Month: February 2021

Categories
Motivational

Top 3 Ways for Entrepreneurs to Pitch an Idea to Investors with Total Confidence

pitch
बॉस से खुद को करें कनेक्ट

Pitching your idea to your potential investor seems incredibly nerve-wracking. It is like the feeling of giving a presentation in front of the entire class. The only difference between the two is that the former one is more challenging!

Do you wonder if your potential investor is interested enough? Will they like your idea? And most of all you wonder if this potential investor is going to fund your project or not?

According to the INC.com report, 42% of the startups fail due to lack of initial cash funding along with other reasons like legal challenges, poor marketing, lack of innovation, or disharmony within the team.

Then how can you ensure that you get investors for your startup business? By not doing mistakes that most of the entrepreneurs commit unknowingly and end up shutting down their business. Also, they practiced the best ways to approach their investors.

Here are top tips for pitching your great ideas or products to investors:

  1. Nail your Elevator Pitch

Your elevator pitch is a teaser of your startup business idea. These 30 seconds of elevator pitch should explain everything that someone would need to know when they meet you for the first time.

Your elevator speech should tell your investors everything if they have no background knowledge about your startup.

It should be crisp, direct, and clear. And simply describe your product or idea. It should cover the 3W`s- ‘What you do,’ ‘What problem you solve,’ and ‘Why you are different?’

After your pitch, make sure to connect with the person listening. Ask them questions and resolve their queries.

  1. Research about your Potential Investors

If you come prepared, the battle is half won! So before doing your pitch, do some research on who you will be presenting to.

You can search for the list of Angel Investors network that focuses on your region. Some of the investors may be a popular figure. So you can research well about them online. Study about their patterns, as some investors like to be involved in the company they are investing in. Others would rather be hands-off and would rather like to receive quarterly reports on profitability.

  1. Talk on Facts & Figures

Provide solid data reports when you are pitching your idea to a potential investor. Investors are always interested in what you have already accomplished. Also, how much profit they will make post-investment in your company.

The value of a startup is often built even before they have made profits. The numbers behind it are often driven by speculation of how good the company could perform shortly.

However, you must also be well-prepared to back up the numbers you provide to your investors. Investors would want to hear the reasoning behind your numbers.

Do not just give a random figure of new customers your company is acquiring every month. Say the exact number because it does not matter if you are attracting 20 or 20,000 customers. Your transparency and honesty are what matters the most!

Always remember that an investor is not just investing money into your company, they are giving it to you. And they are investing because they believe in you.  Hence, give them confidence by providing the real data.

Categories
MSME

MSME Credit Moves Towards Pre-Pandemic Levels, Witnesses a Growth of 5.7%: Report

MSME Credit Grows at 5.7% | Representational Image (Photo Credits: Pixabay)
MSME Credit Grows at 5.7% | Representational Image (Photo Credits: Pixabay)

The latest MSME Pulse Report by TansUnion CIBIL shows that the credit in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises have witnessed a growth owing to the support of central government’s Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS). As per the recent report, the MSME credit grew by 5.7 per cent YoY and around 3.5 QoQ in September 2020. The report also indicated that the Public Sector Banks are progressively taking the lead in providing quick loans and credits to the MSME sector, thereby ensuring an increased market share for themselves. Not only the PSBs, even the private sector banks are moving back to the pre-COVID-19 levels, with 22 per cent YoY growth in inquiries in December 2020. For the public sector banks, the same was recorded at 9 per cent. Indian SMEs Plan To Expand Businesses As Economy Revives, Restoration of Business Activities Likely To Gain Momentum Post COVID-19 Era: Survey.

Meanwhile, the inquiry trends in Commercial credit touched pre-COVID levels of 13 per cent in December 2020 after experiencing a sharp plunge in April 2020 owning to the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent economic lockdown. The total on-balance sheet commercial lending exposure in India stood at Rs 71.25 Lakh Crore with a growth rate of 2.1 per cent YoY as in September 2020. As per report, for MSME sector it stood at Rs 19.09 Lakh Crore with a yearly growth rate of 5.7 per cent in all the sub segments of micro, small and medium enterprises. The Centre released the 17tth Installment of GST Compensation: What it means for States & UTs?

