Egg on the face!

After successfully negotiating and bringing down the price of a cup of tea from Rs 4 to Rs 3.75 with my teawalla, (explaining economic recession, cost control, value proposition etc), I thought it was time for a few game of FreeCell.

In came two guys in their mid thirties, smartly dressed and looking surprised to see me sitting alone in a big office in Koramangala. They were just looking around my office, the computer systems and the décor and nodding their heads in approval. I thought they are my prospective clients who had come to see my place in response to my advertisement “office space to share”.

“Yes, how can I help you?” I looked up and asked.

“Sir, can we have a few minutes of your time please?”

“I am a little busy (playing FreeCell), but still, I can spare a few minutes. Please, sit down.”

“Sir, we saw your posting in RYZE offering office space and also counseling/advisory service for start ups. We are starting a new business and we want some help from you. We heard that you are a successful entrepreneur yourself and you had helped many start ups”.

(Stupid! If I were successful, why am I sitting here alone like this?). “Oh sure, sure, you know I am a serial entrepreneur (failed in many businesses). Helped many start ups (to wind up). It is a long story any way. But tell me, what business are you guys thinking of? And what’s your background? And, how can I help you?” I asked with an air of authority.

They explained. Both of them were engineers, each with about 10 years of experience in IT companies. One was working on Mobile Application Development and another was on Business Analytics and Design. Both got retrenched very recently from big companies and are not getting any jobs. They have a saving of about Rs 50 lakhs individually apart from investment on properties. Both were well travelled, well connected and well oiled.

“So, you want to start a business on Mobile Communication” I said with confidence, connecting both their expertise.

“No sir, we want to start a bakery business and we want your help” said the BAD guy (Business Analytics and Design guy).

“Bakery business?” I thundered. My words echoed seven times in the empty hall. “What is the synergy”?

“Sir, I like biscuits and chocolates. His brother-in-law has got a bakery in Ernagulam. My “ungle” is in Saudi. So, we want to make Biscuits, cakes, bread, burger base and pizza base and sell them to big hotels and also to small bakeries” said the MAD guy (Mobile Application Development guy).

“And I know how to route and distribute them through different channels. I have analyzed the business and there is big scope for growth” said the BAD guy.

“You know, McDonald has already agreed to take 500 kgs of buns and cakes from us every day”….the MAD guy.

“We have also taken on lease an 18500 sq ft factory space at Hennur. We are arranging 50hp uninterrupted power supply. Factory will work two shifts initially, going to 3 shifts in six months”. We have already lined up for 20 tempos on hire for transportation”. …BAD

“Twenty tempos? What will you do with them?” I asked.

Sir, we have to get 5000 fresh eggs every day. They can’t be sourced from a single point. We have to collect them from different nodal points and bring them to one centralized point. Tempos are required for this purpose.

“Ok, very good. You guys seem to have already done lot of ground work. I am sure you would have drafted a business plan too. What do you want me to look at and how do you want me to help?” I asked.

“Sir, we came to know through RYZE that you have this place to let out in Koramangala. It is a central place with good parking space. If only you remove those computer systems and the cabins, we would like to take it on rent. It will be an ideal central place for us to collect the eggs, store them here and transport them to Hennur”!!

You have to see egg on my face, to believe!