I have just come back to south africa from my first of what weil be many trips to india. I loved the country but loved the people I meet even more.

I think entrepreneurship is thriving in india but the two biggest impediments I noticed as an outsider were government policy and business lifecycle.

Government policy has held india back until recently. It seems from people I sure with government and the p private sector had pour relationships and government control over the economy restricted entrepreneurial investment. This seems to be changing at snail pace.

Business development seems to be misunderstood. Many entrepreneurs running their shop selling goods were satisfied that that was what building a business was all about. Very few had an idea to grow 1 shop into 2, 2 into 3 and slowly build a network of shops.

On thursday night, I am speaking onmy radio show about entrepreneurship in india and I found this great blog.

Thanks guys

i have gone through the entire blog and all the comments by the readers. i too want to be an entrepreneur. food processing industry, alternate energy, biofuels, gobar gas etc are my interests….. all directly or indirectly related to rural india. i want to make a difference, focus on bottom of the pyramid and improve the total socio-economic conditions of rural india.

but i am struck. i donno how to start or approach. i have finished my engg and have a job in automobile industry. i donno what avenues to explore further. i dont have any mentor who can guide me or steer me through.

should i do mba and go for institutes like EDII (entrepreneurship development institute of india) ,IRMA (indian rural management ahmedabad). please advice me.

please guide me….

“Dont criticise the system..be a part of it and change it for the betterment of our people.”

Entrepreneurs are people who are ready to risk it all to navigate into unknown and uncharted waters. It has nothing to do with being from any particular caste, creed, religion or ethnic background. I see repeated comments that Marwaris, Gujratis and Sindhis are business type people and more likely to become entrepreneurs and this is complete BS.

Being an entrepreneur is like an itch you just have to scratch. And not only that, you have to devote your life towards that goal. There is no promised land for everyone, most will fail and some will prosper.

India is lagging behind in fostering a environment for entrepreneurs. There is no support, lack of education, lack of resources from Government and also lack of support from families/friends.

Yet, these are challenges, not barriers for Indian entrepreneurs. I see a bright future for Indian entrepreneurs. We have businessmen who have made their mark globally, there is no doubt on that and millions more will shake the world. Perhaps I am too optimistic.

Most families are content just having their children getting a 9-5 job.

Someone commented above about someone in the family saying that nowadays 40k jobs are plenty and hence there is no need to even start a business.

It is precisely that kind of thinking that strangles entrepreneurship. We need a more aggressive approach. Do we need to be reminded that we are perhaps living in the most exciting time in human history. We are sitting here commenting, collaborating and talking to people thousands of miles away at a click of a mouse?

Cmon guys, where is the passion, where is the drive to create something and add value. What irks me are people content to create inferior products and focus on making money. Indian entrepreneurs, most who are leaving a 9-5 job to take up a business where they slog to get paid money. Hardly a difference.

I think it is this micro thinking which is the reason why India is lagging behind. We cannot think beyond next one months salary.

There are entrepreneurs who will create a ripple and those that will create a Tsunami wave. Where we are lacking is there are numerous entrepreneurs just content on creating ripples.

I suggest reading Start up Nation : Story of Israels Economic Miracle.

It was an insightful analogy.But how many of us are ready to endure the sustained fall for a long time and have the patience to wait foe the rise..there are so many extraneous variables over which we have no control..

I am in totally agree with you on the certain issues as being…..i have started SSI unit for chemical manufacturing and it was real pain right from buying land in industrial area..water & electricity connections and various formalities……..

I am 45 and decided to quit a cool researcher job after 18 years of working. I amke what is called the EDIBLE CUTLERY, where you can use the cutlery and eat them too. It took me three and half years of real dog labor getting my business up… I would not say it up already, but I overcame several teething problems.

