A wanna be Entrepreneur is a WantraPrenuer, Yes, I’m a Wantrapreneur and proud of it. Everyone started as a wantraprenuer, many drop their dream of becoming an entrepreneur midway because of social/economical/cultural factors. I’m pretty sure there are thousands of people like me who dream of building something of their own, Change the way the world functioned but never had the courage of quitting their well paying jobs/Firangi opportunities. I tried my luck after I graduated, set up tution classes for post graduate Pharma entrance exam, hired couple of Phds, went well for a year, couldn’t manage it because I moved to the states, sold it to the Phds I employed.
One of my friends shared Alok Kejriwal’s post on Facebook
Forget the set that lives in your mind. Then, you will beat the set that lives in the world.”
I saw it at a time when I was on the line of crossing what I call “Heights of frustration” because I wasn’t doing what I love to do. Well, this didn’t change me so much that I left my job/course and started a business(utna filmy bhi nahi hai yaar), but it planted a thought in my brain, someday, someday for sure, I will have enough fire in my ar$e to go to my boss and say hell with your job! More importantly the post on FB gave me HOPE. Saying all this let me tell you the main purpose of my post/appeal to people like Alok Kejriwal who BTW are doing a wonderful job of helping young entrepreneurs.
I read a post about Akosha, thought ‘man that is one helluva a company, I would want to put my money on these people’ But How do I do it ? Why not mail them directly ? but wouldn’t it beweired if I ask them that if I could invest 10 Lacs or 15 Lacs or even less or even if they agree how should I go about the process ?
Is there any way that people like me aka Wantraprenuers can invest in actual passionate entrepreneurs ?
I’m pretty sure there is a huge community of silent readers aka Wantrapreneurs on this website who want to be part of/invest in startups.
Here is what a Wantraprenuer can get to the table :
- Cash may not be as huge as VCs but enough to give the little push what most start-upsneed.
- Not one huge investment but a cash flow, may be Rs.1,00,000 per month for a period of 12 months or more
- He/she can convince his/her colleagues to invest in the same start up thus making a huge investment, small drops make an ocean.
- They won’t get involved in the way the company works, won’t affect the way the founders take decisions.
- Basically the control will be in the founder’s hands.
What Wantraprenuers can not do :
- They cannot spend their time trying to help your business run since everyone would be in a full time job.
- They might or might not add any value to the company.
Wantrapreneurs investments are perfect for those startups who are up and running, but need that small bit of cash flow to push them to the next level.
This is very different from crowd sourcing websites like KickStarter, where startups give their products/services in return for very small investments.
Here a single wantrepreneur or group of them would want a share in the company.
Wantraprenuers can not invest huge amounts of money like VCs but what they can give in return is much needed freedom to the start-up.
Most of the wantraprenuers are NRIs/live abroad.
Here is my appeal to Alok kejriwal “Please create an online platform where wantrapreneurs and startups can meet and discuss the opportunities, since most of the wantrapreneurs live abroad it would be tough for them to meet regularly.”
A platform just like KickStarter but allowing the investor to buy a part of the company aka unofficial IPO.
I wrote this post because I personally know many who are interested in investing but do not invest because they don’t have crores of rupees or don’t want to go through all the complexities of the process.
If such a platform is created it would not only help startups but also wantrapreneurs to full fill their dreams.
I know I cannot start any business in the near future, well at least I could own a piece of what others start and be part of the story.