As per the MSME Pulse Report, the high risk MSME borrowers with a CIBIL rank between 7 to 10 secured the maximum benefits from the rise in approval rates. Meanwhile, the NPA (Non-Performing Asset) ratio saw a decline to 12.1 per cent in September 2020. It is being reasoned as a consequence of the Supreme Court order of not declaring NPAs till further notice. Moreover, as per a finance ministry release, total loans sanctioned under ECLGS stand at Rs 2.1 Lakh Crore of which Rs 1.65 Lkah Crore has already been disbursed.

Categories
Motivational

The Most Inspiring Journey of Mary Kom: Born to Beat Adversities!

mary-kom

The world has two types of people- achievers and fighters. But only those who are filled with true passion and determination belong to this category. Mary Kom is both- the real champion of the society.

Mary Kom has not only been an inspiration for women across India but also around the world. She has made the country proud by winning six World Championships and an Olympic bronze.

Mary Kom`s real name is Mangte Chungneijang. She was born in Manipur in 1983. Her parents, Mangte Tonpa Kom and Mangte Akham Kom worked in jhum fields. Coming from a very humble background, Mary had to undergo a lot of hardships and inconveniences and created a name for herself in the world of boxing.

Just like other girls in the village, Mary Kom also worked in fields to help her parents. Along with working in the fields, she also took care of her younger siblings. During her school days, she showed intense interest in athletics along with many other sports like football, and hockey. She took up sports to aid her family with financial support. However, she never showed any interest in boxing.

Mary Kom`s father was a former wrestler player at his young age. But he never wanted his daughters to pursue the same. However, destiny has its plan. It was the success of Dingko Singh that inspired her to become a professional boxer player.

Instead of looking for excuses and blame her financial condition, Mary Kom decided early on that she would build her strength. In 2000, Mary Kom began her boxing training under the coach K. Kosana Meitei in Imphal.

The journey to becoming a professional boxer player was not easy. As Mary`s father was not in the favor of her stepping inside the ring, she had to hide her interest in boxing from her family. Her father shouted at her when a photo of her winning the state boxing championship was printed in the newspaper.

Mary Kom made her first debut at the Women World Boxing Championship at the age of 18. After just one year of starting to learn boxing, she won a silver medal in the 46 kg weight category.  Later on, she won a gold medal at the second Association International de Boxe Amateur (AIBA) World Women`s Senior Boxing Championship that was held at Antalya, Turkey.

Mary Kom, a mother of twin sons, has won six world records. She wasn`t born in an affluent sportsperson’s family, hence did not have the privilege of training with the best at the early stages of her career.

Post her marriage in 2005, Mary Kom became the mother of twin sons in 2007. She took a short break until the birth of her kids, but started training again and achieved success in the following year. Married to Karung Onkholer, Mary Kom won much recognition in her career:

  1. Arjuna Award (Boxing) in 2003
  2. Challenger for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2007
  3. People of the Year in 2007 as Limca Book of Records
  4. ‘Magnificent Mary’, AIBA in 2008
  5. Reliance Industries & CNN-IBN Real Heroes Award in 2008
  6. Pepsi MTV Youth Icon in 2008
  7. Ambassador of International Boxing Association in Women’s Boxing in 2009
  8. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2009
  9. Sahara Sports Award in 2010
  10. Decorated as Padma Shri in 2006 for sports
  11. Decorated as Padma Bhushan in 2013 for wonderful achievement in sports.

“Unbreakable”, an autobiography of Mary Kom was released in 2013 by Harper Collins. Mary Kom, a headstrong girl, did not give up on her dream and followed it passionately. She is an inspiration to women who dare to dream big!

