Entrepreneurs are Made not Born:taken from the book, pit bulls & entrepreneurs

Many years ago, I failed at two attempts at starting and running my own business. The first time, I failed at putting up a trading business with a partner from the Middle East. The second time, I failed at making success of a small retail business with my spouse as partner.

Sometime in the late 1980s, I was in the middle of nurturing a third venture. This time, before doing anything else, I spent years understanding and comprehending the dynamics of the business. I made sure that I understood supply side systems and demand side strategies. I made it a point to save up for my capital requirements, develop a network of useful connections and relationships, and learn what I believed to be the right skills and competencies to ensure that I become a self-dependent and complete entrepreneur.

I remember one morning, six months and a year into my third venture, I was in the middle of strapping some cartons for a shipment when a, stern-looking officer from the Department of Labor and Employment came knocking at my door. She was conducting a random, on-site inspection for fair and humane treatment of employees by business owners.

“As an owner of this company, you wouldn’t mind answering a few questions would you?” she asked.

“Sure! Go ahead and be my guest.” I replied.

“How long has this business been operational and what is it that you do?”

“Well, it’s now been a year and half. We are in the business of trading soft goods like home decor, garments, handicrafts, and similar stuff. We buy them here in the Philippines and then ship them to clients across the world.”

“Hmm, that must be quite lucrative. How many people do you have working here?”

“Two. One girl. And there’s this other chap.”

“Can you please describe the job of the girl?”

“Well, she answers the phone, takes messages, files loose papers, types a letter a day, once in a while makes bad coffee, and every two weeks runs to the bank to draw her salary.”

“Right; that sounds like she is the Office Assistant. Awful supporting, aren’t they? Does she put in any extra effort for the business?

“Oh, yes, yes! She puts in extra time and effort to fix her hair, powder her nose, file her nails, and look as neat as can be. On weekdays, she uses the office telephone to chat with her girlfriends, and on weekends, with her boyfriends. The days when she doesn’t have or loses a boyfriend, she spends her days crying and eating chocolates in the office. Poor little thing!”

“Oh, that’s quite sad. How many hours a week, would you say, does she suffer like this in here?”

“Oh, the little darling, she comes in a bit after ten in the morning to avoid the morning traffic and leaves just before five in the afternoon to beat the evening traffic. On Saturdays, she drops by for a quick brunch and then leaves to get her hair and nails done.”

“Gosh! That’s over 40 hours a week! And does she get a fair wage, social security, health insurance, all the prescribed holidays, annual vacation, and sick leaves too?”

“Oh yes, she does get all that, plus an extra three days every month for headaches in the stomach.”

“Hmm, I totally understand and empathize with her. Now about this other chap who works here -- what exactly does he do?”

“This chap draws the contracts, works on the purchasing, chases the factories for deliveries, drives the truck, manages the inventory, packs the shipments, processes the billings, cleans the car, answers the phone, and makes coffee when Jane is not around.”

“Sounds like quite a handy man. What are his working hours around here?”

“He’s here before the break of dawn on Mondays and then stays till all the work is done for the rest of the week.”

“That’s amazing! Does that mean he also sleeps over here?”

“Yes, on that wooden bench over there by the doghouse.”

“That does look quite inviting and warm. Probably allows him some quality time with the dog too! Now, does he get a fair wage for his hours, social security, medical and health insurance, annual vacation and sick leaves?”

“Oh yes! Sure!" He gets two square meals a day, a daily cup of overly sweet but weak coffee, a pack of cigarettes every month, and he is also allowed to sneak off early on Christmas eve and come in a bit late on New Year’s Day.”

“Sneaks off on Christmas Eve? Comes in a bit late on New Year’s Day? How dare you do such a thing, sir? That is disgusting! You, sir, are an animal, a monster and a slave-driver! He is a man, not a dog! Please call that man here, right now! I’d like to read the poor slob his rights as an employee and as a human being!”

“Madame,” I said softly and with a very long pause for effect, “you are looking at the Adam!”

Though that story is very slightly dramatized, it brings us close to putting across the point that an entrepreneur, a business owner, has to work, eat, and sleep like a dog. He has to put in atrociously obscene amounts of time, effort, and dedication for the success of his business. It is all, as they say, a lot of blood, sweat, and tears.

Entrepreneurs, like leaders, are made, not born.

Making Best Choices with Existing Resources

Over 31 years ago, the late Steve Jobs, dropped out of college where he found no value in the lessons and where all of his working-class parents' savings were being spent on his college tuition. He had no idea what to do next but he hung around for another 18 months before he really quit Reed College. In those 18 months he attended the classes he chose rather than the ones he was required to. Reed College was known for its calligraphy classes and Steve was unwittingly drawn to the beauty and the creativity of the craft. His actions, though, at that time made no proper sense to himself but seventeen years later when he built his first Macintosh, everything that he had picked up in those 18 months went it what till date makes the Mac a computer for ones with a creative twist.

Sometimes, the choices we make do not have all the logical answers for what we chose but there are unconscious resources that we own and unknowingly employ. The wisdom or the fallacy of these choices can only be measured in hindsight. Or, as Steve Jobs puts it, “you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” The 8th principle of NLP that I want to put across from this perspective is that. “In any situation a person makes the best choices with the resources currently available to him.”

When we do make the choices we make after exhausting ourselves logically, after doing the research, doing the math, doing the permutations and the combinations, we make them based absolutely on the resources we have and own at that time. And, these resources are not just the physical, the financial but also the mental, the emotional and the spiritual. All these put together, to those with a certain sense of alacrity, can be termed as acute foresight. Not many can claim to have this heightened sense of clarity and again this heightened sense of clarity can only be proven right looking backward.

In essence, this principle spurs us on to make the decisions and the choices that we keep placing on the back burner for lack of enough data, evidence or justifications. Make those decisions now and make them with information that is good enough for now! If your gut has been involved and if your choices are ethical and mean no harm to man or nature, chances are they will turn out well.

