Posted by: Prashanth Hebbar
in in the news on Jun 04, 2010
Couple of years back when the recession of 2008 had not yet hit our economic shores, a friend, who runs a successful content development company, and I were ruing the fact that salaries companies are paying are making it tough for wannabe entrepreneurs to take the plunge. Companies with huge pay packets were making it tougher for people to leave behind the luxury of monthly pay packets, cars, housing, paid vacations, sabbaticals and what not. It was such luxury pitted against the gritty world of raising capital, hiring people, running offices, worrying about meeting government regulations and all the tasks that come with being an entrepreneur.
A google search threw up an interesting data, nevertheless, by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO):
The data above (excerpted from a report of NSSO) is from a survey conducted in 2005-06. It basically says that 42% of urban India preferred self-employment while 55% of the urban population preferred to be self-employed.
My search started off by a comment made by a friend who runs an entertainment company in Bangalore. He said, "there is a lot of gyan about entrepreneurship everywhere but no action." It reminded me of my 3-year old discussion about the same subject.
Hence the question again: do we prefer jobs to entrepreneurship?
Posted by: Prashanth Hebbar
in Ideas on Jun 03, 2010
Should I color my hair? This is a Rs 1200 crore question. That's the size of the Indian hair dye market. Just imagine how many individuals like me ponder over this question every day. Looks like a lot of people decide in favour.
All this started yesterday with a debate at home whether I should color my hair. I put up a bold front and ducked under the line, "I do not want an artificial look". Well, the debate raised many questions in my mind.
A quick google search on Indian hair dye market threw up some interesting information. In 2006 the hair dye (or more broadly hair care) market was close to Rs 300 crore, according to a Business Standard story (Nov 2006). In two years it jumped to Rs 580 crore, according to another story in Business Standard on August 22, 2008. A recent blog entry puts the hair dye market at Rs 1200 crore.
It struck me later that there is another industry that doubles almost 2 years once (actually doubles every 18 months). It's the microprocessor industry (remember Moore's law?)
I am now diving into some reading on what makes hair gray faster. Any suggestions?
