notes on the Boston trip
Natalie
Hello. Please find pictures from the WZCC Boston Kick-off at the
Google Album,
http://picasaweb.google.com/nvania/BostonTripWZCC
Also, if you think of names I overlooked in the appended article, I
appreciate your suggestions.
Thanks and take care.
Best,
Natalie
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FALL 2007 ZARATHUSHTI ENTREPRENEURSHIP EAST COAST NOTES
November 11, 2007, Natalie Vania
With resplendent autumn colors in view, the World Zarathushti Chamber
of Commerce (WZCC) conducted a dynamic weekend of activity on the East
Coast this October 27 and 28. It was a joint meeting: The Weekend
included a Kick-off for the WZCC-Boston Chapter and the New York's
Chapter Fall Meeting. Tri-state organizers included Mr. Edul Daver,
CEO of AccuPowder, Ms. Arnaz Maneckshana, a financial consultant with
AXA Advisors, LLC, Dr. Zareen Karani Araoz, President of Managing
Across Cultures, and her Boston team of skilled volunteers.
A large group of NewYork Chapter visitors joined the Boston Chapter,
an inspiration of Zareen and Edul. The group included Youth members,
Zubin Cateenwalla, his wife, Ushtavaity, and her sister, Usheen Davar,
National Health Director-Ad Sales, Meredith Interactive, and, Hasina
and Dinshaw Master of Prime Time Services. Sheroo and Vispi Kanga,
Principal of Cosmet-Pharm Consultants LLC, Cyrus Bhote, Chief
Accountant at TCS, Rustam and Phiroze Lalkaka, Roshan Malwalla,
Principal of Mahwah Florists, and Natalie Vania with her husband Rusi
Gandhi, a WZCC World Director.
New York visitors enjoyed tea at the Sommerfield Hyatt and proceeded
to Saturday evening's main event, a Panel Meeting and dinner. Evening
activity took place at MIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
A powerful line-up of speakers discussed the topic of "Innovation,
Entrepreneurship and Technology". Speakers included,
Mr. Bomy Boyce, President, WZCC
Mr. Firdaus Bhatena, CEO, Relacore
Prof. Isaac Delapena, Director, MIT Sloan Nokia Laboratory
the Mody Family, Print Aspects
Mr. Rustom Lalkaka, President, Business and Technology Development
Strategies LLC, and
Dr. Cyrus Mehta, CEO, Cytel
Zareen, whose business, Managing Across Cultures, operates through
four continents, introduced several Panelists. Arnaz, the New York
Chapter Chair, gave the Boston Chapter New York's good wishes and
worked tirelessly to organize the weekend.
Mr. Bomy Boyce, WZCC President gave a masterful presentation unlike
any previous WZCC speech. Going back to India's independence and the
upheaval of partition, Bomy gave an enlightening view of the Parsee
experience. His message centered on the vital task of uniting
Zarathushti people worldwide: Had the Zarathushti's of the time of
Independence been more fully united, their fifty-year experience would
be vastly different and more fortunate.
The Youth especially need to hear the stories of prevailing in times
of global transition. Bomy explained that throughout institutions such
as the Life Insurance Corporation of India, the Central Bank, and the
Bank of India, "thousands upon thousands" of Parsees were dismissed
from employment overnight. Despite the astounding contribution of
Parsee's to their society, only five to ten percent were ever re-
employed. The new birth of Zarathushtis in the West evidence sure
entrepreneurial vigor and a way to use remarkable intellectual and
cultural strengths. Bomy is especially interested in bringing success-
proved endeavors from overseas into North American markets through
"Business Matrix" connections.
Mr. Edul Daver explained entrepreneurship with the familiar idea of
"the pursuit of opportunity beyond the resources currently available".
He harkened us to Schumpeter's 1934 "Theory of Economic Development"
in which continual revolution takes place. "Undertakings" occur and
thereby, the one who "undertakes", i.e. the entrepreneur, moves things
forward.
Mr. Firdaus Bhatena, an MIT Alumni and CEO of Relacore, spoke of his
experience in successfully launching four high-tech startups. His
slide-show "Demystifying Startups: Do I Really Know Something that You
Don't?!" gave audience members the "true or false" insights of a real
initiator who was "been there" when a company goes from an initial
idea to a real business.
