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Successful entrepreneurs are a mix of hybrid innovators (with inventive and creative style) and managers (with solid general administration skills, business know-how, and adequate contacts). Throughout the years, economists have depicted more roles of entrepreneurs that just running businesses and raking in money. 
 These are the 5 roles that every <keyword id="6359301" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Entrepreneur">entrepreneur</keyword> needs play for a successful <keyword id="138263" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="startup">startup</keyword> venture: 
 
Leader 
 
It ought to be nothing unexpected that entrepreneurs are regularly observed as leaders, yet the real part of leadership takes experience to master. As the pioneer of your association, you'll be responsible for building up the interior tone, setting a decent case for your team, settling conflicts and keeping assurance up in times of pain or hardship. And that’s no cake walk. 
 
Informer 
 
Money matters, particularly when it's not your own. When you keep shareholders and investors side by side of the great and the terrible, you pick up regard and eagerness that goads you on to more prominent success. 
 
Marketer 
 
As the essential visionary for your company, you have the occupation of setting up an image for your brand. You can enlist an outside marketing professional to help you concoct the nuts and bolts, but at the end of the day, you’ll be the one finalising marketing plans. 
 
HR Manager 
 
As an entrepreneur, you'll be responsible for building the team that helps your thoughts and objectives through to success. This implies you'll have full control over who comes into your association, and you can organize whatever mix of skills, talents, training, background and identity you have to make things work. 
 
The Architect 
 
Entrepreneurs set the vision, the romance, and culture around a major and brave goal. In doing so they should have a general arrangement for where they want to go, yet they ought not get hung up on building up the ideal arrangement. Their reasoning resembles an architect in the idea and outline advancement stage as opposed to one in the nitty gritty schematic stage. The subtle elements of each initiative ought to change with new client and market criticism. This is the reason the best venture capitalists wager above all else on the general population and second — and it's an inaccessible second — on the plan. There is no doubt that it's less demanding to adjust a plan than it is to change individuals.

5 roles that entrepreneurs
should play to make their startups a million dollar venture

It's anything but difficult to perceive any reason why such a large number of <keyword id="6359301" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Entrepreneur">entrepreneur</keyword>s may stop just at a level of salary as being successful, or various headcount at their <keyword id="138263" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="startup">startup</keyword>, however those aren't genuine metrics to measure you. It's for precisely that reason you should truly ask yourself what success implies beyond money to guide yourself toward true success as an entrepreneur. 
 
1. How can we become the company that would put us out of business? 
2. How much money does success mean? 
3. What is it like to work for me? 
4. What counts that we are not counting? 
5. What does your business exist to accomplish, and who does it serve? 
6. What is the smallest change we have made that has had the biggest positive result? What was it about that small change that produced the large return? 
7. Are the goals still the right goals? 
8. What do you hope to get out of this business? 
9. What do we stand for--and what are we against? 
10. Am I failing differently each time? 
 
At whatever point you're feeling detached from your long term vision, at whatever point you could utilize a boost to get again enthusiastically, or at whatever point you need to venture back to get an overall perspective on your progress, take a couple of minutes to go through the ten questions above. Doing as such will resurface the inspiration you have to make your vision a reality.

10 questions every
‘True’ entrepreneur asks himself

<div type="image" wfid="100587"></div> “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than giving the eulogy.” - <keyword id="5630" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Jerry-Seinfeld">Jerry Seinfeld</keyword> While Jerry Seinfeld was making a joke, he is also making a statement, like good comedy often does. Many times in life we are held back by things that should not have any power over us, whether it’s embarrassment, fear of what others might think of us, or simply a fear of failure. These fears can quickly become seemingly impenetrable barriers. But <keyword id="16032" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Guess">guess</keyword> what? These barriers only really exist in your head. To be an <keyword id="6359301" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="entrepreneur">entrepreneur</keyword> in any field is not without risks, but making calculated risks and learning from your mistakes while still moving forward is very different to being crippled by fears and insecurities. Fear can be a form of self-preservation, but it’s also counterproductive. An entrepreneur does not want to preserve their current way of life. They want things to grow - to be bigger and better, so don’t let risk scare you. So what are the 10 fears that every entrepreneur needs to beat if they want to be successful? 

	 

	1. The Fear of Starting on a New <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="journey">Journey</keyword> 

	It’s perfectly natural to be afraid of something new, particularly something that involves an entirely new routine, and this explains why so many children burst into tears when their parents say goodbye to them on the first day of school. It’s difficult and yet important to remind yourself that you want, and indeed, crave the new. You want the success and freedom that your entrepreneurial goals represent, and it’s vital to focus on this desire. 

	 

	2. Taking a Risk: The Fear of Failure 

	There’s no success without risk. While most entrepreneurial journeys are, to a certain extent, taking a gamble, you should see yourself as taking a calculated risk. Your goals should be clear, planned out, and your expectations for growth should be realistic. While you shouldn’t dismiss the reasons why you might fail, you should plan and believe in yourself to the point that these reasons won’t eventuate. Your failures will hopefully be minimal, will not derail your overall ambitions, and will offer you a chance to learn. 

	 

	3. The Fear of What Other People Might Think 

	Should you care what other people think? Generally speaking, you should not. So maybe you want to style your hair in a certain way and other people might think it looks silly. Who cares? You know you look great. It’s the same when setting up any kind of entrepreneurial endeavour. 