This also brings me to another point about making choices. They need to be in alignment with what is referred to in NLP, as “Ecology.” The decisions you make not only have to be good for you but also good for the neighbor, the community and nature. If not, someday they will surely backfire on us like the industrial growth and the mindless development that is now backfiring on us now through landslides, meltdowns and tsunamis. The decisions we made decades ago, in spite of the gnawing guilt that we were abusing some elements of the system, is now hitting back at us. Thankfully, our collective conscience has wizened up and we are now taking into consideration not just one bottom-line of economics but also ethics, social emotions and the environment. We have learned that the four bottom line put together create long-term corporate sustenance.

Steve Jobs’ decision to quit was made with two measurable pieces of information: one the financial pressure of his studies was hard on his parents and two that his studies were providing him with no value he could use but somewhere within his internal resources there was conviction and curiosity that told him that success lay elsewhere and when he did make the make the decision it was in harmony with the “ecology.” Even though there was ambiguity about the outcome, it caused no ill-effects on anyone or any system.

Raju Mandhyan
Author, Coach and Trainer
www.mandhyan.com

pit bulls & entrepreneurs:identity: conversations about it.

Identity: the distinguishing but consistent character or personality of an individual in constantly changing circumstances.

Identity is a mental model of one’s self. It relates to an individual’s self image, self esteem, and uniqueness. It contributes to how that individual views one’s self as a person and how he or she stands in relation to others around him. The more assured and accepting a person is of one’s own self image, the more peaceful and stable one’s behavior and performance are in all aspects of life.

Actions:

The pit bull’s not-so-attractive appearance may induce hysteria. Yet it actually translates to practicality and economy. A pit bull requires minimal grooming and maintenance. Its nature and eating habits are simple and predictable. It has no fancy needs and doesn’t demand much attention like labradors, pomeranians, or poodles do. It is also reputed to be very hardworking and frugal, and it knows its position and purpose in life.

Just by being simple, rugged, and consistent, the pit bull can be very comforting company. His earthy nature lends an air of comfort and support to others around him and even provides a sense of therapy to those who need healing.

A few years ago, Cody, a pit bull puppy, was picked by members of the Even Chance Pit Bull Advocacy of San Diego when he was seen limping around an abandoned shelter. At the rescue veterinarian’s office, his chances didn’t look too good when he was diagnosed with a congenital deformity called ectrodactyly or “lobster claw.” Kind donors, through Even Chance, paid to have an orthopedic surgeon correct Cody’s paw. His two split toes were fused together with the surrounding skin, transforming his “lobster claw” to a “mitten.”

Cody was undergoing water therapy when his nature was discovered to be earthy, simple, and very loving. It was as if his past and pain had softened him rather than traumatize him. Soon, he was adopted by Barbara Sullier, a parent of one of the interns at the clinic.

Barbara described Cody as “a sweet, little, loving boy with a charisma that pulls people over to talk to him. He loves all people and wants to make them happy.” Cody still continued to limp due to missing bones and muscles in his right foreleg, but that hardly affected his style.

His personality and traits soon led him to be trained and certified, at age one, as a therapy dog by the Los Angeles based New Leash on Life’s “Lend a Paw” program. During wheelchair tests, Cody would reach up gently and kiss people with disabilities. Children with physical disabilities would easily relate to him and get their spirits boosted by his consistent kindness and even nature.

Through all prejudices and hardships against him, Cody never lost sight of his own, true image. He knew exactly who he was and what his purpose in life was.

Source: Hollow, M. “Pit Bull Stories” July 12, 2010. (http://petnewsandviews.com/2010/07/pit-bull-stories/)



Conversations:

The value of a clear self identity lies in the fact that once you know, understand, and accept who you are; it becomes easy to distinguish between what you want and what you need in life. With an enhanced self perspective, our goals acquire a precise image and definition. Our purpose in work and life becomes crystal clear.

Most of us spend large portions of our lives trying to figure out what it is that we want, what life and career paths to choose. Having a correct self image ensures a clear set of personal objectives. It allows us to invest our energies in the right places and at the right time. Our internal and external resources fall in place, start complementing each other, and empower us to achieve fruitful and effective results.

What can we learn from Cody and Mike? How can we be clear about our identity, and consequently, our goals?

• Know yourself. And in getting to know yourself, refrain from letting your ego and a false sense of who you are influence your choices and decisions in life and business. Knowing, understanding, and accepting yourself as you are needs a powerful combination of humility, awareness, and personal strength.

• Practice being completely at ease with yourself, your background, and your culture. Honestly and objectively recognize and then appreciate your strengths. No two people in the world have exactly the same genetic structure, breeding, and experiences. If our backgrounds differ, naturally, our actions and results should also be different. Refrain from being unduly impressed by the shape, size, and the sizzle of the successes of others around you.

• Consolidate and direct all your energies and all your entrepreneurial efforts in the direction of your true choice at a steady and a consistent pace. Erik H. Erikson, in his book Identity and the Life Cycle (1995), claims that a clear sense of identity provides one with the alacrity and ability to experience one’s self, to have consistency and continuity, and to act according to one’s calling.


• Grow gradually. Being successful as an entrepreneur will take a lot of effort and sacrifice. Leap for growth and greater heights only after you have reached the easily scalable ones at a steady pace. My grandfather, who was born just before the Great Depression, had failed and succeeded at many businesses in his lifetime. In his seventies, in India, he had become well off, stable, and happy with his life. He used to say, “In business and in life, one shouldn’t make any sudden and sharp u-turns.”

• Clarify your values. All clear choices, creative strategies, and conscientious efforts are bound to bring success and glory. Ironically, continuous success might derail our progress if we fall to the temptation of recklessness. As your horizons expand, you may change strategies and tactics but must continue to lean on core values which, originally, made you “YOU!”

Authentic Impact

In the usual rush of our youths we do not, many a times, give much thought to the subtle, the soft and the subjective elements of our people to people interactions. That is to say we do not much consciously give attention to these elements but at a subconscious level the impact of these interactions get imprinted and stay embedded until, much later, our conscious mind, as we mature and grow, starts to pay its respects to the power of the unconscious mind

One such interaction particularly remained embedded in my mind, until recent years when I uploaded the files and viewed them from a much experienced, and much matured a perspective as concerns people to people interactions.

