Mr. Saket Jalan
IBS Bangalore ('99)

the youthful owner of many business operations, discusses his experiences in building a niche in the entrepreneurship for all IBS STUDENTS.

Vision and approach to be an Entrepreneur

Seven years back, the feeling of being recruited by Shree Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain College through the empowerment and vision of R. Chenraj Jain at Bangalore was highly puzzling for my parents. With time, things grew more complicated. But when it dawned on me that I am just going to do more of the same, I didn’t want to do it anymore. And now, when operations of mine are 7 years old, I feel we have just begun. That’s the power of chasing an idea.

Even when initially for the first 2- 3 years profits were negative Rs. 7-25 lakh in 2001-03, we recruited 20 people. One core strategy at my business is to get the right people. Even today, one of my biggest work areas is to hire the right kind of people who share the same dream. Having the same goal means little policing has to be done. I strongly believe in not telling others what to do, and look for a feeling of ownership in the prospective employee. If that is lacking, I don’t need that person, no matter how bright he/she is.

Another thing that has worked for us is risk-taking and openness. As long as you are effective in delivering what the organization believes in, you are allowed to take your chances and play the fool, but no compromises on the promise to deliver. The result: I have supremely confident people with one goal — improving the quality of awareness that is being delivered. And I think that’s why we don’t get breathless doing so many things at the same time — because we are in love with what we do.

When my casual friends (i.e. unknown becomes known) joined me as a core team it changed the entire functioning of the organization focused with a clear vision. For instance, Nilesh Birani, strategic advisor whose father has a whopping trade in Calcutta, Bhilwara and Kanpur joined just to pursue his liking for me. Pintu Agarwal, Finance Controller, was working in Calcutta agreed to work with us just to add to the growth. Sanjay Jalan my brother studied law in Pune I asked him if he earns more than 15000/- he need not join my vision or else he is always welcome. He joined in the year 2003 and proved himself that he is better than else. Today he heads hostel division and in fact manages better than what I used to do. Others like Anita, Jaiprakash, Narendra Sethia, Vikash, Navdeep, Rohan, etc. have been supporting the organization to the best.

What brought them to join my enterprise was the fact that they are all leaders and realized that they could justify their potential here. No matter whatever may be the employee profile whether it is in tune with the organization’s philosophy, you have to constantly train them. That is why we have intended to be friends, keeping in mind organization structure. They are trained to be well-mannered, polite, and respectable, use more of common sense rather than being shrewd without having a feeling of hatred or being non-transparent.

For instance, at the core group level one of the employees felt that we were talking too much and a feeling of fear should be developed among the organization structure. But one of my colleagues, during general discussion suggested for internal memo of work schedule so that it is more transparent and clear. Based on that, we worked on an IOM within the organization; a senior depending upon the structure prescribes it with a copy to me. Another thing that our organization lives for and lives by, is efficient use of computer. In fact, it’s the technology edge that is the fundamental difference the way we work.

Consider this :

Hospitality Services- Hostel business

we have 18 buildings with 1300 accommodations. The pressure of maintaining, delivering and efficiency is increasing. And there are activities from hygiene, cleanliness, discipline, logistics, maintenance of time, hospitality to finance controller to employee’s empowerment happening on a daily basis. All in all, it is a cumbersome process. But smooth implementation of records and data’s in a professional manner is the way the operation are running.

Software Division
Insight Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd. We deal bulk sms solutions and short code. Our Client include Mantri Developer, Shoba Developer, Dr. Batra, Pizza Corner, etc. Abhishek Agrawal and Himanshu Doshi have done great job for this company. Visit www.icsportal.in for further details.

Music Academy
If Shianak Davar can sell Dance, Talwarkar can sell fitness, Ramdeo Baba yoga, My academy sells music. The common in the entire business model is they sell dreams in a lifestyle oriented. Sidharth Patwa CEO for the music academy just 22 yrs old says “Aspirations transform a set of ordinary people into extraordinary achievers”. Patwa is a managing partner and is doing great job. Visit www.soundglitz.com.