Categories
Motivational

7 Motivational Quotes by Infosys co-founder Narayan Murthy to give your Entrepreneurial dreams wings!

narayanamurthy

N.R Narayana Murthy is none other than the co-founder and the former chairman of Indian tech giant Infosys, which is often described as the “father of the Indian IT sector”. When it comes to business, tech, and entrepreneurship, Mr. Narayana Murthy is considered as one of India`s pioneers.

Infosys Technologies Ltd. was the first Indian company to be listed on an American stock exchange. After earning a bachelor`s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Mysore in 1967, he completed his Master`s degree from IIT-Kanpur in 1969.

During the 1970s, Murthy worked upon multiple projects in Paris, where he also helped design an operating system for handling air cargo at Charles de Gaulle Airport.

After some time, he returned to India and worked in Pune. But eventually, he decided to launch his own company and co-founded Infosys with six fellow professionals in 1981.

Talking about the startup culture in India, he says, “Startups are about entrepreneurs coming up with an idea whose proposition is very different from any existing idea in the market. Startups are about a set of people whose collective experience can test an idea’s market fit and scale it up.”

Here are some of the most inspiring quotes from N.R Narayana Murthy, to fuel your entrepreneurial dreams:

  1. Progress is often equal to the difference between mind and mindset.
  2. Love your job, but never fall in love with your Company.
  3. Performance leads to recognition. Recognition brings respect. Respect enhances power. Humility and grace in one’s moments of power enhance the dignity of an organization.
  4. Our assets walk out of the door each evening. We have to make sure that they come back the next morning.
  5. You become a star, not because of your title; you become a star because you are adding star value to the company.
  6. Respect, recognition, and reward flow out of the performance.
  7. The real power of money is the power to give it away.
Categories
Finance

3 Common Mistakes every Beginner should avoid while investing in Stocks

avoid these stock market mistakes

Piyush, who is an architect by profession, has always invested in schemes that are risk-free. Recently, his friend Hemant told him about his income generated through Mutual Funds. Piyush decided to take a shot at mutual funds.

Piyush replicated his friend`s portfolio and invested his money. To his disappointment, Piyush did not make as much money as his friend did. He also suffered losses. So what could be the reason behind Hemant making a profit in the same scheme, while Piyush suffered losses?

Piyush committed one mistake while investing in stocks that most Indians make. However, it is better to understand these mistakes initially to prevent losses in the future.

Here is a list of some of the most common mistakes that everyone must avoid while investing in stocks:

  1. Lack of Planning

Seasoned investors play their game in the market based on facts and figures. However, this is where a beginner can go wrong. Guessing and blindly investing in stocks might appear to be performing well. However, the absence of proper planning and vague end goals can result in a chaotic mess. Always check the financial data of the company you are planning to invest in and then make informed decisions.

  1. Decision-based on Personal Bias

Being biased can never be beneficial, be it any aspect of life. And the stock market is no exception! Many beginners or first-time investors tend to either buy only companies that are known or the companies they like.

This is not the best way to invest your money in the stock market. The companies you like or know may not be performing well. This way you can also risk your profile or your financial goals.

  1. Short Term Focus

If you have a notion in your mind that investing in the stock market will make you rich quickly then this is another mistake that you must avoid. Having a short-term goal can leave a huge impact on your investment decisions. Avoid taking rash and uninformed decisions as it can likely result in losses.

These three mistakes are the most common ones that every first-time investor makes initially. Trading in investing and equity in the financial markets requires in-depth knowledge of the stock market.

Categories
News

The Centre released the 17tth Installment of GST Compensation: What it means for States & UTs?

gst
GST

The 17th weekly installment of INR 5,000crore has been released by the Centre on 19 February 2021 to the states to meet the shortfall of Goods & Services Tax (GST).

Previously, the installment of ₹6,000crores was released on 15 February 2021 on Monday. A large amount of financial aid has been borrowed by the states this week at an interest rate of 5.5924%.