In high school we had all kinds of teachers. Some were big, some were small, some slow and others fast and fun. Here, I don’t mean to disrespect teachers and the noble profession of teaching, considering that I am a teacher of sorts myself, but only want to make a point that we are all different, and we have different speeds and approaches towards life. In the language of Neuro Linguistic Programming we have different internal clocks, time-lines and different programs.

One of our teachers--let’s skip his name lest some readers do some detective work and pass this article on to him. Also, taking note of my own greying hair, chances are he may have moved on to a better place in life. Yet, you never know, someone might still pass on this newsletter to the next of his kin. This teacher worked, taught and managed his classrooms much too differently and carefully compared to others. Let’s name this teacher “Easy.”

One day, Easy’s class full of young, teenage boys had gotten out of hand and were being really naughty. They were screaming, shouting, shooting paper aeroplanes, breaking chairs and being boys just like boys are supposed to be, wild and unmanageable. Easy, as usual, was having a hard time getting a handle on this crowd. He shouted, he screamed, he banged his wooden walking stick on the table but to no avail. He threatened suspension for the whole class but the chaos and cacophony just wouldn’t subside. The class room had turned into a regular fish market.

Hearing the noise, another teacher, D.N. Irani, walked in from a neighbouring classroom and stood by and next to Easy. Teacher D.N. Irani was tall, lean, had a firm jaw, a high forehead with a closely cropped head of thick, salt and pepper hair. By the side of Easy, Teacher D.N.Irani just stood there, ever so quietly, right up and in front of the class. He said nothing, moved not bit, gestured nothing but stood there tall, quiet, simple and solemn. All he did was peer right into midst of the ruckus the boys were creating and one by one, through each one of the boys’ eyes, he peered down into their hearts, steadily and peacefully.

Very slowly and very surely the boys, one boy at a time, began to quiet down and then sneack up and into their individual desks. In less than two minutes, which, of course, seemed like much more under the steely gaze of D.N. Irani, the class suddenly had become so quiet that had a pin dropped it would have been heard into the next town.

At the end of this seemingly, eternal, thundering silence, Teacher D.N. Irani, said a few words that might have started with... “If I was you and if I were behaving the way you are behaving, I would have been totally ashamed...” After a few minutes, after just a few laconic words and after having us, honestly and earnestly, apologize to Teacher Easy, Teacher D.N. Irani walked out of our classroom and, literally, rode away into the sunset of the day at Sardar Dastur Hoshang Boys High School in Pune, India.

In this recollection, I am probably forgetting some of the details, but I am definitely and totally not forgetting the impact Teacher D.N.Irani had on us boys then and still has on my personal psyche until this day. Also I, absolutely, cannot rule out the fact that I may have been thinking, wondering and mulling upon the question as to what did D.N.Irani do differently compared to Easy.
Today, nearly 40 years later, I am convinced that D.N. Irani may not have been, formally, trained to make higher and authentic impact, he may not also have been privy to the principles for higher impact I am about to share with you. At a very primal level, at a very instinctive level he knew the power of authenticity, he knew the power of silence and true influence that can be learned and practised using one and all of the following three principles.

Congruence:

Teacher D.N. Irani knew the power of alignment between his internal thoughts and external behaviour. He knew that the values he espoused and talked about were the values that he lived and performed regularly and consistently. He knew that being peaceful, and in control on the inside helped him manage chaos and uncertainty that, usually, does occur and exist outside.

When in congruence, we are in total rapport, and in trust, with our own self. Our self-esteem and self image is at a personal high. The highest order of congruence occurs and is sensed and read by others, by our audience. They notice and sense that in this time we are totally aligned, in behaviour and attitude, all the way up to our values and aspirations.

Existence of, and practice of, extreme congruence delivers and creates authentic impact on our worlds powerfully and for a long time.

Presence:

Besides being in total alignment with his inner being, Teacher D. N. Irani was also a master at generating presence and being present through mind, soul and every single cell in his body. Presence and “being present” implies a holistic and high-powered awareness of our own thoughts, intelligence and also of the external stimuli. Presence gives respect to all that surrounds us, acknowledges it and then discerns as to what needs to be assessed, analysed and acted upon. But, way before assessment, analysis and action to be taken for or against external stimuli, presence means awareness, acknowledgement and respect.

Presence not just professes but practices, with deliberation, physical, mental and emotional awareness of what is, what exists and what transpires and grows around us. Presence also, because of the respect factor, always perceives positive possibilities and potential for what we regard and behold with our senses and in our thoughts and emotions.

Those rowdy boys back in the day, including me of course, complimented respect in favor of respect granted them by D.N. Irani. They knew that D.N.Irani did not look down on them and neither did he despise their core, their humanity. He adored and respected them but was in awe and shame of their actions, of their rogue behaviour at that moment.

Presence is and will remain a powerful precursor to creating authentic and powerful impact on others.

Precise Language:

Teacher D.N Irani, like Clint Eastwood a bit, was a man of few words. His language, his tone and his choice of words were never minced, general or contained motherhood statements. He made very few assumptions on people. He also did not exaggerate or understate a thought. He called a spade a spade in the most polite, proper and assertive way as possible. Every time he expressed his thoughts, he’d take his time. He used to choose his words, consider all possible interpretations and impacts on his audience and then, only then, speak up slowly and clearly. Every time he spoke,
I remember as a class, we used to give him a 100% attention and more. His influence on us was strong and it stayed with us long after he’d moved on.

Precision language from the perspective of Neuro Linguistic Programming does not make assumptions, does not generalize, does not chunk up or chunk down thoughts and ideas unless there is a specific purpose for doing so and the outcome of that action is for general good. In precision language a spade is always referred to and understood as being a spade. I am, of course, over here, creating a metaphor. What I mean is that thoughts, ideas and feelings are first clarified, verified and analysed thoroughly for effect, internally, before being expressed.

Being correct, precise, polite and confidently assertive with our expressions and our language is an art and a science that is a major requisite for leadership and authentic impact..


Today, years later, I would not have been able to share these stories and these well-known secrets about authentic impact with you, had I not been inspired and moved by D.N.Irani’s behaviour and successful usage of them back in the day. I also apologize to Teacher Easy for having used him as an example and a reference point to build my story.

