{"id":1165,"date":"2019-04-18T09:28:56","date_gmt":"2019-04-18T09:28:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/?p=1165"},"modified":"2023-03-08T14:05:34","modified_gmt":"2023-03-08T13:05:34","slug":"bollywood-and-business-what-padman-2018-teaches-us-about-entrepreneurship%ef%bb%bf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/bollywood-and-business-what-padman-2018-teaches-us-about-entrepreneurship%ef%bb%bf\/","title":{"rendered":"Bollywood and business: What Padman (2018) teaches us about entrepreneurship\ufeff"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1166\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-170x96.jpg 170w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-250x141.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-70x40.jpg 70w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-270x152.jpg 270w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-570x320.jpg 570w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-670x376.jpg 670w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-870x489.jpg 870w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-970x545.jpg 970w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>In 1998, a pack of 8 pads would cost 20 Indian Rupees, the equivalent of three days of grocery shopping. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In our latest post, Dr Shumaila Yousafzai explains how a screening of the Bollywood movie <em>Padman<\/em> (2018) led her students to some important lessons about entrepreneurship.<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The\r\nmedia often amplifies the spectacular rise of so-called overnight global sensations.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While\r\nthe stories of Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Elon Musk and their\r\npeers are undoubtedly inspirational, very few of us can personally identify\r\nwith the fairytales surrounding their entrepreneurial journey. And, they do\r\nlittle to represent the realities of entrepreneurship, especially for our\r\nstudents. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their\r\nextravagant stories are not only intimidating, but also form part of the reason\r\nwhy students are afraid to embark on entrepreneurial careers of their own. Their\r\nrise to fame and fortune also propagate myths surrounding entrepreneurship. And\r\nso, it\u2019s important for us, as educators, to deconstruct these mythical views of\r\nentrepreneurship. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cThis process of \u2018debunking\u2019 is a step towards believing that each one of us has what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\r\ncan learn about entrepreneurship from a diverse range of environments. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As\r\npart of my the Venture Growth module (part of our MSc in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cardiff.ac.uk\/study\/postgraduate\/taught\/courses\/course\/business-strategy-And-entrepreneurship-msc\">Business\r\nStrategy and Entrepreneurship<\/a>) I arranged a film screening of\r\nthe Bollywood movie <em>Padman<\/em>. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper video\">\r\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/V4lCZg3GR9c?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-GB&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\r\n<\/div><figcaption>His product journey started with the discovery that women in rural India couldn\u2019t afford commercially available sanitary pads.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The social taboo of menstruation in India&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/em><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Released\r\nin 2018, <em>Padman<\/em> is a true story about\r\nArunachalam Muruganantham who pioneered a process for mass-producing affordable\r\nsanitary pads and creating employment\r\nopportunities for thousands of women living in rural communities across India. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His\r\nproduct journey started with the discovery that his wife and, by extension,\r\nmany women in rural India couldn\u2019t afford commercially available sanitary pads\r\nand had to recourse to dangerously unhygienic options. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cIn 1998, a pack of 8 pads would cost 20 Indian Rupees, the equivalent of three days of grocery shopping.\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shocked,\r\nhe began work to create a more affordable and safer version of sanitary pads by\r\nreverse-engineering existing solutions and the processes that went into the creation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Due\r\nto the social taboo of menstruation in India, Padman was met with powerful\r\nopposition. However, his belief in his product vision drove him to solve a\r\nproblem experienced by thousands of women. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper video\">\r\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zkQL7UJYDIY?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-GB&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\r\n<\/div><figcaption>Arunachalam\u2019s TED Talk, delivered in Bangalore, India in 2012, outlines how he started a sanitary napkin revolution.  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Padman\u2019s\r\nwork has been life-changing and solved a problem experienced by thousands of\r\nwomen. And his mindset and entrepreneurial journey was as strategic and\r\neffective as anything we might witness in Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Padman<\/em> introduced my students to the\r\nsocietal barriers in India which\r\nArunachalam had to\r\novercome in order to achieve his aim and make menstrual&nbsp;hygiene taboo-free\r\nand affordable for his wife and millions like her. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The film enabled me to translate his\r\nexperience into lessons on Lean Entrepreneurship, Frugal Innovations and\r\nEffectuation Theory.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s some of what we discussed:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Lesson\r\n#1: Identify your desired impact on the world and do not hesitate to break the\r\nnorm.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1174\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-170x96.jpg 170w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-250x141.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-70x40.jpg 70w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-270x152.jpg 270w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-570x320.jpg 570w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-670x376.jpg 670w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-870x489.jpg 870w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2-970x545.jpg 970w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-2.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Profit motive is simply not enough to sustain the rugged terrain of entrepreneurship. