Namita Thapar - The Dolphin and the Shark

When I signed up for Shark Tank India, I had no idea it would take the country by storm and result in a movement that celebrates the spirit of entrepreneurship! Two months of hectic shooting and learning without any playbook was followed by a couple of months of watching the show and learning from that as well. Once everything was in place sometime around mid-February 2022, all those amazing stories and experiences were buzzing in my head. Hours of sitting by my son for moral support while he studied for his ICSE boards gave me the perfect opportunity to turn into a writer. What you have in your hands today is a result of that.

The goal of writing this book is to share stories; stories that will, hopefully, inspire and lift.

The title is very close to my heart. I strongly believe that all of us have a shark in us representing aggression, ruthlessness and ferocity. At the same time, we also have a dolphin within representing kindness, empathy and vulnerability. We have to learn to balance both if we want to maximize our productivity and potential.

I always believed in the adage, Work towards leaving the place a little better than when you found it To me, entrepreneurship enables this. I have seen my father, a first-generation entrepreneur, endure struggles and setbacks, only to go on and build an INR 6900-crore global pharma behemoth with over 10,000 employees and presence in over seventy countries. I know how important it is to support entrepreneurs as I have witnessed first-hand how the support my father received in his early days was largely instrumental in his success. Along with my role at Emcure, where I am busy building large brands as the India business head, I always had an itch to do that extra bit to support entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship has the power to democratize wealth creation in our country which will undoubtedly bring in the next wave of economic development and prosperity. Much needed now more than ever, after the COVID pandemic setback. Needless to say, when the Shark Tank India opportunity came my waythrough sheer chance from a distant networkI grabbed it with both hands and plunged in with all my head and heart. Here was an opportunity to make a difference, to create an impact and highlight Indias success stories on an international canvas. I was both excited and nervous.

Every story amidst these pages has been written by me, in my own words and straight from the heart. I requested my publishers to keep the editing to a bare minimum so that we could retain the authenticity and rawness that I wanted.

In the initial chapters, I have shared stories from Shark Tank India Season 1; journeys of a few Indian entrepreneurs, and glimpses from my professional life at Emcure peppered with personal anecdotes. The chapters on investment framework, perfecting your pitch and what next after you get a deal will hopefully help start-up founders early in their companys journey, especially with respect to fundraising. Chapters on teams, brands and dissent are relevant not just for start-ups but for any enterprise looking to scale. Chapters on mentors, networks, leadership mantras, the 3Cs, the vulnerable leader and the lifelong learner are about honing your work and leadership style. Entrepreneurship is a lonely and stressful journey and these chapters may help one maintain a broader outlook and balance while continuing to grow personally and professionally. Chapters on family business and breaking barriers are more specific and situational. They, however, are very relevantcommon but yet to be addressed in-depth. Hopefully, this book has something for entrepreneurs as well as aspiring entrepreneurs.

I hope you enjoy these pages and get inspired to scale newer heights in your journeys.

After all, life is an experience and not an enquiry!

Chapter 1

Why This Book: My Story

So why this book? As I stated earlier, I had all these stories inside of me that I felt the need to express. Learnings from inspiring people I have met, my mentors and their lessons, my own life experiences and how I have evolved over the years. This book is primarily meant for entrepreneurs but also for students and anyone else interested in learning more about entrepreneurship. The lessons included in the book are not just for founders but also for those who want to scale existing businesses in this increasingly complex world.

In this chapter, I would like to bring my story to life and talk about how Shark Tank India seemed to be a calling that all of my lifes small and big experiences were subconsciously preparing me for.

Rocky Start

I was born in a traditional Gujarati joint family in the then sleepy town of Pune, a hub for students and retirees. We had a simple childhood without the distractions of television and social media. There are three distinct experiences or memory sets from my childhood that, I believe, have shaped me. Firstly, I was the eldest among nine grandkids. Securing the first rank in class was not only important but expected. I remember the period of summer vacations when all nine of us would be spending time together; awaiting the arrival of report cards. Apart from me, everyone else always stood first in their respective classes. I was never congratulated for coming in second or securing whatever rank I had. Instead, the entire discussion would be around where the gap was and what could be done to bridge it. A subject-by-subject analysis would ensue and an action plan would be created. It was among the reasons for my low self-esteem as a teen.