If you observe the three steps in building a talent, you will appreciate that the talent can be built only when it is focused on a task. Talent is your 'capacity'
to do a 'task' easily and fluently. Task could be of batting in cricket (sports), playing piano ( music), painting on a canvas (arts), or
writing a software program, designing a bridge, managing a set of
operations that produce cars. (these are called knowledge tasks).
However, as an entrepreneur, one has to perform many tasks. An entrepreneur tends to become jack of all but master of none, if he 'allows' it. Very few follow a path like Vinay.
Vinay had a huge interest in Electronics. So despite getting educated in Metallurgical engineering, he took a qualification in electronics after his one year graduation, and manage to shift to Electronics. He encountered a problem in Large voltage measuring instrument and manage to 'find' an elegant solution to the problem, which until then were imported. To manufacture those instruments, he partnered with two friends - one who had an experience in manufacturing, and another in marketing - to start his company in 1990's. By willing to share his 'innovation' with others, he manage to focus on his 'core skill' of electronics and just focused on 'product development'. Today after 20 years, he is one of the world's authority in these type of instruments.
Entrepreneurs find it difficult to follow the path of Vinay due to several reasons. Sometimes the reason is due to over-attachment to 'money'. For instance, Vinay was 'smart' enough to share the benefit of his 'product innovation' with his two partners. Many entrepreneurs are not so 'foresighted'. They look at the 'loss' of money instead of seeing the 'gain' of concentrating on one's strength.
But Vinay is not the only entrepreneur who has focused on one 'talent'. We know of many celebrity figures who did the same. For instance, Steve Woznaik collaborated with Steve Jobs to start Apple, but later withdrew, because he wanted to develop his 'technological talent'. You will find many successful companies have more than one partner, because it enables each to concentrate on 'one skill' and built into a formidable talent.
Entrepreneurs also find it difficult to follow the path of Vinay because of ignorance. For instance, they do not know that once a talent is built, and the market knows about it, one may prefer to go alone. For instance, Vinay who remained in partnership with the two partners, split and started his own firm, after twenty years in 2010. By this time, his product innovation capability was so well known and established in the market, that the other two skills (marketing and administration) became 'support skills' which were required in a 'diluted form' that could be filled with 'hired' employees. That is a market paradox ! Initially, when a person is starting a company with no background, talent is required to survive. When the name is established in the market, one can 'make do' with average skill.
I know of several entrepreneurs who lost their market suddenly because the main equipment manufacturer such as 2-wheeler company or an automobile company chose to change its location. Concentrating on ' core skill' and building it into a 'talent' is less risky in today's global market, instead of building a company that becomes 'extinct' because the market changes overnight.
What are you planning to do?
Entrepreneurs also find it difficult to follow the path of Vinay because of ignorance. For instance, they do not know that once a talent is built, and the market knows about it, one may prefer to go alone. For instance, Vinay who remained in partnership with the two partners, split and started his own firm, after twenty years in 2010. By this time, his product innovation capability was so well known and established in the market, that the other two skills (marketing and administration) became 'support skills' which were required in a 'diluted form' that could be filled with 'hired' employees. That is a market paradox ! Initially, when a person is starting a company with no background, talent is required to survive. When the name is established in the market, one can 'make do' with average skill.
I know of several entrepreneurs who lost their market suddenly because the main equipment manufacturer such as 2-wheeler company or an automobile company chose to change its location. Concentrating on ' core skill' and building it into a 'talent' is less risky in today's global market, instead of building a company that becomes 'extinct' because the market changes overnight.
What are you planning to do?
