I have been getting a lot of lovely feedback from readers. And I will be adding it to the reviews section of this site. But from time to time I will share it on the blog as well (with permission). This email from Gaurav Tekriwal of Kolkata made me feel the many months spent on research & writing were truly worth it!

Apart from the compliments, I like the way he has shared how the book led him to introspect about his own venture. Which was why this book was written in the first place

Dear Rashmi,

First Let me Congratulate you for writing an excellent book and for appearing in an all new feminine avatar with your hair long and all.

I heard about your book on Rediff and got my self the book in 15 minutes as Entrepreneurship is my key interest area and books on this is rare.

For the next 3 days I was hooked on to it. Reading every story carefully, and making mental notes. The Issues you brought to light through these stories when when wants to pursue a dream is very human indeed. While going through the book you get to actually touch and feel the characters as they have shared some very personal moments with you. Stuff which no one feels to talk about. But they did and this is a great moment and a highlight of the book.

Like when a company was hiring a marwari and they said marwaris dont work for long for anybody! Wow.

Also looking for funding, the book appealed to me in the sense I always used to find a sense of shame asking for money in exchange of equity from my friends and family. It was like of belittling oneself. I always thought if its to be its upto me. And I will have to fund myself everyway. This has been a paradigm shift as most of the successful entrepreneurs found no shame in borrowing money from friends and family and they happily provided it. This is an encouragement as to take my own company in the next orbit I am looking for funds myself. This changed my approach completely.

I always had the perception that the Guys from IIM’s have it easy. And its only me who face these issues when I was in the starting phase of my business. I felt aptly good to know that these people face the same problems as faced by any entrepreneur….this is little humbling to know.

Reading Tega’s story and for him to have an English Man in the marketing division was an eye opener. I always had this idea of getting someone through International Student Exchange to work for my company as it gives a huge impact. When I discussed this with my colleagues they thought I was a fool and rubbished the idea. Now reading this story has given me new found conviction to rush to implement this idea immediately.

Reading the Story of Giveindia was inspiring. That guy is actually generating some good karma by doing some good service. Loved his story more so as he loves maths so much..may be I would write to him and greet him for doing such an amazing work. Educomp and Fountain head were very revealing as I share the same industry with them. The story about Sunil Handa coming with a camera when the school launch by IIM grads for a queue was a reality check and an eye opener.

I think its an amazing book you got there…..the stories have so much meaning, so much life and its real. All you get these days to read are biographies of Buffets and Bransons and you dream that you wish you were born in America. This book was something which is close to me and somethign which I could relate to myself as I have gone through some of the phases myself.

I think you should work on a Part 2 of the book and perhaps this time focus on Non IIM entrepreneurs who managed to make it big. I think you have a Best Seller out there Rashmi. And this is going to be a cult of sorts in the making. The price of the book is dirt cheap-its a throwaway. I dont think such beautiful piece of work should be given away at such a price. The layout and design of the book could be better …but whatever came it was simply amazing. Also you have used terms such as ‘Black Swan’ from Taleb and Tipping Point – Gladwell which added color to the book!

Hats off to you for this book. I adored it and will perhaps read it again to find out solutions for the problems which I face in my work. I think this is the best book to come from India this year.

Happy Pujas and Navratri from Kolkata.

Warm Wishes
Gaurav

Gaurav Tekriwal
President
The Vedic Math Forum India
www.vedicmathsindia.org

This entry was posted Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 at 9:16 pm and is filed under Blog. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.