Building Indian Start-ups

Building Start-Ups in India: Challenges Rapid growth in Venture Investment Ecosystem playing catch up First generation entrepreneurs This is their first real exposure to a start-up. Society not pro-entrepreneur No stomach for failures Global Competition for market Small and large overseas companies actively targeting India Competition for talent with global and local firms There are no “serial start-up” teams! Confidential

Rapid growth in Venture Investment

Ecosystem playing catch up

First generation entrepreneurs

This is their first real exposure to a start-up.

Society not pro-entrepreneur

No stomach for failures

Global Competition for market

Small and large overseas companies actively targeting India

Competition for talent with global and local firms

There are no “serial start-up” teams!

Building start-ups in India : Opportunities New products, services and entirely new business models emerging from different locations in the country Addressing the “Bottom of the Pyramid” - A completely new cost and pricing structure Fresh set of entrepreneurs, CXO’s, management teams Momentum is here and now for building Global Indian Companies with an Indian management DNA in almost all sectors.

New products, services and entirely new business models emerging from different locations in the country

Addressing the “Bottom of the Pyramid” - A completely new cost and pricing structure

Fresh set of entrepreneurs, CXO’s, management teams

Momentum is here and now for building Global Indian Companies with an Indian management DNA in almost all sectors.

The “start-up” landscape in India Entrepreneurs in late 20’s and early 30’s. Little to Zero start-up experience Ability to think “Big”, think “GLOBAL” and scale at the right time is lacking Negligible management experience in acquiring and retaining leadership talent VC-Entrepreneur engagement model is still evolving Founder syndrome is very high Comfort with hiring “friends and relatives” vs hiring “outsiders” for critical leadership positions

Entrepreneurs in late 20’s and early 30’s.

Little to Zero start-up experience

Ability to think “Big”, think “GLOBAL” and scale at the right time is lacking

Negligible management experience in acquiring and retaining leadership talent

VC-Entrepreneur engagement model is still evolving

Founder syndrome is very high

Comfort with hiring “friends and relatives” vs hiring “outsiders” for critical leadership positions

Key Challenge for Investors… Building management depth and breadth : Getting the timing right, getting the right people and carrying the founding team along. Impressing upon the founders that this will be one of the most crucial decisions that the company would be taking since its founding. Right Hire(s) can take the company into a different league Cost of rolling back wrong hire(s) is VERY HIGH Confidential

Building management depth and breadth : Getting the timing right, getting the right people and carrying the founding team along.

Impressing upon the founders that this will be one of the most crucial decisions that the company would be taking since its founding.

Right Hire(s) can take the company into a different league

Cost of rolling back wrong hire(s) is VERY HIGH

What has worked for others….. Surrounding the founders early on with knowledgeable partners Relationship mode vs transaction mode Runway to understand and build trust/confidence Engage with key potential hires over a longer time period Identifying and hiring executives with a “start-up” mind set and enterprise experience. Ability to roll up their sleeve and execute Adaptability to a chaotic work environment Capability to design and implement systems and processes

Surrounding the founders early on with knowledgeable partners

Relationship mode vs transaction mode

Runway to understand and build trust/confidence

Engage with key potential hires over a longer time period

Identifying and hiring executives with a “start-up” mind set and enterprise experience.

Ability to roll up their sleeve and execute

Adaptability to a chaotic work environment

Capability to design and implement systems and processes

Some of the hiring strategies that have worked……. Invest time in defining and refining the profile of hires for critical roles clearly - Who do you need to hire? Hire for ATTITUDE Focus on ensuring CHEMISTRY with the team Look at different industries which would provide the right skill sets for the position Communicate vision clearly to potential hires Hire with a five years+ horizon - don’t hire for today

Invest time in defining and refining the profile of hires for critical roles clearly - Who do you need to hire?

Hire for ATTITUDE

Focus on ensuring CHEMISTRY with the team

Look at different industries which would provide the right skill sets for the position

Communicate vision clearly to potential hires

Hire with a five years+ horizon - don’t hire for today

Pitfalls to avoid….. The core team not spending enough time in thinking through the hiring decision - The pre-recruitment process. Delegating the hiring process Jumping too early into the recruitment Hiring like a large company Floating position in the market Too many people talking in different voices Making it a “Me Too” position Attention focused on targeting “Stars” Upsetting the apple cart by offering differing compensation packages and perks to attract “ideal” candidates Accepting locational constraints

The core team not spending enough time in thinking through the hiring decision - The pre-recruitment process.

Delegating the hiring process

Jumping too early into the recruitment

Hiring like a large company

Floating position in the market

Too many people talking in different voices

Making it a “Me Too” position

Attention focused on targeting “Stars”

Upsetting the apple cart by offering differing compensation packages and perks to attract “ideal” candidates

Accepting locational constraints

We are Global Executive Talent (GET) Set up to exclusively cater to the unique executive recruiting needs of New Generation Start-Ups. Founded by Anuradha Parthasarathy (Anu) A graduate of BITS Pilani, Anu has over 15 years of experience in cross-border executive search based both in India and the US Having been involved with start-ups in India and Silicon Valley , Anu has a deep understanding of The Indian entrepreneurial psyche How successful start-ups were built in the Valley An excellent rolodex of executive talent specifically suited for start-ups As a transitional executive search firm, we help start-ups, their investor and the board Identify gaps Prepare a road map with timeline for filling the gaps Engage with potential hires On-board experienced executives Monitor performance and take corrective actions where required We have offices in Menlo Park (CA), Chennai and Bangalore (India) and we work across multiple locations. A focused Transitional Executive Search Firm, with a successful track record working with early stage Indian start-ups. Confidential

Set up to exclusively cater to the unique executive recruiting needs of New Generation Start-Ups.

Founded by Anuradha Parthasarathy (Anu)

A graduate of BITS Pilani, Anu has over 15 years of experience in cross-border executive search based both in India and the US

Having been involved with start-ups in India and Silicon Valley , Anu has a deep understanding of

The Indian entrepreneurial psyche

How successful start-ups were built in the Valley

An excellent rolodex of executive talent specifically suited for start-ups

As a transitional executive search firm, we help start-ups, their investor and the board

Identify gaps

Prepare a road map with timeline for filling the gaps

Engage with potential hires

On-board experienced executives

Monitor performance and take corrective actions where required

We have offices in Menlo Park (CA), Chennai and Bangalore (India) and we work across multiple locations.

A focused Transitional Executive Search Firm, with a successful track record working with early stage Indian start-ups.

Thank You www.globalexecutivetalent.com