	Your own self belief is your strongest tool for success. Don’t allow other people’s expectations to govern your ambitions. You should welcome constructive criticism, but dismiss outright negativity. 

	 

	4. The Fear You're Making the Wrong Decision 

	How will you know it’s all going to work out? Well, you don’t. It’s as simple as that. The success of your goals is not a given, but think of the alternative. If you don’t try, you will always be thinking about what could have been. Surely this would be infinitely more frustrating than worrying about whether you’re making the wrong decision? At least when you make a go of it yourself, you have control over your own path to success. 

	 

	5. The Fear You Don't Have Enough Experience Perhaps you don’t have a lot of experience in your intended field, but this doesn’t have to hold you back. A successful entrepreneur is resourceful, adaptable, and this equates to being good at learning on the go. A lack of formal education doesn’t need to hinder you either. We live in the age of information, and exhaustive resources on any topic imaginable is just a <keyword id="6355629" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="google">Google</keyword> search away. Read, research, and arm yourself with knowledge. This will go a long way to overcome any fears you might have about your lack of experience. 

	 

	6. The Fear of Financial Disaster 

	The fear of failure is made worse by worrying about the financial implications. The fear gets worse when you worry about not being able to provide for your family. Any financial losses should very much be a calculated risk, and you should have enough money to cover yourself should you take any missteps in the early stages of your journey. A good business plan can mean that these missteps are less likely to happen. Remember that entrepreneurial success can represent financial freedom, so the end result is definitely worth the financial outlay and any potential loss. Save up and have enough money in your war chest so that a financial loss will be an inconvenience, rather than a disaster. 

	 

	7. A Lack of Belief in Yourself All your fears and insecurities can culminate in an overwhelming lack of belief in yourself. It might sound somewhat new age, but the power of positive thinking is vital to instilling a strong sense of belief in yourself. Keep your eye on the prize, along with everything that it represents, and those doubts will fade away. Overcoming your self-doubt allows you to achieve in all areas of life, not just with your entrepreneurial ambitions. <keyword id="2809986" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Timothy-Ferriss">Timothy Ferriss</keyword>, noted <keyword id="2042301" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="entrepreneur-and-author">entrepreneur and author</keyword> of The 4-Hour Work Week perhaps said it best: “What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do.” 

	 

	8. The Fear of Getting out of Your Comfort Zone 

	The comfort zone is unsurprisingly, rather darn comfortable. You follow a set routine, you know what’s going to happen each day, and there’s the security of the regular payday that this sort of lifestyle provides. But familiarity breeds contempt, and you don’t want to ever be in the position of resenting yourself for not challenging yourself. The comfort zone is not without its charms, but an entrepreneur is driven by their ambitions, and it’s a case of wanting the best for yourself, rather than a life that is “sufficient.” 

	 

	9. The Need for Everything to Be Perfect 

	You’re not psychic, and while you can rightly believe that you will find success, you can’t see every bump in the road. A structured business plan is vital, and it’s also important to present a sense of professionalism. Even if behind the scenes, your operations are a little hectic, your clients and potential clients should see a polished exterior. This is as simple as setting a service agreement for yourself with regards to returning phone calls and emails within a set timeframe. While things might not be running smoothly, if you maintain a high level of professionalism, only you will know. This is also related to learning on the go, and allows you to identify ways to improve your business processes. 

	 

	10. The Fear It Will Take over Your Life 

	Great success takes great effort, and great effort takes a great deal of time. In its infancy, your entrepreneurial ambitions can take over your every waking hour. Remember the value of maintaining a work/life balance - working to live, instead of living to work. Having said that, the amount of effort you’ll need to put in can take over your life, but be mindful that this is a temporary thing. As your business endeavour reaches certain milestones of success, you can begin to delegate responsibilities, and take less of a hands on role. You could also have the plan of growing a business to the point that it becomes lucrative enough to sell - allowing you to rest for a while before moving on to another entrepreneurial goal. Fears can certainly be a barrier to any <keyword id="192499" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="budding-entrepreneur">budding entrepreneur</keyword>, but these barriers can be broken. Without some serious barrier breaking, your entrepreneurial goals will be nothing more than unfulfilled dreams, which will be an unending source of disappointment. Sure, you could easily stay in your comfort zone, but for a true entrepreneur, this can be a fate worse than death. Maybe actual death truly is the number two fear for some people... 

	(The author is David Kovacs an entrepreneur and a performance-driven digital marketer. David worked with businesses that range from Fortune 500 companies to start-up ventures. He also runs a Travel SEO agency that helps growing travel businesses profit from online marketing with #1 page rankings.)

Want to be successful entrepreneur? First you need to beat these 10 fears

The Oxford Dictionary defines the word ‘<keyword id="6359301" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Entrepreneur">entrepreneur</keyword>’ as ‘a person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit.’ 
 
So, just who is an entrepreneur? 
 
In a broad sense, an entrepreneur is a person who 
 
1. Organises a business venture and assumes the complete risk for the venture at times, giving his personal guarantee and taking personal liabilities. 
 
2. Has looked at a problem and seen it as an opportunity. He would then develop on this opportunity to start something new with the intention of generating surpluses for himself or his investors. 
 
