Inspiration
UPDATED INSPIRATION: Current date: March 9, 2021!
Below is the original note on the inspiration that I had to start this blog, some 12-13 years back. That was when I was tracking some startups and evaluating them. I had not updated this blog much in recent days. And now, the focus would be very different, in any case. At this time, the purpose of my occasional blog post here, would be to discuss and debate a business strategy or an investment idea, for purpose of interaction with other like-minded people.
Hope you find it to be of interest.
The original inspiration from 12-13 years back is as follows:
Attending a Bar Camp, Startup Saturday and the Entrepreneurship Summit, in the last 3 weeks, took me back to 1997-98 days when we were starting up for the first time, with Homeindia.com, along with few other first-generation dot com entrepreneurs in India.
I can see the same energy now, perhaps only magnified by the changes in the economy over these years, the emergence of India as a country to reckon with, the maturity of the ICT businesses, the far larger familiarity of the technologies for students climbing out of their campuses, and of course, the awareness now, about an ecosystem that can encourage entrepreneurship.
There is another change. Me. With 11 years of hands-on Internet experience, there is a larger “intuitive” feel on the industry, there is beyond the romanticism of the business, a better understanding of business realities, of markets, of revenues and results. As one young participant respectfully pointed out, there is the “gray hair” difference.
This has inspired me to start this new blog. To share my 2 cents worth, on new startups that I see coming up. Based only on information that is in the public domain (or shared by the company in public forums), and not based on any private information that entrepreneurs share with me. With an idea to give some new perspectives. Ultimately the business succeeds because of the entrepreneurs and they need to trust their gut. But “outside” views help sometime. And which is what I strive to provide here. With only one goal in mind: to enable the entrepreneur to SUCCEED!!
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Inspiration
UPDATED INSPIRATION: Current date: March 9, 2021!
Below is the original note on the inspiration that I had to start this blog, some 12-13 years back. That was when I was tracking some startups and evaluating them. I had not updated this blog much in recent days. And now, the focus would be very different, in any case. At this time, the purpose of my occasional blog post here, would be to discuss and debate a business strategy or an investment idea, for purpose of interaction with other like-minded people.
Hope you find it to be of interest.
The original inspiration from 12-13 years back is as follows:
Attending a Bar Camp, Startup Saturday and the Entrepreneurship Summit, in the last 3 weeks, took me back to 1997-98 days when we were starting up for the first time, with Homeindia.com, along with few other first-generation dot com entrepreneurs in India.
I can see the same energy now, perhaps only magnified by the changes in the economy over these years, the emergence of India as a country to reckon with, the maturity of the ICT businesses, the far larger familiarity of the technologies for students climbing out of their campuses, and of course, the awareness now, about an ecosystem that can encourage entrepreneurship.
There is another change. Me. With 11 years of hands-on Internet experience, there is a larger “intuitive” feel on the industry, there is beyond the romanticism of the business, a better understanding of business realities, of markets, of revenues and results. As one young participant respectfully pointed out, there is the “gray hair” difference.
This has inspired me to start this new blog. To share my 2 cents worth, on new startups that I see coming up. Based only on information that is in the public domain (or shared by the company in public forums), and not based on any private information that entrepreneurs share with me. With an idea to give some new perspectives. Ultimately the business succeeds because of the entrepreneurs and they need to trust their gut. But “outside” views help sometime. And which is what I strive to provide here. With only one goal in mind: to enable the entrepreneur to SUCCEED!!
The Gray Hair Speaketh 
Even burrp.com, a local startup which was started by a Silicon Valley person by setting-up office & starting in Mumbai, has made it big. Today they’ve spread their wings to Burrp Reviews site on Hotels/ Restaurants/ Pubs, Burrp TV for Schedules of Television Telecasts and a Blog Site i.e. Burrp Blah…If you visit in.com (Most happening site currently) th’CHILL’ section has outsourced all Contents/ Information entirely from Burrp. Huge success for a small start-up firm.