Among insights, Firdaus explained the criterion for the best investor:
The best investor will support you "when your back is up against the
wall". Firduas credited his investors, both for their firmness and
their support. Another valuable insight pointed to research claiming
that successful entrepreneurs wishing "to give back" have this
incentive despite their tax burden. Firdaus's perspective that
entrepreneurial life does not require sacrifice of family life, but
instead protection of it, is again a valuable data-point from real-
life experience.
Mr. Rusi Gandhi, founder of the WZCC-NY Chapter and principal of Rusi
Gandhi Realty, spoke on the importance of building the Boston Chapter
through strong member participation. Rusi, a WZCC World Director,
collected twenty-five member applications and pledges for Zareen.
Prof. Isaac Delapena runs the MIT Sloan Nokia Laboratory and informed
WZCC about tremendous opportunity as the world adopts mobile
technologies. At the cutting-edge of high-technology development,
Nokia is committed to open innovation models and the use of mobile
technologies. Devices will surprise us in the convergence of functions
and their development, but the growth in mobility is astronomical:
Across the world, cell-phone use exponentially outstrips the use of
laptops. Issac received an excellent introduction to Zarathushtis at
the Kick-off and this eventually helps the Zarathushti Youth who
approaches his laboratory.
Mr. Mehernosh Mody, with his founder-parents Kavas and Behroze, of
Print Aspects, gave the audience a deep look at their brave steps in
building the family business. Although trained as a bio-chemist and
working in a hospital, Kavas believed deeply in himself and wished to
reach for the sky. Mehernosh also acquired a science degree, and as
with his friend Firdaus, wished his independence and capacity to help
his family.
With his own business, Mehernosh can work with those he trusts. He can
be both realistic and optimistic while avoiding irrational exuberance.
Audience members learned that machines in the printing world cost six-
figure sums, and develop today fast enough to rotate in and out of
businesses in a two to five year timeframe. Mehernosh is very grateful
for an excellent choice as his wife joined the business. Her technical
and artistic skill is strategically helpful to Print Aspects.
Mr. Rustom Lalkaka has business incubation experience as do few other
professionals in the entire world. To mention just a little of his
incredible endeavors, he started the first business incubator in 1987
in China. He began his career in India with Dastoor and Company. With
research internationalized, Rustam also went in an international
direction, as have four and one-half million Americans of Indian
descent. He has operated major divisions at the United Nations in
their Science and Technology initiatives.
One cannot talk with Rustam long without hearing amazing and fine
things. There is always the need to re-invent, he believes and we
learned that Rustam was vital in the 1950 invention at Stanford of the
world's first titanium sponge. He reminded us of Darwin's observation
that survival of the fittest is not to the strongest or most
intelligent, but to that which is most responsive to change.
And
Dr. Cyrus Mehta, Cytel's CEO, explained that his company improves
efficiency for medical clinical trials. With seventy-five employees,
the company excels at the statistical design and data monitoring of
clinical trials. About thirty employees are in Cambridge and about
forty-five employees are in Pune. The efficiency gain his company
provides gets exciting with the notion of adaptive trials.
In adaptive trials, incoming data affects the remaining structure of
the trial itself. As we go forward on the bio-tech frontier, this kind
of testing can only grow with our new metrics, new data collection
methods and new analyses. Cyrus explained that in business one must
constantly re-define strategy.
Attendees and volunteers are included Farokh and Gool Patel, and
others. Niloufer Daver was credited with the magnificent WZCC banner,
and Sheroo provided fine food. Zareen's son, Farokh, her daughter-in-
law, and her husband assisted with industry and kindness throughout
the weekend.
Boston area residents, Prof. Phiroze Jungalwalla, the Mistry's and the
Aroaz's, graciously hosted New York visitors. Sunday activities
included visits by the WZCC-New York Chapter to the historic town of
Rockport, Massachusetts, Halibut State Park, and Woodman's in Essex.
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Natalie Vania is the Research Director for FSO Knowledge Xchange and
the wife of Rusi Gandhi.
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Copyright, Natalie Vania, November 11, 2007, All rights reserved.
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VispiSheroo Kanga
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