Real Life Slumdog Millionaire-a true inspiration

His story is an inspiration for millions. A self-made entrepreneur, his mission
is to help the poor through job creation. E Sarathbabu hit the headlines after
he rejected several high profile job offers from various MNCs after he passed
out of IIM, Ahmadabad[Rank1 in Indian Management institutes] two years ago.


He instead started a catering business of his own, inspired by his mother who
once sold idlis on the pavements of Chennai, worked as an ayah(domestic helper) in an Anganvadi(free food center by indian govt for poor kids)to educate him and his siblings. As a child, he also sold idlis in the slum where he lived. "We talk about India shining and India growing, but we should ensure that people do not die of hunger. We can be a developed country but we should not leave the poor people behind. I am worried for them because I know what hunger is and I still remember the days I was hungry," says Sarathbabu.


In August 2006, Sarathbabu's entrepreneurial dream came true with Foodking. The "foodking" still lives in the same hut in Madipakkam in Chennai. Today, Foodking has six units and 200 employees, and the turnover of the company is Rs.32 lakh a month. But it has not been a bed of roses for Sarathbabu. After struggling and making losses in the first year, he managed a turnaround in 2007.

How has his experience as a 'Foodking' been in the last two years? In his own words-
A tough beginning as I am a first generation entrepreneur, the first year was very challenging. I had a loan of Rs 20 lakh by the end of first year. I had no experience in handling people in business, and it was difficult to identify the right people.Though I made losses in the first year, not even once did I regret my decision of not accepting the offers from MNCs and starting an enterprise of my own. I looked at my losses as a learning experience. I was confident that I would be
successful one day.
Sleeping on the railway platform
My first unit was at IIM, Ahmadabad. When we started our second unit in October 2006, I thought now I would start making money. But I made losses of around Rs 2000 a day. A first generation entrepreneur cannot afford such a loss. But I worked really hard, working till 3 a.m. in the morning. What reduced my losses were the birthday party offers.

I started the third unit again in Ahmadabad but it also made losses. All my units were cafeteria and I understood then that the small cafeterias do not work; I needed huge volumes to work. My friends who were extremely supportive in the first year when things were difficult for me. I had taken loans from my IIM-A friends. They were earning very well.
In December 2006, an IIM Ahmadabad alumni event took place in Mumbai and I decided to go there mainly to get a contract. I was hopeful of getting it. I also knew that if I got the huge contract, I would come out of all the losses I had been incurring.
I booked my train ticket from Ahmadabad to Mumbai for Rs 300 and I had Rs 200 in my hand. As the meet went on till late at night, I could reach the station only at midnight. I missed the train. I decided to sit on the platform till the morning and travel by the next train in the morning. I didn't have the money to check into a hotel. I didn't want to disturb any of my friends so late at night.


It was an unforgettable night as I was even shoved off by policemen from the platform. It was quite insulting and embarrassing. After two hours, people started moving in, I also went in.
A man who sat next to me on the platform gave me a newspaper so that I could sleep. I spread the newspaper and slept on the platform! I sleep well. I got my ticket refund in the morning and went back to Ahmadabad. And, luck did not favour me, I didn't get the contract.

In March 2007, I got an offer to start a unit at BITS, Pilani (Sarathbabu was an alumnus of BITS,Pilani). That was the first medium break for me. For the first time, I started making profits there though the other units continued to make losses. The reason for our success at BITS, Pilani was the volume; there were more students and there was a need for a unit like ours while in Ahmadabad, they have at least a hundred options.

If I made Rs 5000 a day at Ahmadabad in two shifts, here I made Rs 15,000 a day. BITS, Pilani unit gave me the confidence to move on. Unless you make money, you can't be confident in business.

What changed my fortune
When all my friends who worked for various MNCs made good money every month and I made losses with my venture. But I kept telling myself, I am moving in the right direction to reach my ambition and vision. My dream was to provide employment and I was doing just that. I continued to work till 3a.m. but I never felt tired.

Through BITS, Pilani, I got the BITS, Goa contract and that was the biggest break for me. It was not a cafeteria like the earlier ones but the dining hall that we got. We had to feed 1300 students. We started our operations in July 2007. At Rs 50, for 1300 students, our sale was Rs65,000 per day. We soon started making a profit of Rs 10 to 15,000 a day. Around 60 to 70 people work there. I gave the charge of the Ahmadabad operations to one of my managers and moved to Goa.
I was still in debt by Rs 15-20 lakhs but I knew BITS, Goa would keep my dream alive. Within six months of starting our operations in Goa, I repaid all my debt.
I was called to give a speech at the SRM Deemed University. After the speech, I asked the Chancellor, can you give me an opportunity to serve in your campus?? He said, "If not you, to whom will I give such an opportunity?" It's a food court but a big one, similar to the one at BITS,Pilani. There are around 17,000 students there.