3. Has fire in his belly to do something and feels that his ambition is being held in check by the corporate red tape. But it takes more than just cleverness and frustration with the status quo to get an entrepreneurial venture off the ground. 
 
4. Is someone who assumes the financial risk of the initiation, operation and management of the business. 
 
Most entrepreneurs are driven not by the need to make money, but by the need to make their dreams a reality. 
 
More often than not, money is a byproduct of an entrepreneur’s motivation rather than the motivation itself. Entrepreneurs are participants, not observers; players, not fans. And to be an entrepreneur is to be an optimist, to believe that with the right amount of time and money, you can achieve anything. When an entrepreneur reaches an obstacle, she/he turns it into an opportunity. 
 
Failure is essential for any new entrepreneur to succeed. We cannot let any adversity pull us back. We have to learn from our mistakes and our adversities, accept the knock our profit-and-loss account will take and keep moving ahead. Every entrepreneur has to plan for the best but prepare for the worst. 
 
An entrepreneur’s ‘gut feeling’ is often the subject of a lot of discussion and my own learning here has been that gut feeling is really the extract of one’s own experience and one’s ability for risk-taking rather than some vision that an entrepreneur purportedly has had. 
 
Contrary to popular belief, entrepreneurs aren't generally high risk takers when they can't affect the outcome of the situation. They tend to set realistic and achievable goals, and when they do take risks, those are usually calculated ones based on facts and experience, rather than instinct. 
 If one is convinced about an idea, there is no better time than now to start one’s <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="journey">journey</keyword> as an entrepreneur. <keyword id="819468" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="the-choice">The choice</keyword> is yours and yours alone. Refuse to throw in the towel. Go that extra mile that failures refuse to travel. It is far better to be exhausted from success than to be rested from failure. 
 
Take the plunge and start your planning process now. There is no day as good as today to make a beginning if you genuinely believe in your dream. Building a new company is hard work. But the hardest part of building a new company is not coming up with a new idea. 
 
You need to stay committed to your dream when you are dead tired or when you have to tell your spouse that you cannot go to a party because your work needs you more. If you are not willing to give up on things which are really important for you or if you are likely to be put down because of a rejection, it will be very difficult to stick to your idea and implement it. 
 
<keyword id="228169" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Ashutosh-Garg">Ashutosh Garg</keyword> is the Chairman and Managing Director, <keyword id="228170" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Guardian-Lifecare">Guardian Lifecare</keyword> Pvt Ltd. Twitter: @gargashutosh

Who Is An
Entrepreneur?

2017 is here! For millions of people over the world it's an ideal opportunity to consider resolutions that will help you improve yourself in the New Year—however for entrepreneurs; it's about considering approaches to grow your <keyword id="6355515" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business">business</keyword>. 
 
This is what every business visionary must do in the beginning of 2017 
 
Business Coach 
 We all know those Type A <keyword id="53533" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="entrepreneurs">entrepreneurs</keyword>, who think they can do everything by themselves. The truth is – they can’t. Whether they admit or not, their business will sink down on ego. That’s why hiring a business coach is a good idea. They can see your business from the outside; they can give a non-biased perspective of how you're doing in your business. They can push you to try harder, and stop you from doing mistakes. 
 
Record your budget 
 Effective <keyword id="124303" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Budgeting">budgeting</keyword> is critical to the long haul soundness of your business. Do you know the amount you're spending on overhead? Do you know what your profit margin is? On the off chance that you don't know how to budget effectively, get help. 
 
Appoint Tasks 
 
If you truly need to grow your business in 2017, you need to let go of a portion of the control. Try not to round your day with sending out invoices, scheduling meetings, and booking travel courses of action. Rather, think about hiring an assistant to help you out so you can free up your timetable and focus on errands that will really help you expand 
 
Say no to ‘<keyword id="2169161" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Micromanaging">Micromanaging</keyword>’ 
 If you’re micromanaging your employees, you’re killing their productivity, creativity and most of all, their will to work outside the time and comfort zone. I’ve been there and have seen <keyword id="138263" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="startup">startup</keyword>s fall because of micromanaging, they either end up losing their staff or culture. Running a startup is not easy, we understand that part, that’s why keeping the employee motivated, should be your motto. Discipline and control can only lead to chaos.

4 things every entrepreneur
must do in January 2017

Most of us, who have started <keyword id="641929" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="entrepreneurial-ventures">entrepreneurial ventures</keyword>, have gone through several <keyword id="2415778" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="self-doubts">self-doubts</keyword> on whether we took the right decision to pursue our dream venture and start-off on one’s own. We have also faced self-doubts when we have taken decisions through our journey of building our companies. 
 So if you have self-doubts and questions about why you took the plunge as a <keyword id="1977081" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Startup-entrepreneur">startup entrepreneur</keyword>, relax. You are not alone. Self-doubt is a very normal human response whenever we are faced with <keyword id="47256" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="challenges">challenges</keyword> that initially seem insurmountable. How you handle these self-doubts, face your internal challenges and build your business will be the key differentiator between success and failure of your dream venture. 
 
Accepting that you are not alone is a great start to addressing your own self-doubts. Here are some pointers from my learnings addressing the challenges I have faced in my entrepreneurial journey. 
 
