so after the alootechie folks decided to repost my last blog post, i’ve gotten a mixed bag of responses; everything from gleeful agreement to death threats (no, not really). i thought i would take some time to follow it up by responding directly to some of the commentary. i won’t be responding to individuals, rather to their ideas. let the truth be told.
@ the “you’re just bitter because you’re not getting traction” crowd: uhhh, we got acquired for a great positive multiple of our initial investment. i don’t know what else to say!
@ the “you’re a copycat company” crowd: honestly, this is a funny one. anytime i’m approached with this argument, i ask myself, what company out there is not a copycat company? before google, there was lycos, altavista, and yahoo! yes, we are a copycat company (yelp, citysearch, etc.), but we knowingly copycatted an idea where localization of the concept would produce a potentially successful product. what better idea to copycat and localize than local search!?
@ Vineet, alootechie, who states, “…entrepreneurs identify a need-gap and than (sic) build a product/business around it…so the question of large/small addressable market does not come into play..you build a business corresponding to the need-gap, the problem you are trying to solve.” This numbnuts just doesn’t get it – entrepreneurs don’t identify a need-gap and then build a product/business around it; they identify a perceived need-gap and then build a product, business around it – and that was preceisly what my previous post was all about – perceived market size vs. actual market size.
encore: look folks, again, i’m not here to rain on anyone’s parade. i’ve spent three long, hard, tumultuous, and ultimately amazingly rewarding three years in india. i’ve sacrificed time away from a family who i dearly love. i miss them to death. the grapes would have turned sour long back if that was truly the case. i’m just trying to call it how i see it. that’s all. it’s not patriotic to look beyond challenging realities. actually, it’s just moronical. i appreciate everyone’s thoughts and responses.
Ok dude – pack your bags and get your ass out of India and go back to your mummy-daddy.
Props.
Hi. I came across this blog while reading up on startups in India. My heart’s hell bent on being an entrepreneur and the only time the mind gets excited is when it thinks of possibilities and comes up with ideas that vanish at the mere thought of revenue models, market size, etc.
I completely agree with our views on India’s so called market size and the actual addressable market size. It’s something I have always wondered about as well, especially when one wants to enter into the e-commerce space.
I am glad to see that ventures such as Burrp doing well and doing a fine job of it.