Thanks for sharing, Pritesh.
I am sure there are many interesting startup stories of this nature. Would love to see few of them also make it to good revenue numbers, with clear business models to that objective.
Let me know what you think of this new start up!
Sure, Geoff. Let me go over and then ask you some questions on it, and then do a final review.
http://www.EasyOrganicProducts.com – Please give me your views on this venture.
Hello Sanjay,
Wish you all the very best with your initiative (I saw about in the headstart mails).
Since you are reviewing Startups (and internet apps). Ask you to have a look at our travel search website 90di.com and cover it, if you find it interesting.
Regards,
Hello!
I read about you on “On Start-ups” in LinkedIn. I’m not sure if you review sites that are non-India Heritage, but thought I would ask anyway. I would love your views on my new site (just launched Feb 2, 2009). This is my first solo venture.
In reading your other reviews, I felt you were spot on!
Thanks for your time and consideration! I’m sure you will have many insights that I have completely overlooked.
Lorena Stanley
Dear Lorena,
There are at least 3 startup reviews already done here, which are not of Indian origin. Will be happy to look up yours as well, as review it here.
Thanks for the kind words about the other reviews.
– Sanjay
Hello Sanjay,
We just launched this gaming website. Would really appreciate if you can review it.
regards
Deepak
Deepak,
Please give me the URL. I will try and get to it.
– Sanjay
Hi Sanjay,
The website url is http://www.playing11.com
Hi Sanjay,
Your insightful review on our recent launch at http://brandadda.com would be much appreciated…
regards
Tej
Hi Sanjay
The website url is http://www.playing11.com
regards
Deepak
We have just about finished http://uonet.ca
The point of this project is centralize the process with real tools, that can be used on a level playing field.
Your opinion would be welcome.
BRGDS
Steve
http://uonet.ca
Hi Sanjay,
I hope you received our website URL, if for some reason, you didn’t
here it is again,
http://www.playing11.com
regards,
Deepak Saxena
Hi, interesting post. I have been wondering about this issue,so thanks for blogging. I will definitely be subscribing to your site. Keep up the good posts
Hi Sanjay.
I am sorry I have to do it through here but i need your contact details. I am the Officer In Charge of the Young Leaders’ Forum of the Indian Merchants’ Chamber and we have as our members a large number of Entrepreneurs and Young Professionals. Would love to have an event where you can talk about Startups in India and problems faced by Entrepreneurs as well as Oppertunities in Cyberspace.
Please let me have you mail id so that I can send you more details.
Deepanshu
my email id is deepanshu@imcnet.org
Can you please contact me at: fshah@iso.com. this is in regarding revamp of a website. thanks fenil
Dear Sanjay,
I was just stumbled upon your site and was pleasantly surprised with it; your reviews of online startups are particularly thought provoking. With the kind personalized feedback that you are giving, am sure your reviews make these start ups sit up and think hard.
I am presently associated with PrepGenie, a test preparation solutions provider and I will really appreciate it if you can review the site. Looking forward to hearing from you,
Warm regards
Shantanu
Thank you, Shantanu.
Will try and look it up.. can u share the URL?
Hi Sanjay,
Thanks for the reply. the URLs are prepgenie.co.uk and prepgenie.com.au. I would also like to emntion that this is just the tip of the entire business idea. The business idea is pretty simple, offer innovative and tech enabled test preparation tools for niche International tests. These tests, individually, are small and hence have not attracted behemoths like Kaplan or Princeton. However, the combined market size of these tests is over 250,000 test takers, making it almost at par with the GMAT market.
Let me know if you want any more details.
Cheers
Shan
Hi Sanjay,
We are a ‘product’ startup based in Bangalore, and was wondering if you would give it a look. May not be your regular cup of tea but would love any ‘gray hair’ insights.
Regards
Chetan
Chetan,
Not sure if I will get the time. But share the details anyway. And also if you happen to be in Mumbai, will be happy and easier to meet up over coffee and give you feedback.
– Sanjay