“Hand me in another plate……. Or make it two”- said Rohini, a business woman and mother of two who lives down the lane. It has become a regular routine for her to come with her toddlers at the end of the day to treat themselves to a plate full of spicy fuchkas (i.e gol gappe in delhi ). She is only one of the many customers that flock to Kanchan. Often he sees his customers coming in cars and taking away his fuchkas in lots.
To begin with, Kanchan has broken all stereotypes of recipes that could be considered for a success. He owns a tiny portable shop on wheels which he parks at the dark corner of a lonely lane . While all the other fuchkawalas line up on the main road near the multiplex , Kanchan is always busy with his customers at his little corner. What does he have to show for his success you would ask? Well he owns a flat on the same lane and a car to speak for him. He also takes orders over his phone and provides home delivery.
When asked to what does he owe his success – “ to quality and service “ came the quick reply. Fifteen years into this business and he has never let his quality dip. His fuchkas are costlier than anyone else in the locality but he keeps getting his customers. No points for guessing why.
It is even more surprising to know that he is not alone. Entrepreneur Debbie Wiener has created a design company, “Slobproof” which makes furniture with fabric that can withstand spills without staining. When asked what is the reason for her company’s success – “ It involves the common sense of a mother with the muscle of a wrestler” – she said with a smile adoring her face.
It is important to note that none of these success stories have anything in common except one – connection…. Connection with their customers. They do not have any MBA degree or formal training and therefore they have no success mantra with them. They have ventured on their own, with only confidence in their bag , sensed the pulse of their customers, launched their ideas and never looked back.
Stressed and need a break? Now you can buy your way to breaking things. The Venting Place , Tokyo, lets customers buy plates and smash them against the wall, all this just for two dollars per piece. Katsya Hara , the founder hopes that this will become the new stress reliever other than drinking, Karaoke and late night parties. They get defective plates and the scraps are recycled to make new dishes. Their customers have the best things to say about them… “It is surprisingly refreshing” they say.
Succesful ideas come in all shapes and sizes. Ideas when put together with talent , creativity , diversity , and an honest intent to click will click. But is success all about people who know what to do and follow the path they know they have been chosen for?
Many successful entrepreneurs are what they are today because once they got lost and did not know what to do. They had their back against the wall and gave their life a second chance which they never regretted. Lia Grimanis became homeless when she was a teenager. She used to make a dollar a day in a shelter in Toronto and that is when she cooked up the idea of starting an organization called “ Up With Women” which helps homeless women start their own business. She made around fifty thousand dollars in her first year in business. When she was in her shelter all that she could think of was how to live her life on her own terms.
Often people don’t realize their potential until they are forced to think out of the box to exist. Some are born to be successful, some work their way towards success while some end up being successful while being completely clueless.
It is hard to define success . Perhaps it is that ingredient which makes one satisfied and content. For some, it is reaching the top while for others, it is all about being where they are and enjoying the view. There is no one way to define success and therefore there is no one way to achieve it. It is common for people to fret about their future and if they will ever achieve success. All that anybody can do is do what they have to do and take the plunge. In reality there is no future and there is no past. All that exists is the present, if we are living every moment and making it count is it not a success in itself? What more can we ask for?
