In the search of young Bangladeshi entrepreneurs

The call to air more business based shows in Bangladeshi TV channels is nothing new for this blog. We have mentioned the need to make programs in TV channels not only to give dry commentary and stale news about recent business events and products but also to give young Bangladeshi entrepreneurs a platform to demonstrate their business ideas and possibly get some mentoring, funding, patronising etc. Its not news anymore that companies like HSBC and BATB regularly arrange business plan competitions every year and award financially the winners. But I have always questioned the outreach of such initiatives. Agreed that its an effort worth appreciation, by the very nature of the potential of that initiative, it calls for increasing its outreach especially outside Dhaka and other cities, where only the priveleged young people, may be belonging to private universities would get the chance to enter into such competitions. It certainly overlooks the vast majority of young entrepreneurs who might be already running small businesses in rural Bangladesh, with or without a well composed business plan and with or without any formal knowledge of how to run a business and how to seek more venture capital beyond 'love money' from friends and family.

Recently BBC has started the Junior Apprentice TV show. The six-week competition has candidates all aged between 16 and 17, battling it out through a series of gruelling tasks in the hope to become the first ever Junior Apprentice. The winner will be awarded access to a fund worth £25,000, which will go towards his or her business career and will be personalised to their individual prospects and development. If you ever get to see these shows, you will realise how practical and challenging doing business can be. But more interestingly you will realise how business skills are honed by 16 and 17 year olds who are yet to finish even their schools and still there is so much to learn beyond classroom based education and business plan competitions. Above all, the encouragement and inspiration such programs and initiatives create is tremendous, enabling likeminded young entrepreneurs to perceive their small business ventures more seriously and give all out effort.

When we are so fond of and quick in copying foreign TV serials and reality shows, I wonder why don't we copy the good things first. Also if the world of copying TV programs is open for all, why do we have to wait until an Indian version is aired through Bangladeshi TV space whereas the BBC programs are open for all to view and 'copy' the idea if needed. Lord Sugar is one self-made business icon in the UK, to compare someone with him in Bangladesh might be a step too far. But its obvious that we have too many speakers in presentations and trainers in workshops but very few business leaders in the true sense. A successful business leader is not only supposed to make more money for him/herself but also to educate, inspire especially the young in the society. How many of our business celebrities are doing something worthwhile to nourish the business talent and potential of the young entrepreneurs? How many of them have reached out to those who live outside cities?

There is no denial of the fact that reality TV programs for young business entrepreneurs of Bangladesh can never be the only resort to ensuring classy business cadres. But what is the problem in starting with it? Atleast it would bring back some viewers back to watching television which is so full of mundane drama serials and political dog and pony shows. A business show involving young entrepreneurs would give some much needed respite from the plagued drama serials and singing competitions. What do you think?

Make way for the Royal Bengal Entrepreneurs

Remember McGyver? Or Oshin? Or Bionic Woman, Six Million Dollar Man, Fall Guy, Manimal, Raven, A-Team, Knight Rider and all those English thrillers, serials that many of us used to religiously follow in the then only state-run television BTV? Since we didn’t have much option in terms of TV channels, so we had to be satisfied with whatever was shown there. But still, we had grown a habit of following certain shows in the TV isn’t it? Also, don’t forget the extremely popular Bangla drama serials such as Oyomoy, Ei Shob Din Ratri, Bohubrihi and the like. Well gone are the days of the monopoly of BTV, scores of other satellite channels have made me a serial remote switcher, nearly suffering from chronic button pressing and channel switching syndromes. I also realized that I have grown out of following any particular TV program in the TV these days, firstly I don’t have much time, secondly internet has taken over my life and thirdly and most importantly, there are just too many TV channels, making it difficult or confusing for me to settle with any particular show, with which I could associate myself.


In the flurry of all the painfully similar drama serials, talk shows and music programs, I was wondering if its ever possible to have a show pretty much like Dragons’ Den, where interested venture capitalists used to hire or fire potential entrepreneurs or executives who they thought could do the talk and walk the mile. It’s a known fact that there are many potential entrepreneurs across Bangladesh who are bubbling with their nascent business ideas, but they just can’t get the headstart due to lack of exposure and/or patronizing. Not everyone needs to be a BBA graduate from IBA or NSU to be a skilled manager, I believe management is more a mental frame of mind, an aptitude and attitude, rather than paper certificates from top-ranked B-schools. Those who have it, can do it, with some initial hand-holding. And they don’t necessary need to be enrolled in a private university or the best business schools. Pretty much like the singing talent shows where wanna-be song birds display their singing talents, similarly, a budding entrepreneur might come up to face a judge panel and/or audience vote to evaluate his/her business idea.

