New age entrepreneurs talk about what it takes to sustain the hunger for growth
Deputy editor, Kripa Mahalingam: The first time I heard the term ‘staying hungry’ was when I listened to Steve Jobs’ commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005. For most of us, success is a destination; for most entrepreneurs, however, it’s just one of the milestones. I often wonder: how can one stay hungry when you’ve been there and done that? All these super-achievers have achieved great successes - V Vaidyanathan started from scratch to build a ₹6700 crore financial services company, Capital First; Vijay Sekhar Sharma is the man behind India’s largest mobile wallet company, Paytm and Neeraj Kakkar’s Hector Beverages ensures traditional Indian recipes live forever through its brand, Paper Boat. But this hasn’t stopped them from working on their next big audacious dream.
So what keeps them hungry when they have achieved success? Let’s start with Mr. Sharma. You have set yourself an audacious goal that you will bring half a billion Indians into the mainstream economy by 2020. What motivates you and what keeps you going?
Vijay Shekhar Sharma: I think all of us have a long term purpose, a vision that we carry. Till the time we reach the top of the mountain, we don’t know what that view is going to be like. Today if you ask me, I’d say half a billion Indians; tomorrow, it may be something else. When we reach a milestone, the view changes, the landscape becomes wider and the horizon starts looking distant again. It’s a continuous journey where we keep evolving and I love that particular streak about companies. I don’t think I will be able to see my company become a 100 years old because the expected age of Indians hasn’t reached that number. But, I truly want to build a company that ages well and becomes an institution in our country.
Esta historia es de la edición May 2017 de Outlook Business.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición May 2017 de Outlook Business.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
'TECH, GOVERNMENT SUPPORT DRIVING GROWTH IN INDIA'S EXPORTS'
As overall exports in India witnessed a rise over the previous year, Akshay Ghulati, co-founder of Strategy and Global Expansion at Shiprocket Global, talks about five drivers of booming trade in India
IN THE RIGHT ENSEMBLE
Manish Kapoor MD and CEO of global clothing brand Pepe Jeans London, finds happiness in spending time with his family and bonding with them over leisure trips, Formula One races, cricket matches and cooking
GREEN GLOBETROTTING
Amid growing awareness about sustainable tourism, more people are hoping to reduce their carbon footprint. Besides benefitting the planet, sustainable tourism also presents the industry with the opportunity to grow responsibly
LOOPM ALTERNATIVES: ADDING A NEW AND LASTING DIMENSION TO PRESERVING FOOD
LoopFresh, an Indian innovation promises to transform the way perishables are stored on our supermarket shelves to retain their freshness.
PLANET VS PLASTIC OR PLASTIC VS SUBSTITUTES?
The theme of Earth Day 2024 was Planet vs Plastic, but plastic industry stakeholders are armed with studies to find faults with its alternatives
WELSPUN LIVING LIMITED: MAKING STRIDES TOWARDS GREENER FUTURE
Striving to advance systematically on the path of sustainable development, Welspun, a global leader in home solutions, is making a mark with its holistic Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) approach towards well-being of all the stakeholders
PROMOTING BIOFUELS FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SUPPLY
Biofuels offer a viable solution to reducing dependence on imported fossil fuel while providing cleaner energy, states Kishan Karunakaran, CEO of Buyofuel. In an interview he speaks about how agro-waste and even plastics and tyres can be utilised for producing biofuels, thus supporting a circular economy.
A Ready Reckoner for Climate Justice
In Climate Change: The Policy, Law, and Practice, Jatinder Cheema presents a comprehensive exploration of the multifaceted challenges posed by climate change and the corresponding policy, legal and practical responses needed to address this global crisis effectively
TETRA PAK'S AMBITION TO LEAD THE SUSTAINABILITY TRANSFORMATION
Tetra Pak has set 2030 net zero emission goals for itself and 2050 net Zero emission goals for its supply chain. Juhi Gupta, Director Sustainability Tetra Pak, South Asia, in an interview shares how this is being achieved. Excerpts:
COOLING NO MORE A LUXURY, BUT A NECESSITY
With the rise in demand of air conditioners due to heat stress, sustainable air conditioning is the way forward to bring relief to people as well as manage emissions