What I wanted to share here is entreprenuership is like a bungee jump. Remember, initially you fall but at one point of time, you turn around and eventually reach a position much higher than where you started from. The analogy here are the following:

1. Double check the bungee rope (meaning do your market research thoroughly along with all other issues – sources of funding, sources of technology, etc)
2. In entreprenuership you will begin with a very steep fall in your finanical resources (no income but more expenses as investments)
3. Once you have decided to take the jump, at any point of time, do not let go the rope. Have faith and confidence – no matter what your so called well wishers may say

So late into my career, I have seen becoming an entreprenuer is really tough, if you have done your homework properly and you have the necessary perseverance. All the very best to all of you.

Narayana

iam glad to write this post, i am 21 years 3 yr engineering degree elctronics and telecom student and i started my own gym business as enterprener after my diploma in engineering and have finished 1 yr and iam curenntly in second yr of my business i have learnt so much in this time that i could not learn in my entire life and my confidence too increased but my first gym failed miserable bcoz of lack of managment skills ,knowledge abt business operations and stupid business partner but now i have learnt my lessons shifted my gym and making decent profits and managing well iam planning now to open chain of gyms in mumbai and i might require some assistance frm bank orvc 4 which iam working on my business plan
if any one intrested in investing in gym business with me or need help about enterprenership guidance pls free to cont me on email free2call103@yahoo.com
trust me its is the best expereince to start and manage ur business .
WARNING -PLS DO LEARN ABT MANAGMENT AND BUSINESS PLANNING THROUGHLY AND DO MARKET RESEARCH ABT UR PRODUCT TO AVIOD FAILURE OF UR BUSINESS.BOZ IT IS THE MOST RISKIEST AND MAD THING TO START UR BUSINESS WITH OUT FIRST KNOWING UR CUSTOMERS AND SELLING TO THEM AND ASKING WHETHER THEY NEED WHAT UR SELLING SO PLS DONT GO BANKRUPT AND THINK 10 TIMES BEFORE STARTING ANYTHING ALL THE BEST TO ALL ENTERPRENERS AND KEEP LEARNING .
MAZ

Do you know the brightest people from India actually shun away from IT or technology related topics? In many cases, when these people are asked if they work in IT (which is presumed because you are an Indian), they get offended.

I HAVE PROBLEM , I JUS PASSED OUT FRM COLLEGE THIS YEAR , I WAS FIGURING OUT WAT TO DO SO I HAD GONE TO MY UNCLE TO DISCUSS ABT MY CAREER GOALS N AL …SPECFICALLY I ASKED HIM ABT BUSINESS NA L

AND HE TOLD ME TO PUT THE ANCILLARY UNIT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING PARTS HE SAYS THAT THERS S HUGE DEMAND FOR THE THAT ……..

NOW I ASKED U PPL SHOULD I GO FR TAT OFFER OR SHOULD I WAIT MORE TO GET SOME MORE IDEAS FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP……….

don’t know when i will be able to gather courage to go against my parents but hope it will be soon..:)

I am fighting with my family for the past 2 years to leave the job. Yea a Govt Job. Here comes a problem.

My parents regard job as most respectful job, even though I earn less than 5 % what my grand fa earns in his business… they never wanted me to move into it, the reason is its not dignified. I just wonder how dignified am I working under a brainless boss, who comes to office to escape his wife’s chantings … that’s bit too personal .. forgive.

Practical Problems are better faced than discussed

Registering a Business itself is hell of a task. 6 months on it yet no result, may be its very specific to me .. but there’s a problem with this.

.. more updates as I face them ..

Nice blog!

Well, I am in the stage which I am sure most of the commentators above me have gone through – confusion while incorporating a company.

Mine is going to be a 100% software export oriented unit and I am getting varying responses from different CA’s. Some say I should go for LLP (a new company structure introuduced in 2008 in India), some ask me to go for Pvt Ltd.

Then being a export oriented unit, I thought of applying to STPI (Software Tech Park of India) for exemption in tax, again there are mixed responses. For some CA’s, my nature of work doesn’t fit in STPI scheme. Even there are varying responses from STPI offices located in 2 different cities, one say it is and another it is not!

… and we talk about ease of business in India.