*I received this copy from the publisher via writersmelon in exchange for an honest review*
“While entrepreneurship may or may not lead to success , there is no success possible without the spirit of entrepreneurship”
Author:Sonu Bhasin
Genre: Business (Non-fiction)
No of page: 304 pages
Publisher : Portfolio Penguin
Publishing Date : October 18th 2017
So I have actually met the author of this book personally . Penguin had a literature festival , where there was a panel discussion consisting of Shashi Tharoor , Sonu Bhasin , Sanjeev Sanyal and Gurcharan Das . So though I did go for Shashi Tharoor , I eventually became a fan of Sonu Bhasin and Sanjeev Sanyal. Because their views I believe resonated with mine , or were so different that they really made me wonder in awe. So when it actually came to this book , I had a feeling I wont be disappointed. And to tell you the truth , I wasn’t not at all. So I love reading business books , and this one has taught me so so much. It has actually helped in quenching my thirst for business ideas and their growth trajectory) . It has helped my inner Venture Capitalist feel very happy (so as of today that is what I want to become).
Coming back to the book , what really interested me was the Index and the business houses it consisted of . This book revolves around family business which as per its wiki decision means a commercial organization in which decision-making is influenced by multiple generations of a family — related by blood or marriage or adoption. India is largely a family business run economy ranging from Tata’s, to Ambani’s , to Birla’s . There is this one interesting line in the book which says a lot.
“Just because your last name is Burman does it make you the most qualified to run the business ” – Barman’s own the Dabur Group.
But at the same Agastya Dalmia , a 25 year old English (hons) graduate from DU without any MBA transformed the 100 year old Brand Keventers and is on a trajectory to make it India’s very own Starbucks. The book has talked about the inheritors which ranges from 2 nd generation to the 4 th generation , the hardships they had to go through , how sometimes there family culture bonded them when business bonds were failing , on whether the eldest should succeed or whether the son should succeed. Whether the professionals should have more power or the family owners. Was it easy for the inheritors or did they have to climb the ladder as any other employee.
The interesting businesses and the inheritor I got to read about were Amit Burman from Dabur Group. He’s the man who launched Real Fruit Juice and got Subway to India. Harsh Mariawal from Marico which has made Parachute a household name and gave HUL which owned Nihar a tough fight(Marico owns it know) . Kuldip & Gurbachan Singh Dhingra who own the very famous Berger Paints. Motilal Oswal and Raamdeo Agrawal who own the Motilal Oswal Group. This chapter gave an insight into the working of India Stock Market’s before SEBI became strong. Though to be honest I was a little confused with how this is a family owned business , because nothing in that respect was mentioned in the book. And all in all its a long list which consisted of Keventers , Max Group , Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas(India’s leading Law Firm where even daughter-in-laws are partners and become lawyers after marriage) , Luxor and Select Group which owns the very famous Select City Mall.
So I guess this book is for everyone out there whos part of a family business , let it be a son or daughter. Its for you because it will give you an insight into other family business who lead the Indian Business Environment and confidence to take your very own next step . And for everyone else who loves knowing about businesses and their stories which have made them leaders in their own right.
Though I have a small point of view , which maybe in a few years can be proved to be wrong. Its just for the inheritors the beginning , reaching the starting point of the race is easy. I am not questioning their hard work or the labour they put in their projects. Its just in comparison to everyone out there , their beginning is comparatively easy.
SO DO YOU WANT TO GIVE IT A READ?
ARE YOU YOUSELF PART OF A FAMILY BUSINESS ?
DID YOU ENJOY READING THE REVIEW?
DO LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENT SECTION
Bookaholic Meets Finance Aficionado 
A great review of a great book. I am going to read it soon.
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I really hope you do. Because I guess at some level you will be able to relate to it a lot more.!
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