The Unstoppable Accountant - Grow your Accounting Firm
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Hi Arun here, in this podcast I will happily share my ideas, successes and failures in growing my businesses, investment ideas, and juggling this all in a rapidly changing world.
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Arun
The Unstoppable Accountant - Grow your Accounting Firm
Unlocking Opportunities in Indian Accountancy: Mastering Offshore Skills and Global Markets
Unlock the future of accountancy in India with Arun Mehra, CEO of Samera, and Har, co-founder of TalentAd, as they illuminate the path for young professionals eager to make their mark. From Harlech’s captivating journey as a CA and CPA to his ventures in training and audit outsourcing, discover the real challenges of starting a business and the invaluable lessons learned along the way. Both Arun and Harlech stress the importance of being well-informed and learning from seasoned experts to sidestep potential pitfalls. Plus, get a sneak peek into the highly anticipated Samara Global event in Delhi designed to guide Indian CA firms on mastering offshore accountancy and outsourcing.
Explore a world of opportunities beyond the big cities, as we discuss the burgeoning prospects in accounting, tax, and outsourcing for professionals in smaller towns. Upskilling in communication and people skills emerges as a critical factor for global market success, along with fostering an entrepreneurial spirit to take calculated risks. Delve into the details of an upcoming community event that promises actionable insights and meaningful connections, potentially leading to exciting collaborations between UK firms and Indian Chartered Accountants. This episode is a treasure trove of knowledge sharing and professional growth, offering a unique blend of actionable advice and community building.
Hi everyone, welcome to this session. We're going to be speaking about the future of accountancy in India. Over here we have Arun Mair, ceo of Samara, and Harlech Chawla, co-founder of TalentAd. How are you guys today?
Speaker 2:Good, thanks Good. How are you, Roger? Are you okay?
Speaker 1:I'm absolutely fine. Just wanted to wish everybody as well, whoever's watching the stream, happy Gandhi Jayanti and also I hope you're all having a great day. So let's move on to the topics. So, harthik, we wanted to discuss today exactly. Let's say about yourself, your background. For those who don't know, just give us a brief description about who you are, what you do and why you're here in the school.
Speaker 3:Thank you, first of all, praju, and especially Arun, for, you know, having me invited to, you know, I think, share the knowledge which we already have, and I really liked, Arun, the subject of the you know thisin live which you kept that, you know, I wish I knew these facts, uh, you know, before I started my offshoring, because this is what we actually want to, you know, share with people. So the title is really great. So, praju, uh, I'm a ca and a cpa and I run a small, uh, you know, form which is into training and development and we are helping the accounting outsourcing, audit outsourcing firms based out of India to, you know, find the right talent, and I also have my small startup which is also into audit outsourcing, accounting outsourcing. So that's where, you know, I thought we can always try to help other accountants, especially with my background, who are like Indian chartered accountants wanting to develop their own outsourcing, so how we can develop some scientific model for them which can increase the chances of their success.
Speaker 1:Perfect. I mean, I'm pretty sure you doing your startup with accountancy and everything, what was the most, let's say, the most difficult thing that you had to go through in terms of getting that?
Speaker 3:so I think, when we start uh I when there was a covid period, there was a research report which showed that the lesser you are aware of the facts and the risks, the more afraid you are about it. So I think, when we start something new example offshoring if we don't know what are the ways, processes or what are the risks, and the more we are unaware about things, we are always more afraid of it and there are higher chances of we making losses, are always more afraid of it and there are higher chances of me making losses. So I think when I started, I didn't have knowledge, uh, about each processes, uh, each, uh, you know, um, you know steps. So had I had been aware of that, then the journey would have been smoother, more profitable, more importantly, and I would have achieved the same results faster.
Speaker 2:What do you think I mean.
Speaker 3:I know, RNA.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I kind of echo your sentiments, hardik. I think it's so important that we surround ourselves with people and knowledge okay, and there's plenty of knowledge out there to understand what are the problems, what will the pitfalls be. And too often or not, people just jump in with two feet and hope for the best and you can spend a lot of time and a lot of money wasting time and money which you might not have. Okay, learning from mistakes. Now, of course, learning from mistakes is a great way, don't get me wrong but sometimes it's also about seeking out the right people, the right companies, the right organizations to kind of support your idea. Because we have experience.
