Amendip Madhok has been in touch with me from April last year, if not much earlier, to tell me about Nanotechnology products from Germany. I was partly confused, partly unconvinced, afraid of venturing into unknown territories, beleaguered by financial worries and more than anything else, I was gripped by inertia.
When he came down to Chennai last year, he met me twice to demonstrate the effect of his products on two cars. I was then impressed and told him that we would get seriously involved.
I admire Amendip for his tenacity in not giving up. He mailed me showing statistics of how well some companies who took up car detailing were doing. He sent me pictures demonstrating the efficacy of his products by mails. On top of the mails, he called me several times, explaining about his bold plans and how much he would love to have Service Square included in his scheme of things in India. He did this for several months.
During those days, I used to marvel at how the CEO of a very successful International company could keep persevering with someone who took so long to get into action mode. Somehow, Amendip did not lose hope for a very long time.
But then, he must have realized the futility of trying to wake up someone in deep, comforting sleep, for I did not hear from him for several months. It disturbed me that he gave up on me. It nagged me even more that I failed him, that I had not honoured my promises.
While revamping Service Square web site during August, we removed several services from our list. That weeding out exercise involved emptying ourselves of unnecessary chaff, to make room for essential stuff. That is how we decided that it made sense to include sofa cleaning services using Nanotechnology products from Amendip’s company – Mountain Trading House.
It was then that I wrote to Amendip on my own about sourcing the cleaning products. He got back to me and suggested that I contact Sudhir of Car Studio in Bengaluru for getting the materials. After a few days, he called me back again to say that unless we were personally convinced, it would not make much sense to get into this business. He suggested that I go to Bengaluru to find out how Sudhir is going about his job.
I told Amendip that I would send Mathan as he is the person responsible for housekeeping and the right person to be convinced about the efficiency of nano products. Amendip requested that that I make the trip personally. At that point I decided that both Mathan and I would meet Sudhir in Bengaluru.
Meeting Sudhir in BLR on 27th Aug was a revelation in many ways and I have written about it in my Services in Chennai blog.
Talking to or writing about some entrepreneurs is an act of enlightenment. Their sense of purpose, grit and energy levels never fail to inspire. I always come back charged after meeting such people.
Immense learning is always entailed in meeting new people from different backgrounds. Being with driven, successful people is almost always a pleasant experience because they have got there because they have some extra stuff in them. Delving into them to find out what took them there is a worthy pursuit.
I am absolutely convinced that www.servicesinchennai.com is an idea I should back fully. If I write at least 2 articles every week about great services and people, I will have a minimum of 100 articles in a year. Being consistent is the key.
Yesterday I read, “Success = Content Times Consistency.” How true! I always want result tomorrow. But the key is to focus on small actions over a period of a few years. And then the force will be strong enough to take on the world.
Now the question is, what if I did what these action oriented, visionary entrepreneurs did? The answer is, Service Square will be in another league sooner than I think.
More than helping create a legendary organization, I want to stoke the desire that lurks within me to inspire people with the actions that I take. Is this pandering to my ego, I don’t know. But, I have to acknowledge, the desire is there to stand out and be an example for the world to see.
This morning, Deepak Chopra’s meditation was about – doing whatever one can and then letting go of the need to arrange my life and instead, allow the universe to work through me. I understand there is a great release when I cease to expect certain preconceived outcomes for my efforts.
The last few months and particularly now, I feel buoyed by the new horizons I see and visions of a great future for Service Square. Fortunately, I feel healthier and more energetic than I have felt in a long while. Now is the time for me to redeem myself by taking action. This is the time to get into net-working mode.
In the TLP class taken by Rajan on Sunday, 25th August, each of the participants were asked to choose a short sentence that would define them. Some said, ‘I am an embodiment of love,’ or ‘I am an achiever’ or similar elevating thoughts. I chose for myself – ‘I am a legend.’ Yes, I know this is an audacious thing to say.
Then, Rajan asked us to form groups of 3. One of the three would be on a chair in the middle as a receiver while the other two would very softly whisper in his ears the very elevating idea coined for himself.
So, when I sat in the middle, my team members, Rajesh and Jagan sat close to me on either side and whispered in my ears over and over again, ‘Babu, you are a legend, Babu, you are a legend, Babu, you………………..,’ as soft, soothing music played in the background. It felt good after that. These days, I keep thinking about it, every now and then.
I know I have it in me to travel that course, inch by inch for a start, and then on the double…..