She loves to do things differently and take up new initiatives and this is what drove Shormishtha Ghosh, towards entrepreneurship. A development economist from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (purusing) and a proud student of Nobel Laureate Professor Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, Shormishtha intends to incorporate the modern economic tools of development and poverty elevation into the Indian scenario. Through ‘Tandem Global Consultants (ITGC) Pvt Ltd’ she aims to provide new-age businesses advisory on fundraising, M&A, Acquisition strategies, Managing Government relations, and effective collaborations.
Catch her as she discusses with Poonam Sinha, about her journey, the challenges, competition, the point of differentiation and much more….
Quote – “Two roads diverged into the woods and I took the one less travelled by And that made all the difference.”
Q1. When and how did your entrepreneurial journey begin?
It started quite recently with my consulting firm ‘ In Tandem Global Consulting Pvt Ltd’ and my real estate company ‘ NSGW infra tech’. However, my interest in entrepreneurial ventures has been a decade old. From the start of my career as a branding professional I was always interested in doing things out of the box and taking new initiatives. At times it was greatly appreciated by my seniors and at other times I was advised to slow down. That’s how I learned the nuances of the trade and discovered I enjoyed it. It took me a few years to put everything together, do a lot of consulting projects, learn more, cultivate a good network and when I felt I was ready, I started my venture.
Q2. What are some strengths that women entrepreneurs aspiring to achieve, must possess?
Do your homework! This is a very crucial aspect of entrepreneurship which is not half as glamorous. Working hard, learning from mistakes, owning up can take an entrepreneur a long way.
As a woman entrepreneur, one must have resilience and a great sense of balance. Success comes through perseverance. Knowledge, patience and great people skills always come handy to any upcoming entrepreneur and more so in the case of a woman entrepreneur.
Q3. Juggling between roles can be a tedious task. Could you tell us about the challenges faced by you in the process?
Indeed, it is true that juggling between tasks is not easy. I enjoy reading a lot and also write a lot of research papers. Now I face a lot of time constraints for the same. I try to take care of my mother and family as much as possible but my work keeps me out of home most of the time. Sometimes I want to spend more time with her and focus on my hobby (painting) but don’t get as much time now. However, I am blessed with a very supportive family and a group of very helpful friends, who have helped me manoeuvre the busy meanders of my entrepreneurial and personal journey.
The consulting business is tough as global clients work in different time zones and operate under different laws. We have to be appraised of everything at all times and that sometimes is very taxing. Creating a win-win situation for everyone involved is the primary responsibility of a consulting firm and that takes a lot of meticulous planning and execution.
Q4. What are your future plans?
From consulting we would graduate to Research. Currently we have presence in 3 Indian cities, Gurugram, Mumbai and Kolkata. Globally we are present in the USA. We aim to expand to Europe, Dubai and Singapore soon. We represent Infrastructure, Energy, Real Estate and few Technology clients as of now, and we want to include Healthcare and Education in our portfolio by next year.
Q5. Any words of wisdom for budding women entrepreneurs?
Plan well. Know your strengths. Do not follow trends blindly. Try to pick up a business you have a competitive advantage in. Don’t be afraid or shy about asking for help or reference. Be assertive and aggressive. Talk straight business. A client or investor is smart. So, getting to the point while in a discussion will always help. Be firm and polite. Lastly, don’t give up easily. There is always a way around if you think calmly.
I hope more and more women pursue their entrepreneurial journeys.
Avtar Madan
Poonam Sinha
Ruby Sinha
