Social entrepreneurs

I had an opportunity to attend unconvention, a convention for social entrepreneurs, run by a seed fund company called Villgro. I had a good time being there, got to interact with entrepreneurs who are trying to create something of their own and take it to the market, someone is trying to aggregate tribals (oxymoron no?, aggregating tribals to make them promote the bee culture so that it can lead to better pollination and also to gather honey in the process), someone has a solution on paid energy (fascinating term, such a contrast to some people who think energy is given) and many more, really energizing stories.

I was there at India economic summit 2 weeks back, a convention organized by World Economic forum that had who is who of the industry and the government sharing their perspectives. i must tell you, I was amazed with the contrast, the unconvention was full of hope whereas the India Economic Summit was full of despair. The who is who of the industry had all that to share which was meant for others to do like what government should do and what suppliers should do, very less of what they can do. And Unconvention was all about what the entrepreneurs can do, they had no crib about the government or ecosystem that does not let them thrive, VCs and PEs to name a few.

I have a bit of a problem though with the term “Social Entrepreneur”, entrepreneurship is all about identifying opportunities and taking risk to get rewarded, making social co exist with it makes it that much tougher. And there is this term called “impact investing”, the only impact one can have of the investment is return but then supposed to mean more than that, when such words get traction from renowned guys, it becomes a catch phrase. I had to tell all that we are accidental entrepreneurs and social is only the outcome.

It will be so good if all the big industries go back to basics and ask themselves why the hell they existed in the first place and what is it that they are chasing now. I am sure they will have very less expectations from others and will make them think inwards.

More the things change

Have you noticed the change in men’s relieving place oflate in five stars? Or is it that I am not frequenting them enough to notice the change earlier.

I was at hotel Trident in Mumbai a week back attending a meeting with very senior guys of the industry. Being there itself was so overwhelming for me, no place for mundane things like relieving oneself. After holding myself for more than 2 hours and increasingly having a fear of bursting of the bladder, I rushed to men’s to get horrified that there are no pots. I was totally distraught but was seeing that a few people are entering and going out and there was this rotten smell interspersed with a perfume. I was not sure where to go to relieve but then rationalized myself that I will watch others and then do it myself.

So there one guy goes, stands infront of a wall and releases himself with a deep sense of relief, must have been in the same situation as yours truly was. I mustered courage and went closer to the wall and found to my surprise a bed of ice cubes laid on the ground with a few places run over. And then, I realized that the hotel has got rid of pots and instead is promoting relieving on the ground with a wall to look at. It reminded me of my village and the school and how we would never worry of others how they feel if we do it.

So… more the things change…