When faced with challenges, look back at your successes 
Think of all the successes you have had in the past whenever you are faced with self-doubts and concerns. Positive thoughts will help you prepare better for each day’s challenges. 
 
Stop worrying about what others think of you 
You have embarked upon your entrepreneurial journey to achieve your dreams. Worrying about what someone else is thinking about your business or what your friends may think about how you are building your company is only harming yourself. Remember that others are too busy facing their own self-doubts and challenges to think about you and your challenges! 
 
Dream Big. Think Small As an <keyword id="6359301" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Entrepreneur">entrepreneur</keyword>, dream of the big picture and where you hope to take your young business five years from now. However, your tactical plan to achieve your dream must be to set “bite sized” goals for yourself and your teams on a weekly, fortnightly and monthly basis. Only when you start to achieve your small steps will you be able to run towards your dream. 
 
Get great people in your organisation and delegate effectively 
Putting together a good management team always helps in better decision making. Once you have a good team, empower them and delegate effectively. Remember that you only have a finite amount of time every day and you do not have the skill sets to handle all the work. At the same time, remember to set up strong systems to seek accountability from your people. 
 
Do not be afraid to take decisions – right or wrong 
When confronted with challenges, your people are looking towards you to take tough and well thought through decisions. Hesitating, procrastinating or deferring decisions can only harm the long-term interests of your business and your people. Not taking a decision is worse than taking a wrong decision. An incorrect decision can be corrected but a management team, faced with an entrepreneur who does not take decisions will be directionless. 
 
Keep evaluating yourself 
As the person who has the greatest stake in your business and your success, keep evaluating yourself constantly. Keep thinking of the worst-case scenarios that you could be confronted. Once you recognise and understand your downside, you will be able to take better and well thought through decisions. 
 
Remember to carve out personal time each day 
I have met many entrepreneurs who just cannot find time from their busy schedule. They are so immersed in their business that they fail to find time for themselves to introspect and they fail to find time for their family. Personal time, every day, gives you the much-needed breather from your hectic work schedule. If you can add an exercise schedule in your daily routine, you will be helping yourself with a fitter body to face your challenges. 
 
Learn to forgive yourself 
I have met many entrepreneurs who keep regretting an incorrect decision and hence keep punishing themselves for what “may have been” the direction if they had taken another path. Will not forgiving yourself make a difference? Will you be able to turn back the clock? If the answer to both these is no, then you are wasting your time. Forgive yourself and move forward with a correct decision. 
 
Do not wallow in self-pity 
Mistakes will happen. Either you can run with the ball or you can wallow in self-pity. A weak entrepreneur transfers his uncertainties and self-doubts to the entire team very quickly and this can have snowballing consequences on the health of your young business. Pessimism in an entrepreneur is very visible to everyone. 
 
Discuss with family 
Remember that your biggest supporter throughout your entrepreneurial journey will be your family. Keeping them advised of what you are going through will get you a lot of support at home. Moreover, you will be surprised at how valuable the inputs you get from your family can be in handling your own self-doubts. 
 
Stay connected 
Staying connected with friends and the community you live is essential to retain your sanity. Keeping in touch with what is going on in the World is important to retain your perspectives. An all-consuming business can never be a recipe for long term-success. 
 
Emotional involvement 
While it is good to take strong ownership of your business, getting emotionally involved with your business is never advisable. Every entrepreneur needs to learn to distance himself from his business. 
 
When you look back at the end of a few years, you will realise all your self-doubts only made you a stronger entrepreneur. Finally, remember that it is a lonely job at the top as an entrepreneur and keeping yourself motivated to keep pushing ahead will be your first and biggest challenge. 
 
(Image Credits: Thinkstock) 
 
(About the Author: The author is the founder Chairman of Guardian Pharmacies and the author of 5 best-selling books, Reboot. Reinvent. Rewire: Managing Retirement in the 21st Century; The Corner Office; An Eye for an Eye; The Buck Stops Here - Learnings of a #Startup Entrepreneur and The Buck Stops Here – My Journey from a Manager to an Entrepreneur.)

Self-Doubts of an Startup Entrepreneur

A female entrepreneur/leader in a still male dominated world is a tough role to live. Getting lambasted for the very traits that have made you successful is after all not a great feeling, but something often successful women have to undergo. 
 
However, come what may, you need to be resolute in who you are and committed to who you want to become. So girls, NEVER APOLOGIZE for: 
 
1. Being Real It’s most often the traits that others feel jealous of that will make you successful in your life and business. The people around you can see this too, which is where the hate comes from. Don’t apologize for who you are. Be real! 
 
2. Being Accomplished Most people, men or women, that you encounter won’t have been able to create the results you have. That doesn’t mean that you have to stoop down to their level and apologize because “you got lucky” and the stars aligned just right. 
 
3. Being Motivated Since when did it become a bad thing to be driven to succeed? The fact is that most who don’t condone this character trait feel this way because they wish they could be more driven, more positive, more of an inspiration, but they just can’t seem to find it inside themselves. This isn’t your fault. 
 
