Skip to main content

Starting with top

It was a great statement conveyed with amazing simplicity. "The best way to clean a staircase is to start at the top" were the words conveyed in chaste Haryanavi by on of the industrialists I respect.

Yes, indeed he was referring to the management styles. He was talking over a drink well past midnight about the challenges he faced in his experience with many a professionals in the past.

I am reminded of the story in another context of another successful entrepreneur. He is disappointed that he is to deal with trivial issues of the organisation whereas he has hired a number of capable senior professionals. The answer was apparant in no time, when a call came in to check if a message can be sent to a business associate. The entrepreneur was furious - why do you have to call me on this small issue? I have hired you to manage this on your own and why even you have to deal with it as this could be dealt by a junior person and so on for next few minutes. I empathised with the entrepreneur and thought the he has a genuine problem. Before long I could not believe what I heard - but show me the draft before you send........

I could not believe this. Will he ever be able get rid of his frustration of dealing with trivial issues?

Staircase cleaning is not complete.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Are you ready?

Scaling up? How about doing it in a short time? How about when demand is much beyond your plans? How much is much? Let us look at how such enormous challenges have been met in a matter of a few weeks. India was found awefully incpacitated to meet the demand of masks, PPEs and sanitizers. Demand soared by 1000X (and perhaps even more). In a matter of under 8 weeks, we started manufacturing all three in reasonably required quantities. Adjacent skills were deployed. Licences granted at lightening speed. And by 12th week, we had more than enough capacity and stocks. So much that we are exporting all of the requirements to the needy across the world. And costs and prices have gone down by 3X if not more. Can you do a simulation of your business for such a scenario? How quickly can you pivot? It's an amazing case study of entire industry standing up to the challenge. #covidopportunities   #businessexpansion   #pivoting   #businessmaze

Niche opportunities in India

Niches are often overlooked as business opportunities. One such business that is well over 1000 cr but has only one large organised player with a market share south of even 5% in India. It's henna (or mehandi). Extensively used, largely by women, for skin and hair colouring, naturally and safely. Been in use for centuries in Indian Sub Continent, Middle East and North Africa. Finds a reference in ancient scriptures and Bible. A highly fragmented market with largest part being unorganised. A huge value addition comes from 'designers' applying the same on hands and feet. It has a huge cultural (many say religious as well) impact so much so that a marriage ritual has become a stand alone function called 'mehandi'. The colour comes from the leaves, younger the leaf, richer the colour. And Rajasthan, especially the districts of Jodhpur and Pali make up for almost two thirds of India's production. Hub of activity is in Sojat in district Pali. It's a small tree wi...

The Golden Quadrilateral and more roads

Over the last couple of weeks I had a chance to travel by road in five north Indian states. What a pleasure? The road network is becoming really fantastic. I started on National Highway 8 and then on to NH 1, 21, 22, 70,72 and 88 apart from many state highways. It is not the roads only that impressed me but also the new flourishing enterprises it has generated alongwith is the key to the trip. Many a voillages and towns that were cut off from nearby larger places are now well connected. Movement of people and goods is leading to a greater economic involvement and is helping in the inclusive growth mantra. I was also witness to an amazing incident - towns of Rahon and Samrala are barely tens of kilometers apart but could take upto 5 hours by road a few years ago and now less than half an hour. I could see a stretch limousine (a genuine one and on top of it a Lexus) in a small village wedding in the prosperous "Doaba" region of Punjab. On being generously invited (despite being...