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While fast-growth companies are primarily concerned\r\nwith wealth creation, money and profit are rarely the sole motivating factor behind\r\nentrepreneurship. For entrepreneurs, connecting\r\nthemselves to a greater cause often acts as a totem pole giving them with a critical\r\ninner force when things get difficult. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I tell my students to think about the impact they want to make upon this world, rather than how much money they want to earn in the process. Profit motive is simply not enough to sustain the rugged terrain of entrepreneurship because guess what? Entrepreneurship is hard work and requires satisfaction and desire that is derived from deep within. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While\r\nwatching <em>Padman<\/em> we witnessed that the\r\nsight of his wife sneaking out with a dirty rag during her periods, turned Padman\r\nfrom a school dropout mechanic into an innovator. Had he been motivated by\r\nmoney alone, he would surely have given up when faced with massive adversity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Lesson #2:\r\nEntrepreneurs take action with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and experiment as\r\nthey go along.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the context of entrepreneurship, experimentation\r\nmeans taking action. This might be going out and collecting real-world\r\ninformation to test new ideas, rather than sitting at a desk searching\r\ndatabases for the latest research. It involves asking questions, validating\r\nassumptions and taking nothing for granted. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the words of Francis of Assisi: \u201c[an entrepreneur] starts by doing what is necessary; then does what is possible: and is suddenly doing the impossible\u201d.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After\r\ndeveloping the first trail sanitary pad (minimum viable product), Padman tested\r\nit by persuading his wife to use it. Through several trials she consistently fed\r\nback that the pad lacked the necessary absorption. To understand the issue, Padman\r\ndecided to test the product himself by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mea.gov.in\/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl\/23081\/One+mans+mission+to+improve+to+womens+lives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">going about his daily routine with a simulated uterus<\/a>&nbsp;made\r\nfrom a football bladder filled with animal\u2019s blood. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Exhibiting\r\nthe skill of reflection, Padman went on to gain the domain knowledge by\r\nexamining the competitor\u2019s product, researching on Google, talking to vendors\r\nand consulting a University Professor. He realized that his product lacked a\r\nfundamental requirement \u2013 longer, more reliable liquid absorption \u2013 and worked\r\nout that he should use cellulose fiber instead of raw cotton. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Lesson #3:\r\n<\/strong><strong>Need identification.\r\nU<\/strong><strong>nderstanding your customers\u2019 problem before solving it.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1172\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-170x96.jpg 170w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-250x141.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-70x40.jpg 70w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-270x152.jpg 270w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-570x320.jpg 570w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-670x376.jpg 670w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-870x489.jpg 870w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1-970x545.jpg 970w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-1-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The\r\nskill of empathy is understanding the emotion, circumstances, intentions,\r\nthoughts and needs of others. It\u2019s being able to relate to how others are\r\nfeeling because you have been in a similar situation yourself. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Empathy\r\nis a critical skill for entrepreneurs as it is essential for truly\r\nunderstanding and developing a meaningful connection with your customer. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Padman, a man, could not know how it is to\r\nhave periods, he goes to extreme lengths to understand the issue. He understood\r\nthe barriers of shyness, shame and taboo as women struggled\r\nto find a socially safe way to openly discuss their menstrual cycles, or to\r\nexplore options for safer practices and products.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He also understood\r\nthat the existing products were too expensive for rural women to consider as a viable\r\nsolution.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Lesson #4: Entrepreneurs collaborate more than they compete.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1176\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-170x96.jpg 170w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-250x141.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-70x40.jpg 70w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-270x152.jpg 270w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-570x320.jpg 570w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-670x376.jpg 670w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-870x489.jpg 870w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3-970x545.jpg 970w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-3.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Like Padman, every entrepreneur must collaborate with people who speak the customers&#8217; language.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Community\r\nplays an important role in entrepreneurship. It\u2019s critical for entrepreneurs to\r\nbe open and to have the desire to learn from others. They must draw on shared\r\nexperiences and have a support group of like-minded entrepreneurs willing to\r\nhelp one another out with a \u201cpay-it-forward\u201d attitude, while they all\r\ncollaborate for the greater good. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Padman\u2019s\r\njourney would be more difficult, if he didn\u2019t seek help from others. His\r\naccomplishments were possible because of the people he approached, and they\r\nsupported and complimented him. Budding entrepreneurs would be surprised at how\r\neasy it is to get help. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of\r\ncourse, as well as receiving help, you should also try to be helpful to others.\r\nThe most successful people in most fields are those who give to the others \u2013\r\nnot those who take from others.