Friday, April 25, 2014

The Bear Baba, The Balloon Boy & The Bank Burglar - How to Make Business a Breeze

First just take in this amazing video of a Guru (aka "Baba"), who lives a simple life in the high mountains, goes about his business:



What a Profound Business Message delivered the way only Bear Baba can with his Amazing Elegance: Keep It Simple Stupid! Expansion (if at all one is required): The Best Route to Business Nirvana is to Zero In on The Right Fish at The Right Spot at The Right Time - in fact, the fish should be DESPERATE to jump into your mouth. After that, it's just a matter of helping out the poor fish by just opening your mouth.And, since their supply is so plentiful, there's no need to strain yourself and try to catch all the fish. ("Competition? What's that?," asks Bear Baba.)

With a business model like this, it's no wonder Bear Baba can simply doze off for six months each year. (Take that, Tim Ferriss.)

The Business of Bears is all very well, you say. "But, how can I translate the message of Bear Baba to the World of Business inhabited by mere mortals like us?"

Fair Question. That's where The Balloon Boy comes in. Here's his story (as related by Pavan Choudhary in The Economic Times):
Many years ago, while visiting a pediatric hospital in Kolkata, I saw a boy, about thirteen-year old, selling balloons at the gate. As I walked past him, I could not but silently admire his genius. Once inside, I met the doctor who owned this hospital and, during the course of our conversation, I told him I had seen a genius at the gate. He said, "If you are talking about the little boy who is selling balloons at the gate, you are damn right. This boy sensed that kids who are being brought to my hospital start crying at its very sight (fearing an injection or some bitter medicine) and the parents then need something to pacify them. They end up buying his balloons to mollify their kids. Sometimes, in case of an exceptionally stubborn wailer, the hospital staff also buys one from him. He is prospering". This young lad had gauged the social milieu of the hospital and spotted the commercial opportunity that this setting presented. His sociological sensitivity was helping him prosper.

Wow! The Balloon Boy's amazing "Problem Solving" / "Sell Anancin versus Vitamins" approach clearly places him in Blue Ocean / Anacin territory (leaving the balloon sellers - at beaches, parks, etc. - in Red Ocean / Vitamin territory). Talk about fishing in troubled waters. This example alone should be sufficient for most entrepreneurs to realize the sagacity of Bear Baba and follow Follow His Path.  But, there's another aspect about the target customer that we need help with. That's where history's most quote-worthy Bank Burglar comes in:

Willie Sutton, when asked by the folks from the FBI (who had somehow managed to nab him), "Why do you rob banks, Willie?", replied, "Because that's where the money is".

To Spell-It-Out: Willie, Does Not Hit Homes. He Does Not Hit Gas Stations. He Does Not Hit Churches. But He Hits Banks. 'Coz, they've Got The Big Money!" (The message btw, is not to go rob banks/ATMs or even to try to sell stuff only to banks.) It's that, as Bear Baba would put it, we need Go After The Big Fish (who also happen to - at least they think they do - have a Big Problem)! So that it Improves the Odds Of Our Entrepreneurial Success. And, we can hope to "hit it rich" or "hit the beach" (or is "hit the cave", Bear Baba?) that much faster.

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