An afternoon with Vinay Rai

2 days ago, an Indian philantropist came to the Kennedy school to give a speech. His name is Vinay Rai and he was a corporate figure prior to his current activities. While I found his speech informative, the part that really caught my attention is the question and answer sesson. Not so much because it was interactive but rather, his answers were more insightful as he began to draw from specific, personal experiences.

Key takeaways I got from that session:
1. If you plan to startup in a consumer market, go to one like India, where you actually have many first time buyers. As their income grow, they yearn for more goods and choices.
2. If you want to raise fund for your business, have a sound plan ready and pitch to investors here. But be ready to enter the emerging markets and grow fast.