Leader- inspiration

Every now and then I wonder who could be my super hero, who could inspire me, who is the one that i want to become, whom do I emulate.
This topic do change from time to time, it changes with our mental and physical age.
So let me focus on the person I like the most. I like because I see my reflection in him/her or vice-versa.
So here goes the list.
I like Mr Dhoni for his leadership quality, Baba Ramdev for his supreme believe in himself, Hrithik Roshan for the hard work he puts in his work, Salman for being what he is giving a damn tothe world as he knows the world will love him/hate him but cant ignore him. There are others like Roger Federer, Tiger Woods ( for his game) ....

I would assume the most controversial one could be my first 2 choices but here are my take on them.

Sachin is considered the God of cricket. Its a fact and he is liked by everyone including me. When I see the personality traits, he is a gifted batsman, he is a cricket genius, he is one of the finest technician of the game cricket blah blah...
If you ask  my view in IT parlance he is a high end coder. He is a techie and that too of the finest order BUT he is not an architect. He cannot plan or change the course of the game. He plays because he loves it. He is not the leader on whom the team depends. He is a role player who comes and does his duty. He is dependable and consistent.

Lets look at the leadership quality of Mr MS Dhoni. He is an average player, born of a very mediocre family, hard working, lucky but very intelligent and smart worker unlike his predecessor. He is a self made man. He is the one who can lead, who can manage situations and who can change the destiny of game. Its all because of him that we have got so many accolades otherwise no one had the guts to even think about so many titles. The best part was his gesture after winning the world cup. He played a gamble, took charge when it was required, brought out the best of himself and later on lied low so that others can enjoy. He just did the best a leader can do and thats a feat not many can achieve. I admire him. I respect his leadership style and I see my reflection in him.
He is my man ( at present).

If you see my list most of the people are self made man. All of them have risen from adversity. All of them have maintained their composure and all of them are greats. All of these personality are capable of changing the world and will make major changes in the next 2-3 years. They will become the change  managers of our system, our society.
All of them have consistently managed to perform at close to 100% of their potential, which is very admirable. This is a trait that we should practice.

Triumph

After a long time, I went to Google and typed my favourite search - The Vanca.
To my surprise I could see so many hits on FB, Yebhi and my site itself.
There was another bit of surprise, I could see just 5 bags listed under Yebhi. This means that the quota for the first lot is over, we have sold Rose 2 all of 20 pieces. Its a sign of triumph. I couldn't believe that in the last 1 week the sales have picked up like anything. This gives me enough confidence to go ahead and fulfill my dream.
I am happy, ecstatic. Its a firm belief in the path that I have chosen. Time and patience have paid off well.

Dreamers world

Life has been good. I have been given ample time to think, lie down, relax, dream, get tired and fall asleep to dream again. Its rare that we get this opportunity when we have seen so much of the world.

When we are young we rely on others as at that time we do not have the required experience and wisdon of the older lot. As you grow, you get engulfed in the rat race and then time flies. There are jobs to be done, milestones to be achieved and money to be earned. When you get time to relax sit and think, you would have lost 10-15 years of your precious life.

-This is good in a way that you have gained a lot of worldly wisdom.
-Bad in the sense you have lost the most productive period of your life.

Then its your choice to take in whatever way you want, but at the end its true that

देर आये पर दुरुस्त आये, इसलिए कहते है की जब भी सूरज निकले  सवेरा है. 

So lets say whenever you gained consciousness, its good for you. one has to be greatful to god that atleast you got this opportunity otherwise people realize this when they take retirement, but then its too late to react.

So when i have been given this chance i want to make the best use of this. I want to be very sure of my aim and ambitions. I should have ample resources at hand to take care of my whims and fancy as now I am solely responsible for my own life. My actual journey begins now.

Reinvention

I consider this as my 3rd innings of my professional life. This started taking shape when I met Shikshantar school principal. She met us and asked about my life as to why I chose to be an engineer and not a badminton player or a sportsperson. I looked inside and got lost in the vividness. the questioned started piercing me day in and out.
I always used to think that if I were not an engineer then what??
I am a very average person with the limitations of an average man. And like all avg person I also have some special skills. I can pick up things very well. I can be inspired very easily. I can work for the betterment of society. I cannot hurt anyone and I try to be politically correct all the time.
Of late i have started to say NO. Wow what an achievement.
I left the 2nd innings ( my pure corporate world) at the pinnacle of my career. I did not know what I will do but I knew I will do good. So I let myself loose and let time go by. The answer came 3 days back when I lost my sleep. However hard i tried I could not sleep. I fell in love. This new found dream had all the ingredients, love, climax, drama tragedy and my mother who always stood by me (others too but this had to rhyme with the dialogue). It had everything that I loved to do- adventure, exploration, glamor, daring to go, inhibited growth, society development, inclusive development, leveraging Anju's network and experience, then I had found my true love.
I consider shipping as my 1st professional innings, IT world as my 2nd professional innings and my new found love for retail as the 3rd innings.

My new Avatar where I will ply the role of :

• Creative designer of my site, my people, 
• Breaking the rule and riding the wave at the right time.
• Usage of high tech technology
• Leading my supply chain
• using my knowledge of consultancy, understanding and doing business course correction as and when required
• Setting of new processes
• Using technology to reach out to people
• Sharing my business profits with people who need money for development (poor schools, students, underprivileged people)
• Model photo shoots
• Photographer
• Apparel designer
• Textile fitment

Yup its challenging and very exciting and the ride would be rough but very interesting. Anyone interested can partner

The Vanca- reinvents itself

Of late I have been dreaming. Dreaming a lot. These dreams are not letting me sleep. I plan, dream, lie down, get up write down things lest I forget or get muddle up in lots of ideas.
I knew that my third innings will have surprises for me and its unfolding in a beautiful way. I am the master of my destiny. This is I assume where my heart lies.
The Vanca started just like that. I had to do something to indulge myself into some some work and hence researched, took help of my friend Mr Jangid and christened this name. I fell in love with the name.
The name created a passion for me to spell it differently, logo it non conventional fashion, brand it on FB, T and Google. The dream was like a cocoon ready to be transformed.

