….Then people will start smuggling which will even hit the State and Central Exchequer and only the Smugglers would benefit and nobody else.

LIGHTER MOMENTS

Don’t challenge your competition. Let them sleep.

Disclaimer::Please note these views are mine and have been gathered from what I heard. The Words I have used are not the Exact Words that were used by Mr Deveshwar, but my interpretation from what I heard and Understood. He did not mention any other Brand’s name…..The Same has been added by me for easier understanding.

All Images have been Sourced from Google.com

International Youth Forum 2012, The Long and Shorts of it!!

July 6, 2012 gurpreetsinghtikku Leave a comment

I was lucky enough to be at the 1st International Youth Forum, organized in India between 24th to 28th June 2012. This was an eye-opener and wanted to share some Snippets in regards to same. Some may be relevant to all and some may be only to me, but I shared what I felt like……The LONGS……and the SHORTS too

• Have never stayed in a Hostel since I left Bishop Cotton School, Simla on Nov 30, 1989. (Need to admit many of my fellow Delegates, were not even born by then).

• So, nice to see that the youth of today is clear in what they want and where they want to be. The route may not be clear to them, but the Destination is.

• Never have I seen So Many Enterprising youth and one place. Contrary to the common perception, that today’s Youth wants to play safe by getting a Govt Job, I Noticed here that Delegates are open to take Risks and think out of Box solutions for their own benefit along with it taking care that the Society is Benefitted at Large too.

• Never had I Sweated “So much” in such a short Span of time. (No AC’s/Coolers in our rooms). An estimate would say, I sweated enough in one night that I would do usually in a week.

• The Vibes at this place were so so positive; it could illuminate a City like Delhi for 10 days.

• I have never every been so much CLICKED in such a Short Time. Hope to see some good Pics Now.

• Loved to be awake till 4 in the morning every night and discuss issues with all delegates and even chip with a game of MAFIOS.

• Have never met so many intellectual youth from so varied Geographical Locations spanning Towns, Cities, States, Countries and Continents.

• It was like the brain was working at twice the speed as we had some amazing discovery learning while brainstorming Ideas amongst us.

• I really get disturbed when I see some people sharing unauthenticated Information and Bash Govts, Media, Policies, Ideas. Good to realize that, The ALERTNESS of Few is Big enough to compensate for the IGNORANCE of many.

• I agree that Everybody does not, and cannot think on the same lines, but I am happy to see that the Paucity of ideas from one Individual is compensated by the Excess of Ideas and Passion from someone else

• It was indeed an Great Experience to listen the experiences of some of the speakers specially, Mr Gupta from Goonj, Mr Osama Manzar, First Indian Master Chef Mrs Pankaj, Prateek Shah, Delegates from Milna India, Art of Living Delegation and the Best and most inspiring Dr. Shashi Tharoor

• I have been more or less an Indian Person who wanted to Explore. At IYF, I got an excellent opportunity to meet many,many,many Like Minded Individuals and I salute their spirit of making a change that has made them travel for long hours and invest their Resources in bringing a change.

• I shared my view with most of the delegates here that we all are winners as We all have come here to discuss in regards to Development of this wonderful place called EARTH which we have inherited from our Forefathers. And it’s not OURS as We have to bequeath it to over children. With a responsibility to give them MORE than we inherited.

• “You can wake up a person who is sleeping but not one who is pretending to be asleep, but here we were YOUTH of today, who does not sleep till his dreams are met”. (Only to stay awake again to fulfill our next dream)

With our Work, Let us ANNOUNCE to One and All that WE The Delegates of IYF2012, have in US what it takes and we will create a road where none exists, just to make this World a better place to live in.
Gurpreet Singh TIkku
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