The question an Entrepreneur asks differentiates him from a common man. Common man will always be full of questions like ‘What happened?’, ‘Where did it happen?’, ‘Who did it?’, ‘Why it happened?’, etc.
But Entrepreneurs are only concerned with ‘HOW?’ They only ask one question to themselves ‘How to do it?’ Because they are doers. Entrepreneurs never ask ‘What’, ‘Where’, ‘Who’, ‘Why’ because they already know the answer to these questions because they are doers, because they are the one’s who did it.
When a situation comes up wherein you have to negotiate, convince, bargain, etc, Entrepreneurs think How and common man thinks Why.
Let me describe the difference with practical examples of my life.
I deeply feel India needs army of young Entrepreneurs to become 1st world country. But for this Indian mentality of Education-Job-Promotions-Retirement has to be changed, its essential that people relieve themselves of this loop. So few years back I felt if entrepreneurship has to be promoted somewhere it has to be in schools and colleges. I shared this idea of conducting motivational lectures with my friends and the question everyone asked me was ‘Why’, ‘Why would schools and colleges entertain you?’ ‘What is your credibility?’ Only my biz partner asked me ‘How’, ‘How are we going to do it?’
So we started searching for motivational videos on youtube, inspiring stories, etc. I made my notes, ppts, interpreted each video and story in terms of entrepreneurship. We practiced in front of mirror for hours.
I knew the answer for ‘Who would entertain me?’ We went to ‘St. Therese convent School’, where I had studied. We met the teachers and principal and showed them the video, explained them the concept, they were thrilled to see me bubbling with energy because in my school days I hardly spoke in class. They agreed and gave us two slots, we conducted two sessions of our motivational seminar, students and teachers loved it.
While leaving, our principal handed us an envelope and told us to open it only after reaching home. When we opened it after reaching home, inside there was a recommendation letter and Rs.2500. It was our first income and how many people get their first pay from the temple where they learned basics. It was one of the happiest day of my life.
Now we had a recommendation letter from one of the best schools in Dombivli, so we easily got access to other schools, and we asked for recommendation letter in every school, which they happily wrote for us. Thus my idea of being able to hold motivational lecture turned to reality just by asking myself ‘HOW?’
Another such situation came up few years later when I grabbed the opportunity of running a coaching classes on contract basis during my 1st year of BMS. I was then just studying in BMS and had no income source to fund my ideas, so when I got opportunity to run a coaching class I grabbed it. The coaching class was not doing good and about to close when my friend went to owner and made him an offer to run on contract basis and we will give him his share.
Now we had the classes in hands but no money for marketing and no money to pay professors. So we did some mouth publicity and somehow managed to get 8 students paying us Rs.10000 each. So we got 80000 and we had to pay professors, give the owner his share, stationaries, etc. So only way to make break-even was to get good people to teach and convince them to accept low payment. Again people asked me ‘Why would a good teacher, teach for low payment?’ But I knew I had no other option, I had to find such people, so for me the question was. ‘How to find such people & how to convince such people?’
I needed a doctor to teach biology subject and engineer for rest of the subject as I was projecting it as my usp. I got engineers easily as my partner was from engineering background and they were ready to work for low payment because we sold them dreams. But still we couldn’t find doctor. Again people asked question ‘Why would a doctor leave his practice and teach for low pay? and for me the question was again ‘How would a doctor leave his practice and teach for low pay?’ I started visiting doctors’ clinics during noon time when they are idle. I used to tell them what I do, why I do and ask them to teach, but most of them denied, but finally met Dr. Archana Kori who was interested in teaching and when I offered her job she was ready, all I had to tell her was this experience would help her to pursue her dream of teaching in medical college someday.
Now the most amazing part of this story, all those engineers and doctor agreed to accept low payment of Rs.4000, not per month, Rs.4000 for completing whole syllabus, all I did was, sold them a wonderful dream. And we made profit of 25000 too!
Similarly, when I was running pizza outlet at Badlapur, it was too far from market area and rentals near station was high. But still I told my friends in Badlapur to find me a person who have a shop near station and charge me low rentals. Again my friends asked me, ‘Why would someone charge you low rentals?’ and question for me was ‘How would someone agree to charge me low rentals?’
