This time, let’s talk about something that’s creating ripples in the eCommerce pond – the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

In case you’ve missed it, ONDC is a brainchild of the Indian government, born in April, touted as a contender to the reigning kings – Amazon and Walmart. It’s not just a platform; it’s an arena for competition and innovation in the eCommerce sphere. Imagine it as a marketplace where offerings from all participants get equal limelight across the network’s apps.

So, where does this leave the eCommerce behemoths we’ve grown accustomed to? That’s the billion-dollar question. There’s a wind of change, and it might just uproot the existing dynamics.

Recently, I had a little adventure with ONDC that served as a reality check on its potential. Here’s what happened. I was craving a Mexican Aalu Tikki Burger + Fries (L) from McDonald’s. As a Zomato regular, I instinctively checked the price there, Rs 165, with a grand total of Rs 234 after all extras. On a hunch, I cross-checked with ONDC. The same delight was available for Rs 148, and the final bill? A whopping Rs 51 less, at Rs 183.

This got the gears in my mind turning. If ONDC can pull this off, it might just give the established eCommerce giants a run for their money. It seems poised not just to level the playing field for sellers but also to provide more bang for the buck for folks like you and me.

Now, this is one story, one experience, and the long-term effects of ONDC on the eCommerce canvas are still a work-in-progress. However, it’s a development that deserves a spot on our radars.

As a young child, I have memories of kite flying in the summer. It was an unbelievable rush to witness my kite soar to great heights. I had no idea that the abilities I had developed as a child would later come in handy for my entrepreneurial endeavors.

I had to put up my kite before I could fly it. I had to choose the ideal kite, string, and spot. This reminded me of the beginning of my business. I had to conduct market research, write a business strategy, and assemble the required materials and funding.

I had to learn how to fly a kite as well. To become an expert in the craft, it took me a lot of effort and practice. In a similar way, I had to master the skills necessary to launch a successful brand by studying the field, developing my business knowledge, and consulting other successful business owners.

Patience may be needed to fly a kite because the wind might not be favorable for a while. To endure the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, patience is a virtue.

Setting ambitious goals is another lesson I learned from flying a kite. I had to set high aspirations for myself, just like how high my kite could fly. I also discovered how crucial it is to understand the forces at work. I had to understand the direction and speed of the wind in order to fly a kite. Additionally, business owners need to be aware of the factors that shape their market and industry.

Flying a kite required precise timing. In order to succeed, I had to release it at the proper time and control the kite at the appropriate interval. This reminded me of my entrepreneurial days. In order to succeed, I had to strategically time my actions and decisions.

establish a powerful brand, stay ahead of the curve, gather a devoted following, diversify my sources of income, assemble a potent team, network, and maintain integrity and openness

Also essential was patience. Patience may be needed to fly a kite because the wind might not be favorable for a while. To endure the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, patience is a virtue.

Finally, I understood that the journey is just as important as the final destination. Similar to how flying a kite is exciting in and of itself, becoming an entrepreneur is about the experience of coming up with something fresh and original. I needed to be ready for other kites that might try to cut my strings, though. I had to safeguard my intellectual property, establish a powerful brand, stay ahead of the curve, gather a devoted following, diversify my sources of income, assemble a potent team, network, and maintain integrity and openness.

These lessons I picked up from flying my kite as a child have been tremendously helpful to me as I’ve pursued entrepreneurship. They have assisted me in maintaining my resolve and focus throughout my journey.

Your Brand Name should Reflect Your Brand Story

About one year ago, a client came to us with a problem. He wanted to start his own fashion apparel brand for women in India. He had a lot of vague ideas but did not know where to begin the process of making this new brand. During the course of discussion he described with absolute clarity how he designed his apparels. We listened with fascination as brought his ideal woman to life with minute descriptions of how she would be dressed.

Inspired by his unique ability we decided to come up with a name for this woman. Her name was Ragonic. A combination of designer’s name Rahul and his iconic woman, hence Ragonic.

