Kawasaki writes in the 'The Art of the Start', 'The truth is that no one really knows if he is an entrepreneur until he becomes one - and sometimes not even then.' He then goes on to add, 'There really is only one question you should ask yourself before starting any new venture - Do I want to make meaning?'

I am not sure how many ask this question, as often the driver to get started is simple: make lots of money! However, as many have found to their folly, this is not a sustainable drive for an entrepreneur. Money can become the bi-product from the journey but cannot be the end goal. This is one fuel that cannot sustain for the long haul. For wasn't it Steve Jobs who once said that, 'Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful, that's what matters to me.'

What can make 'meaning'? It could be a product or service that you believe can make a difference to the world around you. It could be something that you find missing in the environment you are in - and that dissatisfaction is a strong enough trigger to make you want to do something about it! Yes, this is crucial. Many of us are disgruntled or dissatisfied with products or service or the constraints that bind us - but will carry on carping. Only a few will step forward to tackle this burning issue head-on and seek a solution to the cause of your vexation. And, having embarked on a mission to redress this peeve, one garners support from others. Thus a coalition of forces is weaved into a network to propel you forward to finding an answer. If you have stitched together a strong enough base, a community of stakeholders is the outcome: customers who believe that you are offering the right solution to the problem that they too have grappled with, suppliers who are ready to partner you in a common ride, employees who find that you are an employer worth working with & contributing to, financiers who have bought your conviction and participate to get a better return on their investment from amongst the options before them, and so on...

While the element of risk is omnipresent to an enterprise, and the entrepreneur is not oblivious of it, he remains undeterred. So many of these adventurers have been labelled as irrational & foolish by the doubting majority but thanks to their craziness, the world is richer with their gifts of creation. If it were not for them, we would be still struggling with inefficient and poorly designed products, appalling service and uncomfortable physical environment. I must add that the entrepreneurial streak that I refer to is not the exclusive preserve of the private sector. Such visionaries have elevated public good also with their initiatives and have heroically undertaken long-gestation projects in government too and offered immense benefits to communities. A recent case in point is the Aadhaar project - a transformational project that is well on the way to reshape public policy and advance efficiencies & generate greater effectiveness in the delivery of public welfare schemes across the board. An intrepid team of committed bureaucrats have proved all the naysayers wrong with humility and now the value of the program is being widely recognized - though the best is yet to come. Looking back, it clearly was an audacious venture and had to be piloted with as much blood, sweat and tears as any other unicorn start-up!

Rob Siltanen said it best in the Apple commercial of 1997, and it bears repeating even now: 'Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.'

So, entrepreneurs, take a bow. Let's hear it for the crazy ones!

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