Since the start of Feb,2008, there has been a lot of ‘buzz’ about entrepreneurship in the lands of VESIT. The launch and inception of The VESIT Entrepreneurship Cell (tVEC) finally took place after nearly four years of float-hood.
Does it mean that VESIT has been hit by the entrepreneurial wave that’s spreading the world over?
Have VESITians discovered a new career alternative that is poised to aid India becoming the next superpower?

The answer to those questions depends on the attributes of the aforementioned ‘buzz’. I decided to mingle with fellow VESITians to find out what exactly were they thinking about tVEC after the various smses, emails and word of mouth messages that were sent across inviting them to join in for a couple of activities and to apply for tVEC Associate without a formal orientation. Here are a few responses in random order:
“I got a 70% and the highest in my class is 78%.I don’t think I should engage myself into any activity now onwards.”
“I want to join in as an associate for tVEC, can you tell me something about this ‘society’ and what exactly is entrepreneurship?”
“Would I get a job through this organisation?”
“Why should I join in, what’s in it for me?”
“Keep up the Good work!”
“I’d like to interview an entrepreneur; it’ll be like an IV!”
“My whole class is suddenly obsessed with flash cards and CAT! Where are the wannabe entrepreneurs of our batch really? Are there any at all here?”
“Aspiring for a better life is an entrepreneurial quality. I guess the whole class is on the right track.”

This experience taught me the importance of having FAQs on the website(tvec.vesit.edu), which was achieved immediately. However, this space should be used for a better purpose and so I’d rather focus on the brighter picture: A peek-a-boo on entrepreneurship and my escapades.

Enterpreneur:
Microsoft®Encarta ® defines him to be an individual who sets up and finances new commercial enterprises to make a profit; but I’d like to differ and define him as an individual who creates value and win-win situations by taking risks to optimise his resources. There is more than one way in which the term entrepreneurship has been defined, but each definition caters to the central idea of value creation.

I have an Idea but the bulb wont glow:

Entrepreneurship is often restricted to starting up a venture, so the first obstacle faced has to do with the idea. A student, who got four IIM interview calls, couldn’t see a point in associating himself with an entrepreneurship cell because he doesn’t have an idea. I think this guy represents a fair chunk of the student population who stop because of lack of ideas. The irony popped out when Vishal Prabhukhanolkar (Director, TenADay.co.in, Quetzal Online) told me about the fact that most students ,making it to a top B School interview, express their desire to be entrepreneurs when asked about their near future plans ( and the others are trained to say so).
There is indeed some ‘cool’ associated with entrepreneurship if it is the ideal career alternative, at least for an interview. We’ll look into this at a later point.

A famous adage goes like “When you are thinking of an idea, someone is already implementing it.”It sounds very smooth on the first read but has loads of experience stored behind it; a few weeks back, I learnt this the hard way. My exasperation was heavily exaggerated when I saw my book trading portal concept (designed for VESIT), being implemented in Georgia Tech University and now graduating into a Facebook Application. I dug out the pamphlet that we had distributed to test the market 2 years back; the promotional contents also resembled each other. The next thing that struck me after this adage is a common piece of advice that every entrepreneur gives: ‘Seize the opportunity, and implement the idea’ i.e. don’t wait for the bulb to glow.

The above example also shows that starting up is not all about having an idea. (Four years of rigorously referring to’ substandard textbooks’ gives us a fair tip about getting ideas.)

Network to Connect and Collaborate:

An intriguing attribute of entrepreneurs is their ability to interact and build relationships on the go. This inherent characteristic differentiates them from those who lack the mindset. Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia promoted the culture of collaboration (commercially known as user-generated content) in his recent visit to Mumbai. It is this collaborative effort that led to an avalanche in the accumulation of information that each of us use even for mundane causes. The habit of collaborating and growing is very prominent amongst entrepreneurs, which is contradictory to the bureaucratic introductions. All it takes these days is a couple of clicks on ‘Linked in’ and you get your man.
tVEC is experimenting with tVECTribe, an online virtual network to facilitate collaboration amongst students, alumni and faculty (tvectribe.vesit.edu) .

Timing the Plunge Should I work for some time?:

The idea looks awesome. You think it is the need of the hour. The team is pepped up. The finance jugaad is not a worry. The picture is rosy, yet there are doubts .It’s absolutely human and normal to feel so. The big question is to worship Nike (‘just do it’) or give a second thought?How one tackles this dilemma depends on the strength of the entrepreneur’s character. If you keep thinking twice, you might find your idea in a Georgia Tech. On the other hand if you ‘just do it’, then there is a chance of meeting the fate of ‘aTEEtude inc.’-another escapade!

