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India has a drought – not of Investors, but Customers

vijayanand.name

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Re: India has a drought – not of Investors, but Customers

#11

Post by w1ntermute »

monsterix wrote: post #6

This article is very shallow. I would say it wrong to assume that there is ever going to be a drought of customers. Investors with risk appetite? - may be, but there can never be a drought of customers. Here is the real picture: there are over a billion customers in India. They need something. All you have to do is open your eyes and ears and figure out what they want the most. Solve a pain that people currently have…

> All you have to do is open your eyes and ears and figure out what they want the most.

The Indian masses want food, shelter, and an education for their children. Oh, and they can't afford to pay for it. Doesn't sound like a very good business opportunity, especially for your average HNer.

Re: India has a drought – not of Investors, but Customers

#12

Post by monsterix »

pretoriusB wrote: post #9
monsterix wrote: post #6

This article is very shallow. I would say it wrong to assume that there is ever going to be a drought of customers. Investors with risk appetite? - may be, but there can never be a drought of customers. Here is the real picture: there are over a billion customers in India. They need something. All you have to do is open your eyes and ears and figure out what they want the most. Solve a pain that people currently have…

> This article is very shallow. I would say it wrong to assume that there is ever going to be a drought of customers. Investors with risk appetite? - may be, but there can never be a drought of customers. Oh, there can easily be a drought of customers. The article covers specifically the Indian market for one, but even in the US, with the squeezed out middle class, there can very well be a drought of customers. > Her…

You probably jump the gun again, but I do get your point about infrastructure issue. And I agree that the needs in India are probably towards lower-middle side of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. But the need is there for sure.

> "The actual internet ready audience for what an internet start-up might sell is smaller than" ... "less adopted to the internet way of doing business and with less money."

> "Well, most of their problems have nothing to do with what an internet start-up can offer. Hence a drought of customers for internet start-ups."

For example, shouldn't you then be looking to provide internet/bandwidth in the first place? This is a lucrative problem that you (entrepreneurs) can solve. Customers are always going to be there, no matter how you see it.

Re: India has a drought – not of Investors, but Customers

#13

Post by monsterix »

w1ntermute wrote: post #11
monsterix wrote: post #6

This article is very shallow. I would say it wrong to assume that there is ever going to be a drought of customers. Investors with risk appetite? - may be, but there can never be a drought of customers. Here is the real picture: there are over a billion customers in India. They need something. All you have to do is open your eyes and ears and figure out what they want the most. Solve a pain that people currently have…

> All you have to do is open your eyes and ears and figure out what they want the most. The Indian masses want food, shelter, and an education for their children. Oh, and they can't afford to pay for it. Doesn't sound like a very good business opportunity, especially for your average HNer.

> "Indian masses want food, shelter, and an education for their children. Oh, and they can't afford to pay for it"

I don't know which economic lens you're looking through but I do know that Indian middle class is swell, and has pockets deep enough to buy iPhones and Black Berries.

How can you even convince yourself that there is a drought of customers in India? That's not true. From your position it seems that there is a drought of entrepreneurs who are able to see the needs instead.

Re: India has a drought – not of Investors, but Customers

#14

Post by vijayanands »

monsterix wrote: post #6

This article is very shallow. I would say it wrong to assume that there is ever going to be a drought of customers. Investors with risk appetite? - may be, but there can never be a drought of customers. Here is the real picture: there are over a billion customers in India. They need something. All you have to do is open your eyes and ears and figure out what they want the most. Solve a pain that people currently have…

>>>Get your karma right.

You mean to say "Dharma". In the Indian context they are two very different things.

Also did the read the bottom footnote?

>>> And My Apologies, I lied. Its not a drought. There are amazing customers who can build you an empire – they are just not waiting to be sold to, they have to be taught, nurtured and groomed in – Probably not the early adopter kinds with an impulsive buying habit perhaps. Simply hard nosed buyers.

