Want to start a business but don't have any mentors to guide you?
Take a cue from the success of others.
Founded in 1998, PayPal, today, is at the cutting edge of the digital payments movement.
It is headquartered in San Jose, California and employs over 2,500 engineers across its Asia Pacific centres in Singapore, Shanghai, Chennai and Bangalore.
Anupam Pahuja, General Manager for Technology at PayPal Asia-Pacific in Singapore, who joined the company as General Manager of its India Development Centres, has been instrumental in making it one of the best places to work in India six years in a row, according to surveys conducted by the Great Places to Work Institute.
Here he shares with us the simple, yet amazing reasons that make a start-up successful. Read on...
1. Be humble
Look what happened to the once-mighty Nokia, Motorola and Blackberry when Apple entered the mobile phone game in June 2007!
They all laughed at Apple, but look who's laughing now.
2. Forget what you know
You must not become a prisoner of your old knowledge no matter how successful you are; you must keep re-inventing.
You may make the best axes -- but a chain-saw is that much more efficient!
3. Think big
While India was launching Ambassador cars, Lambretta scooters and the Rajdhani express, America was sending people to the moon.
Look at Elon Musk (founder of SpaceX and co-founder of PayPal) today -- he is talking about creating anti-gravity tunnels to improve transportation.
4. Take risks
Think beyond corporate jobs, create jobs!
Take the road less travelled, even if you have to crawl on that road -- later you will walk and run.
5. Simplify everything
Sometimes a pencil can do what a fancy pen cannot do.
Think beyond what techies like, explain your product in ways which your customer will also like.
6. Get it done
Don't just talk endlessly, go out and do it -- execute on your ideas, deliver on your promises.
Don't fall victim to paralysis by analysis.
Photograph: Rediff Archives
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