The journey of Entrepreneurship until now….
BACKGROUND:
Born in a large and prominent joint family of India, with 77 cousins in all.
About Father:
Quote to all children: what have you done for your country till now?
Background: Rose from dust to corridors of power in India. A brilliant student, pioneer of various industries and large companies.
About Mother:
Uneducated, but very high on morality.
Taught: All are equal, all experience similar pains and pleasures.
About Grandfather:
High on Principles, nonviolence based Independence activist in British period. A local leader of tribal.
MY LIFE:
My Primary Schooling:
At Girls high school, with 10% boys.
Taught invaluable lessons on diversity including inclusiveness and gender equality.
Secondary school:
Catholic school in a Muslim area with students from Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Sikh religions.
Many students from economically challenged background, having difficulty in even daily bread & butter.
Invaluable lessons on diversity, religious tolerance and dignity of individual.
My Adolescence:
1) Upto age of 16 years:
Handling joint family responsibilities including day to day household chores, festivals, rituals, marriages of large family, etc.
Entrepreneurship:
I) 26th March 1983 (age 17 years): Road Transport Business.
Upon passing class 10, Joined family business of large road transport company with over 100 branches.
First training under both Cousin and General Manager (Marketing)
Entrepreneurship Career:
1984: Father fell ill. Family tussle began. Full responsibility of transport business upon self.
1985: Saw first partition of family. Cleared Class 12. Became fully responsible for entire business across country, being at HEAD OFFICE of large business empire. Business had bled and struggling due to earlier
family tussle.
1986: found my lady love, from another caste and economically challenged background. Marriage not
likely to be accepted by family and society (we married eventually)
1987: Handled 2nd partition of family. Cleared graduation from the most reputed college. (Elected Class
Representative)
Moved from Road transport to handling Mattresses business of family.
1988:
a) Completed Honors degree program, Post graduation.
b) Left for UK on a tourist visa.
Joined MBA Program (though no money, and even lacking eligibility for MBA)
At University in UK, worked at Dining hall, appointed Resident Advisor, topped University with highest
CGPA, Awarded Academic Athlete, amongst others.
Also, worked at Gas stations over weekends.
II) 1990 – 1993:
Returned India.
Rejoined Mattresses business of family.
Started new business based on Environment friendly Products, redefining all products and creating livelihood for lowest strata.
(Gradually moved to medicine business, with a niche clientele)
1993 – 1995: (Time to plan and organize Marriage)
Left family business. Moved to the remotest and most disturbed areas of India, with militants. Joined as Executive Director/Profit Centre Head at a large Plywood Company. Task in hand to make life easy for all, and to create leaders.
1995: Marriage happened.
Left job. Rejoined family business of Mattresses. A prominent household brand in country ‘CORFOM’
1996: Another family partition. Set up new business of Mattresses manufacturing in another state.
Entry into Corporate world.
1999: Wife not having children. Under doctor’s advise left family business and joined as Vice President
of a Sugar Company with one of the most prominent Business houses in India, the House of Birlas. Located at a remote corner of country, with dacoits and militants. Child conceived.
2001: Moved to Delhi for Son’s future and joined a prominent Relocation and Moving business in India,
as Executive Director.
2004:
(a) Joined the prominent business house of the Bajajs, for expansions. Did 30 large Greenfield, many
brown fields and handled operations worth Multi-billion US Dollars in diverse industries including Sugar,
Distillery, Ethanol, Cogeneration of power and Large scale Thermal Power Plants.
(b) Began a new business of Medicines distribution at family level, catering to a niche clientele, under
name and style of Lifeline Farmacia, since continuing.
2020: Joined Solar Power firm to undertake major project set-up for solar panel and solar cell
manufacturing.
Family business continues as a backbone, while continuously setting up new industries and in process learning about new industries and generating sources of livelihood.
Objective: It’s payback time to society. Must ensure that anybody who comes to you, leaves more relaxed, more confident and with greater faith in a better tomorrow.
Birendra Kumar Agarwal