Speaker 2:Look at my gray hair. I'm over 50, I've got plenty of experience in running firms, businesses and stuff. Hardik, as he said, he's got a lot of experience doing himself, but also, okay, helping other firms. Doing it himself, but also helping other firms I think, was it BDO you helped set up in India? So it's about identifying people who have done it before, made the mistakes, because, god, we've made every mistake, I've made every mistake out there. I'm sure you have Hardik as well, but you learn from them, but we can share our knowledge and I think that's the most important thing to share our knowledge.
Speaker 1:Definitely.
Speaker 1:I mean mean that's a great insight from two young entrepreneurs who are still on their journey watch it, watch it yeah so it's especially the two of you are going to be coming to an event that samara global is going to be hosting in delhi on the 14th and 15th of december in gurgaon, delhi, at lila ambience for those who don't. So this event is going to be mainly about offshore accountancy and outsourcing for Indian CA firms and for Indian CAs themselves. So, on that note, harvick, what inspired you to come to this event and be a speaker and share your knowledge to, let's say, the attendees?
Speaker 3:I think Arun's energy and I want to be part of the event.
Speaker 3:I think other speakers who are learned professionals from this industry they are going to attend, plus, I think young professionals who want to start they are going to bring their energy.
Speaker 3:So I think a lot of learnings will be there. But definitely, as we discussed earlier, there are a few things which I would have come across through trial and error and new methods, uh, which you would have employed as part of my video journey, where I was part of the offshoring for seven years and then for last three years, I have been building my own outsourcing and we are also helping other outsourcing firms in training and development. So I think there is a lot of things which can be structured when someone is starting afresh and which can help them to reduce the time which it may take and the efforts it may take. So I think Arun has been instrumental in creating this initiative and we are just trying to help wherever we can in terms of building proper step-by-step structure. If followed by CA firms or any professionals who want to start their outsourcing, we can actually help them follow that step-by-step approach and develop their own outsourcing. So, arun, what do you see?
Speaker 2:Yeah, 100%. I think what I find is that there's, you have a. It's a golden opportunity now, these next 10 to 15, 20 years. It's a golden opportunity, okay, and it'll be the people who take this opportunity that will succeed okay, and make the most of it. Lots of people have ideas oh, I want to go offshore and outsource, and they see other firms doing it or trying to do it, but most people won't take that step. Okay, because there is a, there is a risk, because there is a risk with everything. But the success stories will come when people take action. Okay, and do something about it.
Speaker 2:And now, the first step to that action in my mind and it's a relatively low risk action okay, it's just to come to an event in delhi, just to learn from people like myself, hardik and others. Okay, and you can then realise is this, is it right for you? You might realise it's not the right thing for you to do. Okay, you might not have the headspace, you might not have the resources, you might not, but I'm pretty sure, I'm pretty sure that you'll be convinced that the golden opportunity is here now in India for the offshoring, outsourcing space. We've seen this in the IT sector over the last 20 odd years with companies like Infosys, tcs, you name it, and what we're seeing is companies like Accenture and everyone else trying to get into the accounting and financing space and doing a lot of the back office stuff for the large corporates. But surely that should be the Indian CA firms and accountants in India that should be doing this. Okay, that's the golden opportunity, and where I feel is that we can help people, support them to get to the destination they want to. Now you might have an idea. You're not sure where you're going to take it, you don't know who to talk to, but the first step is just to engage with people and other people in the sector like myself, like Hardik, and learn. Then you can go away and do it yourself or we can help support you.
Speaker 2:Okay, but this isn't a journey that you can do on your own. I personally think it's about sharing your experiences and it's about creating a community in my mind. Okay, as someone who's in business, I've learned over the years. It's not about me, me, me and being competitive. Okay, if you try and be like that, you're not gonna get anywhere. Okay, it's about helping your fellow peers, supporting your fellow peers, and hard it might specialize in audit, I might specialize in accounting, I might deal with just UK hard, it might do US stuff. The market is vast, vast, and that's where the opportunity lies. So I encourage anyone and everyone watching this and in the future, definitely come along. Okay, I think you'll learn a lot and, and more importantly, you'll kind of learn relevant information, as you said, step by step, um, and from people who've done it and who's got the gray hair I mean, that's great honestly.