Your brand story deserves an a brand name that captures it. Your brand deserves a brand name that is unique and has a message in it.

With our vast experience working with in the SME sector we have noticed how little thought proprietors give to selecting their brand name . Their callousness is appalling. Your brand is your work, naming it appropriately is showing that work respect. Here are a few things that we keep in mind while coming up with relevant and impactful brand names.

Account For Acoustics

There is no point in keeping a brand name that is too complicated to pronounce. This happens often in the SMEs sector. Especially, in the fashion and engineering sectors where in an effort to sound ‘foreign’ brands come up with names that are too complex for a common Indian person.

Case In Point:

When an Iron and steel manufacturer approached us with question of their Brand Name we suggested is ‘Metalogic’. A simple combination of the words Metal and Logic the name subtly highlight’s the brand’s expertise. The most important aspect of the name is its acoustics. Metalogic is very easy to say and therefore, easy to remember.

Think Local Before You Go Global

The city where the brand intends to be operational matters a lot in picking a brand name. The brand name needs to blend in perfectly with the milieu of the city and its ethos.

Case in Point:

A furniture chain in Indore wanted to change its name. Research suggested that its name G-shanti made the brand come across not as a modern retail chain but as a small local store. To give position the brand as a key player in furniture market we suggested the name Urban Daily. The name was an effort to tap into the aspirational and tech-savvy Indori youth. The tech-savvy name ‘Urban Daily’ heralded the furnishings chain into modern category and the result was greater footfalls into the store.

Factor In The Semiotics

Symbols have a deep impact on human psyche. It is the reason why political parties invest so much in building statues and monuments. Semiotics is a study of such symbols and their impact on the psyche. Semiotics is rooted in lived experiences. It is about how culture respond to symbols. Your brand name is your symbol and you need to factor in semiotics to gain traction in the market.

Case in Point

A start with a unique idea for selling clothes and accessories for children wanted a brand name. We took the into consideration the semiotics of childhood and we took into consideration the fact that the decision makers were adults but the target audience where children. The brand intended to target markets across India, however its primary focus was the North. We suggested the name ‘Lukka Chhupi’. The iconic game of hide & seek strikes a chord across the ages. It has a universal appeal and is directly associated with childhood and innocence. This unique name perfectly encapsulated the thought behind the brand and the client was extremely happy with it.

Trend Setters & Trend Followers

There are two types of brand names. Certain brands are poised to become a legacy, while others merely follow the latest trends and are soon forgotten. The best example of legacy brand names would be Amul, Raymond ext. While their branding has now become a part of the national culture, their legacy started with a perfect and simple name.

Case in Point:

When Kesar Tea company approached us to brand their flagship Tea brand we did a thorough research on tea brands across the country. On basis of our research we suggested the name a unique name ‘Red Rhino’. The red colour is the colour of the perfectly brewed cup of tea and Rhino is an symbolises Assam, the place from where the tea leaves are bought from. The unique brand has built a niche audience for itself and has been growing successfully for the last one year.

Emotion And Logic

The two basic drivers of the human mind are emotion and logic. Important thing is knowing what to be emotional about and what to be logical about. Most SMEs chose their brand name as per their emotion. They need to be logical about their names and factor in the customer’s emotions.

Case in Point

Samarth Services was a company that specialised in steralization cleaning. A B2B brand that often worked with biggest names in the medical industry had a name based on the religious beliefs of the proprietor. This diminished their brand perception as their name did highlight the amazing service they provided. On the basis of our research we suggested the name ‘S Clean’ and the brand has managed to bag in new clients ever since.

Legacy Brands

Certain names carry a legacy with them and should not be changed. The best examples of this are Bhagat Tarachand and Keventers. Both the brands have established themselves in the market and need not change their names. However in certain cases product rebranding might be required to tap in to the benefits of being legacy brands.

Case in Point

Tayyabi is a 200-year-old unani medicine brand. They had the same names for the medicine for the last 100 years. The audience obviously could not connect to the names of these old medicines. So we suggested new names to the client with each name making the purpose of the medicine clear to the target audience.

