Entrepreneurship is like a Sport!

I was at my campus (NITIE) couple of days ago, had a small session with juniors who were interested in starting business. There was a nice metaphor that struck me when questions were asked - how do I get funding?, how do I find a co-founder? Which idea is the best? I am making an attempt to jot down the insights, like any other metaphor request to take this in its spirit. This post is intended to my young friends who are planning to start business.

Entrepreneurship like a sport, is a passion, and sportsmen across the globe, do not take it up for fame or money, they do for they love the game, also most of the sportsmen do not choose the game looking how popular it is, they just try it, feel they are good at it and take it up seriously.

How to start?
Once you decide to take it up, regular exercise is a critical part of it. So, say the exercise you choose is jogging. Jogging everyday is like starting a small business that gives you revenue. You start with probably a mile for first week, add couple of miles soon and slowly increase the distance and pace every day.

Why Jog/ Initial revenue stream?
Jogging is what everyone does, it’s not very innovative, not scalable, but is for your fitness, it makes you stronger, increases your stamina that you need while you play. Initial business makes you stronger in personality, keeps you fit.

How do I get funding/ co-founder?
You don’t require nike shoes for jogging, neither a jogging track nor do you require companion to jog. Start jogging and everything will fall in place. Yes, if 2-3 people jog together, you do not realize the time. What you require in pursuing a particular sport depends on the game you are passionate about, golf requires lot of money, cricket/football requires teams, running/ swimming does not require anything. Your initial revenue stream will be able to support it, if not, your friends and family will be able to gift you the initial equipment, as you play better you will attract sponsors (VC’s). It is always desirable to have sponsors running behind you.

About finding co-founder, start jogging, you will soon meet fellow joggers.

Remember it’s jogging, not running!
If you increase the speed quickly, you will not be able to run longer! It’s about slow and “consistent” practice every day! You gain experience and become a better player only with practice; the greatest of the sportsmen are so great for they continued playing, even after they failed in many!

When do I start?
Simple – early the better, more to learn, longer to stay. Physical fitness is necessary for playing most of the sport, you can probably play snooker when you get into 40’s.

Idea vs Implementation
We come across this statement more frequently that implementation is more important than ideas. Yes, Ideas are like, wanting to try a reverse pull shot on a bouncer on offside. It is that you be in the game and able to hit that, when a bouncer is bowled, and believe it or not, many of the players already would have thought about it. Ability to hit the shot in the way imagined at that split of second is called “implementation”

Improving Game / Mentoring?
Improving your game requires a coach (mentor), different at different points of time. You need to be good at game to attract a coach.

Parents, friends and People:
People will laugh at you when you are jogging alone, some may join you. Parents will also be pained as you will be disturbing their sleep in the morning! Friends will tease too! When you start becoming good player, people will start appreciating. You will always have people who appreciate your game, and few who envy. It should not affect your game.

All said, entrepreneurship is a game, not all sportsmen make lots of money/ gain fame, they play for the game, they love playing. Enjoy the game.

Comments

  1. superb, this one is one of the best metaphor for taking up anything.

    nice nice

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice comparison! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous5:41 pm

    Enjoyed the post :)!
    Very nice thoughts, Paresh! :)
    If possible, add how different players in the game add to the victory similarly your colleagues :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous7:18 pm

    Very wonderfully written. *claps*

    ReplyDelete
  5. @ravi, bharat, yogesh, padmini Thanks.

    @nivedita will try to add up in another post

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tomarow i have a session at Fr. Agnel Polytechnic, Vashi. Let me practice 'Jogging' as part of my Enterpreneurship Awareness program.. Let all the students including me get on to ' Jogging ' so as to understand E N T E R P R E N E U R S H I P.... Great idea.. love.. dr mandi

    ReplyDelete

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