Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Movie....which side are you.....

I would admit that leaving aside the hectic schedule and odd working hours, the saving grace about my current profession is that i get the opportunity to meet a lot of  budding entrepreneurs. Though I don't have the resources to fund them but at least I am able to help them structure their proposition in front of Investors. In short create a compelling story, perhaps this is what Investment Bankers are paid for.

Having said that, I feel some times that being on the other side would be more exciting. Not talking about being an investor but rather being an entrepreneur. The kind of challenges these people face are fraction of what we can ever imagine. There I was meeting someone whose half the team comprising of 10 people was poached by a rival. It takes a lot of grit and determination to overcome this jolt and get back on your way, but this entrepreneur did it in 20 days flat and now he is up and running. This perhaps is an iota of difficulties that an entrepreneur faces.

They have to focus on each and every aspect of their business be it sales, strategy or doing number crunching. I am amazed how easily they get command over their financials in spite of having no professional education, perhaps you don't require that. Constructing Balance Sheets, Profit & Loss Statements is all about thinking in a structured and logical manner which they all are well accustomed to. Their day to day challenges teach them how to think quickly and re align their business with the changing environment.

Today perhaps represents the best opportunity for someone to start on his own, it has two pronged advantages one you are in control of your own destiny and secondly you provide employment to other set of Individuals, not forgetting the fact that you learn all the traits of life by doing this. People always talk of Savvy Investors but they are forgetting the fact that investors only come to being when we have spirited entrepreneurs who make it possible for them to invest. As one Fund Manager told me it's like watching the movie but to feel the pulse and adrenaline you have to be in the movie.

This sentiment / feeling is being reflected in today's environment where a lot of Fund Managers themselves are leaving to start their own ventures. They all say that people they have funded have made more money than their standard carry fee would ever make for them. Not all ventures are successful, out of the 5 we talk about 95 have already bitten the dust. But these 95 entrepreneurs never loose hope and always rise up to start a new one. We mortals being on the sidelines can only imagine the fun and excitement we are missing out.

In short, perhaps it's time to take the plunge and make life more exciting and lastly "Be in the Movie"........

Time for some action.............. 




2 comments:

Phoenix said...

Missed this post of yours. But echoes my thoughts totally.

daman said...

[Phoenix] Perfect time to go on your own... funding is not a problem... though valuation can be a fight!!!