Branding begins with the brand name. Brand names are the first impressions of a brand. It has to catch the essence of the brand identity in it. Remember the old adage “First impression is the last impression” or if you get it right “first impression will be a lasting impression”. Brand name is everything after all the man who coined the famous phrase “What’s in a name?” was Shake-sphere.

A close friend of mine, unlike other people, was always focused on achieving her dream. She wanted to become a fashion designer and wanted to see her clothes displayed on the ramp during the fashion week. She was inspired and passionate about it. It was one of the many things that I was found attractive about her. She walked the distance to achieve her dream. She graduated from National Institute of Fashion Technology at the top of her class. She worked with top designers in the country like Neeta Lulla and Malini Agrawal to get hands-on experience in the fashion industry. When she felt she had enough experience, she even launched her startup. Unfortunately, the startup did not succeed to the extent she would have liked. After marriage and a child, she shifted tracks. She now works for a top retailer in the country and has successfully developed one of its failing fashion categories. Her hard work and creativity as a designer has been recognised and rewarded within the company. However, her dream of making her own fashion brand has been forgotten.

If you asked if she had followed her dreams, she would simply point out that she was a very respected fashion designer in a big retail chain. She would acknowledge the fact that she compromised on her dream, she would rationalize her decision instead.

“Dreams don’t die a natural death, we kill them and our weapons are rationalisations we use to murder them.”

Rationalisation used to Procrastinate

1. I am going to work on my dreams…just not tonight.
2. There isn’t enough time
3. There isn’t enough money
4. I don’t have enough expertise
5. The industry is shit!
6. I need the security
7. I will do this one thing before working on my dream

Like every other ‘killing’ there is a motive behind this crime. Our motivations for these rationalizations become clear when we scratch beneath the surface.

1. We want to be comfortable. Comfort is a far bigger dream killer than fear.
2. Next is, of course, the fear of failure.
3. Lack of patience
4. Fear of taking risks
5. Loss of faith in oneself

And many others follow. The primary reason is always comfort and a lack of patience.

The myth of ‘sacrifices’

While sacrifices have to be made in the real world to achieve our goals. Not everyone has to make them. This myth created by the media and films often shows the protagonist sticking to his dreams against insurmountable odds. This not required in the real world. The real-world needs you to nurture your dreams and believe in yourself. Dreams take a long time to realize and you need rational strategies to keep yourself going in the direction that you choose.

Here are a few strategies to keep your dream alive.

1. Make a Dream Task sheet

Like every other work you do for your home and your office, you need a daily task sheet to achieve your dreams. The famous comic Seinfeld made it a habit to write 100 words daily. It did not matter if they were good or bad. Just write 100 words every day. You need similar, simple goals to stay in touch with your dreams.

2. Follow the latest trends online

Staying connected to your field online is the best way to keep your dream alive. This allows you to meet people who are in the same situation as you and allows you to explore the field of your choice at your pace.

3. Bring it in your conversation.

Let’s say you took up the job because you wanted some financial stability. It is important not to forget your dreams in the comfort of a steady paycheck. It is important then keep talking about your passion and keep in touch with that inner curiosity. Who knows you might someone at your workplace who shares your interest. These people become your link to your inner voice.

4. Understand that it takes time

To excel at something requires patience and dedication. If you are patient with yourself you will find the dedication to do the same thing again and again till you get it right.

5. Little bit everyday

Realization of your dreams is a long process. This means you don’t have to achieve the whole thing in one big leap. You just need to take one step every day for many years to achieve that dream. So think about the one step you have to take today and everything else will fall in place.

These four simple strategies will keep you on track even if the circumstances in your life are not ideal for the pursuit of your dreams. The important thing is to keep at it. Nurture your dreams every day like you nurture a tree or a plant. Wait patiently without complaining and watch as your efforts bear fruit. Don’t kill your dreams with petty rationalizations give them alive with your dedication.