I went to the market area near railway station and started observing each and every shop. Suddenly a cake-shop grabbed my attention, it was a big shop with just one fridge and one chair. Whole shop was empty. I went to the shopkeeper and offered him to share the infrastructure. I told him to give me the half space for kitchen and we will hv single counter to take orders for both pizzas and cakes. I told him just imagine, my loyal customers visiting this outlet for my pizzas and while waiting for pizza they might order ur pastry, we can make combo offers, we can do marketing together which can reduce our cost, plus I also offered him that my delivery boy would also deliver his cakes. He reluctantly agreed and we shifted there within a week and we didn’t hv to pay deposit, we were only paying Rs.4000 rent per month that too in market area.
There is always an answer, provided you ask right question.
Remember question is always HOW not WHY?
Aman Jha
Click Connect dots to read old post related to food joint and connect dots with this story of mine!
Rohit Singh
Essentially the question is How do you make things happen when odds are stacked against you?
nice bits of advice from experience,that will benefit many. 🙂
Aman Jha
Thats right Rohit, instead of wasting tym on other questions one should concentrate on HOW and find ways!
karthik.c
Hi Aman,
This part of the story says “I used to tell them what I do, why I do and ask them to teach” and not ‘How’ 🙂 If you had told them how you make money, they wouldn’t be interested I guess.
Aman Jha
Hi Karthik,
You missed the point completely. Its not abt anybody else oe about me. Its about getting things done, it is only possible by asking ‘How’. All I did was, sold them dreams and I fulfilled it too, no one was cheated. Those teachers who worked for me at throw away price are now well paid and hv 2yrs of teaching experience too, good enough to join some big tutorials and make good money which some of them do.
Motivational Lectures were not abt money, I didn’t earn money, except those 2500 which my School Principal paid me as appreciation.
Finally, food joint, that cook shop would hv been long ago closed if I’d hv offered him to share infrastructure.
One thing you will find in all three case, every time I designed a win-win offer, nobody at loss.
Karthik, I’d further like to know your views on this and be connected.
Regards,
Aman Jha
9892621090
Adnaan
I follow and preach just the exact opposite : Why and not How. How is boring. How is predictable. How has been done before in another form in another time. How did Thomas Edison invent the Modern Bulb? He famously found thousand ways of how not do it and one way how to do it. So, Why did Thomas Edison invent the Modern Bulb? The common answer would be, “Dummy, because we need light!” But that’s the wrong Why. Another why would be: Why did T. Edison chose the particular materials? Tungsten! a material which is very hard and very dense. He didn’t come across Tungsten randomly. He was looking for it since the filaments of the old bulbs would break apart on constant power ups and downs. So the question was, Why are the filaments breaking? He tried using metals and “harder substances” instead of carbon filaments. He dwindled between platinum and carbon. Always re-iterating the same question. Why are the filaments breaking? Ultimately solving it. So you see why is the engine of innovation. Why is the mother of How. Why did Archimedes find out about buoyancy or How did he find it? How assumes the answers, Why looks for it.
Let’s take this simple mathematical equation x + y = 10. Solve for x and y. How to do it? You would say, “Dummy, aren’t you missing something?” Where is the second equation? So the question is Why do you need a second equation? “Because, that’s how you do it” is not the right answer. x+y=10 is a linear equation which simply means x and y change on a line. So imagine a line travelling in space where sometimes x = y-10. But since y is unknown, we must find another imaginary line travelling in space, fly by it and find an intersection. At that intersection, we say, “Oh ok, see, for x = 5 I have got two Y coordinates”. And that’s why we need another line or equation. How is always a clone of a previous answer. Let’s take a programming example. In Java, we have a Handler() class. It let’s you create a cheap new thread which does a task and then dies. So someone says, our application needs multiple threads, how do we do it, but wait, there is a catch, the Java king(I want to believe he exists) has banished Handler() from all API documentation and taken away it’s name. It can only be found by someone if she knows exactly what it does. How do you go about that? Start asking the Why. Why does my application need multiple threads. “Well, I need to do task A and at the same time task B and I don’t want the main task to be interrupted” But gosh, you can’t find any class which does that. And you since you are a die-hard programmer you model your own class, write your own specs and poof! appears Handler(). It has been found.