Other than the six units, I have approached a few more universities and corporate houses too. In the first year, I had made a loss of Rs 25 lakh. Right now, we have a turnover of Rs 32 lakh every month, which works out to 3.5 crore (Rs 35 million) a year.

I have hired about 200 people. Indirectly, we touch the lives of around 1000 people. By this year end, we will have 500 people working for us. Only 10% of my workers are educated, the rest are uneducated. I want to make a change in their lives. If they have any problem, I will take care of it. We support the marriages and education of poor families. We are paying more to the employees as the company is doing well. Now that the foundation is strong, I plan to have ten units and a turnover of Rs 20 crore (Rs 200 million) turnover by next year.

His advice: Never give up!

In the last two years, I have given more than 120 lectures in various institutions in India.When I got the first opportunity to speak, I thought God had given me an opportunity to encourage or inspire entrepreneurs. When youngsters tell me they are inspired, I feel good.
When you just dish out the theory, nobody believes you. But when you do it, they believe you.What I tell them is based on my own experiences.
When I thought of starting a company, I felt India needed 100 people like Narayana Murthy and Ambani. If 100 such people support 2 lakh people each, imagine how many Indians get supported.
Entrepreneurship is needed to uplift the poor. It is not easy to be an entrepreneur,
especially a first generation entrepreneur.
There will be lots of challenges in the beginning but you should learn to look for the light at the end of the tunnel.
Never give up even if there are hurdles. There are many who give up within a week.

You need determination and a tough mind to cross the initial hurdles.

If you are starting without much money, you should not have any overhead expenses.
He still lives in the same hut
As I am in the food business, I know how much the price of every food item has gone up. Many people will languish in poverty because of inflation. Had my mother been working as an Anganvadi ayah today and earning Rs 1500, she would not have been able to feed us and educate us. On the one side, we talk about India shining and India growing, but we should ensure that people do not die of hunger. We can be a developed country but we should not leave the poor people behind. I am worried for them because I know what hunger is and I still remember the days I was hungry. That is why I feel it is our responsibility to take care of them.

I wanted to buy a car and a house for my mother. I bought a car first, not a house. I still live in the same house, the same hut. I can build a house right now but I want my business to grow a little more. I feel good in the hut; that?s where I get my energy, that's where I lived 25 years of my life. I want to remind myself that the money and fame should not take me away from what I want to achieve.


But within six months, I will build a good house for my mother. Her only advice to me is,don't waste money.
Till I was in the 10th, there was no electricity in my house. I had to sit near the kerosene lamp and concentrate hard. That's how I learnt to concentrate.
The two year journey has been very enriching. It seems like a 20-year journey for me. I was living every moment of the two years, from sleeping on the Mumbai railway station platform to this level.
Food king as on today May 26 2009 has an annual turnover of 20+ crores and still going Strong.
Thats the power of dreams.Nothing is impossible if we could believe and work consistently towards it.

Titan- John D.Rockefeller's biography

I first started reading the book Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.[the biography of John D.Rockefeller,the founder of standard oil and the world's first billionaire] looking for an answer as how few could become very very wealthy- what makes them deserve this uncomparable success.Just out of curiosity.I found all my answers there.The certain qualities emphasized by him can be used in any given era.We can easily compare his success to the Titans of today like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos.The author's thorough and objective study makes it very informative and extremely useful.
Titan by Ron Chernow is a must read for all of us intrested in improving ourselves.It is no ordinary biography.It lays out in detail how Rockfeller grew from very humble beginnings to unphanthomable heights of success in later life.It tells us even how he organized himself,how he motivated himself and what type of work ethics he followed.It is all about standing on your own two feet and making the most of what you have without anybody's help. All he had was a strong work ethic, a desire to learn and a sharp mind.That was his only investment.He achieved such a huge success all by himself.I complain so many times as to my background,my parents circumstances etc that had stopped me from reaching my big dreams.I used to say, if only my parents were rich enough i could have gone for some good universities and continued my studies.I used to complain of my financial position attributing to my circumstances.I used to complain about my knowledge level attributing to lack of time and so on..NEVER WILL I EVER DO THAT AGAIN.
Mind is were all the riches are made,It is where we decide whether we will be successful or not.Whether we will get what we want.This book showcases his strong will and decision to succeed.His rise and risk taking.His dedication to his dreams and finally his desire to serve the community.The intresting thing here is this book talks about his greatness in philanthropy and his ruthlessness in competition with the same tone.Making it all the more controversial.
No other book inspired me this much.I felt a sudden shot of tremendous energy.Felt like i could reach for all my dreams and make them into reality.I felt very powerful.If he could do it so can i. I have read many a biographies, but this one sank deeply into my mind leaving a very bright light of hope.