Speaker 3:But one more, one more thing. Sorry, I would like to borrow it from Arun, only what he had said in the last podcast, I think, where he mentioned that you know why we are doing it's. One of the critical reason is also that we want to help the India brand. So if there are a thousand more accountants who are going to get into this field, how we can help them? Uh, creating a standard, uh, you know, qualitative output which preserves the india outsourcing brand. So there's a larger vision for that as well.
Speaker 3:So others may think that you know, if we are into this industry, why we are creating competitors. But while arun said one way that I might be expert of something, arun is expert of something and someone else might be expert of something. Arun is expert of something and someone else might be expert of something else. But it's also about creating a good India brand. For any outsourcing which is coming from India, at least, there are some standard parameters already been put across which they can come across if they are being part of the game and they are being part of the community which Arun is creating. There are other people helping.
Speaker 2:So I think that will help the india brand is the yeah, I, I agree, I agree hardy, and but it's also making sure that this there's a minimum standard, okay, and there's an expectation from the uk, us, australia, wherever it may be there's a minimum standard and we need to make sure that the standards are are because, dare I say it, there is especially from the West, where people perceive India standards might not be right or poor or have had bad experiences in the past.
Speaker 2:Okay, but my view is that, okay, you might have had a bad experience, it doesn't mean everybody's like that, okay, and therefore, the opportunities for us to help raise our game, help Indian CAs raise their game and ultimately offer a service that makes Indian CAs so competitive and so kind of.
Speaker 2:Well, there's no doubt that a firm from the West will use the Indian companies to support them, needs to support them, and this is where it's going. And I and I see, and I I just literally this morning I met him from on linkedin, from another young indian ca who's just qualified, saying aaron, how can you help me with my career going into offshoring? And I get these messages daily, okay, and and I'd I'd love to help him and I'd help to love to help all these people, but you can't. The only way to do that, since there's such a volume people, is to do it through a kind of forum like this, whether it's an event or things that we do online. But it's an exciting time, but you've got to have the vision and you've got to commit and you've got to be ready to go for it. So exciting.
Speaker 1:Perfect. I mean, I'm pretty sure you guys must be getting messages every day from young Indian CAs or from experienced CAs as to how they can go about it. So in, let's say, from both of you, I'd like to ask both of you what is the advice that you would give let's say, someone who's just coming out of college, or a young CA who's just finished his examinations and everything? What is the first step that they have to do to get into outsourcing and offshore?
Speaker 2:Go on, you go first, you go first.
Speaker 3:Thank you, arun. Thank you, yeah, it's the area of my address, so thank you for asking this question. Um, I think there are very uh, there are a lot of opportunities for young professionals who want to get into accounting, tax, outsourcing, uh, and I'm very happy that you know the opportunities are not limited to any particular city. They are all around, like if you can talk about Indore, if you can talk about Delhi, if you can talk about any small cities and I think Arun is inviting someone from Chhattisgarh so there are opportunities. In a small town which is not even Raipur, it's a small town near Raipur there are opportunities for working in accounting, outsourcing, audit, outsourcing, tax outsourcing. Small town which is not even dry, poor. It's a small town near raipur. There are opportunities for working in accounting, outsourcing, audit outsourcing, tax, outsourcing, uh, in small cities tier one, tier two, tier three, tier four cities. So opportunities are all around. So I'm just talking about the demand. If you want to walk into that field and if you want to start your career, definitely opportunities are around in your town, so you don't have to relocate also like too far. Secondly, there have been opportunities of learning as well. There are various courses being offered by Udemy and Academy on. You know the various technological tools, so they are easily accessible in case you want to get invested in it. So they are easily accessible in case you want to get invested in it.
Speaker 3:So, in case there are people who want to make their career as an employee, as an entrepreneur, in the long run, I think this event, if they attend it, can be an eye opener for them. That, ok, how? What's the vision of people who are already on the leadership? What's the vision of those people who are getting into this industry and what is the step-by-step approach? Uh, or, you know, even if they're looking for exit after three years, five years, ten years down the line, uh, because I think arun also mentioned that he's also going to cover, uh, you know, the entry and exit, both okay, so they can get a comprehensive, pervasive view about the whole industry and it can be a good, I think. I open up for them absolutely.
