FOREpreneurs

Submitted to: Dr. Anita Tripathi Lal

Submitted by: Shweta Wattal, 231151, FMG23-C
FOREpreneurs was organized by Center for Entrepreneurship Development (CED) team under
the guidance of their faculty coordinator Dr. Anita Lal on July 30, 2014. FOREPreneurs was a
platform through which our alumni shared their story of becoming successful entrepreneurs with
the new batch of 2014-2016. The dais was shared by Anu Pachisia, Founder of Silver Star, Sanjiv
Bajaj, owner of Bajaj Capital, Sanjay Sharma, Co-founder and Chief of Design Worldwide,
Nikhil Nanda, founder of JHS Svendgaard Labs. What prompted you to become an
entrepreneur? was the first question posed to our dais members followed by inquisitiveness to
know the inspiring stories of their journey in becoming successful entrepreneurs.
Sanjiv Bajaj, said it is of utmost importance for an entrepreneur to be at his best 24*7 and that
entrepreneurship is a life long journey. When his industry report was approved and gained
credibility, Sanjiv realized that his words could actually be taken seriously. That was his defining
moment when he started to believe in himself and his ideas. For Sanjiv, being an entrepreneur
was about investing in himself and doing something different. In his opinion, we should take that
plunge and jump into it while we are brewing with energy and ideas. When asked about his
support system, Sanjiv claimed he had three pillars of strength: - His family, His employees and
His peers. They all have helped him reach this zenith in his career. Believe in Yourself was the
motto he preached.
Sanjay Sharma had been exposed to a variety of people who all went ahead and became their
own bosses. From advertising with the likes of Rakeish Om Prakash and Pradeep Sarkar to
organizing a music album with 30 different musicians across India, Sanjay had seen the nuances
of all the activities that were involved in an organization. With so many years of experience in
his baggage, he decided to become his own asset. Sanjay gave us the 15 mantras to become
successful and good entrepreneurs. To name a few, Timing was the first pointer where he said
that the best time to take the plunge is when your heart says yes and your mind agrees with it.
Preparation, according to Sanjay was the key towards continued growth and success. It is very
important to know your ideas thoroughly and dive as deep as you can. Learning, was about

learning from your past experiences in the industry which will mark the foundation of your
business. Success was a very important pointer which emphasized on value rather than money.
He expressed that the measurement of success is not the measure of your bank balance but in
actuality is the satisfaction you have achieved over the years. Responsible was another mantra
according to which, you were not only responsible for yourself but for others who have invested
and believed in your ideas. So your success and failures have a direct effect on them. For Sanjay,
his wife had been his greatest support system who had supported her unconditionally. Be
Curious was the lesson of the day.
Anu Pachisia, showed us how very important it is to grab the opportunities that we are given
and make the best out of it. She even told us the various perks of being an entrepreneur which
was not just about following your passion, but having your own rules and regulations and your
own convenience. Anu became an entrepreneur at an age when everybody around her was
getting married. She believes that it was her education at Fore School of Management, New
Delhi that made her into a confident woman, ready to follow her dreams. She began her business
in Garment Exports which after four years of success was shut down due to recession in the
Garment Industry. She however did not balk down by her failures and grabbed the next best
opportunity that came to her. Silver Star was started in June 2004 which involved the export of
Fashion Jewelry and Accessories. According to Anu, Entrepreneurship is no cake walk especially
for a woman who many a times is not even taken seriously but is worth it at the end because if
you succeed then there is no looking back. She explained the various difficulties that came across
her path while dealing with various facets in her business. She suggested a book Inseparable
Twins as a must read for all those wanting to become entrepreneurs. Her education and her
family had been her support system throughout this journey. Being Honest, was the key
according to her.
Nikhil Nanda, our last speaker, engaged the students by his stress on the practicality of
entrepreneurship. According to Nikhil, entrepreneurship is all about challenges and opportunities
and an entrepreneur must have a drive for recognition or power or to make money. He
emphasized on these drives as the motivational factor for him. He encouraged us to take risks,
without which the goals cannot be reached. Take decisions was another lesson he imparted. He
said never get balked down by the wrong decisions you make because they will serve as your
experiences in further stages of life. Nikhils journey was not just about belief in himself and his

ideas but also about his perseverance. Starting from a plant with almost no capital to going
public is an exceptional journey which served as inspiration for us all.