Yashish Dahiya, Co-founder and CEO of Policybazaar.com talks about the company and its evolution, the insurance distribution market, competition from insurtech businesses, and much else in a free-wheeling chat with BW. Excerpts from the interview:
You started off as an entrepreneur with certain personal philosophies. What have these personal philosophies been, and how have they affected your journey so far?
My core personal philosophy, ever since I was a child, has been this —you cannot truly benefit until you have benefitted somebody else. That’s my number one belief. This philosophy is reflected in hundreds of decisions that I make every day. My second belief is that one has to work hard for everything. If something comes to you without hard work, then you’ll lose it just as easily…. Easy come, easy go. And yes, I believe in extremely long-term thinking—no short cuts, no quick wins, just staying focused on the long term and the big picture. If you ask a hundred people about me, they’ll most likely say the same things— that I am a longterm thinker and always take care of others’ interests, and not just my own.
My entrepreneurial journey embodies all these philosophies. There has occasionally been pressure to digress from them, whether from investors or from employees, co-founders, suppliers… but in all of these situations, I’ve tried to stay true to the maxim of ‘Let’s do something which is good for you and me’. Let us do something which will last. Let’s not do short-term things or lose focus for short-term gains. This has worked for us in the long run... But there’s a catch! You have to stay alive too. The only times when I have sacrificed the long term for the short term is when I’ve had to do so, so that we stayed alive tomorrow. Because in life and business, there will be many instances when you simply cannot survive without making compromises. And yes, those compromises need to be made.
What has been the journey of Policybazaar so far? Tell us about the road to profitability after burning cash for eight long years.
Denne historien er fra September 1st, 2018-utgaven av Businessworld.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra September 1st, 2018-utgaven av Businessworld.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
MEMORIES & IMPRESSIONS
Ratan Tata was an exceptional human being. He was a visionary leader, esteemed industrialist, and a humanitarian, who left an indelible mark on India and the world.
The Robotaxi Market
The robotaxi market is shaping up to be a high-stakes battleground as tech giants and automakers race to transform urban mobility.
And the Nobel Prize Goes to AI
The recent Nobel Prize T awards to AI pioneers affiliated with Google have sparked a broader conversation about Big Tech's influence on research and the limitations of traditional prize categories.
Ola Electrified
Once considered a trailblazer in India’s electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem, Bhavish Aggarwal’s Ola Electric now faces a major accountability crisis.
Sharp Slide in Industrial Output on Eve of Deepavali
India’s index of industrial production (IIP) saw a sharp reversal in August, contracting by 0.1 per cent, in stark contrast to the 4.7 per cent growth in July, mostly because of significant contractions in mining and electricity generation.
Heralding the Solar Era with Sustainable Electrification
RAJEEV KASHYAP on the economics of solar power, the hurdles in scaling it, and much more
A WELL-GREASED MACHINE
The OmniBook X14 laptop runs on first-generation Snapdragon X Elite, which bets big on Al-enabled productivity and battery life, but falls short when it comes to overall experience, says Deep Majumdar
DO NOT LETA HEALTH CRISIS RUIN YOUR FINANCIAL HEALTH
For a family of four living in a metro, it is recommended to opt for a family floater health insurance plan with a sum insured of at least Rs 15-20 lakh
Disruption Ahead: Beyond Organisation Charts and Structures
ALBERT EINSTEIN FAMOUSLY said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Dr. Rahul Shivajirao Kadam: A Visionary Leader Blending Sustainability, Innovation, And Social Empowerment
We are on the stage of global warming, and these technologies not only help prevent further damage but also leave behind a better environment for future generations.