Re: India has a drought – not of Investors, but Customers

#15

Post by cma »

monsterix wrote: post #6

This article is very shallow. I would say it wrong to assume that there is ever going to be a drought of customers. Investors with risk appetite? - may be, but there can never be a drought of customers. Here is the real picture: there are over a billion customers in India. They need something. All you have to do is open your eyes and ears and figure out what they want the most. Solve a pain that people currently have…

This comment is very shallow.

Here is the big picture: there were millions of customers in America prior to the great depression and the same number immediately after the onset. Aggregate demand dropped, consumers sought safety, etc. "People just need to find the right product" wouldn't have been sound advice when looking at the overall scenario.

Re: India has a drought – not of Investors, but Customers

#16

Post by pretoriusB »

monsterix wrote: post #12
pretoriusB wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This article is very shallow. I would say it wrong to assume that there is ever going to be a drought of customers. Investors with risk appetite? - may be, but there can never be a drought of customers. Oh, there can easily be a drought of customers. The article covers specifically the Indian market for one, but even in the US, with the squeezed out middle class, there can very well be a drought of customers. > Her…

You probably jump the gun again, but I do get your point about infrastructure issue. And I agree that the needs in India are probably towards lower-middle side of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. But the need is there for sure. > "The actual internet ready audience for what an internet start-up might sell is smaller than" ... "less adopted to the internet way of doing business and with less money." > "Well, most of their…

>For example, shouldn't you then be looking to provide internet/bandwidth in the first place? This is a lucrative problem that you (entrepreneurs) can solve. Customers are always going to be there, no matter how you see it.

Yes, of course. I agree with both statements in the sense that internet infrastructure and more basic needs are a big market in India, and that customers in general will always be there.

What I disagreed with is that Customers for some specific market or level of service will always be there.

Re: India has a drought – not of Investors, but Customers

#17

Post by davidpayne11 »

monsterix wrote: post #6

This article is very shallow. I would say it wrong to assume that there is ever going to be a drought of customers. Investors with risk appetite? - may be, but there can never be a drought of customers. Here is the real picture: there are over a billion customers in India. They need something. All you have to do is open your eyes and ears and figure out what they want the most. Solve a pain that people currently have…

It is important to note that the author is from Canada and spent a significant portion of his life there, before trying to do something in India. So, his views are fairly biased about India - like trying to compare a Developed vs a Developing country.

Re: India has a drought – not of Investors, but Customers

#18

Post by davidpayne11 »

Vijayanand is moderately infamous for sheepishly promoting his in50hrs event (it is a PAID event organized by him) under the guise of such shallow articles and also on twitter

(EDIT: I've been his follower for ages, he sometimes misleads people into buying tickets for the event, falsely advertising that it's going to be 'sold out' even when no one has actually signed up).

Re: India has a drought – not of Investors, but Customers

#19

Post by playhard »

davidpayne11 wrote: post #18

Vijayanand is moderately infamous for sheepishly promoting his in50hrs event (it is a PAID event organized by him) under the guise of such shallow articles and also on twitter (EDIT: I've been his follower for ages, he sometimes misleads people into buying tickets for the event, falsely advertising that it's going to be 'sold out' even when no one has actually signed up).

Did he talk about in50hrs event in this article? He was talking about the Indian market because he understands it.Is it wrong to promote events on twitter? What is your problem?

Sidenote: Vijay Anand has done so much to Indian entrepreneurs and Indian startup ecosystem.

Re: India has a drought – not of Investors, but Customers

#20

Post by [deleted] »

davidpayne11 wrote: post #18

Vijayanand is moderately infamous for sheepishly promoting his in50hrs event (it is a PAID event organized by him) under the guise of such shallow articles and also on twitter (EDIT: I've been his follower for ages, he sometimes misleads people into buying tickets for the event, falsely advertising that it's going to be 'sold out' even when no one has actually signed up).

[deleted]
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