About Me

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Mumbai, India
I run an IT Security consulting firm based out of India. We started off from scratch in 2001 when I was 21, and have offices in Mumbai, Bahrain, and UAE. The idea behind the blog is to share the stories of how we run the business, the deals we make, the deals that break, the heartburn, and the sheer joy.

The Ultimate Startup Guide

The Ultimate Startup Guide is an e-book that provides answers to all your questions related to starting and growing a business in India. Everything you wanted to know about entrepreneurship in India from ideation to registration to marketing to hiring. The book contains a large number of practical examples, anecdotes, interviews, and motivational material to help you get started, and to grow rapidly in a booming Indian economy. If you've got the idea, this book will help you through with the execution and realize your dreams. Here are some of the key questions you will find answered in this book:
  • When starting a business, what are the legal issues involved?
  • What form of incorporation is better suited to which type of business?
  • What tax issues are involved?
  • How do I start a business and what are the pitfalls?
  • How do I market my business in the absence of significant funding?
  • How do I get funded?
  • What are the basic accounting concepts I should be aware of?
  • What is a business plan and how should I build one?
The brief table of contents of the book is as follows:
  1. Getting started
  2. Ideation
  3. Forms of Enterprises
  4. Funding
  5. Basic Accounting and Taxation
  6. Import and Export Licensing
  7. Trademark and Patenting
  8. Rules for NRIs and Foreigners
  9. Building a Business Plan
  10. Marketing on a Shoestring
  11. Website and Branding
  12. Women Entrepreneurs
  13. Templates
To order the Ultimate Startup Guide - email me at kkmookhey@gmail.com.

Details of the book are:
Title: The Ultimate Startup Guide
Author: Kanwal Mookhey
Pages: 150
Additional: Companion CD contains numerous templates for building your business plan, calculating cashflow, preparing profit and loss, and balance sheets, preparing invoices, your resume and profile, marketing material, websites, contracts, and many other useful and motivational material.

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Top 10 reasons to become an entrepreneur

I know I am getting a bit into Guy Kawasaki mode, but I've been wanting to write on this for quite some time. The problem being that I don't have any statistics or articles that would aid in building a universally acceptable top 10 list. So the best thing would be to list out the top 10 reasons that drove me to do this:
1. I've always wanted to do this: For some strange reason, ever since I was a kid I have always wanted to build my own business. The question for me always was "when" and not "if". Somehow, other than a brief dalliance with the idea of becoming a fighter pilot, I've never really floundered on what I want to do for a living. It's always been business.
2. For a higher purpose: It's not just about the money. It's also about listening to a different piper's tune. It's about wanting to do something very different from the mainstream. I have grandiose dreams of being able to inspire a lot of other would-be entrepreneurs out there to take the leap of faith and begin their own ventures. Directly or indirectly I have always wanted to promote entrepreneurship within India, because that's what pumps up the economy - the pursuit of the creation of wealth. It creates opportunities for financial empowerment of all sectors of society, and it helps create a shared goal and shared vision of what a country should strive to achieve.
3. Because it's very creative: The process of staring a business, building and nurturing it is very creative. It requires constant ideation, and forces you to keep the creative juices flowing. More so, when things are going good and there is a tendency to rest on one's laurels.
4. For the sheer challenge of it: When I was in college I could have chosen the standard path of graduation, post-graduation, decently-paid job in the US or elsewhere, and so forth. I knew I could do that. But this was a much, much bigger challenge
5. For the creation of wealth: Oh yes! There's no denying the fact that the creation of wealth is one of the primary goals of any enterprise, and most entrepreneurs dream of material wealth and possessions - well at least I have my eyes on a new Hayabusa. But there's more to it than just money. Creation of wealth is not just cash in the bank or assets, but also good will, reputation, camaraderie, experience, and most importantly intellectual capital.
6. For the independence: The independence to do what I wanted to do, and to do it in a way where my principles and values would not be compromised. Where my potential would not be capped by the potential of a boss.
7. Because I am crazy: That hardly needs much explanation, but a certain amount of eccentricity is almost essential to a successful business.
8. Because it's cool: Yup, running your own business is definitely cooler than slogging it out in the corporate machinery. Which is not to say that it doesn't have it's ups and downs, and an entirely different set of problems and stressful situations.
9. Because there's nothing else I'd rather be doing: I absolutely love what I do. I wake up every morning - ok, most mornings - looking forward to going to work, anticipating what good news my Inbox might bring in today. Of all the things I could be doing with my time, working at my business is #1.
10. Because I'm inspired: Whether it is Akio Morita, or Warren Buffet, or Richard Branson, self-made capitalists have always been a tremendous inspiration.

