I have special respect for Indian Entrepreneurs. In other countries, Entrepreneurs, have a pretty homogenized population and a govt, which, if they don't support, at least they don't oppose.
But for Indians, they have to contend with
But for Indians, they have to contend with
1. A totally unpredictable and diverse set of Customers. Customers who want premium products at cheap price. And you have no idea what they like. Because in India, forget States, tastes change according to Districts. How do you account for that?
2. A govt that goes out of the way to shackle you. Rigid bureaucracy and unpredictable babus are the norm and not exceptions. And the laws are so complicated, you violate three laws everyday, without you knowing about it. Bad Laws and a worse Bureaucracy is a lethal combination
3. The worst part about our laws are, that they can be interpreted in six different ways by 4 different babus in 2 different offices. And they do it. You pay a fine for doing a certain thing and six months later, you are fined for doing what the previous babu told you to do
4. We have no stable financial policy. I am not even talking about Demo and GST. I am talking about duty drawbacks, tax exceptions etc. You never know when the govt will withdraw them. That too retrospectively.
And when they do, the business is left holding the bag of loss
And when they do, the business is left holding the bag of loss
5. Our financial eco system is probably the worst. As you all know, In India, to get a loan, you need to prove you don't need a loan. So you can say bye to things like Working Capital loans, overdraft etc. Every bank treats an Entrepreneur as a thief, who is going to steal money
And by some miracle, if they do sanction a loan, the interest and penalties are so high, that your entire business is run only to pay for the Tea and Coffee of the Bank's manager.
And I am not even going to go into labour laws and taxation.
And I am not even going to go into labour laws and taxation.
6. And finally, the legal system is so screwed up, that an Entrepreneur can never expect any relief. The duration of an average court case, is longer than the cycle of a particular business.
By the time, an entrepreneur gets a verdict, the business is long obsolete
By the time, an entrepreneur gets a verdict, the business is long obsolete
so whenever you see an Entrepreneur, taking the plunge in spite of the insurmountable odds in front of them.
Please salute them.
Please salute them.
Indian Entrepreneurial ecosystem is like the Somme battlefield. You have just trenches after Trenches, filled with the people whose only job is to stop you.
Winning requires tremendous grit and fortitude. It ain't easy. It takes special kind of courage to step in.
Winning requires tremendous grit and fortitude. It ain't easy. It takes special kind of courage to step in.
In the Movie "A bridge too far", Lt Gen James Gavin, gives a mission, to cross a river, in broad daylight, to a Major, played by Robert Redford
He says, "I Need someone Brave Enough to do it, and someone mad enough to do it"
This applies to Indian Entrepreneurs too.
He says, "I Need someone Brave Enough to do it, and someone mad enough to do it"
This applies to Indian Entrepreneurs too.
And when, after you all this, you eek out a profit, the courts will suddenly come and order that you have to operate a flight to Shimla. They will ask you to give something away for free. One Babu will tell you not to price your product more than a certain level.
You can plan for events. You can plan for disasters. You can plan for a customer.
But, You can't plan for orders from people, who are completely insulated from the system.
But, You can't plan for orders from people, who are completely insulated from the system.