Let’s model your unique problem in the same fashion as above. Why would anyone give you low rentals? And, How would someone agree to low rentals. Which of these spurred you into action and motivated you look at things differently? What is How looking for? And What was Why looking for? In my opinion Why was looking for the how. And How was looking for the why. The shop you chose was keenly selected to answer the Why. And then how followed with the rental incentives you offered. So, Why would anyone give you low rentals? Somone who is desparate enough. And How do you make him agree? By ending that desperation.
Unless the whole thing is a lexical misunderstanding on my part and I just wasted fifteen minutes of a beautiful evening. Why did I do it? Because it’s so freakin interesting 🙂
Aman Jha
Hi Adnaan,
I am not a brand ambassador of ‘HOW’ and I hope even you are not a brand ambassador of ‘WHY’. Your ans and my article is purely art of using words. the article ‘Question is How not Why’ was not written by me to undermine the importance of ‘Why’ but to bring to light the mentality of general public towards an idea and problem.
Arguing over my article and answer is like comparing color of water to weight of milk, it means, totally irrelevant. To come to a conclusion by comparing one has to be on the same plane. While m discussing the mentality of people, you are discussing the importance of ‘WHY’.
All I meant was, whenever there is a problem, normal people think WTF?, Why me?,etc and Entrepreneur think ‘How’ to solve problem. So its not about words ‘HOW’ or ‘Why’ but the context in which it is used.
Nevertheless, I appreciate your efforts to reply me with such elaborated ans along with various examples.
Regards,
Aman Jha
Adnaan
Oh but I am a ambassador of Why(not sure about the brand thing). Though I was not trying to undermine your learning’s, I did have a direct problem with your phrasing, “mentality of the common people”. I hope you don’t take offence but since this is a forum for thinkers and your discussion is open for discussion, I am going to take it forward with the “art of using words” also popularly known as “pen is mightier than the sword”.
In my honest opinion, down grading people on the basis of the type of questions they put through is arrogance. Every question of whatever nature is a valid one. The path of argumentation is what leads to new things. Not answering the questions of these “common people” and branding them as of having a negative mentality is a mere laziness on part of the person to whom the question was put to. I took offence on your inference(in not so many words) that normal people are lesser people. Because, I would have asked the exact same question to you: “Why would anyone agree to a lower rent?”.
Sorry if my tactful answer before gave you the wrong impression that I was missing the context.
Aman Jha
Dear Adnaan,
I don’t say Normal people are lesser in any terms, what is being Normal, if you do what everyone do then you are normal, Entrepreneurs are not considered normal. Its not my arrogance but frustration abt people trying to run away and not fighting and finding ways. I still maintain we both are on different pages.
Where the question of answering arise dear, m saying assume a situation and what a normal person ask himself in that situation and what an Entrepreneur ask himself in that same situation.
Each & every word of yours is valid and agree with you but m talking about the method, style and thinking that a common man puts into situation and an Entrepreneur puts.
Regards,
Aman Jha
Rohit Singh
well put,
both question are valid,and you have to switch depending on resourses.
as long as there is no loss,i dont see why a professional wouldn’t take lower pay.
it depends on luck too.lower rents are possible depending on situations.
Aman Jha
Rohit thats what m saying, its not about words, this post was just to manifest the nature of an Entrepreneur and his reaction to problems and opportunities!
Sachin Upendra Trivedi
great post Aman and fantastic discussions… guys i believe that it’s about How as well as it’s also about Why…
why is about need and how is about feed…
Why gives you the Way… How gives you the Bow…
Cheers!
Tejas Vishnu Nimbargi
Amazing insights into an Entrepreneur’s life!
