On 27 November 2013, students of class 11 were given an opportunity to interact with Mr. William Bissell.
After graduating from Wesleyan University, Connecticut in 1988, William Nanda Bissell returned to India to set up and head the Bhadrajun Artisans' Trust, an artisans cooperative of leather workers and weavers based in Rajasthan.
In 1999, Mr Bissell took over as Managing Director of Fabindia. Today, the company, established in 1960, has 172 stores across India and 8 outlets abroad. It is Indias largest private retail platform for a wide range of products, produced, using craft-based processes that derive from traditional skills and techniques.
Mr. Bissell was welcomed with a potted plant grown in the school nursery and a framed painting created by a student in the School art room.
[gallery columns="2"]Mr. Bissell has often been given the credit of building Fabindia into an all-India chain, with stores across the country and even abroad. Expectedly he was welcomed with much excitement!
He ensured the participation of the students during the session by using a question-answer approach rather than a lecture one. He emphasized the need for passion which, he described as the fuel for not only being a good entrepreneur but to succeed in any field.
Very beautifully, he explained the role of an entrepreneur. He shared his mantra for success which is honesty and a belief in what one does. Fabindia itself, he said, believes in organic product and offers these to customers.
A statement he made that was specially worth noting was that, for a brand to survive , it need not provide a variety but stand out for it's USP and simplicity.
His belief in fair and smart business, without a manipulation of the customer and a decent wage to the farmers was applaudable. He closed with a wonderful thought that summarised the ethics of business- The only person you are going to live with in your entire life is yourself, hence it is extremely important to be honest and true to yourself!"
Mr. Bissells talk has motivated us to look at business in a wider way. To be continuously ready to embrace opportunities and to be open to viewing competition as a teacher rather than simply a threat!
By Surbhi Bhatt, Ahan Ghosh and Hema Chakraborty, XI-C.
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