Raju Mandhyan
Authentic Impact
www.mandhyan.com

pit bulls & entrepreneurs:identity authenticates intention

Reflections: Continuation of Chapter 1

Mike Asrani was twenty-five when he came to work for a small company that traded sporting goods in the Philippines. Born and raised in a simple family in Mumbai, he wasn’t too fussy about the quality and the quantity of work he had to do in an alien land. The chaotic and congested streets of his lower middle class neighborhood in Mumbai taught him to survive and thrive in tough times. He had soldiered through challenging conditions and made do with sparse resources. Growing up in a tightly knit, patriarchal family, he disciplined himself to have frugal, simple needs. He also was not easily tempted by things shiny and slick. The sights and sounds of Manila in the early 80s amazed him but did not change his earthy, uncomplicated, and tenacious personality.

Every day, Mike woke up at an early hour, said his prayers, ate a simple meal, dressed in ordinary clothes, and went to work. He put in the necessary effort, concentration, and heart into his job. He took orders well, executed them to perfection, efficiently worked on the reports, kept track of his own performance, and planned his hours and days well. He obeyed orders and followed systems diligently. He didn’t seek any accolades or attention for his work. A job was a job to him, and life was a life to be lived plainly and simply. No complications. No hang-ups.

I knew Mike personally. Initially, his down-to-earth nature, in contrast to my gregarious personality, made him seem bland. Over time however, I realized there were wisdom, strength, and substance in his ways.

The most amazing and awesome truth about Mike was that he knew exactly who he was. He knew he wasn’t a genius like Einstein was. He knew he didn’t have the brilliance of Drucker. And he certainly never mistook himself for a flamboyant Liberace. Mike knew that his looks and charisma wouldn’t be the qualities that would attract anyone to him. He survived with minimum grooming and maintenance.

To him, life was a series of routines. He was regular and predictable with his movements and habits. He learned how to sustain himself on a regular and repetitive diet. His personality and charisma could have done with some major overhauling, but Mike did not care about that; all Mike knew was that he needed to survive and thrive.

In less than two years at work, Mike had figured out the sporting goods trade. He knew where the goods came from, what kind of goods they were, how they were costed, stored, and priced. He knew whom to sell to, where to sell, and how exactly to make a profit from the sales. His earlier job had required him to sell to hundreds of small stores, on credit, across the city and the country. He was given only a motorcycle and a map. In less than two years, Mike had also figured out the streets of Metro Manila and the lay of the Philippine land. He had picked up the local language, the culture, and the nuances of the Filipino business community. He had also discovered the right cultural buttons he needed to push to build mutually beneficial and lasting relationships. He had figured out the cost of living for the next two to three years, and he saved up every shiny and dull centavo he could to allow him to go into business for himself in the sporting goods industry.

He started small. He had no airs. He avoided all fanfare, and he felt no fear. He knew what he had to do. He had to do exactly what his former employers were doing but on a miniscule level and at an extremely consistent pace. He went into business, and he kept up his uncomplicated routine, except that he woke at a much earlier hour than when he was employed. He ate simpler meals. He planned his hours and his days more diligently.

He executed work with higher perfection. He kept impeccable, flawless, handwritten, records of purchases, operational costs, sales, collectibles, profits, and his rapidly growing inventory and savings. He continued to be dull, boring, and charmless. He still didn’t mistake himself for Einstein, Drucker, or Liberace. So focused was he on business that he used to think that Clint Eastwood was a prospect from a shopping mall in Manila called Eastwood. Like the pit bull Cody, he knew his purpose, and lived to serve that purpose.

His business grew. It grew through the revolution of the 80s. It grew through the season of military coups and consistent brownouts of the 90s. Nothing bothered him during the Asian Crisis of 1997. Later in that decade as the 20th century came to an end, he didn’t even hear of the Y2K bug, which had terrified the rest of the breathing world. He just plodded on and on. His business bypassed the Clinton affair, did not bat an eyelash when Princess Diana passed away, and whizzed past the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mike displayed consistency and a strong identity in changing circumstances. He nurtured his business like a farmer nurtures his crops -- plowing, digging, sowing, watering, and harvesting.

Unaffected by anything, armed with the concentration of a monk and the single mindedness of a mole, Mike worked through his own disciplines on a daily basis. Sometime before the century turned over, Mike got married, had kids, bought warehouses, built homes, upgraded his vehicles, and kept plugging on. No fanfare, no fear. He kept plugging on through marital issues, pregnancies, childbirths, teething of kids, mumps, zits, chicken pox, broken toys, scraped knees, and falling teeth. He continued keeping his head in his books and his feet on the ground.

Even his choice of a wife reflected his identity. He married a provincial girl with a small degree in marketing but with a large degree of ambitiousness and a strong desire to grow rich. Mike’s unassuming discipline and lack of flash fused well with her diligence and dedication to the business, which had grown quite large. Her skills and ambitious nature armed Mike with a spade to go about his business of being a monk and a mole at work. In a matter of years, his business grew into a humongous family-owned corporation.

In the early years, Mike would deliver his goods strapped behind a motorbike. Now his fleet of vans delivered his goods nationwide. Mike continued to wake up at the same hour, eat simple meals at the right time, put in the right amount of hours into work, and track his own performance and his own account books. He was still hands-on with the buying, storing, and selling. And he raked in, by the millions, the fruits of his labor.

One day in 2005, I met up with him by chance. He was being chauffeured in a large car that was gifted to him by his wife. He was traveling from one of his warehouses to his office. I was impressed by the fancy car, but I was way more impressed by the fact that he was still wearing a t-shirt I’d lent him in the late 80s when he didn’t even own a motorbike. I asked him if he was familiar with any of the new technological gizmos from Apple, and he responded, “No, mate, I like my fruits fresh, in the original form, and purchased from the “palengke. (wet market)”

a preface on pit bulls and entrepreneurs

from an entrepreneur who loves pit bulls

I am, and have been for the last eleven years, a proud and happy owner of a gigantic pit bull called Merlin. Merlin is now getting along in dog years without losing any of the spring in his stride. In his prime, he weighed a whopping 110 pounds of lean, sinewy muscle, and he was as strong as a buffalo. Leashed, he used to easily haul me and my bulky son for a daily jog. Today, he remains strong and still digs a fun brawl with my little kittens. He also loves peeing on poodles in the neighborhood.

