This week we invited yet another promising social entrepreneur Prashant Lingam for an exclusive interview with us. Prashant is the Co-founder of Bamboo House India – which makes bamboo houses, bamboo furniture, bamboo interiors, bamboo handicrafts and are also creating rural and tribal livelihoods. Let’s read more about Prashant’s journey and his startup in detail:
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with him:
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your venture, please;
Bad in academics, cleared schooling and college with huge difficulty but was always clear that I don’t want to work under someone as I am not someone who can take orders, always had attitude problem and this paved way for my entrepreneurial journey.
How do you find the industry/niche that you’re in?
I work in bamboo and plastic waste, and for me, both happened by chance and were not a strategically planned venture. I work with artisans in forest and rag pickers in dumping grounds. Whatever I planned in my career never happened and whatever I am doing today I never planned and all happened by chance.
What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s your source of motivation?
My day starts with confusion and ambiguity and not having any plan for the day keeps me going and this is how I start my day and a source of motivation, as for me that is my learning sphere and that keeps me on my hook, and the chance to create something out of nothing, great learning’s every day and living out of comfort zone, and daily deliverables and making a change in someone’s life, failing every day, all are a source of motivation. No better source of motivation when someone makes fun of you and your work, which is my fuel for growth.
What challenges/obstacles did you face in your journey so far?
Except for challenge and obstacle – I did not face anything till date.
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What comes first for you – money or emotions?
Of course, emotions, as mentioned, I work with artisans and rag pickers, where we try to provide them with sustainable livelihoods through a social business model, For us, people connect is of utmost importance than money, SEEING your communities happy, nothing more than that.
How do you handle the pressure and manage stress?
The support I have at home from my family and my life partner (who also happens to be my co-founder) has helped me to handle stress and pressure easily and today I don’t have both as I have grown and matured as a person and I am very clear about my priorities, and I am not running behind money, I am not here to show or prove anything to anyone, these things only I feel create pressure , I prefer spending time with family at home or watch a movie or read some books or spend time with friends and family, these small things help me distress. I keep away from consumerist culture, hoarding wealth, buying products because I have an app and money, social media and TV and try not to get into a capitalistic trap and keep life simple the way it in before the 1990s and yes that away life is always stress-free…
What is one strategy that you believe has helped you grow as a person/startup?
I don’t shy away from taking risks, repeated failures, turning every negative situation is an opportunity and not bothering what others say has helped me grow as a person and helped my organization also grow.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
Giving 100 % is more important than the result, for me giving all I have is success irrespective of the result, for some result is important not the effort – this is the trap society creates for us. Trying and failing is a success for me than not having tried at all. Keeping life simple, being true to you and others, personal and professional integrity, ability to respect people who are lower than us is a success. Having achieved what I dreamt long ago, people talking good about you is a success, not giving up on my attitude despite all odds is a success, things like bank balance, assets, position in society, designation, material benefits I possess, does not count as success for me.
What advice would you give to someone starting?
1. Know your strengths and weakness. Do not start up because startup: is a buzz word.
2. Starting up has not been an inner call not outer.
3. Focus on being happy in your startup and enjoy your journey and take pride in what you are doing.
4. People will judge your startup/enterprise based on balance sheets and valuations, ignore them, you decide what you want your journey to be, let not the society or market decide for you.
5. Don’t underestimate yourself, you are as good as the world’s best CEO, give yourself some time, at a time despite best of your efforts things might not work out, have some patience.
6. Try not to get into the success trap which society creates, you decide your success.
7. Understand that a Failure is a learning tool and not a crime, it is OK to fail.
8. Things always don’t go the way we plan.
9. Life is more valuable and bigger than our start-up and wealth your startup creates. Don’t neglect family, relationships and friends.
10. Keep going back to Steve Jobs last words when you feel lost.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, Stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