4. Being a loved Female Entrepreneur So your beautiful, vivacious, intelligent, funny. Aside from being hard-nosed and driven to get what you want, you do need to be the type of personality that people actually enjoy being around. A nice, but not too nice boss is going to be better at managing employees than one who’s a constant grump. If you got it, flaunt it girl! Whatever that something is. 
 
5. Being Uncompromising You have to be stalwart, completely committed to the outcomes you’re looking for. When someone tries to get you to change something that you don’t feel is right, you need to stand your ground. Apologizing for this only sullies your goals and your reputation!

5 personality traits a Woman Leader should never apologize for

Will the <keyword id="613228" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="US-shutdown">US shutdown</keyword> hurt the Indian start-ups operating in that country? We bring you a series of quick chats with entrepreneurs and start-up specialists who are tracking the situation in real time. Today’s chat is with <keyword id="318859" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Alok-Kejriwal">Alok Kejriwal</keyword>. 
 A successful serial <keyword id="6359301" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Entrepreneur">entrepreneur</keyword> in the digital space, Alok ‘Rodinhood’ Kejriwal is a ‘passionate’ mentor with a deep understanding of the start-up ecosystem. His online gaming firm <keyword id="297173" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Games2win">Games2win</keyword> (Kejriwal is the co-founder and CEO) operates from India and the US (<keyword id="12161" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="San-Francisco">San Francisco</keyword>), and claims to entertain over 20 million unique users a month. It is his 4th New Media venture and the company hit the headlines as one of its games, Parking Frenzy, bagged the top spot in US iTunes App Store. 
 Games2win is currently on an acquisition spree (one deal closed and eyeing some more), but we wondered how the current <keyword id="6379139" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="shutdown">shutdown</keyword> would affect its US business, which generates the largest chunk of consumer revenues. Kejriwal feels that the current uncertainty may hurt investor sentiment and put the start-up industry in a ‘slow-motion’ phase. But most entrepreneurs are quite used to things ‘starting and shutting down.’ So they won’t find it too difficult to cope with. Here are the excerpts from our chat. 
 
Will this current shutdown affect Indian start-ups – those with significant operations in the US? 
 
Incidences like the US Shutdown create uncertainty, and uncertainty is something that disturbs investors. Capital is allergic to uncertainty and its availability gets restricted until things become clear. Similarly, trade, risk-taking and the very machinery of enterprise goes into a ‘slow-motion’ phase during such extraordinary times. All these factors adversely affect entrepreneurs. This is enhanced when entrepreneurs run start-ups that service the <keyword id="48028" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="US-government">US government</keyword> and/or have Indian back offices that rely on the US govt work. 
 
Do you expect your niche business to be affected? After all, gaming, music and such other segments are pure entertainment that may not get so much traction in a crisis period. 
Actually, we have seen gaming and ‘freemium’ (free till a point) entertainment offerings flourish in difficult times! Parents, stay-at-home teens and young adults devour cheap and easily accessible entertainment when they are facing financial challenges. Mobile and online games specifically improve in consumption when things are tough! 
 
Will the shutdown impact seed-stage or early-stage funding? Well, it ‘may.’ That depends on how the <keyword id="6368584" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="US-dollar">US Dollar</keyword> behaves and its volatility during this upheaval. Investors don’t want their <keyword id="6362476" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="investments">investments</keyword> to face too much of a currency risk and they become risk-averse about investing in businesses or startups that get affected by currency fluctuations. 
 
As of now, VCs are very cautious about investing in Indian companies. Do you think this sentiment will continue? 
Very possible. The year 2007 attracted the maximum number of VCs to India and at that time, the conversion rate was Rs 45/dollar. Today, it is Rs 65. This means that just taking the money back home now costs a VC 50% more in currency depreciation – something that could have been avoided if they had invested the same money in the Unites States.​​ 
 
Will Indian start-ups now think twice before entering the US market? 
Nope! Never! Entrepreneurs are so used to things ‘starting and shutting down’ that Shutdown feels as if the US government is just another start up!! Entrepreneurs are opportunity hounds. They will never give up until they have found what they were looking for, and captured it! 
 
Watch this space tomorrow for another start-up reaction.

Entrepreneurs Are
Opportunity Hounds, Shutdown Won’t Deter Them: Alok Kejriwal, Serial
Entrepreneur And Mentor

Remember that guy who gave up? Neither does anybody else. 
 It is easy to enter into the arena of business with a unique idea. But once you take the first step you might realize that the path to success is not as smooth as you had thought. The decision of leaving behind a regular paycheck to build something huge is a big risk in itself. The reason behind the risk includes no guarantee of success, lot of hard work and 90% chances of start-up failure. Managing a business is not a stroll in the nearby park. Every successful <keyword id="6359301" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Entrepreneur">entrepreneur</keyword> you see today have gone through various challenges. With their skills and hard work, they have overcome each hurdle they encountered through their journey. 
 
As they do so, they give up on certain things to ensure success. Things like: 
 
· Accept the fact that success doesn’t come overnight. So give up on all the vague ideas you have about success. 
 
· Quit worrying about the views of other people regarding your business. You need not be perfect for your customers but you need to do what you are passionate about. 
 · Quit focusing on money and earning profits from the first day because often money-focus inspires short-sightedness and ends up destroying the business. Always stay in <keyword id="30450" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Touch">touch</keyword> with your customers to understand their needs. 
 
