Life Lessons For Young Entrepreneurs

Once perhaps in a decade, you get to read a book that reflects your thinking and experiences so exactly, it make you wonder in awe, leaving you thinking, blinking and bewildered. You wonder why you did not write the book!

One such effort with a very mind boggling title came my way, thanks to my daughter who bought this book, read it as well, and goaded me to do the same, a few months ago. I could not do so then, because my mind was preoccupied with more pressing matters.

On this week end, however, it not only rained, it poured, and that too at a time when I was all set to drive to the golf course for an eagerly awaited tee off. But thanks to the weather, I was stopped in my tracks. I was restless and impatient, and did not know what to do. As I sat pondering, I happen to glance at this book on my side table. I picked it up at around 3 pm on that bleak Sunday afternoon. I did not put it down till well past midnight. Such is the power of expression in this effort by Subroto Bagchi — a successful self made man and a first generation entrepreneur who has lived a rewarding corporate life culminating in the founding of one of the most admired business corporations of India — Mindtree.

The book uniquely titled as, Go Kiss The World is:
A story of endless endurance.
An unending stride for excellence.
A saga of patience and perseverance.
An example of painful but rewarding diligence.

That title itself is so catchy and commanding. A command that the author’s mother lovingly gives him when he is at her bedside, just before she is about to take her last breath. What a wonderful command…reminds me of Napoleon and his famous words: Give me Good Mothers and I shall Give you a Good Nation!.

The book has been written in a very simple and effective narrative style. It is full of real time experiences shared with readers through a unique elan. The author describes and reflects about choices made, stances taken, learning, unlearning and relearning all the time. He speaks about never retiring as long as one lives and gives the reasons why through living, breathing examples.

It essentially meanders through four decades of the life of a unique professional who ‘values values’ most, beginning in a nascent corporate India of the fifties and sixties and successfully culminating in the blooming first decade of India in the 21st century. Through examples of corporate life lived through a smattering of well-chosen anecdotes, the author has magnanimously made it possible for the budding entrepreneurs of India, to learn from others’ experiences and mistakes. How thoughtful of him.

With the love and support of a humble father and devoted mother, the author commences his journey by first excelling as an NCC cadet in his early twenties, and then later in his late forties, as a priced team member and think tank core team member, of the famous entrepreneur; Azeem Premji of WIPRO repute. He excelled and went from strength to strength.

Then when he has it all — wealth, power, and influence, he finds he is more restless and ill at ease than ever before.

After money what?…is a question several leaders who ‘value values’ have asked themselves. The author aptly cites the example of Warren Buffet here and goes on to advocate his theory that money beyond $10,000 does not lead to happiness, as sought!

In that very spirit, the author, at the pinnacle of his career, with two daughters well settled in universities in USA, this co-founder of Mindtree, requests that he be allowed to step down and work as “a gardener”…gardening was something he learnt, loved, cherished and enjoyed doing as a child along with his mother in the simple rural settings of Orissa where he grew up.

In the end, the author has very benignly summed up the very true and meaningful lessons to be imbibed by anyone who is seeking a deeper meaning to existence beyond the call of material success. A delightfully written and essentially a must- read book for everyone, but especially young leaders in the making. As I too have now decided to Go And Kiss The World!