Today was supposed to be a busy day. And it turned out to be exhausting! Was supposed to meet multiple vendors, to get our staff uniforms in place, while simultaneously building consensus on the equipment list, and doing interviews with key nurses and a doctor. EXHAUSTING!
There was one fun part - meeting this vendor who makes freebies for companies. She kept trying to convince us to give away these doctor dolls, which come with stethescopes, and was emphatic about us having our email address across the doll's waist! Phew!
Just not feeling too well either... so was very tired by the time I got home. But a superly productive day, all said and done. Hopefully we have some great nurses and doctors joining us, and have finalised our list. Once and for all. May do my first business trip, to Indore on Monday - haha! Who would have thought!
I have worked every Sat since I got here, except when I travelled out of Mumbai. And it gets to me some times. But somehow, it seems some work can always be done only on Saturdays!
Hopefully, I will go figure out dance classes tomorrow, before work begins. Have to admit, the evenings are a little lonely, cos working at a start-up doesnt make you feel like chilling out after work is part of the routine. I am going to have to figure out how to do this!
Friday, July 15, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
14 Jul 2011
It is the morning after the blasts. We have cancelled our morning meetings, because we're not quite sure what the roads are going to look like. I cannot help but notice I am back in work mode, and already thinking about the several things we need to do. But this is not resilience - this is the first time I have been in Mumbai during a series of blasts, and I can tell you now - it's never been about resilience. It's about helplessness. Majboori, as Anupam Kher rightly said. You cannot survive in Mumbai if you don't earn every day. And that is the sad truth.
And you cannot possibly fight terrorism by sitting home and watching insane TV anyways.
Moving on, on a positive note, we saw the first renders of how our clinics could look from the inside, today. And it was exciting. It's all coming alive now - and that is so exciting! Puts an extra wind beneath the wings to trudge along. Yay!
The rest of the evening is about editing brochures and preparing collateral. We'll get there... slowly but surely!
And you cannot possibly fight terrorism by sitting home and watching insane TV anyways.
Moving on, on a positive note, we saw the first renders of how our clinics could look from the inside, today. And it was exciting. It's all coming alive now - and that is so exciting! Puts an extra wind beneath the wings to trudge along. Yay!
The rest of the evening is about editing brochures and preparing collateral. We'll get there... slowly but surely!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
14 Jun 2011
The day started with me continuing to write polite emails to people inviting them to interview later this week with us (oh, the logistics, and back and forth of it all!). Soon I was off to go brainstorm our product suite with the Docs and M&S... so fun!
So much heated discussion at Coffee Bean (which I can guarantee is never going to let us in after today) over how to structure our products, what is the proposition for each type of customer, segment, etc... really felt like marketing class! For example, why would you do a health check-up with us over someone else? Why does it make sense for a school tie up with us? What is the right pre-marriage checkup? Well, all in all think we ended with a decent structure. But of course, the proof of the pudding is in our first encounters with schools, corporate HR and such...
We of course then moved on to the kind of equipment we should put together at the centers. I insisted we should share stethescopes, and weighing machines, and little such things, much to the docs chagrin! Of course, it was all in zest.
On a side note, it was lovely to see so many important business meetings go on at the Coffee Bean today. Right at the next table, this super confident HR lady was conducting interview after interview, meeting poor nervous souls, walking in in the middle of a business week, and being told they were "not ready" for strategy yet, or that they had "too much execution experience". What does that mean?! Amusing!
So much heated discussion at Coffee Bean (which I can guarantee is never going to let us in after today) over how to structure our products, what is the proposition for each type of customer, segment, etc... really felt like marketing class! For example, why would you do a health check-up with us over someone else? Why does it make sense for a school tie up with us? What is the right pre-marriage checkup? Well, all in all think we ended with a decent structure. But of course, the proof of the pudding is in our first encounters with schools, corporate HR and such...
We of course then moved on to the kind of equipment we should put together at the centers. I insisted we should share stethescopes, and weighing machines, and little such things, much to the docs chagrin! Of course, it was all in zest.
On a side note, it was lovely to see so many important business meetings go on at the Coffee Bean today. Right at the next table, this super confident HR lady was conducting interview after interview, meeting poor nervous souls, walking in in the middle of a business week, and being told they were "not ready" for strategy yet, or that they had "too much execution experience". What does that mean?! Amusing!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Day 9: 16 May 2011
It's Monday again! After an early start, I am in the Mumbai airport at 1030, with time to kill, till I meet Dr R to check out the Bandra catchment, and work on some job specs. Contemplating going to a coffee joint to work (we don't have an office yet, remember, so any place with A/C will do), when I realise the airport works well. So right there just before the exit, I sit down, open my laptop and start to work away. True start-up bliss (or not!) :D
Till the good doctor picks me up with his friend, a cardiac surgeon (note: I am in complete awe of all cardiac surgeons. It's a childhood thing - they're my intellectual Tom Cruises), and we drive around Bandra, understanding key locations, and catchments and how they work.
We drop off at the famous Band stand cafe coffee day, where we hang around (quite uncoolly, relative to the crowd I have to say) for the next 5 hours - Dr R, me and my aristocrat suitcase, chalking out flow charts and jobs at the various centers.
At the end of all this, I am dropped off at andheri, from where I take the taxi home. Long day, busy day. I love how S&P have made me feel like their home is mine - I feel most guilty to be intruding on their privacy so much. Deeply grateful.
Weekend : 14 and 15 May 2011
Weekend is bliss! Sleep most of it out... and then meet several random people coming in and out of amma and appa's home... fight a little... love a little... and force everyone out of the house for a drive, and to dinner at Roti-Shoti.
Sunday is almost a repeat act -till amma cribs about never having seen Golconda. That's it - off we are to the lights and sounds show in the evening, and a chill time outside. We drive forever, before we are back.
Leaving tomorrow morning. Sigh.
PS: What happened to all those plans to work on the workplan and such! Iyyyooo!
Day 6: 13 May 2011
Yaaaayyy! It's Friday, and am going home!
Ooooh! It's also Friday, the 13th!We meet at Cuffe Parade in the morning for a quick team meeting - discuss a few key leases we are hoping to sign, and the boss is off in the afternoon to Delhi for a break. He drops me off in Bandra, where I continue to hunt for a few more houses, before running off to Hyd for some chilling.
Unsuccessful, I have decided I will wait it out till the 1st of June.
Home sweet home - 7 pm in the evening, and I am there, with amma and appa, eating great food, and chilllling. Yay to coming back to India.
Day 5: 12 May 2011
Today is quieter, as I try to start working on some of the pieces - looking for website developers, healthcare software providers, consultants to structure salaries, figuring out where we should post our ads for recruitment, talking to random vendors... the works. Wow, suddenly I know a whole new set of people I have never met / interacted with before!
Quick Q - what did people do before google!
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