Speaker 2:Now, if I can add to another, a slightly different angle here, which you fully endorse what hardik has just said, but I think if it was a young graduate or young ca who's just qualified, okay, you might have the technical skills Of course, learn about the relevant country accounting or tech, tax or whatever you want to follow and that's your technical side. But don't underestimate, the most important element is not the technical side, it's the personal, the people skills, okay, the communication skills. And if I was, if I'm a betting man, I'm a businessman okay, you need to upskill yourself in that area. That's the most thing. I meet many Indian CAs who are very good technically but what they struggle is on the marketing, the communication, the spoken. That lack the confidence there.
Speaker 2:And if you're going to win the business, you really need to focus on that and build the relationships, because you have to go out to the world. You're going out to the world to meet people from the UK, us, everywhere, and they want to feel confident. Oh, okay, such and such is so good at this. He's a nice guy, I like him, I can hang out with him, I can have a meal with him, I can have a chat with him Build those skills. Okay, that to me, is the number one skill you need to build, because technology will take a lot of the skills away. Need the technical skills needs away. There's so much technology happening with ai and everything. Of course you need an appreciation of it, of course you need to understand it, but people will buy from people at the end of the day. Okay, people will buy with people they have a relationship with and people will buy with their relationship with who they trust. Okay, so remember that that would be my top, top, top tip. Agreed, agreed, perfectly put.
Speaker 1:So, communication skills, knowing the right technologies to invest, these are a couple of the things I would say young CEOs need to get into. But, arun, you also mentioned in the previous point you said headspace, which I would automatically relate it to mindset. Is that the biggest thing that accountants will face when they, let's say, start their own firm or go towards clients. That, let's say, if they lose a client, a lot of people are going to take it as a bad sign, but it's the fact that they have to keep going. So how important is mindset in this whole thing? Right?
Speaker 2:Mindset is so important. Praj, I'm glad you asked this question. I think, as accountants, we're trained to be risk averse OK. We're trained to be careful. We're trained to be hold back, trained to count the money and just not take that step. Oh no, we shouldn't do this. We're trained, that's our training okay, even accountants, whether they're in india, or whether they're in the uk or anywhere else, okay, they're all always seen to be be careful.
Speaker 2:However, if you're going to run a firm, run a business, you need to have those skills, but you also need to have those entrepreneurial skills, willing to take that step, willing to take that action and willing to take some risk. Now, I'm not saying you take silly risks OK, you take risks that you're comfortable with, but sometimes you have to step out your comfort zone and think right, how am I actually going to get my first client? How am I going to do this? Does it mean I have to fly to the UK? Does it mean I have to put a website up? Does it mean I have to do some videos on YouTube? It could be a variety of things, okay, but the key is you take action.
Speaker 2:If you're just, I can guarantee and I've seen this many, many times before, is that many people talk about oh, they want to do this, they want to do that, they want to have an offshoring firm, they want to do these wonderful things. Do they actually take any action with it? No, okay, and then a year later, two years later, they're in exactly the same place they were before. Well, if that's the case, you're probably kind of not the right person to come to our event. Ok, I'll be honest with you If you're the type of person who needs that push, needs that hunger, who wants to take action, then you're most definitely the right person to come to our event. Ok, I'm an entrepreneur, I believe in taking action. Now, all my actions succeed. I can tell you that now, I'm sure Hardik will agree as well. Not all these actions succeed, but you learn, you move, you move forward. So mindset is everything, pradju. Mindset is everything.
Speaker 3:Definitely. I think you just won everyone's heart. I think everyone is agreeing. We're listening to it and we'll listen later. I just now paid a huge amount for I think you know branding and and if I would not have taken the action, I would still be the same uh, what I would be after two years after, uh, you know what I was there after two, before two years, and what I'll be after two years. Taking action, investing in right opportunities, is very important.
Speaker 1:Correct, correct, definitely. So taking action, getting comfortable, being uncomfortable I think that's one of the many things a lot of Indian CAs will have to go through when they go on this journey. So, in terms of, let's say, you also said India could be the future hub of offshore accounting, outsourcing a lot of international clients coming there. Is that the ultimate future for this industry, that everybody will eventually come to India? Is that how you see it and is that the reason why, let's say, your vision is for this event as a whole by let's say, your vision is for this event as a whole?