I floated this venture with two friends: a designer from Sir JJ Institute of Art and a management undergraduate. We provided designing solutions in paper projects and T-shirts and set our eyes to compete with greats like Tantra and design sweatshirts for every college/university.
Just out of the 12th grade, starting up was more of a glamorous fad than a well thought of plan; it had more to do with the cool, associated with advertising and branding than the much required supply chain building. We realised our follies and tried to improvise; bagged a few orders (including my class t-shirt) and moved at a slow rate; but it faded away, it had to, as it was just a passing fad that taught us a few tricks.

‘Floating the idea is an essential tool to test it’ I experienced this while working on my ventures and interning at start ups. My most recent intern stint was at MagNet Technologies, a 10 year old start-up, where I was evaluating the techno commercial feasibility of a VOIP based enterprise telephony system- Another shot at float- to- test; but the here I got to learn a set of seasoned tricks for testing the feasibility of the idea.

The underlying idea is to get hands on experience. Practical learning (entrepreneurial or academic) doesn’t happen reading TechMax Publications or Vidyalankar notes, it is via wok experience (internships and floating ventures) that one learns the tricks of the trade; moreover they also help you in evaluating your future path.)The question is whether to learn driving in your own car or at the training school?

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The author is the promoter of The VESIT Entrepreneurship Cell. He blogs about topics like education, media and entrepreneurship on pseudonormicks.blogspot.com. He also freelances for JAM Magazine.

visit to the dome at IMAX ADLABS, Wadala, Mumbai makes you feel heavily expressive and also a bit lighter on the pockets. The worlds largest dome theatre is huge enough to overwhelm your stress transforming it into ‘a high’. Just when I got this sought after ‘kick’ , I realized the lack of something – an interval !!. The 2.5 hours of non-stop “Goblet of fire” ( the latest in the Harry Potter series) at times made me feel as if I were under the ‘Cruciatus’ curse being tortured without food ( as I had missed my lunch to attend a meet before the movie)Yet ,the experience was worth a thousand burgers. The quidditch

visit to the dome at IMAX ADLABS, Wadala, Mumbai makes you feel heavily expressive and also a bit lighter on the pockets. The worlds largest dome theatre is huge enough to overwhelm your stress transforming it into ‘a high’. Just when I got this sought after ‘kick’ , I realized the lack of something – an interval !!. The 2.5 hours of non-stop “Goblet of fire” ( the latest in the Harry Potter series) at times made me feel as if I were under the ‘Cruciatus’ curse being tortured without food ( as I had missed my lunch to attend a meet before the movie)Yet ,the experience was worth a thousand burgers. The quidditch world cup, the first task where Harry flew on his broomstick dodging the dragon, the scene over the lakes where the owls flew, the task under water surrounded by ‘not –so -pretty’ mermaids are some scenes I distinctly remember being ‘carried by’ with the movie( and literally so). Such was the 3-dimensional effect of the dome , although it used only 75% of the screen for this movie (it not being an original DMR format movie). Even after stretching and twisting my neck for the entire length, it wasn’t a ‘pain in the neck’ – thanks to JK Rowling(the author), (the director), the engineers who’ve created one helluva place somewhere in the remotes of Mumbai.The government started promoting multiplexes around three years ago in a drive to cut short the space occupied by single screens. They offered them a tax-free regime till about five years ( which aren’t yet over) .This ‘tax-free’ offer enables the developers/owners to make up for their investment i.e. in a way guarantees the multiplex creators a sure-shot ROI (Return On Investment), which implies that these multiplexes can make enough money even if they charge the folks with the ordinary ‘single-screen’ rates. The junta wouldn’t have minded even if they charged a little over the standard prices, but what they do charge us is approximately twice the amount. But 3 yrs is a lot of time and now people are pretty used to these charges and even pocket-money clad students find it pretty normal (except on weekends). Why and How?---- Thanks to the Chalta hai attitude.A post show survey at many multiplexes (which supposedly helps them relate to the masses better) consists primarily of a questionnaire (which requires you to have a pen) asks you about various facets such as service ,security, ambience, cleanliness, sound quality, seating, food, and other likes and dislikes generally gets a hats off salute from majority of the folks filling the questionnaire (although some of this majority like the others of the minority have issues with the prices , it being the only debatable facet in a multiplex). Overhearing several discussions and being a part of many entitles me to say that although the folks aren’t really satisfied they would show-off as if things are pretty mundane. HOW and WHY? –The same Chalta hai attitude.As a matter of fact these are the people who took over the ‘baniyas’ when they started charging a buck extra for serving a chilled soft-drink, and even more some dragged them to the consumer courts for that extra buck. HOW and WHY? Nahin Chalta hai- attitude.Here is where the pseudonorm lies, the ‘Oh-so-cool’ “Chalta Hai” attitude is basically hypocorism metaphorised and exist in most of us.If we carefully look inside each of us somewhere or the other, somehow or the