An Entrepreneur..

"Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won't, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can't" - An entrepreneur

An entrepreneur is a person who has possession of a new enterprise, venture or idea and is accountable for the inherent risks and outcomes. This is the wikipedia definition of entrepreneur. Though the word 'Entrepreneur' seems a little heavy in itself, most of us dream of starting something of our own at some point in our lives. But in a society like ours, there is very little chance that this wild dream of ours ever comes true. But yes, there are people who go ahead and realize their dreams. I had a wonderful opportunity of working with one of them, Mr Sanjay Singh, an IIM Ahmedabad alumnus, founder and Director of Swas healthcare. This post summarizes the things I learned working with him and also from his interviews with the media. I have found them very interesting and also very essential for any budding entrepreneur.

For an entrepreneur, it is always necessary to have a reason other money to get him going. There might be times when the cash flow turns dry and the future seems dim. But as long as we stand on our cause and motivation, it is the only thing which gets us going. Mr. Sanjay also says that keeping an eye on cash flows is always important. Saving a few bucks whenever possible comes handy in rough times.

My second learning is start quick and dirty, don't wait for a perfect business model. This is very important as we learn more working than contemplating an ideal solution. Also it has the capacity to give us an early mover advantage in this competitive world.

"Watch, listen and learn. You can't do everything yourself. Anyone who thinks they do is destined for mediocrity" - Donald Trump. This quote says it all. My biggest learning is to keep our eyes open. Sometimes people on the ground knows what works the best and what not. Hence to be receptive to ideas and also change is an absolute necessity for success.

"Choose a job you like and you never have to work a day in your life". This is the biggest motivation of all. In an interview with the media, Mr. Sanjay said "When I see our patients making the journey from “hope in eyes” to “smiling faces” it gives us immense strength to continue our efforts in spite of all hurdles". So it all boils down to our own happiness and satisfaction in starting our own venture.

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