I am not very clear about how the Battle of the Minds operates, something executed by the tobacco producer in Bangladesh…how the participants are selected and why. Similarly, HSBC Young Entrepreneur Award also seems to have a regional appeal and popularity. Bangladeshi students have already shown evidence of merit and potential. But what is not clear is what happens to them afterwards? How many of them have truly been successful in realizing their initial business ideas? If they have succeeded, are we tracking it? If their ventures have failed, do we know why? How many of them genuinely chase their dreams and turn the dreams into reality? Or is it just that they are good in academics which produced a great business plan and landed them with the award? But in reality, they had no intentions to start such businesses?



So the point is, these entrepreneurship awards and close door competitions sponsored by any particular company should graduate itself to the public domain. General people can sometimes be a better judge and powered with technology such as SMS, they can vote out or vote in their preferred entrepreneurs. Finally, the one who wins, shall actually start the business with the seed capital provided by one or many of the venture capitalists sitting in the judges panel.

So I think its time to say au revoir to airy talks in classrooms and seminars on entrepreneurship, and limiting the activities to giving away micro and macro awards to budding Royal Bengal Entrepreneurs with nominal monetary aid. Rather its high time that the movers, shakers and thinkers of entrepreneurship start taking shares in the business ideas or projects which they think can reap great benefits. Actions are louder than words and than this blog post too. So how about a TV program like this to bring me back in front of the TV sets once again, without switching channels this time?



Image courtesy:
http://entrepreneurship.rit.edu/images/entrepreneurship.jpg
http://www.genuinememorabilia.co.uk/images/uploads/Dragons_Den_book.jpg

Building up awareness against smoking in the public place

It is a very common scenario that many people smoke in the public place. But our Government has forbidden it. And people do such unlawful act in regular basis without respecting the law. What can we do to make them feel that they are doing such activity which is against the law? We could build up awareness. TVC, radio ad or newspaper ad could help us in doing so. But we know these mediums are expensive and these mediums may not always target such group. What else we can do to resolve this issue. Well, at this moment, Government placed a message on the pack of tobacco; that is: Smoking causes a stroke. Now if we can tie up another line with that message: It is unlawful act to smoke in the public place. Then it could work out. So our Government should think about this idea and go for its implementation.

BATB strengthens its smoking channels

FE Reports

British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) recently organised the first-ever Key Account Training for Excellence (KTX) session in the country. The training was conducted for enhancing the professional and management skills of the employees of a superstore in the context of Bangladesh. The first session of the programme was held with the employees of Meena Bazaar at Meena House in the city.BATB inaugurated the training by highlighting the company's philosophy to work with special channels as a partner to enhance the profitability of the outlets, and facilitate resource development. The training was highly appreciated by the participants. BATB has plans to roll out similar programmes in the country's other superstores as an ongoing support to the emerging industry.

Pretty interesting move by the tobacco king to set its sight on the infant retail sector of Bangladesh. While big names like TESCO stepping into the retail foray in neighboring countries, no wonder Bangladeshi retail industry is also gearing up with Meena Bazar, Agora, Nandan etc. leading the rally. These retail stores are very important points of sales for selling BATB's products, so its obvious that they will come forward in their capacity building. While keeping an eye on how BATB tackles anti-smoking campaigns and activities, its worth having a close notice of the tiny retail sector of the country too, where there is room for new entrants and for expansion.

Plant saplings, smoke cigarettes and make money

British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) will distribute .20 million saplings free of cost from today (Friday), reports FE. No wonder BATB has chosen a holy day in Bangladesh to start a noble activity--distributing small saplings, which would grow big one day, disburse valuable oxygen in the air, so that we, the Bangladeshis, can inhale it to live a few days longer. As we are already in the process of shortening our lifecycle thanks to what is produced by BATB in the end of the day. Countries like ours is always a prime location for tobacco companies to do business, as their profit margins in the West shrink day by day, facing opposition from health/environment activists and people's consciousness, tobacco kings opt for our territories where smoking related awareness of health hazards is still low. A funny argument by someone I know was that, since alcohol is not publicly available in Bangladesh, except in licensed bars and hotels, people need 'something' to 'be on a high', 'to get a kick', 'to feel important' etc. and thus the ONLY easily available, cheaper option they have is ofcourse--cigarettes. So we smoke since we don't get to drink that often since ours is a 'conservative society' where drinking alcohol is forbidden but smoking is welcome, BATB is welcome too. Nevertheless BATB had been a very obedient corporate citizen of the country, paying high taxes regularly, employing many graduates, planting trees here and there, arranging B&H sponsored youth concerts etc. Thanks for the eye-washing CSRs, but what is the future strategy for tobacco producers like BATB? Will they continue to do business until people actually reduce or quit smoking? Well in Bangladesh, it still seems a far cry, so until then, its money making time for BATB, and ofcourse time for planting saplings too!