Obtaining the right knowledge and skill set is essential for anyone starting up in today’s highly competitive business environment. Seldom are entrepreneurs equipped with the right resources from the get go or even while they’re fully involved in the process of running the business. Business Sherpa founded by Selvi Cherian and Akshay Cherian is a business accelerator that fills this void by providing effective business coaching to startups, SMEs and social enterprises.

Through their programme which focuses on implementation rather than simple ideation or number crunching, Business Sherpa provides its clients with the training and tools they need to succeed. The company has raised USD 1 million through venture capital.

In conversation with GlobalLinker (GL), Selvi Cherian (SC) shares the business journey of the enterprise.

GL: Tell us about your business and how it came into being.

SC: Business Sherpa is a two-year-old business accelerator created to provide effective business coaching to upcoming startups, SMEs and social enterprises. In keeping with our name, we guide firms towards reaching their goals as a Sherpa leads people to the peaks of mountains. Our unique approach helps us to achieve amazing results in an unexpectedly short period of time for our clients.

Our focus is on implementation rather than just ideation/information. We provide our clients with coaching that helps them to manage their mindsets, in order for them to achieve their short and long-term goals and improve sales and innovation drastically. When working with companies, we prefer to work with teams doing practical work (integral to the company’s growth) rather than restricting ourselves to the upper echelons of the management.

In another facet of our organisation, we are working with several students on a project of ours called ‘Hacker School’, a one-of-a-kind organisation focused on hacking education. Our students learn new skills and are provided with the opportunity to apply their knowledge while working with startups. This, to us, is a situation that benefits both parties involved, as the students gain practical knowledge and understanding and the startups are given the opportunity to work with talented, skilled employees at a relatively low cost.

GL: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in the successful establishment of your business?

SC: When starting the company, we didn’t know many individuals in the startup and SME space and therefore didn’t know where to begin work. However, with hard work and persistence we have moved forward. It took a significant amount of networking and a serious effort to build the contacts and network we work within today.

GL: What are some of the milestones of your business?

SC: It’s been over two years and we are now associated with over 20 businesses and 11 social enterprises. We have raised over a million dollars in venture capital and several of our clients have charted 100% growth rates. Also, our organisation - ‘Hacker School’ - has grown to a size of over 40 dedicated students.

GL: What role do you believe GlobalLinker plays in connecting and assisting SMEs?

SC: We believe that GlobalLinker is a unique programme that is and will be a boon to entrepreneurs. It helps us to link with other ventures and vendors. This is a huge advantage to startups as they can focus their time and money on their own growth rather than re-inventing the wheel.

GL: What message do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?

SC: Do not aim to be the best at the game you’re trying to play, as the game is designed by the leader and only aims to facilitate their victory. Instead of aiming to be the best at the current game, change the game by being the only one who does what you do. That will create real change in the current setting.

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