According to the latest press release by the department of expenditure of the Finance Ministry an amount of total amount ₹4,730.41crores has been released to 23 states.

The three union territories with the Legislative Assembly (Delhi, J&K, and Puducherry) who are the members of the GST council also received the amount of ₹269.59crores, the statement read.

The remaining five states Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Mizoram do not have a gap in revenue on account of GST Implementation.

In October 2020, the Centre established a special borrowing window to meet the estimated shortfall of ₹1.10 lakh crores in the revenue due to the implementation of GST. The government has also granted the additional borrowing permission equivalent to 0.50% of Gross States Domestic Product.  In addition to this special window, the Centre has also provided funds through the special window to meet the shortfall.

“All the states have given their preference for Option-I. Permission for borrowing the entire additional amount of ₹1, 06,830 crores (0.50% of GSDP) has been granted to 28 states under this provision,” the Finance Ministry said.

Categories
Motivational

5 Inspiring Indra Nooyi Quotes to Remind Everyone that no dream is too big!

indra nooyi

If ‘breaking the glass ceiling’ is what defines the unconventional success, then Indra Nooyi fits it to a T. The former Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi is one of the fewest Indian women to reach the top of the ladder of success.

A self-proclaimed nerd, Nooyi was born into a conservative family of Madras, which is now known as Chennai. To continue her studies, she went to Yale University on scholarship. She excelled in academics and worked as a receptionist from dusk to dawn to fund her educational expenses.

With her hard earnings, she purchased the first business suit that she would wear for the job interviews.  However, she got rejected because of her ill-fitted pants. She was disappointed until one of her professors advised her to wear clothes in which she feels comfortable.

For the next interview, she wore a saree and got selected at Boston Consulting Group. She became a global headline when she joined PepsiCo. During her 12 years tenure in PepsiCo, she boosted the company`s revenue while expanding its offerings to include healthier foods.

Because of her passion, persistence, and perseverance, Indira not only became the CEO of one of the largest companies in the world but also represented the most powerful businesswoman in the world.

Here are 5 inspiring quotes by Indira Nooyi that will give you a glimpse of what it takes to achieve success:

  1. I grew up with a mother who said, ‘I’ll arrange a marriage for you at 18,’ but she also said that we could achieve anything we put our minds to and encourage us to dream of becoming prime minister or president.
  2. At the end of the day, don’t forget that you’re a person, don’t forget you’re a mother, don’t forget you’re a wife, don’t forget you’re a daughter. Because in the end, no matter how much money you make & how much success you create, what you are left with is family, friends & faith.
  3. You can`t deliver value unless you anchor the company`s values. Values make an unsinkable ship. Code of conduct goes beyond legal compliance and every employee needs to be well versed with it.
  4. I am a mother first, then a CEO, and then a wife.
  5. Leadership is hard to define and good leadership even harder. But if you can get people to follow you to the ends of the earth, you are a great leader.

Women can achieve anything if they want. All it needs a true determination, a strong value system, and a belief in their dreams.

Categories
Business motivation

How To Turn Your Hobby Into Full-Time Profession

hubby into a business

The best way one relieves themselves from stress during leisure is by practicing their hobbies. While everyone has their way of escaping from the hassle of daily life, there are very few people who think of turning their passion into a profession. Here we are a few ways in which you can turn your hobbies into earning:

Illustration and Designing: Some people love to draw and design digitally. They can become cartoonists, illustrators, or graphic designers. These professionals are searched for across a wide range of industries including journalism, videography marketing, and many more.

Traveling: There are a lot of people who love to travel but there are very few who know that they can be paid to do so. There are a lot of travel websites that search for people who can make videos or write blogs while visiting less-known locations around the globe and pay for doing that.

Gaming: If you are a gamer, you have an incredible opportunity to earn while playing some mind-blowing games. Companies that build gaming apps hire gamers who can play their games and discover bugs in them. Apart from that, there are a lot of apps easily available on your smartphone that pay you for playing games.