· Overcome your fear of change. Change is the law of nature and you can’t achieve something big if you are not willing to stand out odd amongst the crowd. Keep in mind that you can’t control the conflict, some people will be in opposition, may be due to jealousy so stay focused to overcome any conflict. 
 
· Stop following the advice of every single person you meet. No one knows your business idea better than you. Listen to your inner voice and if you are 100% excited about the idea, just go for it. 
 <keyword id="60299" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Walt-Disney">Walt Disney</keyword> didnt succeed instantly . He was fired by a <keyword id="215926" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="newspaper-editor">newspaper editor</keyword> because ‘he had no good ideas and lacked imagination’. He never gave up and started a number of businesses that ended with bankruptcy. Today, Disney makes millions from movies and theme parks around the world. Someone once said that the ‘worst days come right before the success’, so if you are thinking about giving up; read the following. 
 
Who knows it might change your mind? 
 
Lower your Expectations 
Do not expect to compete with other markets leaders within a few weeks or months, even if your business has huge investments. Always set realistic goals and success will definitely knock at your door. The key to getting success within a short period is to gather your strengths and use them to your advantage at the right time. Always believe in putting right efforts without expecting ultimate success in return. 
 
Fake It Till You Make It It is hard to believe but every <keyword id="2887417" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="single-entrepreneur">single entrepreneur</keyword> in the world fakes success. Faking success doesn’t mean that you will have to lie and show off in front of others by making stories. It simply means to think, behave and act like you have already succeeded. Fake it and you will definitely make it because the change in thinking actually makes a big difference. 
 
Believe in Yourself 
Most of the entrepreneurs go through a rough phase when they are unable to handle the pressure. However, it is their belief in themselves that helps; Always believe in yourself because you are actually stronger than you think. What if you were trying from a wrong angle till now and your next approach might give you the success you always wanted? Do you still want to give up? 
 
Here is a bonus of <a href="http://successstory.com/inspiration/success-quotes">Success quotes</a> to boost your level of becoming successful. 
 
 
Stay Fit and Stop Comparing Stay fit and take care of your personal hygiene. As long as your body parts function properly, you can achieve anything in this world. Nothing is impossible as long as you are alive with the will and passion in your <keyword id="24479" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="heart">heart</keyword> to achieve the ultimate success. Don’t give up just because your neighbor or friend who started business after you is earning hundred dollars a month. Remember, when you fell really low and you have nothing left to lose, this is the time to take the biggest risks and possibly time for success to touch your feet. 
 
(This article has been contributed by successstory.com) 
(Image: Thinkstock)

How to Never Give up on Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur

This may come as a surprise to many but the government (both central and state authorities) has helped <keyword id="53533" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="entrepreneurs">entrepreneurs</keyword> in India in an unexpected manner – by failing in some functions, which it is expected to perform by default. I have been analysing the start-up ecosystem in India for some time now and have come across many entrepreneurs who succeeded just because the government failed to provide the required services to the citizens. Not only did these entrepreneurs step in to fill the gap, but they also provided livelihood and jobs to many others. In this article, I have tried to bring out 4 such areas where the enterprising minds found their opportunities. 
 
1. <keyword id="54464" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="potable-water">Potable water</keyword>: Every morning, we see scores of pick-up vehicles laden with plastic canisters supplying drinking water to homes and offices. The failure of the government to provide sufficient and quality potable water has provided an opportunity to entrepreneurs to step in. Over a period of time, supplying potable water has become such a lucrative business that it has created gold for companies ranging from billion-dollar corporations to small-time entrepreneurs – thus creating a multi-billion-dollar industry. 
 
2. <keyword id="1927173" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Power-generators-and-inverters">Power generators and inverters</keyword>: The power situation in India is far from satisfactory and with the rising consumption of electricity, the gap between demand and supply is getting wider by the day. Many entrepreneurs have seen an opportunity there and now provide a number of solutions – from solar lanterns suitable for one-room huts in villages to huge power generators installed in factories and offices. 
 
3. <keyword id="142710" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Security-agencies">Security agencies</keyword>: Security of life and property should be the prior concern of the government. But with the rapid rise in urbanisation across India, the security set-up has failed to cope up with the requirements of the growing population in the cities. The government agencies have failed to provide the required level of security and this has given a chance to private security agencies to provide services to home, offices, factories and apartment buildings. Thousands of people are employed by these private security agencies, providing security services to lakhs and more. So much so that a few Indian private security agencies have started taking up international assignments as well. 
 
4. <keyword id="6356028" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sports">Sports</keyword>: Of late, the best of the sports people in India do not come from government academies. Majority of the Indian boxers, who have been dominating world boxing, have come from the private sports clubs in Haryana. Similarly, Indian shuttlers, who have recently made their mark in world badminton, have all trained at a private academy in Hyderabad. And there are scores of private academies honing cricketers and other sports people in India. 
 
Also, most of us are aware of the mess created by the government agencies in managing the Commonwealth Games. In stark contrast is the organisation and management of the Indian Grand Prix, held at Budh International Circuit or even the recently started Indian Badminton League. The success of such sports events have inspired many other entrepreneurs to come forward and they are now planning similar events for other disciplines as well. 
 But the <keyword id="100363" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-entrepreneurs">Indian entrepreneurs</keyword>’ ability to make the best of the situation (where we find below-average services) is not limited to the four areas I have picked up to discuss. If we look around, we will find many such areas where entrepreneurs have picked up the loose ends and provided the missing links. 
 
