In my previous article, I spoke about identifying and following your Swadharma, or the core purpose which is about pursuing something authentic to you. It is acting in accordance with your passion, skills, and talents, your nature (Svabhava), and that which you are responsible for (karma). By that definition, when we follow what comes naturally to us, it brings us abundance and prosperity. When we flow in accordance with our nature, we grow from within.
Entrepreneurship is paying heed to your inner calling or passion, and allowing it to grow into a full-fledged idea. An entrepreneur is born when they can identify a need in the market, and succeed in creating a product or service that meets that need. It requires creativity, innovation, and a strong work ethic. When the concepts of Swadharma and entrepreneurship are combined and aligned, the result is a successful and fulfilling career. It works like magic.
Take the story of Muniswamy Daniel, a fourth standard dropout. His venture, Sharon Tea Stall has rewritten the rules of the game in India’s Rs 33,000-crore tea market. Daniel, a driver for the first part of his career, decided to take a leap of faith and start a business in 2007, when he was forced to work every Sunday without being able to attend to his personal duties.
When Daniel started his venture, he wanted to start his version of the Cafe Coffee Day outlets in Bengaluru. Unfortunately, while his tea found takers, his idea for a café did not take off. Though not a tea drinker, Daniel keenly noted his customers’ feedback and suggestions to make the perfect brew they would love. He now sells nearly 2,000 cups of tea daily through his eight outlets in Bengaluru city.
Daniel would have passed off as any other tea vendor in the city and would not have caught my fancy had it not been for his act of matching Swadharma and entrepreneurship. Like any other tea stall, Daniel would initially sell cigarettes, gutka, or paan at his outlets. These are products that bring in regular and more footfall to the outlet. However, when elders in his church pointed out that by selling these products he was encouraging unhealthy habits and supporting addiction, Daniel decided to put a stop. He was not blindly following the elders. It was, in fact, in stark contrast to his belief and faith.
This tea vendor stood out for the courage and conviction he has displayed. Not compromising on his principles, even if it means initial loss of footfall, and business, is a phenomenal act. Eventually, he garnered regular customers, and won over their loyalty through the quality of his cuppa. He now clocks more than Rs 40 lakh annually, and has managed to employ ~30 staff to ensure the successful and efficient running of his outlets. Sharon Tea Stall today has nearly 100 varieties of tea, from regular and mundane to exotic. The menu includes dum chai, ginger lemon, hibiscus, elaichi, and even strawberry tea. He has been consistently adding new flavours to his repertoire.
Daniel is an ideal example of an aspect of Swadharma we often miss or fail to observe. Any act without authenticity lacks character, and conviction. People often engage in activities mindlessly to compete with someone, or chase something materialistic. Often the genesis of such actions is peer pressure, greed, or some external factor. Such actions are not genuine, and do not yield positive results. That is the first learning curve in Daniel's entrepreneurial journey, where he lost close to Rs 10 lakh trying to become another Cafe Coffee Day.
But when he realised his error, he turned inwards, listened to his calling, worked hard to understand customer needs, and tailored his tea and the business model accordingly — customer satisfaction, happy employees, caring for the health, and the planet. This is true Swadharma. There is no right or wrong in entrepreneurial ventures. What is fundamental is listening to your inner consciousness, and backing it with immense belief, passion, and persistence. Swadharma is following your passion fearlessly, without having to give up on your core beliefs and principles (Svabhava) as you attempt to grow yourself.
Daniel's life is a lesson for entrepreneurs. Every entrepreneur who can find their true calling and pursue their dream fearlessly, even during adverse times or failures, finds strength as part of their Swadharma. It becomes as natural as breathing for those who naturally and effortlessly mix their Swadharma and Svabhava perfectly.
To give wings to our entrepreneurial dreams, let us first understand our inner calling, and true purpose before we take the leap of faith. A well-intentioned enterprise would find the will and tenacity to grow its wings, and fly higher and higher.
(Madan Padaki, Co-founder, Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship, and President, TiE Bangalore.)
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the authors’ own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH