Articles by Anjana Vivek

There was this story I once read... I do not remember the source, but I remember the story ... it has left its mark on me. It beautifully communicates the essence of what I want to say. So to this source .. whoever has thought of this story or has experienced it .. I convey my thanks. Now for the story...There are three young men who want to become actors. Those who look at the three persons see similar young men and club them together as birds of the same feather. One person gets more curious and asks the three…

Bangalore has many angel investors these days. In the last six months, I have come across several persons and groups who have expressed interest in funding start ups in the city. While this is good news, an entrepreneur needs to tread carefully before accepting money. In addition to the quantity of money, the quality of investment may also be important. Entrepreneurs need to understand what they need. Sometimes it may be more than money; they may need customer contacts and advisory inputs.Entrepreneurs also need to view this from the angle of the angel investor. Why would the angel be interested…

Many persons in Bengaluru are becoming entrepreneurial and venturing on their own. We also have many venture capitalists (VCs) who are here in the city as well as those outside looking to fund promising start ups. However, sometimes, even if an idea is promising and the team is good, the venture may not be ready to go to a VC. Kumar and his start up are a case in point. Gyan, an advisor, was interacting with a group of entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs in Bengaluru in late 2006. Kumar was one among the group and asked many questions about how…

Marketing need not necessarily involve cash outflow. Sometimes one can earn money, while reaching out to new customers in the process. Gift coupons, for example, offer you the double advantage of making money while reaching out to new customers. Your existing customers and well wishers can buy these, to gift as vouchers to those who may not have heard of you. We have two such companies in Bangalore who believe in this. Active Canvas, a one of a kind art school for people of all ages, offers a variety of courses and hosts events. It now offers gift coupons. Many…

 Entrepreneurship is about thinking differently, creatively. Innovation is not limited to having unique ideas or projects. Innovation can be in the way one manages operations, the way one implements projects or in a combination of all this.One of the key problems faced by entrepreneurs... and no prizes for guessing... is shortage of money. Some entrepreneurs have come up with creative solutions to manage with limited finances at their disposal. What may seem like an essential cost to most persons, have been reviewed and innovatively reduced or managed.One such cost is the cost of routine administration work. While it may seem…