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When I started this blog, I had promised myself that I shall NOT write about starting up. However, I could not help responding to this post by Rashmi Bansal. And it seemed like a nice easy copy-paste way to increase posts on my own blog!!

Reproduced below is the full text of my email response. Enjoy!!

Hi Rashmi,

Being a regular reader of Youth Curry, I could not resist responding to your post on your regular "Agony Aunt" column!! The theme of MBAs (esp IIMs) and entrepreneurship is a well discussed one, but has the habit of cropping up everywhere, including presidential addresses (remember APJ Abdul Kalam's speech about IITs and IIMs??).

Well, I am a IIML graduate. Passed out in March 2006. Currently, I am running 2 parallel ventures - IndigoEdge (a management consulting company - www.indigoedge.com) and UniAxess Healthcare (a foray into Medical Tourism - www.uniaxess.com - a WIP). We are a group of 5 classmates from IIML - 3 engineers, a medical doctor and a CA.

Well my take on the whole issue is quite exhaustive. Will try to keep a logical flow to it! One moment which is vivid in memory is when we were still contemplating "signing out". One of my colleagues approached a professor at IIML and asked him "What is the one question I have to answer for myself if I want to start off?". The response - "Do you have the guts?". Thats the bottom line. There are a million reasons for not starting-up. But, a positive answer to this one question is enough to overcome most of it.

Another oft repeating theme is - The Big Idea. At least, at the moment, I do not believe in it. At this stage in India, every idea is big. From a food delivery start-up to mobile gaming, everything is booming. And to be honest, not too many people have revolutionary ideas. But, people still make it big. It is all about idea execution rather than waiting for "gnanodaya"! In fact, we did not have an idea (let alone a Big idea) until after we signed out!!

So, does an MBA hinder entrepreneurship. Definitely yes. Because the excuse of financial security is much stronger after an MBA. I have heard atleast 10 guys say "I will make money and start-up in 5 years." Well, its not been 5 years, so it is not right to pass judgment. However, I AM a betting man, and I am betting that not a single start-up shall result.

However, the scenario should be different. I believe that the risk of starting up for an IIM MBA is much smaller. Yes, the pressure to "succeed" is higher. But, exit options are still very attractive. You can go back to a cushy 10 lakh job at the end of the day, if you decide that its not your cup of tea. Venture/ angel funds will listen to you, at the very least. An MBA also equips one to structure thoughts and give a overall perspective of business (esp about top and bottom line!!). And that should help, atleast initially. So, it just comes back to "Do I have the guts - to stick it out for a year or two?" Unfortunately, either people do not think along these lines, or the answer is just a "No."

Another aspect of starting up is the group. It is extremely difficult to start-up alone. You definitely need someone to celebrate with, to bitch with. Personally, I would not have dreamed of going at it alone. And I have been lucky in finding 4 others with whom I can work. Most people didn't give us 6 months in staying together. Well, its been 10 months and going strong. Touch wood!! Starting up alone also gives a big incentive to quit. especially in the early stages when nothing is happening.

So, end of the day - If you have the guts and a basic idea, go for it. Preferably find someone who also has the guts. And let the rest take a hike!

Cheers!
Sandeep.

PS: This letter will also appear as a post on www.edgingalong.blogspot.com. Thank you for inspiring a post (finally!) on my blog!!
PPS: Yes. Today is a a-typically slow day with looooads of time on my hands. :-)

--
Sandeep Ramesh.
Director.
Ph: +91-99800-23415

I have few heroes outside of cricket. In fact, as I write this, I can't recall even one!! My very first one was Sanjay Manjrekar. Yes, I was very very young, naive and stupid. Not to imply that none of these qualities exist at present. (note the clever use of double negatives in the previous sentence :-D) But, the good thing was, he was such an average performer that no one really cared if he failed. He was not a "discussed" cricketer. I never once had to spring to the defense of my hero!!

But from there, it went downhill. My next hero was Azza. The greatness of the man is exemplified by the number of hearts he broke, and the cynicism that he brought into the mind of every cricket follower in India. He was God, he was the devil, he was the magician, he was the clown...all at the same time. And no one could just let him be. No one could forget. And even today, there is a deep set feeling of "he let me down" in the heart of every Azza fan. He gave us immense joy (one of the last of the kind), but we remember the pain.

Then came my biggest crush - Sachin. He was the idol. It was also a time when I was living cricket. He was everything I could not be. There is really not much to be said. He is greatness. But now, when I see his broken body unable to perform to 10% of his abilities, struggling to get away "Lord" Haris, it pains. It must be similar to what the worshippers of Kapil must have gone through. Because, one does not even feel like defending them...one is just not worthy of the task!!

Sadly though, I now realize that the hero-worship years are past. Cricket is just a game. There are no heroes. There is no pain. I cant believe myself when I applaud - "well bowled Asif"!! That's grown up. And it sucks...like everything about "grown up".

PG Wodehouse has been a favorite author for a long long time. I can never tire of the same - hearts split asunder-> Gallant Galahad -> imposter -> Empress kidnapped -> all ends well scenario. There is not really much in the story. It is all about how it is told.

Couple of weeks back I picked up a gem - Sunset at Blandings, which is the last book written by the genius (at the age of 93!!!). It is incomplete, unrevised, full of holes and actually pretty boring. And I loved it!!

There is almost something of a research paper at the end of the book by Richard Usborne which describes the method to the madness (of PGW's writing). The countless drafts and re-drafts, the writer's block, the perseverance, the way good pages moved up the ladder (he used to paste the pages on a wall with the good ones at the top!). And it really does prove the theory about 10% inspiration and the rest perspiration. Sunset...does prove that he is after all, just human!!