“I shared this idea of conducting motivational lectures with my friends and the question everyone asked me was ‘Why’, ‘Why would schools and colleges entertain you?’ ‘What is your credibility?’ Only my biz partner asked me ‘How’, ‘How are we going to do it?”
Nice lines! Inspiring and well written!
Aman Jha
Thanks man, your compliments encourage me to write more!
Divyesh Panchal
Ok I’m sjkipping out the friendly debate over Why and How between Aman and Adnaan and sharing my views on the same. I believe we all start with the question WHY, the HOW then follows especially with the case of entrepreneurs.
While studying in B-school we were grilled with lot of presentations and the questions asked was always “HOW will you do this” and we didnt have an answer to it cause we never thought at first place WHY we want to do it and neither did the professor understood WHY is he asking stupid questions to stupid presentations! Of course he was not an entrepreneur so WHY was out of his question.
Then began my entrepreneurial journey. To introduce, I ventured into food business: Just Unjunk! serving soups, juices, salads, chips and dips in corporate cafeteria through kiosk model. We are not a boring HEALTH food company but serve anything that’s not junk. The growing middle class is my target market and expansion plan includes expanding in more corporate parks subsequently get into QSR in 18 months. (Yeah I’m looking out for funding). Now a year back I was responsible to pen down Vision and Mission statement for my start-up. I followed a simple funda: Vision would be WHY I want to do this business (a non-entrepreneur would always say: to earn more money than a job but not many have the audacity to quit their jobs. Realized it when I started operating in the corporate cafeteria of my previous employer Vodafone [my first client] and served my colleagues there with my own hands!) and Mission would be HOW will the Vision will be achieved. So Vision is the Goal (Why) and Mission is the roadmap (How). For days I started jotting down key words that would form part of Vision and Mission statement, being honest enough to always question first WHY and then HOW. Noted all possible words on the Blackberry as and when I found it relevant. One fine day I and partner were heading for a meeting in Jogeshwari and I reached the station 30 mins before him. Rather than wasting time I parked my ass above a nearby Gutterr (we all search a place to park ourself whenever we have to wait for someone) and started formulating the Vision statement, Believe me the Vision statement of my start-up was articulated sitting over a Gutter.
So this is the WHY part of my business. The Vision: To enrich quality of life of individuals by inculcating right eating habits and building an ecosystem of awareness to care about their basic immunity for the well being of all our communities
The HOW, Our Mission:
Aman Jha
Hi Divyesh,
Good one!
But I still maintain m not talking about words. Neither m saying what comes first whether How or Why. Its was just a comparison between the reactions of a common man and an Entrepreneur to a particular situation.
And, yes Ideas do come at such places, we hv a place where I and my biz partner sit and brainstorm and often get some good ideas, and that place is no good than the place u were describing.
Regards,
Aman Jha
Swapnil
really an inspiring read Aman I would say that why and how go hand in hand first you have to decide why I have to do something and then once you are convinced that yes this is what I have to do then you have to think about how to do that
Aman Jha
Thanks Swapnil for your kind words!
Aman Jha
Hi Sachin,
I liked the last line of ur comment. Thanks!
Neerja Singh
Adnaan, that was brilliantly put, so wonderfully worded! I wanted to add a word about the Why being the mother of the How – but after reading your standing ovation-worthy piece, this attempt is scary.:)
To give a more plebeian, infinitely less cerebral add-on in favour of the Why (and taking a cue from Aman’s insistence that entrepreneurs are different from ‘normal’ people), I believe any success story, whether it is Bill Gates or Ambani in buisness, a Watson & Crick researching seemingly useless questions in science or one of us trying to find a win-win solution for the endless tussle between budgets and aspirations – the answers magically come to those, and only to those who are impassioned enough to persist.
If our belief in ourselves, our product offering, our business solutions is strong enough, we instinctively know that sooner or later, if we attempt long enough, look hard enough and work through every possibility, a solution to the problem will be found. But what makes us persist? Why do we believe when others have given up or pronounced us crazy? Because our Why is clear. For most people, just the prospect of earning far more than a job, or having time and freedom, being your own boss or balancing home and family life provides enough of a Why to keep going.