I am also friend to Raju Mandhyan, whom I greatly admire as a professional speaker and a master storyteller—a modern day Scheherazade. He may not have the exotic looks of his ancient Arabic counterpart, but he possesses all her powers of enchantment and can easily mesmerize hordes of jaded cynics. During parties and other business events, I seek his company and want him to keep talking even though I’m always afraid he might start charging me a fee. After all, the man is a much sought-after inspirational speaker in the region.

So imagine my surprise when, one fine day, he calls me to inquire if I knew any owners of pit bulls or associations of pit bull owners because he was writing a book about them. The first thought that flashed through my mind was that the guy had probably lost it. Unlike Scheherazade, he must have run out of stories to share with his audiences and now had taken to scaring them out of their silly skins for a living. A moment later, after he mentioned the words resilience, persistence, and independence in relation to entrepreneurship, the brilliance and the creativity of the comparison struck me and I went, “I love it!”

I know for a fact and from experience that pit bulls are a tough and loving breed. But a few, misinformed, and sometimes malicious sections of the media have unjustly hyped up the negative aspects of the pit bull. Pit bulls are less vindictive and less nasty than all the thumb-sucking, putzy French poodles in the world. Pit bulls, whether small or big, carry within them the genes for the purpose which they had been originally bred—that is to work, to obey, to be responsible, and to love. They will do what their masters will have them do. If you see a ferocious and mean-minded pit bull, then you need to take a look at the human masters. And I assure you that you will find pits of mean-mindedness in them.

Pit bulls are genetically designed to have a singularity of purpose, yet their core is warm and affectionate. My pit bull, Merlin, has never nipped a human being on purpose. The notoriety in the media is undeserved. Given a chance, the pit bulls can easily redeem themselves.

Raju Mandhyan’s thesis is right and timely. Unlike the pit bulls, that breed of human beings called entrepreneurs has been graced and gifted to choose its own destiny. As it is for the pit bulls, it is innate in human beings to want to work, to create, to be responsible, and to love and nurture the communities we live in through effort and enterprise. This book shares the stories of their grit, their gumption, and of the value they add to business and society. If you are an entrepreneur-to-be, then this book will incite you to become a master of your own destiny. If you are already an established and successful entrepreneur, then this book will give you a pat on the back and stoke your passion all over again. In both cases, it will inspire you to leave your mark on the world.

Antonio “Tiny” Defensor, the Master Entrepreneur
with Merlin, the pit bull snoring at his feet

pit bulls & entrepreners; Identity Authenticates Intention

Identity: the distinguishing but consistent character or personality of an individual in constantly changing circumstances.

Identity is a mental model of one’s self. It relates to an individual’s self-image, self-esteem, and uniqueness. It contributes to how that individual views one’s self as a person and how he or she stands in relation to others around him. The more assured and accepting a person is of one’s own self-image, the more peaceful and stable one’s behavior and performance are in all aspects of life.

Actions:

The pit bull’s not so attractive appearance may induce hysteria. Yet it actually translates to practicality and economy. A pit bull requires minimal grooming and maintenance. Its nature and eating habits are simple and predictable. It has no fancy needs and doesn’t demand much attention like labradors, pomeranians, or poodles do. It is also reputed to be very hardworking and frugal, and it knows its position and purpose in life.

Just by being simple, rugged, and consistent, the pit bull can be very comforting company. His earthy nature lends an air of comfort and support to others around him and even provides a sense of therapy to those who need healing.

A few years ago, Cody, a pit bull puppy, was picked by members of the Even Chance Pit Bull Advocacy of San Diego when he was seen limping around an abandoned shelter. At the rescue veterinarian’s office, his chances didn’t look too good when he was diagnosed with a congenital deformity called ectrodactyly or “lobster claw.” Kind donors, through Even Chance, paid to have an orthopedic surgeon correct Cody’s paw. His two split toes were fused together with the surrounding skin, transforming his “lobster claw” to a “mitten.”

Cody was undergoing water therapy when his nature was discovered to be earthy, simple, and very loving. It was as if his past and pain had softened him rather than traumatized him. Soon, he was adopted by Barbara Sullier, a parent of one of the interns at the clinic.

Barbara described Cody as “a sweet, little, loving boy with a charisma that pulls people over to talk to him. He loves all people and wants to make them happy.” Cody still continued to limp due to missing bones and muscles in his right foreleg, but that hardly affected his style.

His personality and traits soon led him to be trained and certified, at age one, as a therapy dog by the Los Angeles based New Leash on Life’s “Lend a Paw” program. During “wheelchair tests,” Cody would reach up gently and kiss people with disabilities. Children with physical disabilities would easily relate to him and get their spirits boosted by his consistent kindness and even nature.

Through all prejudices and hardships against him, Cody never lost sight of his own, true image. He knew exactly who he was and what his purpose in life was.

"Reflections for an Entrepreneur," in the next issue.

Parenting: Happy, Healthy and Wise

I am not sure if I can be called a "good" father. That is for somebody else to judge and the ultimate results of my fathering behaviour and skills will only be known years later when the products of my parenting will become successful and happy individuals in their own lives. I may not know if I am good but I definitely know that I am not overstressed as a Dad. I have no issues with my three kids. Each one of them is different and I treat each one uniquely even as I love them equally and with the same passion. Here are some of things I do and say that keeps me cool and unstressed. I do all this knowing that even if I were the best Daddy ever my kids will, eventually, also be affected by the rest of the world and how they manage and process challenges and opportunities in their lives.

One: I many a times say “no” to their needs, demands or wants. I say this knowing that even as I am supposed to be the provider and the nurturer there is the rest of the world which helps provide and nurture them too. I carefully assess their requests and if it is fair and if I can easily provide without short-changing anybody and anything else then I go ahead and say a straight “no.” My kids have grown up with this and they take this well.

Two: I use a lot of humor to get valuable point across. I make fun of myself mostly and in between the setup and the punches I serve the medicine. For example, a son of mine does not clean up after himself. He forgets to flush, forgets to return things and forgets to put off lights, etc.; I have now made him in charge of the electricity, water and cleaning services. Now he cleans up after me.