DIY Crafts: If scissors and glue are your best friends, you need to thank them for creating an opportunity for you to earn. There are a lot of websites including amazon and Flipkart where you can sell your handmade craft products. Apart from that, you can also make customized or personalized orders through social media platforms such as Instagram and earn a great amount of money.

Refereeing: For those who love sports, there is a way they can turn their love into a profession too. They can turn their hobby into a profession by becoming a referee in various sports including basketball and football.

Playing an instrument: People who limit their art of playing an instrument on the weekends can turn it into a profession. Many cafes invite instrumentalists to play on special occasions and weekends. You may also join a band to make money from your hobby.

Baking: There are a wide variety of people from children to housewives who love to bake. Some talented people can bake cakes and dough in incredible shapes. They can open their bakery or prepare customized orders and earn from the same.

Mimicry: There are very few talented people who can mimic celebrities, cartoon characters, or animal sounds. These people have a great opportunity to become voice-over artists and Radio Jockeys (RJs). If turned into full-time professions, these opportunities can make on earn even lakhs of rupees every month.

 

Categories
Business motivation

Indian SMEs Plan To Expand Businesses As Economy Revives, Restoration of Business Activities Likely To Gain Momentum Post COVID-19 Era: Survey

Evaluation of Business Performance
एंटरप्रेन्योर

The small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in India are coming back to action besides new opportunities unlocking in numerous upcoming segments. As the economy in India limps back to normalcy, a number of small and medium enterprises (SME) in the country are now planning to expand their businesses. The SME Leasing & Business Sentiment Survey by 360 Realtors’ commercial division, shows that business activities in the country are reviving amid increasing confidence in the overall economic outlook of India with the growth trajectory of the country expected to be in the range of 8-10 percent in FY 22.

In a statement, the 360 Realtors noted that business activities are reviving amid increasing confidence in the overall economic outlook of India with the growth trajectory of the country expected to be in the range of 8-10 percent in FY 22. “Echoing this sentiment, a whopping 69 percent of the respondents in the survey have demonstrated their plans to expand their business. As the economy is expected to expand, there will be significant growth in demand and consumption which is egging on industry players,” the Survey stated.

Moreover, around 49 percent of the respondents said that they will launch new verticals, whereas slightly over 12 percent have suggested functional team reallocation. A report by IANS quotes the survey saying that the respondents are spread across numerous cities in India including Delhi-NCR, Kolkata, the MMR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, among other.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the momentum of growth in the SME sector. Ankit Kansal, Founder & MD, 360 Realtors believed that the post-COVID-19 era will see the emergence of new opportunities and business proliferation driven by a consistent restoration of business activities.

Categories
Finance

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala Says He Will Never Buy Bitcoin, Cryptocurrencies Should Be Ban

Bitcoin (Photo Credits: Pexels)

The digital token, Bitcoin, recently hit an all-time high of USD 58,332.36. However, this was not enough to allure ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala. On the trading of bitcoins, the big bull told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” that he would never invest in the cryptocurrency.

“I won’t buy Bitcoin even for $5. In the world, only the sovereign has the right to create currency. The dollar move of 1-2 per cent is news but here the fluctuation is 10-15 per cent in a day, hence the speculation is the highest,” Jhunjhunwala said.

He said that he will never buy bitcoin in his life and “cryptocurrencies should be banned.” The investor further said that India’s regulators should step in and keep bitcoin out.

In 2021, bitcoin surged more than 90 per cent. The spectacular run was due to increased adaption of the digital token by major investors and companies, including Bank of New York Mellon and Elon Musk’s Tesla. There is no decision on bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies by India’s regulators, but there is speculation that the Centre is planning to ban all private digital currencies and launch its own official virtual currency.

“A high-level Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) was constituted under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Economic Affairs) to study the issues related to virtual currencies and propose specific actions to be taken in the matter recommended in its report that all private cryptocurrencies, except any virtual currencies issued by a state, will be prohibited in India,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said during the Parliament Session.