Monday, February 7, 2011

When the bug bit my ass!

I am not a very tall man. I measure just 960.127mm from the sole of my leg to my butt.Some times I like to be reminded that I am an engineer.So I checked the length with a vernier caliper.
This length is very important.It is the metaphorical difference between my life in Miami and India. on any given weekend I would be resting either on my butt or my back depending on whether I was in the Pub or the beach. After coming to India, if my butt and my back were on the desktop, they would have been archived by now, so seldom are they used. I am most of the time on my two tired legs.
So why and how did the proverbial entrepreneurial bug bit me. honestly it didn’t. it was a Hobson’s choice. I had no other option. No one across the two continents thought I was fit enough to be hired. I lasted in my last job in USA for barely forty eight hours. I knew then, that my career is over. Now I have to look for something that I can enjoy.
But I can say that with confidence that being a entrepreneur has widened my horizons. Till now I thought that Sonia Gandhi was the best known Italian import to India. wrong. It is Pizza. She is not even second. That is pasta. I am glad. As long as both these are popular, I am in business.
Being your own boss has its own privileges. Like you could, if you wanted to, get drunk even on a hot sunny afternoon. But these priveleges are liked the air miles given by various airlines. They are hardly ever used. I stand there the whole day counting the pizzas that are being consumed. It is hard work. The pizzas cant be eaten that fast!
The worst thing is that everyone thinks that life is a Hawaiian Salad for me . one girl even commented, “ you are a lucky man. You don’t have to work!” really ! what was she thinking? I am Manmohan Singh?
I don’t think we have settled yet. Our deliveries are way behind our targets. In fact they are so bad that I think the local hospital delivers more babies than we deliver pizzas per day. I thought that we needed some aggressive marketing. So I decided to do it myself. The other day a doctor, a gynecologist came. I suggested that we also deliver. He stared at me and said disdainfully, “ very smart.”
What is it that makes a great entrepreneur. I don’t know really. And I don’t really care. I only know that as long as I am in this business, I can never sleep hungry. There is always some order messed up by one of our staff ready to be gorged.
Many youngsters come to me for advice. ME AND ADVICE! If I was that smart I would have got myself a job.
But this job has its perks. For instance, when you see a happy customer gushing that the food was awesome or overhear a staff telling his friends that he works for a great guy. Or when young Donald sends an sms that uncle your connizza is fabulous or Rehan comes and says that his dad is out of town and he told his mother that I was feeling low. So let us go to uncle’s place.
These are times when I feel a lump in my throat. Feels like it is worth all the trouble. I know i miss my writing.I am letting my readers down. But still it feels great.
My butt and back can get archived for all I care. My legs will surely not complain.

10 comments:

  1. Nice post.Didn't knew that u have a pizza joint.All the best!

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  2. hey ashish. opened i recently. was tired of travel and usa. :)

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  3. Hi Sudhir
    Like a 100 times I have lamented before, let me do so again...why in the name of god and all that is pure and holy, do I not get your updates on the blog news feed?
    Why? Why? Why?
    And thank god for me memory which is not effected by old age still, I often remember to check u out and always smile at the posts I read here...

    Wow...a pizza place in India!
    Where is this place?
    Can I just saunter in and get a free pizza or at least a paid pizza with the hot entrepreneur?;-)

    Amazing write up like always and all the very best for the venture and many more to come...u would rock, no matter what you do:-)

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  4. Suruchi,
    great to hear from you. You can always walk in like a queen to my pizza place.It will an honor.
    btw the only thing hot there is the pizzas :P

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  5. Its been quite some time that i read your posts.I really do not know why i stopped reading blogs and also writing posts.

    I enjoyed this post for 2 reasons.One is that you have your own business.No 2 is as usual for your quick wits and a post that can make you lol and also philosophical(always believed that funny guys are the most philosphical ones)

    but the best thing about this post is

    one girl even commented, “ you are a lucky man. You don’t have to work!” really ! what was she thinking? I am Manmohan Singh?

    hahaha.keep going.

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  6. Dravidian,
    Thanks for all those kind words. ever grateful

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  7. Great Sudhir, I was reading your post earlier but always thought that you were writing some fiction....now I know that you are your own boss. How is the business? I was a chef of a Italian Restaurant once....
    Anupam Goswami

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  8. Anupam,
    I write posts. But none of it is fiction :P
    at least most of it isn't

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  9. I laughed out loud literally when I read

    "Till now I thought that Sonia Gandhi was the best known Italian import to India. wrong. It is Pizza. She is not even second. That is pasta. I am glad."

    and

    "what was she thinking? I am Manmohan Singh?"

    and the gynecologist's reply, really peppy writing.

    You should really write more often, you're clearly good at it. And give the blog an overhaul(much needed). I think this blog should be getting much more readers based purely on the content.

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  10. Thanks for those kind words Preetam. It is discerning readers like you who make the effort worthwhile. I agree I haven't been writing as regularly as I would have liked to. But I shall def do so more often.

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