THE TRAIN HAS STARTED MOVING !

The COVID19 has thrown all of us into an unseen economic turmoil of the century. Businesses are struggling to stay relevant, individuals are fighting to stay afloat and there are millions of small scale service providers, who are at the brink of getting wiped out completely. Post Lockdown the world may see new emergence of businesses and may pay wreath-laying ceremony to many established business models.

With changing equations, we are left with TWO choices, work harder or perish. Obviously no-one wants to perish and everyone wants to work hard. This reminds me a real life incidence that I have faced during my childhood, about the age of 9. We were once traveling from Rajasthan to our home town back in Gujarat, those days we could not afford 2nd A.C., and reservation in sleeper class was not confirmed. The train schedule was such that if we drop the train we may have to wait for 10 days, which means we would lose on our vacation days, so my father took a call and decided to travel and in unreserved general coach. The station was a small village and train stops there for only 2 min ! we are a family of five with those heavy metal bags (those days these bags were so common), run to board a general class boggy. Luck was not on our side and so the coach came at the end, we had practically few seconds to board the train with all the luggage. I fell down at the door staircase, got bruised in hands and legs, train started slowly, my father pulled me up and I was like..."saved !", He simply said, "If you want to board the moving train, you need to run faster than its speed" ! I think he meant this in the context of business, which years later I realized.

This uncertain time is posing great deal of challenge for many small entrepreneurs like me, who are finding it difficult to stay relevant and stay focused. Two things are pretty sure, Are we in a business of serving and fulfilling "NEEDS" of the costumers, or we are in a business of offering "NICE to HAVE' service, which is at this time purely a luxury to afford and hence run a risk. Cost cutting will force businesses to only spend on essential needs and not on the luxury. The train has started moving !! are you running faster than the train ? Who dares to evolve from here and say that he/she is ready to shift the business or ready to make a massive change to be in the category of "NEED to HAVE". There are unanswered questions, there are soul searching questions, but the reality is 'The train has started Moving'. It is a matter of time it will catch more speed and if you left behind you will perhaps permanently left behind.

What it is needed here are three things. 1) Be open to explore anything, yes practically anything, challenge yourself and challenge the old paradigm. 2) Evolve your business model, products and services to fit into "NEED to HAVE" segment 3) Leave your flashy image a side and be a real sales man, ask for business. In Hindi language if I have to put it, I would say "Taam jaam se bahar ake dhandhe ki baat karna shuru kardo"

Lastly, I would say, if you think your people, your team, your leaders need a direction and coaching? I am running with speedy train and can assist you and your organization to board the train ! Feel safe in my hands, because "The Train Has Started Moving".