You may also like to read Lee Kuan Yew- Father of Singapore and Arnold Schwarzenegger- Mr.Infinite capabilities

Arnold Schwarzenegger- Mr. Infinite capabilties

There cannot be a better example have dreaming high than Arnold Schwarzenegger. When most body builders dream olympics at the maximum not enough is all Arnold's story says.
When you think big the possibilities are endless and no limits to your capability.His is such a story-
Schwarzenegger was born in Thal, Austria (German: Thal bei Graz), a small village bordering the Styrian capital Graz, and was christened Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger.
Schwarzenegger began weight-training at 15 and is considered to be one of the most important figures in the history of bodybuilding, becoming the youngest Mr. Universe at age 20 and going on to win Mr. Olympia a total of seven times. He came to America shortly after, winning an unprecedented 12 more world bodybuilding titles. Challenging both his body and mind, he earned a college degree from the University of Wisconsin and became a U.S. citizen in 1983. Three years later he married broadcast journalist Maria Shriver.Schwarzenegger has remained a prominent face in the bodybuilding sport long after his retirement, and has written several books and numerous articles on the sport. Although he had accomplished more than any other person in the art of body-building, it was no longer a challenge.He spread the knowledge of physical fitness by writting an autobiography, Arnold:The Education of a Body-builder, which became a bestseller. He followed it with a book on body building for women- showing how women can use weight training to get in shape. He built a business out of it - to produce body building events. He was successful as a businessman too.
Now he wanted more challenge- he wanted to be a movie star. That too he wanted only to be the lead man.Initially when he started acting many of his collegues passed hurting remarks about his acting skills. Others would have given up easily- Not Arnold. He persisted until he was cast as "Conan the Barbarian". That was followed by a series of action movies until he became one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood. Success leads to success as long as you believe in your capabilities- So does Arnold. After success in Movies he built many businesses like Real estate and a restaurant chain to name a few. After himself being successful he wanted to give back to the community, he travelled around the country to promote health and fitness among youth. He inspired them to give up drugs and gang culture and get themselves educated. He did not stop there,
Entered politics and won overwhelmingly in 2003 as the governor of california. And his list of achievements as governor strech long in all the california's goverment websites and media. Inspite of all this great life he stands out as a doting husband and a dear father to four kids. His life can be summed as Napolean Hill says "There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge". We need to expand our context, dream big dreams and keep on challenging our capabilities.Woow iam a fan, not of the movie star- but of this great man Arnold - A body-builder, business man, movie-star, social activist, politician, a great dad and husband.
Waiting to see what other great things will his life unfold. He clearly is an inspiring example.

Singapore- Brain Child of Lee Kuan Yew

Ever wondered if a fishing village be the world's affluent city-state with world's best infrastructure and low crime rates? The very place with no resources where the immigrants to malaya were forced to stay now pulls huge crowds from all over the world who come to seek their betterment in life. A small island standing so proud and tall that the world nations listen to its words and look up to it for lessons.
All this sprangup from one man's dream- Lee Kuan Yew, He saw to it that his dream came true right within his life time.Lee Kuan Yew was born in Singapore on September 16, 1923. He came from a middle class Chinese Hakka family which had been established in Singapore since his great grandfather migrated to the island in the mid-19th century. In 1931 he attended the Telok Kurau English School. Four years later, he moved to Raffles Institution, where he excelled in his studies and was always at the top of his class. Even at that early age, Lee demonstrated his potential and one of his teachers in Raffles Institution correctly predicted that he would "do well, unusually well" and attain "a high place in life." In 1939 Lee sat for the Senior Cambridge Examination and emerged as the top student for the whole of Malaya.Lee Kuan Yew was educated in England to be a lawyer.

He led Singapore to independence and served as its first prime minister. He was regularly re-elected from 1959 until he stepped down in 1990. Under his guidance Singapore became a financial and industrial powerhouse despite a lack of abundant natural resources.

