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Mad About
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WANT TO HEAR THE THREE MAGIC WORDS THAT SHALL MAKE YOU POP OUT OF YOUR CHAIR : YOU ARE BROKE . THAT IS OUR VANTAGE POINT FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE . YOU ARE BROKE IN NEW DELHI / MUMBAI ( PICK YOUR CITY ) IN 2017 . WHAT DO YOU DO ?
WALKING AROUND IN DELHI YOU SHALL FIND MANY MARKETS , SCENARIOS , AND OPPORTUNITIES . DESI FINANCE IS ABOUT THE THIRD : OPPORTUNITIES .
Standing in the land of unexplored opportunities in an ecosystem of people who want to spend but do not know where to spend it is an entrepreneur ’ s dream . My NRI friend Aryan just got back to India from London mesmerized by the quinoa revolution . Quinoa is the staple diet for the Latin Americans . Rice is to India what Quinoa is to Latin Americans . It is hailed as the hallmark of success for globalization . Over a cup of coffee in the market complex opposite IIT Delhi , he asked me : “ You have no idea how unexploited Indian markets are . I just wish I could start a
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quinoa revolution in India . Do you think it is possible ?”
Being the patriotic Indian , I replied , “ No Aryan , you should not do it . We live in India . We should promote domestic grains like barley , maize and Bajra . Why should you import a grain from South America and sell it in India ?”
“ No ” is the favourite word for novelty
“ No ” is the favourite word for novelty . If you hear “ No ” to something in India , you are doing something novel . And not everything novel is not worth pursuing . My friend Aryan started importing quinoa from a dealer in London , started selling it on Amazon and approached me to file a collective bid for a franchise restaurant based in New York . He saw an opportunity and he made it happen ! The Baap of all protein foods is now catching on in India .
Let us go back to our vantage point now : Imagine you are broke . You have no money . You are living with your friend in the suburban area of Rohini in Delhi . You have no money . You pick up a job as a restaurant manager near your place and now , you have to make money . You cannot borrow and in this particular scenario , your parents are not an option .
The cultural baggage of financial dependence is shed . What are you going to do ? Scenarios like this provide perspective on the importance of financial independence . We are lucky to be born in a culture where it is an obligation for familial systems to coexist financially but this is a matter of luck
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and not a privilege . And that is as much as luck as we should lead ourselves to believe we have .
Money is not only for the rich
It is empowering to be financially independent . Money is not a sin item . Money is money . It is an enabler . Money , contrary to what populist narrative would have you believe , is not ‘ only for the rich ’ or stratospheric entity you cannot achieve .
Looking out for the correct opportunity at the right time is the basic characteristic of an entrepreneur ’ s mind . Not only should you be able to gauge the dynamic of the market , but win the hearts of your consumer . You should be able to crunch data into comprehensible , implementable ideas that are not only self-sustaining but increasingly profitable . But prefixing all that with an “ I can do it ” attitude is extremely important . Whatever you do , your cause , your product or your service has to be able to transform into a tangible entity that can promote itself .
The comparative advantage is against you when you are starting a business or investing your money in one . The first hurdle that you have to cross is a “ no ”. It is hard . But it is surmountable . How do you deal with an audience whose first response to a product is “ no ”? My broke friend decided to open a café . He took a personal loan and I loaned him the rest of the money . He got the design ready , the menu ready ; he had all the right ideas . We were looking for a space .
“ Indians are prudish ”, he said brooding . We were standing
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near a chole-kulche stall opposite PVR Prashant Vihar .
The patriot in me revolted . “ How dare you say such a thing ? It is blasphemy . Indians are honest and humble . People with simple needs .”
Internet is a human right now
“ Well , simple needs is a flimsy concept . Needs change with time . Internet is a human right now . I think it should be a fundamental right , like equality . A hundred years later , it will be a need simple need to own a Tesla electric flying car . I am trying to sell them gold at the price of Channa and no one wants to buy it . I am selling them smoothies , coffee , juices , a detox diet and all organic ! In a foreign country , it would sell in a jiffy ! But here , choosing the right spot is a nightmare . And whenever I tell one of the people here the menu , they freak out and taunt me by showing me fresh fruits . How is one supposed to start a business here ?”
The patriotic fervour toned down a bit . “ My broke friend ”, I said lovingly , “ You are looking in the wrong direction there . PVR Prashant Vihar sees a daily footfall of students , couples . It is a movie hall . The idea of relaxation for people here is a movie and a pizza .” I took my friend to a hospital . Well , outside a hospital and we rented the ground floor .
That is where we run our successful café called , Swastha Bharat . ( The patriot in me could not resist that name )
Now , dear reader , would you be interested in working on a project of a grand seven star apartment on TRAPPIST 1 ?
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