Three: I make myself an example. Many years ago I used to smoke casually and one day my other son was caught taking a puff too many. I sat him down and I confessed to my own bad habit. Even though I used to smoke not his presence he somehow knew. I promised to stop and I did stop. He followed suit and has walked the line for over seven years now. Be the change you want to create said Ol’ man Gandhi did he not?

Four: I practice appreciation more than I practice criticizing. It’s an infallible truth that rewards bring better results than rebukes do. They say even a verbally abused cow produces less milk than a cow which is complimented and cooed by the farmer.

Five: In the event of failure I quickly and easily “let go.” I let go my kids when they make an unintentional or, even, an intentional mistake. I also “let go” myself when I don’t get the results I expect to get from kids and my interactions with them. Many years ago, I read a Sanskrit “Sloka” which when translated in Hindi meant that a parent shouldn’t blame himself when his kids don’t turn out well and neither should he take credit if they turn out to be good and successful. Our children said Gibran are not ours to own and possess but they are gifts to us and our job is to launch them as high and as far as we can.

When I easily and happily practice these habits I feel happy, healthy and wise and I am sure my kids, as they grow up, will also turn out to be happy, healthy and wise.

The Athenic Code for Public Speakers

what you focus upon becomes your reality

On the February 19, meeting of the Association of Appreciative Inquiry, Philippines, [www.aiphilippines.org]I was to explain the concept and the methodology of Appreciative Inquiry in less than 30 minutes to newcomers and guests. I was challenged because I knew thirty minutes wouldn’t do justice to the beauty and the essence of Dr. David Cooperrider's work. It is totally unfair to read off a list the principles and the method for something that can be so powerful and effective in creating deep transformations for individuals and communities.

Choose your words and structure, said my conscious mind and my left brain. Be comprehensive and tactical, said my left and right brain together, ask questions and involve your listeners. Use a story, said my heart and my right brain. All that you need to tell them already lies buried within the depths of their intelligences. They already know what you want to tell them. Just let their deeper wisdom surface and let it dance with what is on your mind.

I gave heed to my right-brain’s thinking.

So there was this King, I said, the father of the person who built the beautiful Tajmahal. He was a Mogul and he ruled India in the 16th Century. He was kind, benevolent and referred to as Akbar the Great. The period in Indian history before and after his death was known as the Golden Age of growth and prosperity. Besides being a good and powerful king, Akbar loved dialogues, debates and dabbling in the arts.

He had a Hindu counsellor by the name of Birbal whose character; personality could be compared to that of Solomon the Wise. Akbar and Birbal fables are popular in India and they work the same way as Aesop’s fables do for the rest of the world. Akbar and Birbal liked to keep each other intellectually challenged and sharp during times of peace and calm in 16th century India.

One freezing evening in Delhi, Akbar looks out onto the royal gardens and wonders out aloud, “Birbal, do you think that there could be a man who would dare step into that freezing pond in our gardens?” Birbal from experience knew that this was bait to one of their famous mind games. He figured, he might as well take it up right away rather than wait for the King to push further. “Oh, sure, your majesty, for a fair purpose and under pressure any ordinary person can last a night standing in the freezing pond,” he replied.

“I dare you, Birbal for a bag of gold that you cannot!” exclaimed the King. Birbal smiled and took up the challenge for a bag of gold coins.

In a matter of minutes, the scene was set. Birbal wrapped in a Gandhi-like loin cloth stepped into the icy cold water as the sun disappeared over the horizon and the moon began to rule the night. In the palace balcony, the King lit a lamp, ordered a sumptuous meal and some drinks. He perched himself onto a large, warm sofa to watch Birbal’s pride and honor freeze and crack in icy waters of the pond. Birbal found the centre of the pond and stood chest deep in the water as the moon began to brighten and the night’s temperature began to plunge. This was showdown at high moon!

All night long, the King puffed away at his Hookah, drank wine and kept propping himself up to enjoy the show. His servants and guards dozed off on their spots but Birbal stood steady and deep in the water that was getting cold by the minute. Hours later, the moon surrendered to the dawn’s light and as the sun peeped out from the east, Birbal, to the awe and surprise of the King, slowly stepped out of the pond, put on his shirt and turban and walked up to the King for his bag of gold.

“In the name of the Almighty, how did you do it Birbal?” roared the King, “What’s your secret? Did you consume some special herbs, a magic potion that kept you warm? How?”

“No secret, your Majesty, it is all in the mind, it is all in the power of focus. What you focus upon, O King, becomes your reality. If you focus upon the cold you will feel cold, if you focus upon the darkness you will be lost and if you focus upon failure then you will fail. That is the secret, your highness!”

“What did you focus upon Birbal?”

“Sire, the little lamp that you lit by the side of your sofa as you sat down to watch me, I focussed upon that. All night long, with all my heart and my entire mind I saw nothing but the lamp; I sensed nothing but the warmth that radiated out of it. I saw nothing but light and I felt nothing but the comfort from its glow.”
That is the power of focus. That is the way of those that appreciate what is good, what is powerful and what is life-giving. That is the essence of being inquisitive and being curious about what CAN be improved rather than what needs to blamed and repaired. That is the power of looking at life and systems as secrets to be unfolded instead of problems to be solved. Appreciation represents love, forgiveness and gratitude while inquisitiveness represents curiosity; curiosity ignites creativity and creativity builds and constructs.

Out of sheer habit and past conditioning most people look for things that do not work, things that they fathom to be problems. We focus, many a times, on the tunnel at the end of every light; we focus on a little chip, a crack on a marble masterpiece rather than appreciating the rest of the beauty and marvel that the work of art represents. When a child is weak in arithmetic we pressure her to become better at it rather than focussing and strengthening her skills in music, arts and literature for which she might have a natural aptitude and a passion.

In his book, How Full is Your Bucket, psychologist Tom Rath talks about how his Grandfather and the rest of his family focussed on his strengths as a kid rather than his weaknesses thus letting him lead and succeed at a life of his own choice and happiness.