Speaker 2:Okay, let me answer that. I don't think everyone will go. Of course you'll need local people sitting in Western countries, but my vision is, I think the capability is sitting in India to do everything, to do it all. To be honest with you, okay. Now, I think certain companies or countries will won't be happy with what I'm saying, but I think the opportunity is there for India to take the lion's share of the market.
Speaker 2:Now. India's already on the upward trajectory with our accounts offshoring it's probably the largest already, but it's only taking a tiny, tiny percentage still okay of the global opportunity. And there's people like South Africa, the Philippines, all global opportunity and there's people like South Africa, the Philippines, all these other countries that are doing these things. But India has that demographic advantage of young people. Technology is going to only going to get better, okay. So I think the ultimate vision is yeah, I personally think India will be the hub and I think lots of people see India as a back office. Okay, I see, yes, it's a back office, but I see at some point it'll turn into a middle office and it'll even be the front office at some point in time. Ok, so because? Why? Because you've got smart, english speaking, intelligent, hardworking individuals and it's just a matter of time. It might not be in the next year or two, but it might be over the next 10 years, most definitely.
Speaker 3:Repeat Yep Good 100%.
Speaker 1:That was easy. I would like to see that as well. So for the two of you. The final question for this would be for people who are attending this event or when they attend your sessions, about getting clients from abroad, using soft skills, using content creation, getting your communication skills right. What is the main takeaway for the attendee to attend your event? What would be your main takeaway, like you hope that these people come out with?
Speaker 2:okay, howdy do you want to go, or should I go first? Yeah?
Speaker 3:yeah, I can start. So, as far as I think I have understood, uh, you know, the vision of arun. What I understand is, uh, he's trying to create an event where people are not just being bored with, you know, people coming and talking, but he actually wants to create really action points, as you is, he just highlighted action points for people and he wants to show right direction. About, you know, the sales strategies, like business development, as you talked about, you know, having right mindset, what worked for him, what worked for me, what worked for you know, other speakers. He wants to share some stories which may click to few people that, okay, this is what they can also follow, and then other things. Is he's also, I think, inviting some people from technology, so then they can also, you know, have a walkthrough of, you know, technological solutions. Most importantly, I think what he's trying to create is community and if you are able to talk through with 30 to 50 people who are like-minded and you are going through with a structured program of two days, you know spending lunch, dinner, breakfast, like you're spending the full day with you know, like-minded people, so that that creates magic.
Speaker 3:Uh, you know, I would just share around one, uh, you know, short instance with you. Uh, the day before yesterday I was in pune, I was having meeting with someone and I had introduced them to someone and they had met 10 years before in similar kind of event and and they found out a real connection because those two days or five days when they were together, they had, uh, you know, found they are, they were like-minded and, uh, they, they learn from each other many things. So I think this community which you are creating is not just about two days, but, you know, the learnings which will go for long run and the connections which will make may have comprehend, I would say, compensating uh, you know, I think, advances for each other, which is where they will have great learnings about sales, marketing, operations, team development, communication and what works for someone or what works for someone else.
Speaker 2:Okay, thank you. Thanks, hardik. Well, I think, from my perspective, I totally agree. I think the event is just a starting point. I'll be honest with you. It's an opportunity, as Hardik said, to get people, like-minded people, together. Okay, this isn't for everyone, I appreciate that, but it's for people who want to take the action, who want to have their own offshoring business or want to invest in offshoring, and they can see the the future, but they're not sure what the right path is.
Speaker 2:Um, as I said, it's the beginning. We want to share our knowledge, share our. I don't certainly don't have all the answers, okay, but I have a lot of the answers. But I know other people attending will have different answers. Okay, and if we collaborate and work together, it'll be amazing to see what we can actually create. Okay, so that at the heart of this is community. At the heart of this is an opportunity and that's my dog barking in the background as well um, getting very excited, so I couldn't time this any better, but I think in a in a in a in a nutshell, I think my wife, my wife's, got the dog. Sorry about that everybody it's fine.