Often people resist the change, and this change is not the organisational or a technological change, it’s the change within, many a times I have heard people saying I have been like this since my childhood or all of my friends in my life have accepted me like this or my behaviour is same as it was in my last organisation even say the dressing is not important have been dressed like this since so many years and everyone has accepted.

Does everyone really accept you the way you are? Or is it a myth?

If you live in desert and you travel to snow world, will you really wear the same cloth or behave and eat same as you were doing when you were in desert- the answer would be a BIG NO, same is the case in life, when we move from one city to another, one organisation to another one friend circle to another, it’s a call for a change, and if you will not change yourself you will definitely face the challenges of acceptance.

The solution is wearing a different coat for different situation, and when I say coat- it’s the behaviour or ‘personality’ and not your character. You need a different personality for your friends, your organisation, for your team, for your clients for your professional life and for your personal life.

The most important thing here is to accept that it’s time to change or it’s a call to wear a different personality.

When I suggest a change to your personality, I mean the external elements, mostly. You chore values and beliefs need not change. The best example of this is when you change your job and go to a new organisation. You have to adapt to the tone of your new organisation otherwise the office culture will reject you. However, your work ethic itself will remain the same.

Then there is the concept of signature style. This has to be cultivated over a long period of time. The best example of ‘signature style’ is Ranveer Singh. He carries himself in a particular manner with particular grace. People sometimes comment on his dressing sense and his behaviour. However, he does not care.

You also need proper guidance to create a signature style. After all even your personal style needs to tailor itself to an event.

One of the best examples of style failure is Pakistan’s captain meeting the queen of England in his traditional attire. He wanted to make a statement, however, it completely failed to impress the audience. Instead, he was reprimanded for breaking protocol. Hence, even while making a signature style, it is important to tailor your style to the occasion.

These are people skills and they matter the most. These skills advertise who you are in many ways. These skills ensure that you get a better reception wherever you go and people remember who you are. It is time for you to stop complaining and hone these skills. It will make you a better communicator and it will ensure that you meet less resistance at your workplace and at home.

Here is an interesting story I came across:

‘After receiving the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1918, Max Planck went on tour across Germany. Wherever he was invited, he delivered the same lecture on new quantum mechanics. Over time, his chauffeur grew to know it by heart: ‘It has to be boring giving the same speech each time, Professor Planck. How about I do it for you in Munich? You can sit in the front row and wear my chauffeur’s cap. That’d give us both a bit of variety.’ Planck liked the idea, so that evening the driver held a long lecture on quantum mechanics in front of a distinguished audience. Later, a physics professor stood up with a question. The driver recoiled: ‘Never would I have thought that someone from such an advanced city as Munich would ask such a simple question! My chauffeur will answer it.’

The internet is full of content- articles, posts, studies, stories. And the portals like Medium, LinkedIn, Facebook with other social media platforms are the biggest yard where a large number of curated content/articles/posts are dumped every second, and most of them come from chauffeur knowledge, even the news portals and news channels are hugely dependent on it.

In recent times most motivational speakers and trainers are examples of chauffeurs, the knowledge they espouse is not their own. They reel off eloquent words as if reading from a script.

Unfortunately, it is increasingly difficult to separate true knowledge from chauffeur knowledge..

What got you here won’t get you there, in an ever changing market you have to keep yourself open to learning. A few things by your own experience and a few from the people who lived and experienced the journey of building and growing their brand. Here’s a list of 7 books by Indian authors talking about major Indian brands. I’ll suggest every young entrepreneur, marketing professionals and growing leaders to read these.

Why Indian Authors?

Because India, or as most of today’s marketing people call it, BHARAT is different from the world, and the people who have worked and built a brand for Indian consumers can share the real story behind the success or failure of their brand. There is a lot to learn from their experiences and their stories.

1. The Tata Group: From Torchbearers to Trailblazers — By Shashank Shah

An insight to 150 years of successful journey of the group. A book every entrepreneur and Leader should read, I am really amazed by the futuristic thoughts, vision and dedication of each and every chairman of Tata, contributing to the growth of the nation.