Focussing on strengths and on what gives life is more than plain positive or proactive thinking. It aligns itself totally with the value and the psychology behind why successful corporations across the world invest so much in articulating and refining their vision and mission statements. It aligns itself totally with what Peter Senge in his book; the Fifth Discipline refers to as creative tension. We, as people and groups, are drawn towards what we like and hope and we are also driven away from what we dislike and fear. Both these tensions are powerful and both of these natural forces create the environment and the energies for our success. The only minor difference in favor of what we are drawn to is that “what we like” can be placed on a distant horizon while what we dislike and move away from disappears from sight and sense after a certain distance and time. One more factor in favor of a distant, powerful, distant vision is that it can be moved further up and away when we reach the first horizon.

A living example of this power of the positive vision pull, this power of focus towards a bright horizon is the life and the success of Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao. As a kid he dreamed big and in his youth he achieved it. Recently, after winning dozens of fights and being declared a billionaire, in an interview with Ms. Dyan Castillejo he was asked what lay ahead for him and he smiled and replied in English, “Let’s just say I have reached my horizons and then suddenly my horizons, I realize, have expanded!”

That is the power of focus towards the positive, towards the light, towards Birbal’s lamp and in the essence of all of Dr. David Cooperrider’s principles.

PitBulls and Entrepreneurs, a Comparison

Pit Bulls and Entrepreneurs


I know, I know! Many of you will be a bit taken aback by the comparison and then there will be some who will say, “Oh, yeah!” The chances are those that will be taken aback may be the ones who do not know your dogs and do not know your entrepreneurs. Then there may be some who will go into a state of shock at the mention of the word_pit bull. Well, for those of you who do get taken aback or, worse, go into a state of shock, you have my apologies and my compassion. You also have my invitation to come and stroll through these stories and allow me to help you discover a world of clarity, creativity, conscientiousness and a raging passion towards achievement, self-fulfilment and self-designed excellence. You will see and learn how many of the wonderful traits that make one species ferocious and wonderful make the other rugged and ragingly successful.

Between the pit bull and the entrepreneur there are certain nuances that similar and different. Placing these two species together highlights the strengths of each and the possible areas of study and synergy for growth, for learning and becoming ferociously effective and brilliantly tenacious as an entrepreneur.

For those of you who went “Oh, yeah!” You know and love your dogs plus hold the pit-bull in reverence then this comparative study will make you smile and revalidate the beliefs you might have had about the secrets behind entrepreneurial success and excellence.

There are several kinds of pit bulls and most all of them are a cross between the English Bull Dog and any one forms of the Terrier. The bull dog’s lineage goes back to the ancient, huge and ferocious Mollosian of the Greek era which, like a bull, was a working dog. Over the years, this crossbreed between the bull dog and the terrier travelled to America in the 1800s and were carefully, further, cross bred to increase their speed, their playfulness and, thus, their intelligence. Today’s pit bull, and the one referred to in this book, could be any one of the several breeds of the American Staffordshire Pit Bull or the American Pit Bull Terrier.

One of the most popular pit bulls was “Pete” from the movie and the series of “Little Rascals.” Other popular pit bulls were owned and loved by famous people like inventor Thomas Alba Edison, President Theodore Roosevelt of the USA and Helen Keller. Unfortunately and sadly, the pit bull has mistakenly acquired a notoriety that runs up chills and hysteria in many people. On the contrary, owners and lovers of pit bulls swear by the intelligence and gentleness of a pit bull. Statistically, they claim, the French Poodle is more vicious, vindictive and prone to attack human beings than a pit bull. The negative media hype has been created based on the looks of a pit bull alone. The strong, aloof and the independent look of the pit bull misleads and gives no clue to its intelligence, loyalty and loving nature.

The pit bull stands apart from most other breeds because of its keen sense of self-identity and self-pride. It rarely bothers to be moved or influenced by the presence of other smaller animals around him. Merlin, my friend Tiny Defensor’s, nine year old, 140 pound pit bull has never bitten anyone its lifetime and it allows Tiny’s pet pussycats to swarm all over him all the time. “He cares a cat’s foot for the pussies!” exclaims Tiny. Brownie, my friend Pinky Sandoval’s, six-year old, 120 pound pit bull constantly lets himself be bullied and barked at her half a dozen pomerians and chihuahuas. The pit bull’s normal reaction to frenzy and nastiness around him is to stand tall, stand apart, walk its walk and completely ignore the riff-raff that surrounds and nags it. It’s like he’s saying to them, “I know exactly who I am and I am totally at peace with who I am.”

Besides having a high sense of self image and self identity, the pit bull of all the known 140 known breeds of dogs in the world also has the rare ability to duplicate the human gesture knows as the “smile.” All other dogs express their joy and satisfaction by barking, jumping or waging their tail excitedly. The pit bull seems to have evolved and stepped ahead of the curve. The pit bull, to express its joy and satisfaction, will raise up and wrinkle its muzzle, display a toothy grin and make his eyes twinkle. This in his imagination is a smile, an expression of approval and happiness. To those that love their pit bulls and know their dogs this is amazing and to those who do not know their dogs this eerie and terrifying. Yes, you can say pit bulls have imagination. This is a rare ability among a few, rare, individual_people who can imagine, duplicate and morph existing facts with new ideas and other non-tangibles. It is for entrepreneurs a rare ability to connect facts from the past with the unseen, unheard and the un-experienced things from the present and create a picture of the future. A future that is possible and filled with productivity, progress and profits for all.


Pit bulls are also known to be really high on love and loyalty for their masters. There are numerous stories about the bond between dogs and man but of all the breeds of dogs, the stories of the pit-bull stand out for strength, sturdiness and fierce integrity. Of all the stories about the pit bull’s image, identity, imagination and integrity the ones that are terrifying are about their fierce tenaciousness and persistence. They say that when a pit-bull, if deliberately abused and angered, gets mad and gets a hold of you then it’ll take an army to pry him apart. This is non-give-up-ness is a core trait of a pit-bull. This is a powerful characteristic ad the ultimate brand image of the pit bull. There is a lesson to be learned in this for entrepreneurs. This trait of a pit bull, from a positive perspective, is a shining lesson in tenaciousness, persistence and hardiness for entrepreneurs.

