1. Insights from an Entrepreneurial Journey Basu Ghosh

2. 2 Basu’s entrepreneurial journey at a glance  Part-time (evening and week ends) consulting gigs – 1976-1980 – moderately successful  Omnikron Systems – 1980 – present –1980 – 1982 – micro-computer based vertical industry application – marginally successful (worse than total failure) –1981 – 1994 – TPF Applications training – wildly successful –1992 – 1997 – Custom Application development – very successful –1997 – 2000 – Practice-based consulting practice – moderately successful –2000 – present – IT staffing – very successful  GreatestTeachers.com – 1999 – 2000 –eLearning Portal – total failure  Basu’s Homestyle Indian Cuisine – 2004 – present –Too early to claim victory or to concede defeat

3. 3 Do you have what it takes to be a (eventually) successful entrepreneur? Swiss army knife for an entrepreneur

4. 4 What kind of a business to start? Do you always need to invent a better mouse-trap? (Read: The origin and Evolution of New Businesses by Amar Bhide) Swiss army knife for an entrepreneur

5. 5 What kind of a business to start? Which mountain top do you want to reach - With or without a paved road? Swiss army knife for an entrepreneur

6. 6 Don’t be afraid to ask for help – very few people achieve success without help from others Swiss army knife for an entrepreneur

7. 7 Make it a habit of going out of your way to help others Asking help from others is much easier if you are in the habit of helping others Read: Dale Carnegie – How to win friends and influence people Swiss army knife for an entrepreneur

8. 8 Success and failure – is this binary, black and white or is there a continuous spectrum between success and failure? Swiss army knife for an entrepreneur

9. 9 Small successes over a period of time can add up to a big success. What’s in common between Bill Gates and Tiger Woods? Swiss army knife for an entrepreneur

10. 10 Don’t fall in love with an idea so much that you can’t let go even when it is time to let it go. Swiss army knife for an entrepreneur

11. 11 Learn to trust your instincts Read: “BLINK” by Malcolm Gladwell Swiss army knife for an entrepreneur

12. 12 Get to know every bone of your body If all of them don’t believe you cannot succeed – you probably cannot Spending money, time and resources on an idea is no substitute for deep-seated conviction Swiss army knife for an entrepreneur

13. 13 Stay focused on the central idea Partner as much possible and practical Outsource as much as possible and practical Swiss army knife for an entrepreneur

14. 14 Nothing lasts forever – expect and have mental preparation for change ( Read: Who moved my cheese? By Spencer Johnson, Kenneth H. Blanchard ) Swiss army knife for an entrepreneur