2. Stories At Work: Unlock the Secret to Business Storytelling — By Indranil Chakraborty

More than an idea, it’s the story people buy, and carry with them. The same has been told in a wonderful way by Indranil Chakraborty (IC) in his book “Stories At Work”

3. THE CEO FACTORY : Management Lessons from Hindustan Unilever — By By Sudhir Sitapati

“Ok… I was not knowing that.” thats what you will say while reading this book.
It will surely give you good insight on how create a consumer driven organisation along with the brands that reach places where even running water & electricity can’t reach.

4. Harsh Realities: The Making of Marico — By Harsh Mariwala & Ram Charam

A highly anticipated Indian business story of one of the biggest FMCG conglomerates in the world: Marico Ltd.Breaking away from the shackles of family-run Bombay Oils Industries Ltd, Harsh Mariwala founded Marico in 1987

5. Dream with Your Eyes Open: An Entrepreneurial Journey — By Ronnie Screwvala

The book is filled with incidents, thoughts and behind-the-scenes anecdotes of Screwvala’s career that would help young business-oriented minds to gain more knowledgeable insight into the ins and outs of entrepreneurship.

6. The Secret of Leadership: Stories to Awaken, Inspire and Unleash the Leader WithinBudget — By Prakash Iyer

Being a great storyteller, Prakash Iyer tells simple real life stories with strong messages that stay with you for life.
Book gives thoughtful insights, stressing on positivity and optimism despite setbacks.

7. Fast, Cheap and Viral: How to Create Game-Changing Content on a Shoestring- By Aashish Chopra

While all previous books will guide you to build a brand & a business, this book will teach you how to create epic & shareable stories to market your business.
For every entrepreneur, marketing manager or leader who dreams of reaching millions on a shoestring budget, this book is the definitive manual on sustainable viral success.

Happy reading and learning.

Building a business can be a transformative experience that allows a founder to tap into their own strengths, skills, and passions. As a founder works to grow and develop their business, they may also discover new things about themselves, such as their capabilities, limitations, and what truly motivates them. This process of self-discovery can be an important part of the entrepreneurial journey, and can help a founder to gain a deeper understanding of their own values, goals, and aspirations.

Building a business can be a transformative experience that allows a founder to discover their strengths, skills, and passions, as well as gain a deeper understanding of their values, goals, and aspirations.

Here are a few pointers for founders who are looking to explore themselves while building their business:

1. Take time to reflect on your own goals and aspirations: Building a business is a big undertaking, and it’s important to have a clear sense of what you want to achieve. Take some time to think about what truly motivates you, and what you want to accomplish with your business. This can help to give you a sense of purpose and direction, and can help to keep you focused on your goals.
2. Be open to learning and growth: Building a business can be a challenging and unpredictable process, and you may encounter obstacles and setbacks along the way. Be open to learning from your experiences, and don’t be afraid to adapt and change course if necessary. This can help you to stay flexible and resilient, and can enable you to grow and develop as a person.
3. Seek out mentors and advisers who can support you: Building a business can be a lonely journey at times, and it can be helpful to have mentors and advisers who can provide guidance and support. Look for people who have experience in your industry, and who can offer valuable insights and advice. These relationships can be invaluable, and can help you to stay focused and motivated as you work to grow your business.
4. Take care of yourself: Building a business can be demanding, and it’s important to take care of yourself both physically and mentally. Make sure to prioritize your own well-being, and take time for rest, relaxation, and self-care. This can help you to stay focused and energized, and can enable you to be at your best as you work to grow your business.

In summary, exploring yourself while building a business can be a valuable and rewarding experience. By taking the time to reflect on your own values, goals, and aspirations, and by being open to learning and growth, you can gain a deeper understanding of yourself and what you want to achieve. This can help to drive you forward and keep you focused on your business objectives, and can ultimately help you to build a successful and fulfilling business.