Now a little story about entrepreneurs before I start highlighting their traits;

Many years ago, I had failed at two attempts at starting and running my own business. The first time, I had failed at putting up a trading business with a partner from the Middle East. The second time I had failed at making success of a small retail business with my spouse as a partner. Sometime in the late 1980, I was in the middle of nurturing a third enterprise. For this third time, before I ventured into it, I spent years understanding and experiencing the trade. I spent years in knowing the supply side and the demand side in the industry. I spent years saving up money and building up other resources and connections in the industry. I’d also spent years in learning the rights skills and competencies to help me become a self-dependant, and a complete entrepreneur.

I remember one morning, six months and a year into it, I was in the middle of strapping some cartons for a shipment when an officer from the Department of Labor and Employment came knocking at my door. He was conducting a random, spot inspection for unfair and inhuman treatment of employees by small business owners.
“As an owner of this company, I wouldn’t mind answering a few questions would I?” he asked.

“Sure! Go ahead and be my guest.” I replied.
“How long has this business been operational and what is it that you do?”
“Well, it’s now been a year and half. We are in the business of trading soft goods like house decor, apparel, handicrafts and stuff. We buy them here, in the Philippines, and then we ship them to clients across the world.”
“Hmm, that must be quite lucrative and how many people do you have working here?”
“Two. A girl and there’s this bloke.”
“Can you please describe the job of the girl?”
“Well, she answers the phone, takes messages, files loose papers, types a letter a day, once in a while makes weak coffee and every fortnight runs to the bank to draw her salary.”
“Right, that sounds like she is the Office Assistant. Awful supporting aren’t they? Does she put in any extra effort for the business?
“Oh, yes, yes! She takes time to fix her hair, powder her nose, file her nails, and chat on the office telephone with her girlfriends on weekdays and her boy-friends on Fridays. Then there are also days when she doesn’t have a boyfriend, she spends her days crying and eating chocolates in the office. Poor little girl!”
“Oh, that’s quite sad. How many hours a week, would you say, does she suffer like this in here?”
“Oh, the poor thing, she comes in a bit after 10 in the morning to avoid the morning traffic and leaves just before 4 in the afternoon, to beat the evening traffic on weekdays. On Saturdays, she drops by for a quick brunch and then leaves to get her hair done.”
“Gosh! That’s over 30 hours a week and does she get a fair pay, social security, health insurance, all the prescribed holidays, annual vacation and sick leaves too?”
“Oh, yes she does get all that plus another three days every month.”
“That’s quite okay. Now about this bloke who works here what exactly does he do?”
“This “bloke” as you call him gets the orders, draws the contracts, does the purchasing, chases the mills for delivery, drives the truck, manages the inventory, packs the shipments, does the billing, cleans the car, answers the phone and makes coffee when Jane is not around.”
“Sounds like quite a handy man. What are his working hours around here?”
“He’s here before the break of dawn on Mondays and then stays till all the work is done for the rest of the week.”
“That’s amazing! Does that mean he also sleeps over here?”
“Yes, on that wooden bench over there by the dog-house.”
“That looks quite inviting and warm. Now, does he get a fair pay for his hours, social security, medical and health insurance, annual vacation and sick leaves?”
“Oh, yeah sure!" He gets two square meals a day, a daily cup of weak of coffee, a pack of cigarettes every month and he is also allowed to sneak off early on Christmas eve and come in a bit late on New Year’s Day.”
“That’s preposterous and inhuman! Sneaks off on Christmas Eve! I think you, Sir, you are an animal, a monster and a slave-driver! Please call that man, here, right now! I’d like to see the poor slob!”
“Sir,” I said quietly, “you are looking at him!”

Though that story, in its entirety, is not at all true, it does come close to putting across the point that an entrepreneur; a business owner has to work, eat and sleep like a dog. He has to put in atrociously obscene amounts of time, effort and dedication for the success of his business. It is all a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

Entrepreneurs do not get born, they are made. In my early teens, I was surrounded by a large, close and distant, family of entrepreneurs. Most all of them either owned a store, a trading business or a small manufacturing or service business. During our family get-togethers they would talk shop, compare notes and share tips on how to start something new or, improve and expand existing businesses. All of them considered owning a business was the most proper and decent way to live. “Working for others?” Well, it was “working for others” and it was looked upon with disdain and shame. There was, and is, pride, honor and freedom to earn and grow exactly as one wished for in a self-owned enterprise.

One of the many, very Indian, catch-phrases my grandfather used to nag me with was, “Apni ghott to mazaa aaye!” Literally translated, it meant, “The fun lies in brewing and grinding your own.” Metaphorically, it meant, “If you want to amount to something, if you want to make it big and be fulfilled then start and build something on your own.” This kind of subtle and consistent programming of our minds by our elders was our family’s culture. The young ones, in response, had no choice but to constantly think, explore, talk and dream business opportunities and ventures. This influence and programming by the elders of the family was quite intense. The long-term results of this culture building were resilience, tenacity and the ability to save, survive and build from scratch. These entrepreneurial habits got seeped into our neuropsychological systems for life.

A large percentage of my family members are still private business owners and continue to breed their offspring into the same atmosphere and culture. I, personally, moved in out of the corporate world and the world of the rugged, resilient and resourceful entrepreneurs. I regard both the breeds with respect and reverence for their skills but here, in this book; I pay homage to the maverick, the jack of all trades—the enigmatic entrepreneur!

Yes, you already know, I am also a deep-hearted lover of dogs. In my life-time, I have been scared by a lot, chased by many, bit by a few and have owned only five but, yes, I love them all. I find dogs to be the intelligent, imaginative, loyal and backed up by a burning desire to succeed and excel at whatever they wish to achieve. All the traits which are necessary for success and excellence in the field of entrepreneurship.

In the ensuing chapters, I will share several stories, secrets and strategies of several successful entrepreneurs I have known personally. I will compare and contrast their traits, their talents and their tales to those of a pit-bull. A dog which, in spite of all the negative media and hype about its character, in reality is a breed that stands slightly taller and slightly apart from the rest of the dogs in the world—just like successful entrepreneurs do amongst other ordinary people.