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Padman further\r\nrecognized that his method of driving adoption was mistaken; making the right\r\nproduct and selling it at the right price alone will not facilitate the\r\nacceptance of his product. Like Padman, every entrepreneur must collaborate\r\nwith people who understand the customers and can talk their language and thus\r\nbring about adoption more effectively.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Lesson #5: Entrepreneurs do not limit themselves &#8211; you are more capable than you think.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If\r\nPadman restricted himself to what society expected of him and how it defined\r\nhim, he wouldn\u2019t have achieved his desired impact and wouldn\u2019t have changed\r\nmillions of lives. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Entrepreneurs\r\ndo not hesitate to learn new things and test new ideas. Padman faced a world of\r\ncriticism, ridicule, and fury from everyone including his own wife and mother.\r\nHowever, such was his belief in what he was trying to accomplish, that he\r\nallowed nothing to bring him down. He persevered until his ideas received international\r\nrecognition. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For\r\na school dropout, with no exposure or resources, Padman\u2019s resilience and\r\ndetermination are true reflection of his entrepreneurial values.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Lesson # 6 \u2013 Reinventing the business models and staying relevant.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1178\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-170x96.jpg 170w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-250x141.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-550x309.jpg 550w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-70x40.jpg 70w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-270x152.jpg 270w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-570x320.jpg 570w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-670x376.jpg 670w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-870x489.jpg 870w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4-970x545.jpg 970w, https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post-4.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Business\r\nmodels are necessary but figuring them out is difficult. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Padman\u2019s\r\nbusiness model started with producing affordable sanitary pads and through this\r\nprocess he figured out that his core competency is in building the pad\r\nproducing machines. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This\r\nnew distributed business model was not just a health intervention, but also\r\nabout the creation and empowerment of self-help groups in which pads can be produced\r\nby female run cooperatives using his low-cost machines.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ultimately\r\nit became a way to liberate society from the negative social and cultural\r\nattitudes towards menstruation.&nbsp; <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Lesson #7: Don\u2019t&nbsp;underrate&nbsp;the&nbsp;power&nbsp;of&nbsp;frugal, need-based innovations.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the Indian context, the word <em>Jugaad <\/em>is used to refer to, the\r\nmuch appreciated while also much- slandered, frugal, flexible, and inclusive\r\napproach to problem solving and need-based\r\ninnovation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Padman\r\nwas shocked and challenged when he learned that imported sanitary pad machines\r\ncost millions and that he could never hope to raise such investment. He did not\r\ngive up but broke up the process of making sanitary pads into three cheap, easy\r\nto build and replicable procedures. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This\r\ngoes to prove revolutionary innovations do not need huge research and\r\ndevelopment investment to succeed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Social change<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A girl\u2019s ability to manage her periods in a dignified manner is a basic\r\nhuman right. Using hygienic solutions, not only helps in solving many health\r\nand fertility related issues, including reducing the maternal mortality rates,\r\nit also detaches burdensome taboos related to menstruation thus\r\nhelping girls to build higher self-esteem when they are at the most critical\r\nstage of their development. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In many parts of the world, girls miss school because of the lack of\r\nsanitary pads. That is why, I see Padman, not only as a successful example of\r\nentrepreneurship, but as a revolutionary agent of social change. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cardiff.ac.uk\/people\/view\/609230-yousafzai-shumaila\">Dr\r\nShumaila Yousafzai<\/a> is a Reader in Entrepreneurship at Cardiff Business\r\nSchool.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In 1998, a pack of 8 pads would cost 20 Indian Rupees, the equivalent of three days of grocery shopping. In our latest post, Dr Shumaila Yousafzai explains how a [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":1664,"featured_media":1166,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[108],"tags":[613,608,606,28,100,622,153,619,609,121,611,618,621,26,623,617,165,612,620,323,610,605,13,614,615,312,616,607,43,429,502],"class_list":["post-1165","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entrepreneurship","tag-arunachalam-muruganantham","tag-bill-gates","tag-bollywood","tag-cardiff-business-school","tag-cardiff-university","tag-collaboration","tag-diversity","tag-effectuation-theory","tag-elon-musk","tag-entrepreneurship","tag-film","tag-frugal-innovations","tag-google-research","tag-india","tag-jugaad","tag-lean-entrepreneurship","tag-mark-zuckerberg","tag-menstruation","tag-minimum-viable-product","tag-msc-business-strategy-and-entrepreneurship","tag-myths","tag-padman","tag-public-value","tag-rural-communities","tag-sanitary-pads","tag-social-entrepreneur","tag-social-taboo","tag-steve-jobs","tag-students","tag-venture-growth","tag-women"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paOfaS-iN","meta_box":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/620\/2019\/04\/Padman-blog-post.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1165","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1664"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1165"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1165\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3108,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1165\/revisions\/3108"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1166"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1165"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1165"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cardiff.ac.uk\/business-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1165"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}