Speaker 2:It's fine, it's not too disturbing, that's okay it's just the real life, yeah, but I think my dog, my dog is agreeing with what I'm saying. Yeah, that's why she's so excited, okay, but I think the opportunity is definitely there. Um, you have to be able to willing to take the action. We want a like-minded community because I see the next 10 years is very, very exciting in india, okay, and I'm I'm a big investor into india. I'm developing my team, putting more people, more investment, more money, all that type of stuff in it because I believe in it.
Speaker 2:Ok, and I think, if I'm a trailblazer here from the UK to some extent, I know other UK firms are looking at it and thinking about it, but it's about me connecting UK firms with Indian CAs I can't do everything, my firm can't do everything, I know that. And CAs, I can't do everything, my firm can't do everything, I know that. Okay, but suddenly I'll know, oh, I know Hardik, he can do audit, so-and-so can do tax in Australia, so-and-so, someone can do an American Florida tax. Suddenly I've got suddenly a range of people that, okay, talk to him, talk to her, talk to this lady it's an exciting time and I'm very, very kind of humbled and that Hardik wants to get involved and others will get involved, and I hope to see as many people there as possible at the event. It's really, really going to be a fun event but, at the same time, a real learning event for everyone, and it's just the first of many things we're going to be doing in India.
Speaker 3:Yes, it's, I think, one of the first kind of this kind of event.
Speaker 1:So rightly noted. Thank you 100. So sounds like it's going to be a fun event, guys, a learning event where two entrepreneurs would love to share their expertise in this industry and to get moving forward. And if you are somebody who wants to be, let's say, take India forward in this industry, well, this event is for you. It's once in a lifetime, it's the first annual event that we are hosting. I really do hope we see you in Gurgaon.
Speaker 1:So, on that note, I'd like to end this LinkedIn live with a few words for myself. Firstly, this event is happening again I I would like to repeat on the 14th and 15th of December in Gurgaon, delhi, in Lina, ambience and all the events. In terms of the description, tickets, everything will be in the description. The second thing is, like Harleq said, arun wants to build a community. We have already started an online community in August called the Unstoppable Accountant, our very own school community, which has just reached about 100 members. We highly request you to join it. You get a live Q&A every time with Arun himself and many more guest speakers to come. So, on that note, thank you so much for this call to both of you, arun. It's been a pleasure, and happy Gandhi Jayanti to everybody.
Speaker 3:Praju, are you going to take the questions?
Speaker 2:yeah, yeah, I've got a. Yeah, there's a couple of questions here, so let me. How can I approach clients in the usa and india for more work? And then we've been asked to how can we answer regenda's question. Okay, all right, so keep getting clients is not easy. Okay, I'll be straight up.
Speaker 2:How do do you get clients? I get every day. As I said earlier, I get people reaching out for me from India. Oh, can I, can you do my offshoring work? Can you? Can I, can I do your accounting for you?
Speaker 2:I get DMs all the time. I don't know who these people are. I have no idea who they are. Okay, I get emails. I get cold calls. That's not going to build trust. Ok, the way to get clients is to build trust.
Speaker 2:Now, building trust takes time. So how do I go about it? What do I do? I'll just give you my examples. Ok, I build relationships. How do I build relationships? I do it online Initially.
Speaker 2:I do events, I do webinars like this. I do videos. I write articles on LinkedIn. I put good content. I do videos. I write articles on LinkedIn. I put good content. Eventually, eventually not straight away people say, oh, come to your event or come to buy your service for me. They take time, ok. They build those relationships and they think OK, aaron, I like what I heard. I saw you six months ago, I saw you three months ago. Maybe I'll give him a call, all right. So I remember.
Speaker 2:We're professionals, ok, we're not selling vegetables at the market. Ok, trying to sell, we do it for two dollars or one dollar or three dollars. Whatever we're buying, we're selling professional services. Therefore, we have to be first and most important. We have to value ourselves, OK. And then, secondly, the client who wants to buy the service has to value us. Client who wants to buy the service has to value us, and that's so important, why we have to present ourselves in a very positive way and communicate our, what we do to people in a positive way, and that's that's.
Speaker 2:That's the thing. That's why I said earlier, the most important thing is not the technical skills, and I just think too many indian accounts are focusing on the technical skills. It's the other things that matter the communication skills, the emotional intelligence, the soft skills. Get that right, then you'll have people knocking on your door wanting to do business with you. If you don't get that right, you will struggle. I can tell you that now. So come along to the event if you want to know more of all the techniques that I do hardy. How about your? What's your view?