So there is a ray of hope for other entrepreneurs as similar opportunities are waiting to be explored. Just look around and you might be able to identify the next big start-up for such services. 
 
Image: Shutterstock/D. Hammonds

Where Entrepreneurs
Succeeded Because Government Failed

As an <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Entrepreneur">entrepreneur</a> one has to learn to think everything from scratch. All by themselves. Knowing how to think is the most valuable thing for anyone. The reason we have a problem figuring out how to unlearn and think is that all we’re already packed with multiple identities – the child, the student, the spouse, the employee, the citizen, the parent. None of them teach us to be an <keyword id="6359301" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Entrepreneur">entrepreneur</keyword> or to see opportunity. 
 
How does anyone learn to think? Here is a line of thinking map that’ll help you find your way. 
 
Image credit: Funders and Founders, Rockribbons

Think like an Entrepreneur

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><a href="http://www.yepokayeebo.com/">Yepoka Yeebo / Business Insider</a></div>Starting a business is hard enough, but bringing a franchise to a foreign land — where languages, customs, laws and standard practices are completely different — poses a whole new set of problems.
Wen-Szu Lin, the former the master franchisee for Auntie Anne’s Pretzels in <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword>, experienced a whole host of problems when he and his partner started out. His latest book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AP8YUPS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=shanghabookst-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00AP8YUPS" target="_blank" title="Opens in a new window">The China Twist: An entrepreneur's cautious tales of franchising in China</a>, is a cautionary tale for anyone attempting to bring their business to east Asia.
A telling example is the problem of corruption. Corruption, by an American standard, is rampant in Chinese business and goes unchecked. Payoffs and bribes can be factored into the cost of business in a country where it is endemic, but China it is difficult to predict who is going to require a payment — or if what's perceived as a 'bribe' by western standards is actually a display of respect in China. 
Here's an excerpt <a href="http://shanghaiist.com/2013/01/11/10_things_i_learned_about_being_an.php">an article Lin wrote for Shanghaiist</a>:
How does that translate to an <keyword id="6359301" type="POSITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Entrepreneur">entrepreneur</keyword> getting shaken down by local government employees, all wanting some “favors?” How do you work with the local “government” if you are standing in a long line waiting to chat with the government employees who is sitting behind thick bullet proof windows and will only give you a few seconds before turning you away?
Certain markets are open about corruption, where officials come right out and ask for payment for approvals. These markets are actually easy to navigate as it is simply a matter of costs built into all interactions with officials. For markets like China where only certain officials want something yet do not ask or accept directly, the onus is on the businessman to find common friends or relatives to the official to make the deal happen. Add in a layer of cultural sensitivity where a gift is often seen as show of respect rather than the underlying value itself, each case becomes circumstantial on the situation. It is definitely not black and white and must be treated as individual cases.
Read More: <a href="http://shanghaiist.com/2013/01/11/10_things_i_learned_about_being_an.php">10 things I learned about being an entrepreneur in China that I wasn't taught in business school &gt;</a><a href="http://shanghaiist.com/2013/01/11/10_things_i_learned_about_being_an.php"></a><a href="http://shanghaiist.com/2013/01/11/10_things_i_learned_about_being_an.php"> </a>

An American Explains How Working In China Made Him A Better Entrepreneur

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:480px"><div class="image">Courtesy of Daniel Goodman</div></div>People are constantly trying to define what makes someone entrepreneurial, a born business owner rather than a follower. A <a href="http://www.nber.org/papers/w19276">new NBER paper</a> from Ross Levine and Yona Rubinstein looks all the way back to people's childhoods to figure out what distinguishes not just an <keyword id="6359301" type="POSITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Entrepreneur">entrepreneur</keyword> from an employee, but people who start and run a business rather than the merely self-employed.
They're characterized by high intelligence, high self esteem, and a higher level of risky, aggressive, and even illicit behavior as adolescents.
They make that distinction by separating out self employed people into two groups. The first, which they identify as being more entrepreneurial, are the incorporated. These are the people that have chosen to take the added step, which is expensive and time consuming, of actually incorporating a business.
The simply self-employed aren't all that different, cognitively or earnings-wise, from the general population. They actually make less The incorporated group is distinct, and earns significantly more in the long run. In fact, their average residual hourly earnings are 48% higher than those of salaried peers. Unincorporated self-employed people make even less.
Not only do the incorporated self-employed earn more than their salaried counterparts on average, when they succeed it's at a much higher level than even a successful salaried worker. That effects amplified when common entrepreneurial traits are more prominent.
Here are the few traits, culled from data from the NLSY79 survey which followed 14-22 years old from 1979 to 1994 that strongly line up with the likelihood of being an entrepreneur. 
<h3>They're more likely to engage in illicit and risky activity before age 22</h3>
From <a href="http://www.nber.org/papers/w19276">the paper: </a>
The incorporated self-employed are twice as likely as salaried workers to report having taken something by force as youths; they are 44 percent more likely to have been stopped by the police; and, the incorporated self-employed have an overall illicit activity index, which is measured when they were between the ages of 15 and 22, that is almost three times greater than the index for salaried workers.
The full illicit activity index, which entrepreneurs score higher on, includes questions on skipping school, alcohol and marijuana use, gambling, vandalism, and assault.
<h3>They're smart</h3>
People who end up being entrepreneurs tended to score significantly higher on the AFQT (Armed Forces Qualification Test) which measures math skills, reading comprehension, and general aptitude. It's commonly used as a general measure of cognitive ability.
When you link high intelligence with a tendency towards illicit behavior or breaking the rules, there's an almost 60% greater chance of becoming an entrepreneur. 
<h3>They have high self esteem, and believe that they control their own destiny</h3>
Future entrepreneurs also scored higher on tests measuring both self esteem and the extent that they thought they personally controlled their future, rather than fate or luck. 
<h3>They wanted to run things before their first job</h3>
Future entrepreneurs were nearly twice as likely to say that they wanted to be managers or owners before they even entered the labor market
<h3>They often come from wealthy, well educated, and relatively stable families</h3>
People coming from families that were comparatively well off in 1979, where the parents had some level of higher education, and where they lived in a two parent home through age 14 or so were more likely to be entrepreneurs.