Lee ruled with ultimate authority, and his zeal for law and order was legendary. All these are the rosy pictures of his sucess- ever wondered what he overcame,what he sacrified? Initially when he started a polititian he couldnt rouse the general public as his chinese oratory skills were limited. He used other great orators to talk for in his party. He surrounded himself with the best of the men by education and by virtue and used their knowledge to decide singapore's course. He had to make some tough decisions like getting rid of the communist and joining the malaya region and then again seperating from it.He did pay heavy price with his mistakes and learned quickly. It was blessing in disguise- singapore was left to float or sink and singapore rose, rose so high that the whole region look at it in awe.Its a testimony for confidence, believing in dreams and working persistently towards it.Even now Lee Kuan Yew serves as minister mentor urging singapore to continously work on ways to staying ahead. Be it any field singapore government would have planned way ahead of other countires. A lesson that sucess is not a destination but a journey.Attention to detail is given in every decision taken. Vision and planning ahead of times all its own. All these virtues being the gift this man- Lee Kuan Yew.He is a very good example to everyone of us to demonstrate that the world is full of hope and abundance, its in us to envision and dream big and consistently work towards it with organized planning. Let the power of ur dreams and ur beliefs influence some of the best brains and together make it come true.
Lee Kuan Yew was the Singapore Prime Minister (1959-1990) and Senior Minister (1990-2004). Since 2004 he has been in the role of Minister Mentor.

The Inspiring life of Prophet Muhammed(s)

Prophet Muhammed(s) was born in 570CE in Makkah.His father died months before he was born and his mother died when he was 6years old.Raised by his
grandfather and after his death by his paternal uncle Muhammed(s) never even had any formal education. Living in makkah which was a traders hotspot at
that time Muhammed(s) grewup to be a trader. He was known as 'Al-Ameen' for his trustworthy and honest dealings. It was his character that prompted
Khadhija a rich merchant widow to propose and marry him. Thereafter for the next twelve years he lived peacefully as rich trader.Then oneday when he was
around Forty years of age he received messages from the divine to cleanse the kabah[Arab's house of worship] and the Quarish[The strong arab tribe].
Muhammed(s) started to preach and lead the people to the one true god durning a time when idolatory was at its peak. He was ridiculed and labeled a lunatic.
People threw filth on him and even tripped him. People who followed him were tortured and trade or contact with prophet and his family banned. With no
miracles in his kitty and only his words as his armour Muhammed(s) survived, infact flourished because of Muhammed(s) and his followers belief and
persistance. He patiently endured all the hardships but unwavering from his mission to restore the worship of one true god. The Arabs implied all means to
stop him, luring,threatening and banning him. Nothing can stand between him and his desire to fulfill his mission.Muhammed(s) had to flee his birth place of Mecca into the shelters of Medinah. Following which the battles of Badr, Uhud and Trench were fought where as
always the muslims were a very small group fighting against the large forces of the non-believers and everytime the muslims won because of there sheer will-
power and belief in Allah. In another ten years Muhammed(s) had succeded in his mission and in uniting the entire arab world into one great muslim nation.
Kabah was cleansed and Islam subsequently became the second largest religion of the world. There can never be a better example of belief and persistence
that captured the world then this story of the rise of Islam.

Learn from the great leaders of the world

No one lives long enough to learn everything they need to learn starting from scratch. To be successful, we absolutely, positively have to find people who have already paid the price to learn the things that we need to learn to achieve our goals. says Brian Tracy.

We learn from our mistakes even as a child.Nature sure has this way of imparting knowledge on us. But as we progress into adulthood we start running out of time, we cannot afford to learn everything from analysing our own mistakes. It takes ages that way and sometimes somemistakes take ages to recover.

This age in which we live is moving in an absolutely fast pace. As the saying goes, to survive the tiger has to run faster than the slowest gazalle and the slowest gazalle cannot afford to survive if it cannot run faster than the tiger.Its run or perish.Keeping up with the best has become the order of the day.We just cannot afford to make costly mistakes.

But learning from the mistakes,or knowing about the pitfalls and how to avoid them goes a long way in determining one's sucess in life. From what Brian tracy says we can clearly understand we have a tresure trove of knowledge from learning the lives of the great achievers. It is the easiest and the fastest way to achieve sucess. Whatever u decide to become seek out the pioneers in that field who have outlived everybodyelse and follow their life carefully. It would be appropriate to stress here that i dont mean duplicating their lives, what i mean here is take in the essence of their sucess and make it ur own. God makes every human being unique. Inside everyone there is unique greatness, it sparkles out when we just be ourselves.
As Ralph.w.emerson says "Insist on yourself; never imitate... Every great man is unique."
So be true to urselves but never hesitate to learn from great achievers.