By nature, my glass, which I seldom drink from, is half empty. But when it comes to things in the realm of entrepreneurship and business, my antennas are always looking for a signal. Some company launching a new product, a group tying up with another for better synergies, the stock market heading north, reading an exciting cover story, startups (underdog types) raising funds – all get me very excited. Reading about entrepreneurs and their journeys make my favourite reads. So in my mind’s movie, the entrepreneur always triumphs.
The coronavirus and the after effects of the pandemic on business and economy is actually a very sordid tale. Tens of thousands of businesses have shut shop, many of which after having laden their respective owners with financial liabilities of enormous proportions. Many small businessmen are now looking for jobs that they had left a few years ago to fuel their entrepreneurial passion. Most media entities have been doing their bit on the impact of the pandemic and you get to read stories of people, who once enjoyed success in business, now been relegated to do menial chores – only to make ends meet. Goa has had its share of misfortune. Being a small state / market dependant on upcountry raw materials, things have been far from easy for businesses to spring up from the challenges inflicted by the first wave and later squashed by the second.
Being a tourism state, closure of hotels, restaurants, shacks and allied ventures like travel agencies has dealt a deadly blow to the businesses and the people dependant on them. A global crisis like this had no precedent to look up and derive ideas to combat it.
This magazine has had divine blessings to see itself on the news-stands throughout the pandemic. No mean feat for a print product, I must say at the risk of self aggrandisement.
Over its twelve year long journey, this magazine has had its sombre moments. But what we have thrived on is the success of Goa’s entrepreneurs – small and big. And we have had many moments to cheer, which have found generous space on our pages over the years.
I read this somewhere: Optimism is infectious. It is characterized as the persistent expectation for positive outcomes, interpreting negative events only as temporary setbacks. Anticipating a positive outcome is a key motivator for committing to a cause and can spur individuals to action and improve group performance. Because human motivation and action are products of what one believes, rather than the objective truth, optimism infused with a sense of personal efficacy can inspire the uninspired and help maintain hope through gloomy times.
Indeed, in these gloomy times, Business Goa has had a special eye for stories that can inspire confidence and lift up our sagging spirits. The tales of rough and tumble about the onslaught of the virus could help no one if they were eyeing to keep their businesses running. Yes, reading facts, however morbid is essential to know the weather condition of your neighbourhood, so to speak; but it can seldom help you reach for the stars. Thinking and talking about business hasn’t been on top of people’s list, for obvious reasons inflicted by the pandemic.
However, if we want jobs to be restored and the state kitty needs taxes, businesses have to crawl back from their dormancy.
Many of our readers have complimented us for carrying stories of businesses and sharing ideas for bouncing back in a desolate economy. I agree that these stories have also motivated us to stay afloat and thrive.
This being our 12th Anniversary Issue, it seemed apt to speak to some industry insiders and listen to their ideas of bouncing back.
Agreed that the coronavirus is far from being history. But by now our minds have to be geared for a bounce back.
Thanks for staying with us for 12 long years. Read on.