Stock Tips
www.dreamgains.com and www.capitalvia.com this business is going to revolutionize the way speculators trade. This business model is improving the way people invest. Started with a just Rs. 500/- today earns profits in 8 figures. The brain child of Rohit Gadia whom I describe one among 10 lakh in a 100 cr. Population, where DhiruBhai Ambani or Sunil Mittal is one among 100 cr. Population. He owns the company but I owe him.

Furniture Retail
Orange Wood Craft Pvt. Ltd. is a company which has rights for the brand called Orange furnitures and Picola furnitures for kids. For further details visit www.orangewoodcraft.com. This company will grow through franchise model wherein 100 outlets will be opened in the next 2 years.
An entrepreneur should always remember that the environment may change but his answers to where he is coming from and where he is leading to is the deciding factor. That is the nucleus, the unchanging part of the entrepreneur. It’s the goal that is to be remembered at all times. An enduring value system based on openness, honesty, integrity, meritocracy, fairness, transparency and excellence, helps raise our confidence, and the confidence of people working with me. It gives the courage to handle tough situations with buoyancy, and sacrifices become easy and natural. Our experience has demonstrated that respect and dignity, challenging work and a promising career growth path are more important motivators than just money.

People want to be part of a defining moment that transforms the society and the world. Emotional energy is an invaluable asset for an enterprise. Performance leads to recognition. Recognition brings respect. Respect enhances power. Humility and grace in one’s moments of power enhances the dignity of an organization. Leadership by example is, perhaps, the most essential instrument to encourage youngsters to demonstrate commitment and dedication towards any cause. Role models are powerful catalysts in raising the confidence, enthusiasm and energy of an entire generation. An environment of openness, meritocracy, speed, imagination and excellence in execution are the five context-invariant and time-invariant attributes for the success of any organization. Progress is possible only if we measure improvements in every dimension of our operations and take timely corrective action. Openness to new ideas; encouraging the youth; shunning biases and using data in every decision; and learning and adopting good practices from other cultures help a corporate become more confident and effective. Staying relevant in a changing market and creating greater impact on youngsters are the only means of strengthening our relationship for empowerment. Innovation is an important instrument for this.

Some of the common sense panache intended by Saket

Never cry for any relation in life
Because for the one whom you cry
Does not deserve your tears
And the one who deserves
Will never let you cry..................

Treat everyone with politeness
Even those who are rude to you,
Not because they are not nice
But because you are nice...............

Never search your Happiness in others
which will make you feel alone,
Rather search it in yourself you will feel happy
Even if you are left alone...........................

Always have a positive attitude in life,
There is something positive in every person.
Even a stopped watch is right twice a day...............

From humble beginnings, Saket Jalan businesses, today, have grown. The phenomenal success is credited to only one person, MR. R Chenraj Jain, Chairman, Jain group of Institutions. The approach in which the growth has taken place is a learning process which few people can comprehend. Mr. Jain has been Dronacharya to Saket who considers himself as Eklavya. Three aspects are probably the most significant from a human resources perspective. Firstly, the realization that it is possible to deliver outstanding effort from team work. Secondly, the acknowledgment that RAW MIND (teenagers) comes first and they are the most important assets of any corporate today, finally the confidence that performance and values can be the sole criteria to be successful for any organization. The model has helped Saket to create one of the finest people forces in the making of entrepreneurs in India. To attract, retain and motivate the best and the brightest is what Mr. Jain has believed in empowering its people which Saket is duplicating.

Family….
Saket Jalan today lives in Bangalore along with his wife Raadhika Jalan and a lovely daughter Divya. For Saket quality time is more important along with the family than quantity time. His wife and daughter understand the sacrifice needed for value creation. People who say that they do not have time and are quite busy are big liars because Saket along with his wife learnt Salsa dance and now everyday accompanies them together for morning walk to Lalbag garden. He says that he has to create 100 entrepreneurs across India in the next 5-6 years and provide enough of jobs to make India a developing country.

Motto………
"Formal education creates service self education creates wealth"
"Some people succeed because they are destined to, but most people succeed because they are determined to".