The Entrepreneur

I am recently writing articles for a HR firm and these articles are around the HR needful in any organisation. While I come from a Human Resource background, having served 17 years in the recruitment domain, I kind of never worked in a corporate, but worked with a lot of them as my clients.

I have always worked on my own and never come under the purview of these HR needfuls. And, there are a lot of entrepreneurs like me who come from a non-corporate background and must feel likewise. But, I keep thinking, how life would have been working for a corporate?

I think, living the life of an entrepreneur has never been simple. While you do not have the structure of an organisation to work under, you also lack its policies and principles. How about professionalism, and presentability?

Entrepreneurs are a tribe that is self-evolving. Like Darwin said, Survival of the fittest- entrepreneurs are that clan who is in a perpetual fit mode to survive, and many of them have even set examples in raising the bar beyond survival towards excellence.

The Ongoing Interview

Unlike a candidate appearing for interviews a decent number of times in a lifetime, an entrepreneur has to undergo interviews time and again. Why So? Don't you think every client here is to interview you, to know your background, technical skills, qualification, experience, portfolio, industry experience, motivation to work, and most of all the commercials.

Communicating What is Right

Recently at a Business Networking event, I came across an electrician who was exploring the medium to promote his business. Apprehensive he was as he was unable to communicate in English as most of us here did. But is English communication enough to drive a business? I have known other electrician entrepreneur who is tying up with other electricians, hardware shops, and MIDC groups and associations and bagging industrial and corporate clientele by just communicating right. Now that is one art of promoting yourself and your business.

Growth Infinite

In another incident a former client posted about another former client, all three of us being acquainted. The post was on the success of the 2nd client from a 5-seater office in 2017 to a 100-seater office in 2022. Quite a leap, I must say, and such progress is possible, but difficult in a job.

Sales Within Sales

Another business friend was recommending to me the other day how I should start charging for the initial book discussions I have with my prospects. All he meant was the initial pitch where the prospect approaches me, I should use this not only as a sales conversion but also to make immediate money from the deal by giving out offers. While working in an organisation would not mean discussing projects and practices. The guidance of fellow business owners is a complementary consulting that you receive along with your business.

The Soul Jobs

I know of a Homeopath Doctor who came to this Business networking meeting. He is a professional singer too and had come to the network for creating opportunities for his singing career. While we say education is mandatory, entrepreneurship gives you a sense of freedom, where you meet your soul and say, I love doing what I am.

Dressing to Impress

I dress my way to create my personality, without the expectations of being complimented. But, when I am complimented for my attire, or how I carry myself, it further adds to my confidence. Looking presentable and wearing the right clothes in a way that they seem good to other people is a sign, you are being observed and you are making your mark. Often as a corporate, we do not have a written dress code, but dressing appropriately, and appearing confident never needs to be written in any code, but a rule that one has to follow and we entrepreneurs do.

The Why Of Things

I remember a meeting with the Head of HR- rediff.com, almost 2 decades back and how this one meeting changed my career in recruitment. My sales pitch for sourcing recruitment went bust within 5 minutes of my meeting and I was shown the door. But as I was walking out of the door, I turned and asked a question, and I was asked to return this time the meeting lasted for another 15 minutes, and I walked away with Rediff as my client. It did not stop there, the Head of HR recommended my service to Mid Day Publications, who became my client and then on they recommended me to Dainik Jagran, Radio One, Zee TV, Haymarket Media, and a host of other companies that came to be my clients for years. Sometimes, asking the right question is important and then again knowing what your prospect wants and how you can deliver it. I did just that.

Well, not everything is rosy in the picture as you all know.

Many business buddies have put their businesses on Auto-Pilot Mode, but, to get there, one has to strive. Human resources, finances, policies, marketing, receivables, digital presence, physical presence, time management, purpose, goals, and growth all make an entrepreneur. And, sometimes in reaching this pedestal, you are not yourself and don't even belong to anyone. In that period you are just a struggling business owner. But, the struggle is for self, and not for raising someone else's organisation.

Closing the loop I would say, I have lived almost every role closely and represented my company to clients passionately, worked on projects rigorously, and created value for my company. And that is the experience, I bring to my clients across industries. Well, was it even closely possible if I had been in a job with a corporate? I Think Not!!