Interview with Mr. Abhishek Rungta, Director and Founder, Indus Net Technologies

Mr. Abhishek Rungta is the Director and Founder of Indus Net Technologies. It has got the ICICI award for being one of the fastest growing SME’s. You meet with such people and they are quick to surprise you. I am not even 2 minutes in his office and he hands me 5 CD’s from his latest company, The Indus Net Academy, as soon as he hears about my interest in Web Design. You can know a lot more about him in his blog http://www.abhishekrungta.com/

He had a lot of solid advice for startups being one of the jury members for various top notch business plan competitions. I’ll list some of what I remember him saying

1. Do not get a partner FOR THE HECK OF IT. The relationship will not last. A lot of time, we choose a partner because we are scared of taking the step along and end up getting into relationships which are “of convenience or compulsion” rather than “right fit”. Work with a partner only when you can blindly trust him / her.

2. Instead HIRE GOOD PEOPLE. If you are not equipped with certain skills don’t get a partner, hire someone who can do that.

3. TAKE SALES TRAINING. It helps a lot if you are good at pitching. Read books on sales. Practice them. The best place to practice sales, is a place where you are almost sure you can’t sell anything (laughs).

4. FOLLOW UP on prospects. Prospects are the people who can become clients. Leave them a mail or a newsletter of your latest work so that you are on their mind.

5. DO EFFECTIVE NETWORKING. Have face to face meetings with as many prospects and others you can. This has become a lot easier in today’s world. 10 years back all this was not possible. People are easily accessible (on the internet) and acceptable only if they are not HIGH NOSED.

6. DON’T SPEND unnecessarily. A lot of people advised me to put blinds in my office and other such things. They are out of business and I’m running a 100% YoY organisation from a modest office.

7. STICK FOR 10 YEARS before you can think of any substantial fruits from your business. It takes that much time. THATS IT.

When I raised the question regarding doing my MBA, he said that its absolutely worthless to do an MBA without 3 years of experience in something. Thats when he checked himself and said, not even 3 years, infact you ought to have 5 years of experience. Do an executive MBA. I was happy because it reinforced my ideas of not giving any MBA entrance exams this year.

He gave me a lot of advice on how I can start manufacturing consulting when I told him about my projects. So effective networking is all about always being ready to provide a helping hand no matter what. Everything he said had such a lot of conviction in it, that I found his confidence rubbing on to me. It was a great experience spending an hour and a half with him. I urge everyone to look forward for such experiences. It will open your mind to new possibilities and increase confidence. GOOD LUCK.

P.S. This was all that I possibly remember from the many pearls of wisdom he had to offer. I have adapted everything he said according to my style of writing. He is all of 30 years and looks even younger.

Should we remain Positive ?

The global economic slowdown has got with itself some sort of gloom. Newspapers are reading job cuts. Companies are rethinking on their hiring strategies. Even if there is no direct impact, companies are preferring to play the waiting game in terms of recruitment. Prediction of economic future uses a lot of statistics and trends. History is a good way to predict what lies ahead. But every now and then, something happens that seems to defy trends. The fall of Lehmann Brothers is one such event. I consider it to be an event, as important as the fall of the Berlin Wall. These incidences turn tables, shift balance and sometimes cause massive restructuring.

 

Because tables are turned and balance is shifted, India should be happy. If at all such a thing happens, there will be massive inflow of wealth into the Indian shores from where it previously resided. The next 10 years on that account should see unprecedented growth. The macroeconomic trend of India has seen a hiccup due to the direct impact of the global slowdown. But then, how can you ever achieve something without falling ? I thus appeal to the nation to be hopeful, think globally and think entrepreneurially. There may not be a better time to dive into entrepreneurship. In times of recession, skilled labour is available in plenty. All that is required is a leader to rise up and show them the path.

 

Remember, newspapers will run a report if a company cuts 500 jobs, but they will never run a report if a new small plant is installed which employs 2000 people. Media and circumstances are not the right people to follow in times of trouble.