He was offered $160 million (WOW), How can someone turn it down and bargain for more … from $160 to $400 millions … Yesterday Abhishek asked him the question in Kolkata and here is the story.
Alok Kejriwal:
My humble remarks (after getting permission from Aji to post into the body of HIS post):
– There is no doubt that Sabeer Bhatia remains etched in the memory of Internet Greatness.
Personally I was inspired by him in 97 and hence started contests2win.com. So he is partially the reason of my success.
– Post hotmail.com, he has had a string of failures. And that’s fine. As one amazing professor at IIMA told me – ‘Alok, I believe that every man has ONE song to sing’.
– SB must REALIZE NOW:
a) Serial Entrepreneurship has its limits. I mean if you are not successful post a few shots, just move on.
Being a one trick pony may not be illustrious. But its the ONE TRICK that made you famous. Don’t dilute even that by playing more tricks
b) I really don’t know why SB does not have a Venture Fund, and Incubator, a Mentoring business?? I mean sitting in conferences and hearing him narrate this story ( I heard him say this in 2001 in Dubai) is OK – but why not WALK the TALK now??
Why not HELP Entrepreneurs with their BUSINESS issues, contacts, advise ON THE JOB – a la sitting with them in their offices rather than have them sit in Auditoriums ALWAYS listening to you?
c) We need massive evangelisation of Zero to Low revenue, PRODUCT AND PLATFORM INTERNET plays in India – something SB did so well and successfully 12 years ago!!!
Just look at how Sean Parker, Marc Andreseen etc etc are shaping up the USA Start Up Ecosystem.
SB should be sitting with VC’s here (assuming he is not interested in putting his money) and helping them UNDERSTAND what it takes to make great INTERNET and not just E-Commerce plays happen. Most VC’s in India just reject ‘audience, platform play’ business models. SB could help change that perception.
I think Sabeer Bhatia’s new wave of respect will come when he Re-Invents himself – like all of us – irrespective of what he did in the past.
In the next few years people will forget Hotmail. That should not prevent SB from getting forgotten.
A humble fan, hoping someone sends him this note.
Alok Kejriwal