Proficio turns 20
A baby that was nurtured, an idea that was believed in, a solution on which hopes were built on - Proficio, turns 20 today!
It's a moment of joy, pride, a sense of achievement of pursuing a dream, persistent belief to make it big, persevering for 2 decades!
I thank all my friends, well wishers, clients, partners, Employees, ex-employees who believed in Proficio for the last 20 years!
And this journey comes with its share of sleepless nights, worries, anxiety, stress, toll on
personal health and finance.
The journey of entrepreneurship is about external and internal battle, mostly the silent helpless battles, where you usually get no help, but just on your own.
Constantly self doubting our abilities, worthiness and beliefs, yet no choice but to lead the way and keep motivating ourselves.
If bootstrapping comes with loads of challenges, having external funds will have it's own challenges.
Entrepreneurship teaches one to be gritty, thick skinned, yet week, emotional and under pressure 24/7, which shapes us.
Entrepreneurship makes you a jugaad artist, you learn to do everything, except your area of expertise - finance, accounting, sales, marketing, administration, multimedia designer, researcher, data analyst, good orator and a negotiator.
Those every month jugaad to arrange funds to pay salaries and vendors, collections, taxes, those daunting annual account audits and that eternal hunt to build the right team. Yet the happiness and sense of freedom we get, is unexplainable.
Though the thought of quitting comes across every year unable to bear the burden, the pride and passion overweighs all the time.
The little Ganesha Theory
Like me, am sure all of us during our childhood days, were more excited about bringing home, and doing Puja for our own little Ganesha, while everyone else at home were excited about the main Ganesha and Gowri, and festival as a whole.
Though it's a fun activity for us as kids, more of seeing the little Ganesha as just another toy.
Something that starts as a fun activity for us kids, might have had multitude of impact on us as we grow up:
- To see spirituality in everything, and everything is spirituality
- To have our own private space
- To derive little fun in everything we do
- To carve out our individuality from the larger scheme of things
- To see god as a friend, not be rigid, not to be lost in the procedural spirituality, and surely not be scared that he will cause us harm, if we don't see him in a particular way.
Gandhi's Ashram
As I sit here at this peaceful Ashram, by the Sabarmati river, oozing tranquility, to the chirping of the birds, feels like sitting here in solitude for a long time... with thoughts flowing like a river, inspiring to keep writing my heart out.
Gandhi - a man who had lot of values, principles and morality. Irrespective of the philosophy, life choices, what shook me and maybe adapt by the end of my life, as he said "My life itself is a message... if it is not, whatever I write
now will not fulfill the purpose."
In such a tranquil abode, more than writing, I wish people could experience my silence - Very often silence is the best communication, because silence is filled with truth and purity.
We all experiment with truth like a toy, even without our knowledge.
Gandhi claimed himself to be an accomplished beggar, now that's something!
As I head out of Gandhi's Ashram, despite wishing life comes to a stand still, unfortunately life either pushes us forward or backward.
The vibe is real, the energy is real, this enthusiasm is real, the mood is festive, this event that has brought entire country together is genuine.
I have written atleast 4 write-ups, 1 Blog and have deleted without posting.
How
much ever I am unhappy with the politics, how much ever I criticize the drumming up the Drama, the emotions welcoming Rama is beyond words, and I am not prejudiced and toxic to oppose for the sake of it.
It's not a victory of a religion, but a nation's ambition and dream becoming a reality. It's about connecting back to our perceived roots, history and culture.
I will be more than happy to lose, and have no interest in writing about blind lust for one man. I only place myself as someone with objective criticism and balance amidst all the lust and hate.
My win is in people disconnecting politics and religion, my win is when people express similar emotions even if Tom, Pappu or Harry was in the thick of action, if it was really a judicial win!
Beyond all the drama, behind all the photo-ops, above all the claims, there is a Grand Shri Rama Temple!
The Humbleness of Dr. Rajkumar
Once Dr. Rajkumar had an encounter with his look-alike, who was also very good in mimicry.
When that look-alike came home, Dr. Rajkumar was excited like a small child, and called all his family members and gathered around him.
Dr. Raj sat next to him, held his hands and asked him "Can you please enact any of your favourite scene and show me?"
That
guy was emotional, elated and humbled by such a kind request, and he said that it is embarrassing to mimic such a personality in front of him, annavru said "I can never experience, feel, understand what my abhimani devru feel when they see me, and why they love me so much. Atleast let me experience and feel it this way!"
Annavru was a true ambassador of simplicity, humility, humanity & kindness.
In this era of praising fake emotions, dramatic dialogues, vulgar & exaggerated love towards people, god and nation, such personalities remind us of how an icon can truly inspire people and earn respect.
Home Maker - an Entrepreneur
There are many parallels one could draw between a home maker and an entrepreneur.
She is a one man army, she is a multi tasker, she cannot afford to stop and slow down, she is solely responsible for running everything that happens at home.
She can't say "I don't know" but explore, learn and implement, she manages budgets, maintenance, running errands, and has to do all silly, small, dirty jobs, negotiate with vendors, take care of people at home, new jugaads every day, apart
from running the kitchen.
She can hire help, but it will never be the same as she does. And the daily annoying decision of "what to cook today".
An entrepreneur's life explained for dummies. Both of us can never stop running, and our annoying daily question is "how do I arrange funds for next expense"!
Roots of life
It's a complex relation between Nature, spirituality, human values, life struggles and belief system.
Another Farm visit near Arasikere. The local flavours and real feel of India can be experienced only when we visit the depths of Rural India. Each such visit makes me feel we are living such an artificial, superficial life.
The endless Coconut tree plantations, blue skies, the shine on the leaves as the sun rays kiss them, water bodies all around, just couldn't stop drooling,
stood spellbound with peace of mind, calmness and the stressed out mind spaces are given a kick on the butt!
It is so amazing to see nature, spirituality, and life struggles are so intertwined. The localites have a unique, emotional connect with the local deity. Every normal, major decisions are taken only after they take permission from the deity. The connect is so informal, and they demand the deity's blessing. They sit and wait for hours and literally call out loud "I am waiting for hours here, please give some signal to acknowledge my prayer"!
Religion, spirituality are more deeper, emotional and uncompromising, yet personal.