I slept over the idea for some time as I did not understand retail, fashion but I always had a penchant for being in style. The idea remained with me for 6 weeks and then it started taking shape. The turning point came when Anju and Yavi had gone to LKNW and I had lot of spare time for myself.

My passion for brand was getting stronger and stronger. I knew I was up to something. I have learnt to be my self as I have my lows and then I spring back with new desire for better things.

Did some research and discovered that there are lots of online sites that do similar business and that the market potential is huge. Also learnt the way to deal with my first partner, learnt to negotiate. Yeah that's me I take time, learn and then come back with a bang.

Now the online, combined with sales agents, commission based and then team of free lancers. I am sure to go miles in just few months. My current estimate to sell 3K online and 3K B&M by September 2011. If I do this then it will be a big achievement.
Multiple hats that I have to wear:

• Be a creative web designer, eye for detail and passion for designing. Understand my segment well and go for it.
• Be a visionary and lead in style, understand the trend and move fast dexterously.
• Get good models and learn to shoot. Understand camera and photo shoots
• Learn the art of editing and making high quality, light images
• Be a creative garment designer, model creator, shoot specialist and a great publicity guy.

the good news is that I am not driving for money. I always believe that if you follow your passion money will flow in. Money is the engine to keep your passion /business running but its always the by-product. It comes naturally, provided you have an eye for detail.

Loving my dream.

This is part of my 3rd innings. I will have inclusive growth of team, society, brand and my step wise dream unfolding.

Eventually I want to be a lifestyle specialist- created out of sheer passion and lifestyle rather than study and career.

I am loving it.

The Vanca- passion of doing things

It was fun to start this brand. This started on a quick note with multiple zig saw puzzle suddenly falling in place. My vision got a new beginning and I could see very clearly where i was headed for.
If I look backward-sitting in 2013.
I am running a successful franchise of inclusive mind clubs. These clubs are existent at mostly two places. In large malls and in large housing complexes. these mind clubs have these facilities in +10,000sq. ft spaces.
Mens/females health parlors, grooming centers, dance and music cafe, art /pottery and exhibition centers. Kids freak out zone, health cafe and a library. they break even within 15 months of opening.
They came after a successful venture of retail where in Thevanca spread its wings very fast and established itself in tier 1-3 cities. This led to opening and running of few schools and also giving employment to more than 50 people at times mostly very needy people.

Now coming back to the time where I stand in 2011 April, I have to make the retail brand successful, make it work. Expand with manageable speed and get involved in kids eduction and vocational employment. Ensure a free flow of fund to start the next venture if mind clubs which will be capital intensive and would need heavy investment of time and money.

I love dreaming and dreaming gives me energy to think and plan things better.

ख्वाबों की दुनिया भी बहुत प्यारी होती है. आप उनमे उड़ते है, गोते लगाते है और बिना किसी के सहारे के अपनी दुनिया आप बनाते है. 

शायद बच्चो की दुनिया भी ऐसी ही होती है जिनकी मंजीले तो होती है पर राह के पत्थर नहीं होते. 

The Vanca brand building

There are many ways of brand creation. One is the conventional or the bookish method based on Phillip Kotler and all the marketing gurus and the other one---defined by you.
I chose to go the other way. I completely understand the traditional brand awareness, brand building, selling. I will however try my method. I am going to use the social media and also my channels and then use this at times to push for few days, flood the ad space, wait for the response and redo things.
These are my thoughts and I assume I will gain success but with my own sweet learning. I have the pleasure  of doing this at my own pace. I have the luxury of time available with me. This is a scare resource but fortunately i have plenty of this available to me. WOW, thats great way to start things.

देर आये दुरुस्त आये. मैं कोशिश करूँगा की मैं एक बुलंद ईमारत बनाऊ और उसमे आमने विश्वास की नीव डालूं. 

The imperfect eve and its fun

Very close to being called an almost imperfect eve.
It all started on good note. We had to attend 2 engagement ceremonies, both on the NH8.
One at DSOI and the other one at KOTA Bhavan, but related to defense services. Both on the same eve and an hour separating both the events. Did an immaculate planning and managed to arrange 2 cars, one with family going to DSOI that later on would pick me up after 2030 and would move to KOTA Bhavan ( Naval officers mess). The idea was to move from family affair to a wild party with friends.
All well planned, all falling in place and then it started.........
Reached DSOI 2 hours late at 21:30, the bride was still in parlour and was to take few more hours and the painting job was not complete. In 20 mins the other team arrived to pick me up and lost its way near Dhaula Kuan, managed to wait at Taj gate and I got a drop and finally moved to India Gate and reached there just before 22:30. After hello and exchange of pleasantries rushed to the cocktail counter to find that the the last drink was served till 10 mins back. Never mind we jumped onto the dance floor but to our horror, we were told we can dance without music as it was a no sound zone after 10:45.
With a bit of maneuvering got hold of a Black Lable and few assorted glasses, a plate of leftover snacks and half jug of water. After the first peg we were told to rush up for food as the waiters had started cleaning things. We again used our push and pull to get some dishes along with the caterers. A very humble experience .......
Maza aa gaya