How did you get started in the industry/ this startup/company/ project?
Doing marketing job inspired me to never do a job again. It was very hard to accept the low salary in return of the efforts put in. Furthermore, my manager never gave the genuine credit of my hard work. Job was not for me or vice versa.
A year later, I got admission at UMass Boston. Attending lectures and making friends from other countries was a noble experience. But the worry still prevailed, as eventually the output was - ‘Job’. Starting a business was not possible as there was no money. Doing job became imperative. I moved to Los Angeles and joined ESRI that gave me extensive corporate learning. On the other side, the clock of life was running faster than ever. After a required saving, the moment had come! I went to HR office and submitted my resignation letter. That was the best day of my life.
The passion to customize food and serve friends encouraged me to start a restaurant.
What according to you are the most important life lessons you’ve learned that have made you better at what you do?
TRYING! My friends mocked when I discussed about going to US. Many colleagues and relatives advised not to quit job and stay in US only. But I tried and things happened. No matter how tough the task is, I just try and I get what I truly do from heart.
Describe your daily/weekly routine.
Being in business, the routine is never fixed. Also, I am a visiting faculty for Entrepreneurship at three B-Schools. I start my day at 7am, take lectures, go to the outlets for routine visit and meet people for other future opportunities. At days with no lectures, meditation and work out are my favorite.
Share some of the growing pains in the industry/ profession/ startup/ latest project, and any failures, setbacks. And how you dealt with or overcame them.
With no circumlocution, let me put this forthright:
1. Not sticking to the timeline is the main disease. Follow up becomes inevitable. You loose more energy following up than vendors put energy in delivering.
Learning: Never pay full payments to the vendors till the project is complete.
2. No rate standardization – Bargain as much skills as you have, as much as you can. Same thing happens back to you. The main reason is abundance of competition. Bargaining has become an engrossed entity in Indian system.
3. As far as restaurant industry is concerned – Staffing is the major issue. Staff switch job often for small salary hike.
Learning: Always keep a bit buffer staff if you are very particular about service.
How has being a Desi inspired, motivated, or positively or negatively impacted you-professionally and personally?
Being from a business class family, I never saw my dad taking a break from usual work. There were no special or long weekends: In fact he would work more. The schooling was tough, since morning school till late evening tuitions. My job was even more rigorous. There were no working hours kind of thing. This all made my mindset to work unstoppable, stretch myself.
All this WITHOUT appreciation and with HIGH expectations; My dad’s expectation was to see my photo on front page of Dainik Bhaskar (Indian newspaper) among school toppers..lol you kidding me! J My manager would give me target to meet 10 clients knowing the fact I have only 10 hours. Insane!
Why? Because perhaps there is a sense of insecurity in appreciating that children will go over smart and will no longer study. Or employee will ask for more hike.
This all never made me realize my true potential. I really don’t know how much to work now. My mind overloaded with the work day and night…like for most Indians, I believe.
What drives you? Approval of somebody/ anyone you are trying to impress (consciously or subconsciously)?
A desire to establish a brand that would be known worldwide!
What next? Where do you go from here?
- Seeing PapaZapata spread across cities in India. After 3 years, we aim to expand it to other countries.
- Seeing more people reading “What Happens in America” and finding it a good read.
- Continue with lectures at B-Schools and assist budding entrepreneurs in their challenges.
- Get married :P
Any practical and philosophical advice you would like to share?
1. Chose your career as soon as possible. Working towards what you love is richer than any luxury in the world.
2. Meditate. This is not only for retirees.
3. Exercise – this encourages to eat healthy. Else Chaat.. Zindabad J
4. Take risk. Don’t worry about society. They will be happy to see you successful.
5. Pass smile and give respect to parents and everyone around
6. In adverse situations, keep calm and let it go.
Please list any charity or non-profit you support that you would like readers to know about?
I devote my time teaching a batch on weekends at Akanksha Foundation – a non-profit organization for children from under privilege background. As team, we teach their school courses and conduct activities that help groom their knowledge and personality. It gives real sense of accomplishment.
Rapid Fire:
Favorite City/ cities – Pune, Boston, and San Diego
Favorite Movie – PK, Shawshank Redemption
Favorite Song(s) – Pehla nasha types in light mood, All Deep House by Kygo
Favorite time of day – 11:30PM, when the day-closing report is generated :)
Weirdest thing you have ever done –
In high school, copy pasted the same poem to impress two girls. Life was happier than ever. Later they became good friends. Then what? I was called for prosecution right then and there :P