To give another example, if I don’t know how to get from point X to point Y, have no car, no map, no help (ie No How) but know that if I get there, there is a million dollars waiting for me (strong Why), do you think I will somehow find a way? You bet!
Aman, your Whys were strong, which is why you found an answer to the How. And I realise you started this thread more as a rant about why people give up, why they don’t ask the right question – but you probably did not give the question deeper thought. The source question really is Why – and that gives birth to the How. And many many people simply do not have the energy, the persistence, the passion to get through to the other end. That is just a fact of life.
Aman Jha
Hi Neerja,
I said a lot of times here in comments that m not talking about HOW & Why in literal sense.
‘WHY’ has two sense, 1st one is to find objective and second one to blame. I was comparing the second sense. I didn’t talk about my ‘WHYs’ bcoz i hv the ans.
Please observe in the post, not once did I say that HOW comes before WHY, did I? check out!
The post was all about reactions of an Entrepreneur and a normal person in any given situation.
Neerja you being an Entrepreneur tell me what will be your reaction is something goes wrong in your biz and what will be the reaction of a common man in same situation, you being an entrepreneur try to find out How to tackle the situation and a common man would think ‘Why am I in this situation?’ Now observe this question, ‘Why am I in this situation?’ this question is helping the common man to find reason, objective, etc as Adnan said but I nvr denied, it does, but what exactly this common man is trying to do by asking this question, BLAME!
In literal sense even I believe WHY is far more important but my post was abt particular situation.
Regards,
Aman Jha
Adnaan
Neerja, thank you for your kind words. Your reply is succinctly awesome. The notion of Why as a reservoir for persistence is often overlooked and rarely understood. Though, the greater the reward, the more there is reason to look for a stronger Why. Human history has been shaped by the Why’s. From this point of discussion, I am taking it forward just for the fun of it. My father used to tell me a story/anecdote about the first human who domesticated fire. Here’s the gist of it:
“Imagine the first Homo Sapien looking at a wild fire. He suppresses the innate fear of it, climbs up and looks closer. I suppose his first thought was, “Why is the wood burning?”. He might have turned to his mates and exclaimed his question. They probably replied, “God did it!”. So this guy is tenacious, “Ok. Well, I gotta find this God who makes such brilliant light and heat out of nowhere”. He runs along the edge of the wildfire, hoping to catch the God who is lighting everything up. The wildfire is left behind, but he keeps running. It’s a hot day and he is tired and stops beneath a shady tree to rest. The sun is overhead and the leaves are dry. Suddenly he hears a crackling sound and jumps up. Smoke is coming up from a dried leaf. He moves closer and sees a sparkle, then another and in no time leaves all around him are burning. Scared, he squirrels back beneath the shady tree, where the leaves are still untouched. And then it hits him, it’s the Sun. The heat from the Sun is burning the leaves! He runs back and tell’s his tribe. Now, there were two Gods.”
Ashwin C Parulkar
I see here that you follow a very simple principle : selling benifit to your customer …which they agree..
Aman Jha
Yes, you are absolutely right…
Khushal Kapoor
According to me this is how it goes in simple words : an entrepreneur first asks the question as to WHY would anyone buy my product/service. She/he then asks the question HOW to sell it to the target audience, HOW to build the brand image, HOW to minimise the cost while providing the best in class quality , (and the list goes on). I think that what Aman meant here was most people stop when they face difficulties and dont search for answers because they think its impossible as they dont ask the question of ‘HOW to get abc problem solved’.
Aman Jha
Yes, you are absolutely right…. Why is basic question, you cant go ahead before you ans your whys. My point was, HOW you move ahead when you know your whys…
Abhilash Chigle
Hieee Aman ji,
very few ppl approaches challenges of life with How can i afford it instead of I can’t afford it. its nice to see you are one of them.
Hozefa Shabbir Sabuwala
Hi Aman,
https://video-subtitle.tedcdn.com/talk/podcast/2009X/None/SimonSinek_2009X-480p-en.mp4
the above video shall make lots of sense for “why and/or how”