How not to do business – common start-up mistakes

 I had a great learning experience, when i was recently associated with a Start-up in my consulting arrangement. Thought, it can be a learning experience for many as to how to handle a start up with minimal capital.

Product: It is very important that product strengths are detailed about and if required trials to be carried out, so that info from the trials can be shared with potential users. When there is a untested and untried product ever buyer/user expects someone else to lead rather than be a leader themselves. This is more pertinent when a product needs certain investment in infrastructure in addition to the product cost itself.

Clarity in approach: It is very important that one sets out a road map for roll out and ensures there are enough resources to take it forward. In case the resources are limited, then the roll out should suit the fund availability rather than being ambitious.

Not being greedy: Market is there and can be captured with a good product/service. But wanting to be everywhere with not enough money in the pocket is one thing entrepreneurs should avoid at all costs. Based on the product/service useability, market trials if carried out in the closest area to where one is head quartered would help in taking necessary course corrections and also provide necessary after sale service in an efficient manner. By spreading the wings far and wide one might end up taking the risk of too much to handle.

Strategy: It is very important that any organisation invests some money on market research to understand the depth and potential for its product. In absence of a MR report, it becomes difficult in making a marketing plan. While experimentation becomes the order of the day, it can prove very costly both in terms of money and time.

Sales team: In the absence of a reputation it is becoming increasingly difficult to attract good sales people to join a start-up, as they are not sure how the product is going to perform and hence would not like to risk their careers. This is where one needs to think out of the box and try and hire go-getter with high motivation by providing high incentive for success. This is a worthwhile cost when one considers the lack of brand positioning and visibility.

Testimony: It is going to be utmost important that, testimonies from as many users are obtained to ensure conviction among future users. For this it is very important that one needs to have field trials, users (if required by providing necessary infra) and more importantly satisfied people, who will vouch for the product either in person or on video.

While wanting to be in the market is an ultimate desire, if the same task is not planned well, you will only end up delaying the actual success.

Disaster Management - Thinking out of the box

We keep talking about disasters and how to manage them when they occur. Keep blaming everybody from government, Babus and the greedy individuals who will try to make a fast buck during the ops. What are the long term plans for handling disasters.

GOI has constituted National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) with Prime Minister as the head and from its inception Marri Sashidhar Reddy as the Vice Chairman, meaning he is the defacto boss. In addition they have asked states to incorporate state level bodies to handle disasters. Now our active TV channels are digging out info that in most cases the so called Disaster management bodies either have not met or meet once in couple of years. All this casual attitude reflects our DNA of ‘chaltahai’ attitude and lack of concern for safety of either own or our near n dears.

Coming closer home, schools are expected to carry out ‘Fire Drills’, which are rarely done unless some tragedy strikes somewhere. Our attitude is such we wait for the fire from neighbouring house to reach ours till we act. Office in turn are supposed to conduct similar drills, most of the time we take the whole exercise so casual, even if there is a real fire we might assume that it is only a drill. Basically it is important to instill in the minds of the people be it a drill or a real thing we need to act the same way and, primarily the drills are to ensure there is no panic.

While NDMA has completed the paper work as to how to handle various disasters, no one is actually prepared and very few are trained. 

My belief as a layman, the following steps might help.

• In the IAS/IPS training ‘Disaster management’ should be a part and should be given a decent coverage with considerable time spent on training and importance of drills and problem handling.
• There should be a body like NIA at the national level who will have able bodied men and women who are trained in various types of disasters India encounters regularly and occasionally. We are fortunate that we do not have Hurricanes, Forest fires which are much difficult to handle. Typically now a days ’Cyclone’ management is reasonably in place and thanks to that we have less number of casualties, however property damage totally depends on the intensity of the disaster. This set up would be headed by DM toppers during the training from IAS & IPS cadres.
• Thanks to 24/7 TV  disasters are brought in to our drawing rooms with high definition clarity and thanks to social networking all of us have opinions as to why or how people are dying and what is the government is doing. It might help if TV channels stop blaming the authorities within few minutes of a disaster happening, should focus on channelizing the rescue.
• It is important to note that government consists of people and they have families, naturally everyone is concerned of their own during any disaster, that is why we need to have the National Disaster Team (NDT) landing within few hours of a disaster and start rolling out their effort in rescue/rehabitation. This team will take a call on requisitioning the armed forces or any other body that has to render its help. Since states are supposed to have their own Disaster management bodies (SDT) and each states problems might be different like Cyclones for the coastal states, floods in the Delta states, Earth quakes in few other states. These states in turn will have local force which is trained in the disaster service which is most likely to happen in that state. Disaster being a federal subject, the National force can requisition the help of the various state forces depending on the type of disaster.
• Generally we Indians are good at contributing our might when it comes to helping the victims, but many a time, the food gets wasted because there is no co-ordinated effort and food doesn’t reach the victims. Similarly there could be many a Doctor willing to go and render service but doesn’t know how to go about it. All such individuals and organisations will have to register themselves with the NDMA.
• Just to ensure there is transparency, for any disaster there should be a website up within 24 hours, standard templates can be created and specific pages can be structured based on the type of disaster. All donations, Help line nos will be listed. Contact nos of the organisations which are involved in the relief work would be made available in this site. TV channels/ Social networks can popularise the site within seconds of it going online.
• NDT should have the powers to requisition transport be it Air/Road/Rail/Water and once a request is received from NDT, it becomes the responsibility of the respective organisations to provide the same. NDT shall have the right to even requisition private providers at commercial tariffs. NDT will be responsible for ensuring drills are carried out on various types of disasters at educational institutes, offices, factories etc.

Some drastic thinking and that too out of the box is the need of the day and there is no point we blame someone and feel our responsibility is over.