Speaker 3:definitely. I think you've covered it and you nailed it. And, rajendra and other people who might be listening, I can say it's a chicken and egg condition. You never know.
Speaker 3:When you talk to people to get the work, they say, do you have the setup, do you have the skills, do you have the infrastructure and security?
Speaker 3:And you're not able to do that unless you have work. So there is a proper process through which, if you go, you will have a setup also. You would have proper techniques also through which you can actually develop confidence, build a relationship, as arun mentioned, and from those relationship, at right point in time, you can, you know own business out of it. So I think, rajendra and others who are listening, if you be part of the event, you will be able to find that you know selling in auctioning is not just art, but there's a proper science behind it and you'll be able to learn that science and how, step by step, you can have your first client right, yeah, correct, um, hardik, and I think this is a question I get all the time and one of the things actually, one thing to highlight which I haven't, we haven't mentioned, we forgot to mention, is, um, we're actually starting a separate online course in January called a marketing course for accountants.
Speaker 2:Ok, it's totally online and it's actually 20,000 rupees for three months and it's an in-depth three month event. Every week we'll be doing a different module, ok, however, for anyone who attends the course in Delhi, ok, the event, live event in Delhi and Gurgaon on the 14th and 15th of December, that 20,000 rupees is totally free. You'll be able to join this thing in January, totally free. So, just, it's all online, it's all on our website. We haven't launched that yet, but it's just being launched literally today, okay, so, um, if you see, if you're serious about going offshoring, okay, you have to invest in yourself. That's the bottom line, okay, um, it's not going to happen by just sitting around and watching the odd linkedin post or reading an article. Um, you, you need that support and, uh, we'd be delighted to share our knowledge and experience with you in in december, with you, okay 100.
Speaker 1:I think we've got one more question from Akshay. I think it's a very similar question.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a similar question. So I think, in terms of how do you develop the team though I suppose the team and this is an actually very important point, what I've seen my team is the most important thing in my business okay, and therefore I spend money on the team, develop the team, train the team, look after the team and therefore, if I have a happy team, I have a stable team. If I have a stable team, that team can then support my clients. If my clients are then treated well, then it's that. It's that continuous cycle.
Speaker 2:Okay, and I think quite often, or not, people get this wrong. And there's a very famous businessman called Richard Branson here in the UK who owns Virgin. You might have heard of him and he's a very well-known speaker as well, and he's so right. He says too many people focus on the client, too many people focus on the customer Completely wrong. Okay, focus on the team, because if you focus on the team, your headaches will go away because they'll be focusing on the client. So, if you look after your team, you pay them well, you respect them, you do everything to support them, they'll deal with all the clients and you won't have to get involved.
Speaker 2:Now, is it easy to look after the team and maintain the team? No, not necessarily. Not always you might have the wrong, wrong team member, but it's focusing on that culture in your team, focusing on the culture that people want to work with you. People are keen to support you, who are keen to help each other, and it's that kindness and what today is an, I think, international day of kindness, I think, or non-violence day, and that's so important with this gandhi um day to remember that it's not just the horrible things in the world, but it's also about your team members. Your colleagues. Look after each other, support each other. That makes a massive difference if you're going to build a successful firm, especially a global firm. If you don't get that right, you won't have any offshoring business at all. What do you think?
Speaker 2:Hadi, do you agree?
Speaker 3:Yeah, we are in the business of people setting their time, so how you treat them and, as Richard said, you should treat them so well that they don't leave- I think Richard scored, he does.
Speaker 2:He does say that You're right. You look after them so well, they never want to leave you. Ok, and that's the fundamental thing. Now, not everyone in your team will be the right person. I get that, okay, and sometimes people will leave, but the people you want you'd look after them so well that they'll never want to leave you. You're they're so happy and that will have a knock on effect into your business that you're going to grow as well.
Speaker 1:Okay, completely agree, guys, and you'll call with Richard Branson. So, on that note, I guess we don't have any more questions. This has been a great LinkedIn Live. We hope to have more in the future and I wish you both a great day and thank you so much for this.
Speaker 2:Thanks so much, guys, thank you, thank you.