Are you enabling your channel partners to be successful? This can be your biggest leverage in your growth function.
The Slack vs. Microsoft Teams story reminds us the value of distribution. Distribution trumps design and innovation in most cases. Its a partnership game – and can come in different variants – distributors, dealers, franchisee, channel partner, reseller, etc. As an enterprise or principal, it is critical to invest in your digitization, but equally important […]
Where is Service in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)?
Like many entrepreneurs of my generation, I was always in awe of SaaS business model. And of course, wanted to build one. In fact I got an opportunity to see some of these companies being built from close quarters due to my part-time angel investing career, and in a couple of cases, a little more […]
The Art of Leadership: Balancing Strategy and Execution
“If I get into this granular level, how will I scale? Let me hire the best people and let them do their job.” “I understand this problem the best, hence I am the best one to do or guide it.” These are two extreme posture by Founders, and Senior Leaders. One is glass-office, death-by-excel management; […]
Why do the best laid plans fail?
I am not the most organised person. But there are some fundamental ideas about planning that I learned through reflection. 1) Short-Term vs. Long-Term Expectations: We often expect too much from ourselves in the short term and too little in the long term. This disbalance creates unrealistic timelines, which can trigger frustration and negative emotions […]
Strategy vs. Planning :: The Compass vs. The Map
In business, the terms “strategy” and “planning” are often thrown around interchangeably. But they are not the same. Think of your business plan as the road map. It lays out the steps, milestones, and resources you’ll need to reach your destination. It’s all about execution and ensuring you cover the necessary ground. But what happens […]
Capital vs. Talent: What Really Drives Growth in Scaling Businesses?
When scaling a growth-stage company, it’s easy to assume that capital is the kingpin. I always used to think this in the early days of Indus Net Technologies (INT.) But let’s rethink this for a moment. Yes, capital is crucial, but I argue that talent is the real game changer. Here’s why: Imagine you have […]
Biology – Chemistry – Physics – Maths of Startup Investing
Everyone has their own investment philosophy. And someone as versatile and active as Rohit Chanana had to have a very interesting one. I met him at DLF Golf Resort Ltd in Gurgaon recently, and this is what I learned from him. Angel investing is all about investing in the founder. And this is how they […]
Taking & Giving Advice – Knowledge, Experience, or Ideas
Knowledge gets multiplied when shared. And this is the reason, humble professionals and leaders are open to ask and share advice. Here are a few ground rules that can make it effective, based on my “experience”. 1) When seeking advice, ensure that you summarise the context and highlight the problem statement. 2) Be specific in […]
The Right Way to Start: Problem First, Idea Second.
Never start with an idea. I regularly get pitched with new and unique ideas from aspiring entrepreneurs and my team mates. In the majority of the cases, the idea is the wrong place to start with. Thinking why? Idea = Solution. Where is the problem? Ideas are exciting, as it is linked with innovation and […]
War & Peace in Business – What should be your leadership talent strategy?
Business (can be a function within the business) goes through different times. One of the lenses to look at it is “war” and “peace” times. “War time” is when the business is facing a major challenge or opportunity, and it needs to respond and experiment (to figure out the path) to maximise favourable outcome in […]