The document discusses the characteristics and practices of high-performance entrepreneurs and startups. It outlines that less than 5% of entrepreneurial ventures are high-potential, but these "gazelle" companies create the majority of new jobs. To succeed, entrepreneurs must have the right motivations and skills, develop the right idea, build a strong team, establish a clear vision and values, create a solid business plan, choose the right investors and customers, focus on talent retention, build quality processes, and develop their brand over time. Key factors in startup success include transparency, quality focus, financial discipline, and adapting to change while maintaining the company's core vision.

1. Subroto Bagchi August, 2006 The High Performance Entrepreneur

3. Of all entrepreneurial activity, less than 5% are likely to be high-potential. High-potential companies are called Gazelles. In the 90’s 70% of all US jobs were created by these companies and in Sweden – 7 in 10 of all new jobs are created by them High Performance Entrepreneurship does not happen accidentally. It is designed that way. To begin with, start with the right reason….. All the wrong reasons…

4. “ We are three good friends and we want to start a company” “ I have this great idea for a new gizmo” “ I hate my company and my boss” “ My time is running out” “ I want to help India” Now, do you have the right profile?

5. Profile of an Entrepreneur Love for money Self-confidence Sense of freedom Hard work & goal orientation Flexible, opportunistic and emergent Egoless How do entrepreneurs get the right idea?

6. Sometimes entrepreneurs work future-backwards and sometimes they work in a present forward manner……the MindTree, Café Coffee Day, Deccan Aviation and Biocon stories….. High Performance Entrepreneurs get excited about the big picture, a larger vision and then the pieces begin to fall in place After the right idea, it is time to build the “A” Team

7. Choosing the “A” Team… Look for proven competence, ability to pull weight Complimentary in the parts but collectively exhaustive Ability to multi-task Shared Vision Transparent

8. Choosing the “A” Team Personal integrity & mutual trust Ability to question each other and disagree Resilience Sense of humor The next issue: DNA, Mission, Vision & Values

9. DNA – It is who you are Mission – It is where you are going Vision – A set of time-bound and measurable goals Values – It is the shared code of conduct Now, how will you be different?

10. Domain Tools Methodology Quality Innovation Branding Next Step: Writing the Business Plan

11. Take the Business Plan seriously….. Executive Summary Business Context Company & its Objectives Core Values Positioning & Business Overview

12. Now you are ready to seek the investor. Choose the right investor Take the Business Plan seriously….. Sales & Marketing Delivery & Process People & Structure Risk Factors Financials

13. Choose the right investor…. Smart vs. Dumb Capital Color of money The lure of Non-interference Mutual expectations Family & Friends It is now time to think of attracting and retaining the right talent

14. Pay attention to the first 40 Write the job description Sell the job yourself Explain the downsides Run with defined objectives

15. Have a transparent Compensation and Benefit structure Invest in a Performance Management System Devote time to talent & leadership development Communicate with the 95:95:95 principle It is time to think of building a Process-centric organization

16. Build a Quality organization from the start Focus on the People, Process &Technology triad Choose a framework but look beyond compliance Have a roadmap, be practitioner-led Listen to the voice of the customer and involve everyone You are now ready to seek your Customers. But choose Customers right

17. Angels come through providence Build processes to get your early wins Choose your customers wisely. Look for reasons such as: Techno-managerial value - add Trust Sense of equality Commercially win-win Manage your money wisely

18. Love money – there is no other reason to get into business Be frugal – do not pay yourself out of business Install an accounting package from the word go Know what to measure and measure it Respect the bean counters Get the best auditor in town

19. Keep overheads low Raise money before you need it Do not fritter away equity Put in place corporate governance from the start Report accounts to your investors on time, without window dressing ever Focus on Building your Brand

20. Brand is the communication of your intrinsic worth It must be consistent with your DNA, Mission, Vision and Values Choose the name and visual identity right Focus on the message map, based on the company’s positioning

21. Spend energy on the website and the intranet Get a PR agency Build affection for content Use the workplace as a brand ambassador Lets us now talk about emergence, willingness to change & managing adversity

22. An enterprise is like a river. Seeing the source, you cannot imagine the confluence Be emergent – bend and flow There is no one way of solving problems, sometimes it is better to simply stay ahead of problems

23. Long-distance runners must bear segmented pain In difficulty, be transparent and communicate Publish decisional rules to the organization Reasons Start-Ups fail

24. Founders break-up Enterprise runs out of cash Deadly embrace of a customer or a product Technology/Customer/Geo over-dependence Founders do not let go

25. Poor governance Founders get carried away with their image Try to be too big, too soon Wrong choice of investor Lessons from the Indian IT Industry

26. To be world-class, begin and end with quality Focus on what you know, not who you know Build an abundance mindset Pay your taxes right Be hierarchy-free

27. Leaders exemplify personal integrity Set up hairy, audacious goals Build deep inclusion Organization resources are not my resources Austere leadership

28. It is about ordinary people delivering extra-ordinary results Play it by the book

29. Thank You