Feel free to add your own reasons to the list...

22 comments:

Bernard Leong said...

Nice thoughts u have. I like the way you have arranged your reasons...

Best regards,
BL

Kanwal K Mookhey said...

Thanks! And thanks also for the mention of EE on SG Entrepreneurs. Really like the stuff you have out there. Will cross-post on some of them. :)

pradman said...

Great post dude.

By being an entrpreneur you leave behind a sort of legacy, while working in the corporate machinery your imprint would be lost along with a thousand others.

Anu said...

I agree there can be nothing more creative than creating a business, though it is hardly perceived that way, and that would be my biggest reason to be an entrepreneur as and when it happens.

Good Read...

Anonymous said...

Because I am not smart/gifted enough to change the world via science or medicine.

Swapna said...

Good one.

Kanwal K Mookhey said...

@Anuradha - Yup, you got that right. In fact, ideation is a constant event with any company. You have to be creative in solving problems, increasing revenues, and almost every other aspect of the business. That's what usually keeps the excitement going.

@Dan Marques - good one!

@scipio - the legacy part is pretty cool as well. Agreed. But the funny thing with that is not to assume that people will necessarily remember you as the founder of that legacy. Unless your firm's name is the same as yours - HP, Ford, etc. It's like Collins says in "Built to Last", you got to create clock-builders not time-tellers.

Vera Bass said...

There's no drug known to man that can get me as high as setting and reaching goals that require the participation of and also benefit others.

For me, its the way to combine winning, problem solving, and creating value.

Vera

Kanwal K Mookhey said...

Vera: I guess that's what all entrepreneurs should aim at - solving problems that bring benefits in a larger sense rather than solely for their own personal good.

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Unknown said...

nice reading!!
hats off...
bala.beast@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

hi entrepid,
m deepesh shukla,21 working with a pvt.ltd. firm do u don't think there should be a burning desire to complete ur's dream ? i know that 99% population in this world is living aimless, they have no idea about there dreams they r just wasting there important time by doing silly jobs. but i will not do that m doin my training in this firm since last year but now i m goin to start my own construction company. i says that "I CAN WIN THE WORLD.... naa na naa... I WILL WIN THIS WORLD..............

Anonymous said...

Very nice post dude!!!

Ashish
Narola Infotech
http://www.narolainfotech.com

Anonymous said...

Interesting post. I'm a budding entrepreneur, so this is very helpful. I'd love to buy a business, and I've been looking for businesses, but I haven't found any that truly interest me. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks

Anonymous said...

Amy,

I suggest looking into any small business groups in your area. They should be able to help you, and it's always nice to network.

I also highly recommend checking out BizTrader.com, which is an online global marketplace. You can invest in, buy, and sell a business there. There are other professional services, in case you need to, say, find a lender. There a bunch of different businesses, so it'll be good. Check it out and good luck!

Anonymous said...

Amy,

Have you joined your local chamber of commerce? They're a great resource as well. If you want to read some cool articles on business go to www.businessesforsales.com (the Business Sales Marketplace). Tonnes of info.

Pranav said...

Hey Entrepreneur,

IT was great reading the blog.
I wish i could do something similar in life always.
I am 22 and i wanted to choose the right business in the right time. Keeping i mind the investment factor, i would like to start something in a less investment point of view. Please let me know ur thoughts on the same.

shilpa said...

the problem with the rat race is that even if you win you're still a rat!

stacie28 said...

I'm also thinking to start my own business in the near future. I truly appreciate successful entrepreneurs like Donald Trump or Yuri Mintskovsky. I always find inspiration in their words and work! They are amazing role models!

Unknown said...

Because the great don clericuzio said:

You could will yourself as a slave to win your daily bread without dignity or hope. OR you earn your bread as a man who commands respect.

I agree with you completely Kanwal. I wished for my own biz since I was a kid and now I have one.

Attitude Defines Altitude........ said...

Respected Expert,

I'm planning to give PDP training to Students. Is it legal to issue them a Training Certificate? Is it mandatory to get the business registered and if yes please tell what all needs to be done to get this type of business registered?

Please suggest.

Startup Bazzar said...

Indians are fixated on the startup culture. People are choosing entrepreneurship over boring, 9-to-5 jobs. If you are planning to start a startup, then must read our article based on Top 10 Indian Entrepreneurs of India.