Alok Kejriwal’s Interview with India Brand Equity Foundation

While Half Girlfriend is yet to hit the stands and as you await to read it, don’t miss out this 5 Point Rodinhood.

‘Moja banana vs. Internet business’. That was the starting point of Alok’s start up when he was all of 27 years. He wanted to do something different than working in his socks factory. And the rest is there to be read on TRHS 🙂

In a discussion with India Brand Equity Foundation, Alok takes us through his journey, tells us about the opportunistic Indian market, how ‘entrepreneurship’ has become a mania these days; a stark contrast to the late 90s and his giving back to society, the TRHS way. 

Key Take aways

• You don’t like something?? Change it.. That’s how entrepreneurs begin

Identify the gap, craft an innovative solution and then give your life for it.. all of this while keeping it simple for the consumer.

Writing ‘I love you’ to win a car was not his way of how contests should be run. He didn’t agree with the kind of messaging brands put out to connect to their users.The broken mechanic needed to be fixed. That’s what he did. That’s how C2W was born.

• Take advantage of every opportunity and make the most of it

There is a ‘wow’ moment in every entrepreneurial journey. Leverage it to the best of your ability. For Alok, when the brand owners he approached for promotions asked him to create contests for them he knew it was the best bet. Giving your customer what they want in your style. That’s how C2W ran a success story in the early 2000s.

• Get capital for idea – use the capital to create wealth – give the capital back – start anew

The summary of a serial entrepreneur’s live in relationship with VCs.

• Think Different. Break Stereotype. Be Patient

Games2Win was built on a strong hypothesis that they will create a gaming IP out of India. Not Angry Birds from Finland or Carbon from EA, it should be a game from India that rules the world was their goal. 4-5 yrs down G2W’s Parking Frenzy became No. 1 game in US – the most competitive market in the world. And yes of course, if you can tackle the US of A market you can tackle anywhere.

Also, while everyone else was busy crafting complex technology IP products for businesses or enterprises, G2W wanted to create a product IP for consumer space. They typecast themselves.

• Make a balance sheet first and then start a business not vice versa

This is Alok’s piece of advice to entrepreneurs. And you know when the Marwari genes speak, it speaks business experience!

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Editor’s Note: Special thanks to a Rodinhooder who shared this video with us via email. I will locate the name soon! This video interaction is as a part of  IBEF’s ‘Ordinary Indians, Extraordinary Enterprise’ series.

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