Becoming an MBA and leading a business has always been the ambition. But in this journey there have been a lot of ups and downs and in that process a lot of learning happened. 2017 CAT, the first stepping stone to the journey and I fail to climb it as my scorecard showed 84.46 %ile, which was not enough to get me a good b-school. And this resulted in the loss of self-confidence because being a bright student since school comes with a lots of pressure from family, teachers and even friends in a direct or an indirect form. Next target, crack CAT 2018. But it was not going to be easy as I would have to either start working or take a year gap and prepare. I chose not to work, but the pressure of not doing anything apart from preparing for CAT was killing me. One night I meet up with my school buddy and what we end up doing is starting a company on that day itself. Trek-Buds, was the name. We both were trek enthusiast and decided to take that hobby as a way to earn some money and try to get away from the guilt of not doing anything productive. Wasn’t really very easy as this was a first venture for both of us and despite my specialization in marketing, we did not have a very clear idea of how to go about the promotions. We yet somehow managed to gather all the resources needed which included a transport provision, food vendor, Instagram page, Whatsapp broadcasts, etc. We received a great response of 45 people for the very first trek. I don’t know whether to name it as beginners luck or what but we felt lucky. And we did manage to deliver an fun-adventurous and satisfying trek at the end making 7,500 bucks for each one of us. This made me feel that not all first stepping stones would be bad. This was just the start, next week we had planned a trek at Maharashtra’s highest peak, Kalsubai. A whooping 94 people registered for it. The confidence boost crossed the clouds but also did the fear and anxiety of handling 94 people and safely getting them back from an altitude of 5400 ft. There were a lot of difficulties we faced in that trek. Situations where we had never been before like people getting lost and shortage of food. But since then we have learned a lot. 12 treks in total and a net profit of 1,23,000 collectively. This has made me understand that no matter what everything happens for a reason and don’t worry, something better will always be waiting for you. By the way CAT 2018 scorecard showed 93.68 %ile. And here I am today studying at TAPMI, Manipal.
Why ADITYA BIRLA GROUP is big in my life?
One day when I woke in the morning, I was staring at the ceiling for a couple of minutes, which was apparently made up of Ultratech cement. That one single thought made me realize how closely Aditya Birla Group has in some way or the other way surrounded me and made a difference in my life. Ping –and I see a lovely good morning message on the family chat group and right there in the corner Vodafone-Idea showing me 4G symbol making that happen. I keep the phone and move towards the bathroom throwing my clothes on the bed, which I had bought from the sale last month at Pantaloons. I come out and open my wardrobe to see what I can wear today to office. It could not be anything regular because I had to take my girlfriend for dinner after office, because that is what you do when you upset her. But I did not want to go empty handed so I decide to buy her a dress from Forever21 because I had already given her a bag from Ted Baker on her birthday. So, I pick up the black Louis Philippe shirt which she likes the most and head to my car, not forgetting that most of the roads again built with Ultratech Cement. To get the growling go away I pick up a sandwich on the way which was given to me wrapped in a Hindalco Freshwrapp aluminum foil. And along with it a can of soda which reminded me of Novelis Inc, a subsidiary of Hindalco which manufactures and supplies aluminum for beverage cans, automobiles, architecture and consumer electronics. So probably, my car could have their aluminum. And the list could further go on ranging from the electricity in my house by Essel Mining and Industries Ltd to my Birla Sun Life Insurance to the fertilizers provided to India’s farmers by Indo Gulf fertilizers and so on. Aditya Birla Group has always had a massive influence not only on my life but on the entire globe in the ways possible. I would like to appreciate these constant efforts made by the Aditya Birla Group to make the world a better place and also for helping me bring a smile on my girlfriend’s face.
