‘There is only one life so why not realise your own dream rather than someone else’s’

Harjaap Singh Mann, MD, Proof of Performance Data Services Pvt. Ltd. is the founder of Proof of Performance (PoP), He also won the Economic Times Power of Ideas Initiative 2010.

How did you come up with the idea for your start-up?
We started off doing audits for the OOH industry the traditional way by clicking still photographs as a proof whether the advertising campaign was complied with. We realised the pain point of the industry, that no tamper proof , authentic data was available to OOH, and hence a much smaller share of the advertising spends was there for OOH. Unlike in print or TV media, once the advertising campaign is over, there is no proof that remains, about the implementation of the campaign, once it is over.
A lot of advertisers do not spend on this medium due to this lack of accountability and measurement. POP brings both and intends to help the industry grow, on the strength of it’s productivity measurement tools.
How essential is it to have an inspiration for an entrepreneurial venture?
When the sailing is not smooth, it is this inspiration that will keep you going, inspite of the temporary bottlenecks. It would be very easy to give up and go back to the comfort zone, but inspiration will keep you focused on the dream. The stronger this determination, the more likely you are to succeed.
Do you think aspiring entrepreneurs should undergo some kind of entrepreneurial training before taking the leap?
Some work experience definitely gears one before embarking on this challenging entrepreneurial journey. Maybe this is the reason a lot of business institutes have made entrepreneurship subject a part of their curriculum.
A number of young executives are leaving their jobs and taking up entrepreneurship. What according to you is the best time to leave an organisation to start your own entrepreneurial venture?
Entrepreneurship could be very challenging, as a lot of fire fighting is on , one has to get used to working without any perks, it is not always smooth sailing, so anyone who takes the plunge has to be well prepared to take on this adventurous journey. There can be no fixed formula to know when you are ready to embark on your entrepreneurial journey, you will just know it.
Few words of wisdom for budding entrepreneurs to help them realise their dreams.
There is only one life so why not realise your own dream rather than someone else’s. Do your homework well and then go in for it. You would certainly need to believe in yourself and not waiver, even in the face of adversity. Treat every setback as a learning experience, and for all you know, there could be a hidden opportunity in that setback too. If you truly believe that you will succeed, you will try and figure out the solution to any problem that is preventing you from reaching there.