5 Early Signs Your Kid Is On The Path To Being The Next Massively Successful Entrepreneur

Fascinated by the potential of technological companies, I always wanted a career in that domain. Although I had the hunger to build technology-based products that could solve everyday problems, there stood a huge barrier in the way – the lack of knowledge and training in technology. How do I build a website? How long will it take? What about the costs? The questions were never-ending and the technical answers made little sense. 
 
Things have changed, though, and it has been 5 months since I am running an online marketplace for business software. I found my way by asking friends, family and acquaintances, and reading day in and day out about the interesting aspects of the 21st century technologies and their practical uses. It was fascinating to find several other people in India who tasted success in the technological realm, even though they are from a non-technical background. 
 
Here, I will try and answer some of the questions I stumbled upon and which helped me take the first steps towards understanding technology better in the hope that it make things a bit simpler for all those hungry-alike to go into technology. 
 
1. Should I build a team or outsource it? 
If website/product is what you are selling, never outsource it. Instead, get an in-house development team to build it. For example, Naukri.com is a job portal and hence, has an own-built platform. On the other hand, for sites like Vakilsearch, which is an online medium for connecting clients with legal service providers, outsourcing might just work. 
 
2. How much time does it take to build a good website? Typically, it depends on what you are trying to build. Building a product as massive as Tally will take months, if not years. However, any start-up should get its <keyword id="92009" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="MVP">MVP</keyword> to market in a maximum of 90 days (60 days being much more practical). An MVP is the minimum viable product – a basic version of your product that can be used by a customer. If your MVP is taking more time, trim the functionalities you have planned and implement the basic features to roll out the product. Call it beta, private beta or any other fancy name with limited user access, but make it visible to the market in a maximum of 90 days. 
 
3. How much should it cost to build a website? 
· The cost can vary. The cheapest and the most hassle-free method to build a website is to use Wordpress templates. A Wordpress template (it offers many) is easy to set up and can be easily handled by a non-tech person. And the total cost is less than Rs 10,000. A job portal like Naukri can be easily developed by using readymade Wordpress templates from themeforest.com. 
 
· The second method is to hire a start-up, interns or freelancers to build the product. Such groups don’t have fixed cost and overheads, making it very cost effective but there will be high risk in terms of quality and delivery time. Typically, an MVP can be done at Rs 50-70K. 
 
· The third is hiring a mature company with advance processes to ensure quality. It will have a dedicated team working on your project, including quality experts and designing experts. Plus, there will be a proper office and infrastructure. Hence, the cost of such implementation can be as high as Rs 3-5 lakh. 
 
4. How many developers do I need? 
Typically, two developers are enough for working in your core technology. If the user access is mainly via the website, two web developers can get the job done. Two coders with around two years of experience should cost you around 45K. If you also have an Android version, another Android developer should cost you around 25K. 
 
5. What are the different languages? Which ones to use? There are several languages, but the most used are <keyword id="232735" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="100" keywordseo="php">PHP</keyword>, Python and Ruby on Rails. For a non-technical entrepreneur, I would suggest implementing PHP. This is because PHP developers are easily available and cost less. Even if your PHP developers quit, it will be easier to find a replacement, compared to other languages. You can also go in for advance versions of PHP, such as Yii and CakePHP frameworks. 
 
6. Where to host a site? 
Don’t worry about the hosting part. Get the basic hosting from iPage or GoDaddy. Both of them are user-friendly and cost-effective. At the initial stage, the traffic will be low and hence, the service from these hosting sites will suffice. As the traffic increases, you can eventually move to AWS or other advanced hosting options. 
 
This is just the tip of an iceberg, going deep into the technology market. The questions will be never-ending and the answers need to be updated every now and then. It is always useful to have connections from the technology industry as they will keep you updated and share the latest developments. 
 
About the author: Ankit Dudhwewala is the co-founder at SoftwareSuggest.com, a business software discovery platform made for Indian companies. He is a marketer by passion and a salesman by heart. You can keep in touch with him at <a href="ankit@softwaresuggest.com">ankit@softwaresuggest.com</a>

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