Business Hacks of Shakuntala Devi

Bollywood movie on multifaceted Mathematics wizard, Shakuntala Devi, portrayed by actor Vidya Balan, with the same name is a captive watch. The flamboyant characters, mesmerizing landscapes, and entertaining narrative powered by excellent performance got me hooked for 127 minutes.

Amidst the drama, my observant eye caught all the concealed tips that the movie offered to establish a successful business. I couldn’t stop myself from admiring the leading lady for rising from a small village and becoming a global personality. Well it happens, she made it a reality by carefully planning her moves (read growth plans).

I will give a zoom-out view of how I decoded the learning from the movie. The protagonist started as someone with a skill, that is unique and hence can become a notable business someday. After several highs and lows, she eventually achieves globally acclaim. It's riveting to see that each step in her journey has marketing lessons embedded. Like Shakuntala, every business that wishes to own a rag to riches story must assiduously draw a successful business plan. Some of the methods that can make this happen, as adopted by the lady herself are listed here.

Understanding Unique Business Proposition- A successful business journey starts from understanding the need for its existence. Every business must solve a unique problem for the consumers (and the world at large). A Unique Selling Proposition (USP) makes a business plan into a winning game. Shakuntala Devi’s made people love Mathematics, a subject otherwise considered tough.

Hire Experts- No one individual can be an expert in all fields needed for running a business. Shakuntala Devi had all the knowledge, however, she found it tough to position herself among the target group. She was lucky that an expert found her (known as Mr. J silent in the movie) and transformed her appearance into an attractive personality. He also identified the right platforms for her to showcase her skill. The experts in communications, advertising, media management among others prepare you to put your best foot forward to win over the consumers’ hearts.

Networking- Being at the right place at the right time, the importance of this phrase is critical to the success of a thriving business. Who can deny the importance of meeting an investor when you must take the next leap in your business? Exemplary Shakuntala Devi, networked with the right people in the society to advance her accomplishments. In the present age, the intensifying competition has made networking even more vital to advance the organizations.

Expand & Diversify- Does a road from being a Mathematician leads to becoming an astrologer? Seems like a strange correlation, but this did happen, all because the visionary lady knew how she can use her skills. A successful leader must know how to utilize the brand value created over the years. The brand legacy empowers the organizations to diversify the business into allied opportunities. The resilient brands live longer in consumer minds.

Story Telling- Successful leaders are great orators. They can share their accomplishments in the form of a story. Every personal appearance of Shakuntala Devi inspired people and made them desire her skill and success. Her humane style of the speech made her story relatable. Today successful businesses are built on telling great stories, that touch a human cord.

Often, we get learning from the places we don’t imagine, this movie turned out to be such a place for me. The approach of striving for success shown still holds.

The lives of successful individuals like Shakuntala Devi have so much to give to the listeners. I salute the courage and will power that made her a global phenomenon, a Human Computer, a Guinness Book of World Record holder, and the list of her achievements continues. Even visual retelling of her tale is a blueprint to a successful business plan, that’s certainly amazing.