As I write my words on this Laptop thinking of all the ways ABG has impacted my life, I realize it has become a part of me, a constant to my dynamic life. They say Change is the Only Constant, I disagree for the simplest of reasons: ABG is irreplaceable in my life.
I have, I am and I will always follow my Dad for he is such a Great Gentleman, that’s how a son is successful. He is my role Model. I imitate him at all the possible fronts. He sports a Louis Philippe, I do the same; He connects to the world through Voda/Idea, I do the same; He is a Financial Advisor for Aditya Birla Capital, Well I am just a student. He looks sort on the outside, but he is always planning inside. It’s much more like ABG than anyone thinks. A company that is a leader in all areas that it serves in. It demands great efforts and planning and the vision of keep giving the best. Strategic decisions, no matter the cost is taken just to unlock the values for all its shareholders. That’s what my dad does, little things to bring a smile on our faces.
It is really not about the revenues a company is generating or Profit/Margins for that matter. It is about the PERCEPTION the company has created for a long time now. When I talk about Being an Entrepreneur to my Maa, she tells me, “Not everyone can be TATA-BIRLA, it demands PERSEVERANCE, among other things”. An Entrepreneurial Spirit is what lies at the core of the ABG, I think. To do something better and to improve everyone’s life, in even the smallest of ways, is what their ultimate Goal is. It may or may not be the same but this is my PERCEPTION and of million other people.
There is much more to ABG than it just shows off, and precisely that’s what makes it stand out. Since its inception and to this date, ABG has an influence over my family for Generations. So how can I say it has become a part of me, instead, I have become a part of Aditya Birla Group, irreplaceable.
CHALLENGES
I have been very dynamic throughout my life, be it studies, extracurricular, social activities, sports or quizzes. During my school captain-ship, I have represented my school for multiple initiatives and learned the art of managing the masses at an early age, which benefitted me in being more expressive and efficient in communication.
I was recognized for my Volunteering in Placement Processes in 1
st and 2
nd year of Engineering and was made the Head Coordinator Training and Placement Cell. I am highly organized and paying attention to every detail is what I believe in. I have worked in teams and put to leadership roles just because I have a positive work ethic that people like to follow. There are two instances that have been important in reshaping certain aspects of how I see things; how a random challenge can be compensated just by changing your own perception.
It was in the Undergrad during the Tech Fest: Encarta which invites footfall of around 4000 people. As a Coordinator, I was supposed to take charge of Sponsorship and Food Vendors. I found a single company that did both of Jobs. Two Birds with one stone: A Chinese specialist Food Vendor which sponsored us. In the three days’ event, people from different parts of Rajasthan comes in together to participate in the plethora of events. On the first day, the sales of the Food Vendor went down to the floor (just opposite of skyrocketed to the ceiling). He got upset and removed his stall and we had to repay him 75% of the Sponsored Money. We were left with no money and no Food Vendor. All night I stayed up so as to find the reason, What went wrong? and a new Vendor. It's at 4 am in the morning I realized the problem, I was making Marwaris eat Chinese, which is wrong on so many levels. It’s a crime. I contacted the Arora Namkeen and Sweets and asked them to sponsor us. I bagged this opportunity and their sales literally skyrocketed. A classic case of Marketing Fiasco which was turned around.
Another Challenge that I faced was during Postgrad. I and my team had participated in the Hult Prize, an International Event for Social Entrepreneurs. We won the first Round at India and Next Round was to be held in Tokyo, Japan. For our project, we had to bring different small-time entrepreneurs on board to let their talents known to the world. Before one week of the event, none of them had affirmed. Not even a single one of them. One of the clients was a seller of Dye based Shirts, which are very limited products, specific to a certain part of Rajasthan. Without his permission, I put up his design on my Insta Handle, I got 19 Orders in 2 days. (Equivalent to his Sales of a week, In season). He shouted first but then got really impressed. He was on- Board so were five other Small Timers who used to sell around the same place.
These challenges among others have taught me quite a few things about life being Random and yet Simple. They have shaped me into a better leader and taught me more about the Rules of Living than Studies. Hurdles like these define us and are important for nurturing us. They are the Adrenaline Rush to our Boring Lives; they put "dynamic" in our Lives. (*wink)