Real Entrepreneurship story
I got this article that want to share with everybody, it is a very nice storyMany a great initiative is started without a plan and out of a sudden moment of inspiration..
In 2004, Ankur Malik, a Dean’s List graduate for Northwestern University, was working as a top management consultant with the Boston Consulting Group since 1998. He was very happy, but was wondering "I love my job, but is this it? Will I retire here?" So, he decided to approach a team of smart students at his alma mater, NTU in Singapore. He asked them, "Should I quit? What is the next thing? You have 2 weeks and give your final answer as a number from 0% to 100%!"
Ankur's close friend, who was also working as a consultant with Mckinsey & Company, flew down from America to Singapore to help the ‘Real Team’.
At the end of 2 weeks, the student had the found the answer, it was Infinity!!
They proposed that Ankur set-up an entrepreneurial start-up - Global Realizer Group (GRG) and even helped to get the company started. In a few weeks, Ankur quit his life long job at BCG and commenced his new life as an entrepreneur setting up GRG's first venture: Nineo.com
However, one student, Yu Ping said - "Ankur, you should also continue to do this!" This - what is 'this'… and 'RealAcad' was born…the rest as they say is history.
Since then, with the inspiring leadership of Miriam and Yu Ping, the 2 week camp concept was developed into a Venture Management Program that would involve 10 smart students worldwide and distinct faculty members from the top global companies. Together they would set-up a new venture from scratch! A name RealAcad was chosen and a website www.RealAcad.org was developed.
Since then, RealAcad has had camps in Harvard, Stanford, Singapore, Shanghai, Sydney and Barcelona creating more than 20 ventures around the globe. All the ventures started have a strong focus on social impact. RealAcad has started a scholarship fund for Kenya students, a micro-financing system to help youth development, a green laptop provider for rural areas in China, among many others. RealAcaders are eager to reach out to make a meaningful difference to the world.
“I wanted to be challenged to my maximum capability and hopefully, in the process create something that can make a meaningful difference to the world.” – says Ankur. When asked as to what he was most concerned about when leaving his full time job at BCG, he said his first concern was whether the idea would become real and if it did, would it make enough money to survive. And, having experienced that risk, he has a few words for advice for students – “Dream high and dare to take as deep a plunge into entrepreneurship as soon as possible. While at school, you have a risk free opportunity for you to create something, start something and get a feel for it before you do it as a full time professional; it is a priceless opportunity to get your feet wet!”
If you are looking to make a meaningful difference to the world via social entrepreneurship, contact RealAcad via www.realacad.org
Labels: entrepreneurship
posted by pedroadrian @ 8:08 PM
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