Akhila Saroha: First and foremost, congratulations on the publication of “7 Leaps to Freedom: Crack the Code to Create Phenomenal Businesses” What inspired the inception of this writing endeavor?
Saurabh Singh: Thank you Akhila!
I have been involved with many startups and see their struggles day in and day out. With the type of opportunities available in India, I see no reason why so many startups should end up failing and in turn so many dreams should get shattered. When I looked at the layers of data during my research period for the book, I found that the real root cause of the problem is not the idea or the product, instead it was a lack of fundamental life skills.
In business schools or engineering institutes, we learn lots of technical skills and techniques to run a business. Fundamentally, every move in a business is a transaction between humans.
And hence I believe that the most important traits of any entrepreneur are vital life skills. And therefore I decided to bring forth this aspect of business to the world via my book.
Akhila Saroha: The title, “7 Leaps to Freedom: Crack the Code to Create Phenomenal Businesses” holds intriguing layers of significance. Were there alternative titles considered, and how did you arrive at this particular choice?
Saurabh Singh: This is an interesting question!! Yes, I did consider a few other titles like ‘Before You Set Sail’ and ‘Startup Manual’ and some others. Thought process behind the title was to appeal to one of the core desires of humans, i.e. freedom and this book aims to free people from the fear of failure of their businesses.
Akhila Saroha: Crafting the pace and connection for readers in “What Are You Waiting For: Kick Procrastination in the Rear Using the “Yes” Principle. Grab the Lead. Take Back Control” must have posed challenges. Can you share insights into the decision-making process behind the text’s rhythm and reader engagement?
Saurabh Singh: Yes, absolutely. I have read hundreds of business books. Most of these books are in instruction format, wherein the writer asks readers to do this or that. I wanted to take a different route of free flowing conversation. This way, it was easier to go deep in the chosen topic. Plus this also brings immediacy and sense of purpose.
Akhila Saroha: Your book explores unique subjects, breaking new ground. Could you shed light on your past literary experiences and what future writing endeavors you have in mind?
Saurabh Singh: I have been writing ever since my childhood. Initially it was my diary from when I was 7 years old. When I read it now, it shows a clear portrayal of what all goes in a kid’s mind, what are his insecurities and his moments of ecstasy. I have also written for some national journals. I am thinking of starting my next book soon. More details later…
Akhila Saroha: When penning “7 Leaps to Freedom: Crack the Code to Create Phenomenal Businesses,” did you have a specific audience in mind, and if so, who were they?
Saurabh Singh: Yes, I had a specific audience in mind, although the audience base was very large. If you look at any Tier 1, Tier 2 or even Tier 3 cities, you would find a wave of entrepreneurial ambitions in India. Even in villages you will find people talking about starting new ventures which are unprecedented. My audience base was all of those people who have any sort of entrepreneurial ambitions.
Akhila Saroha: The book holds personal and societal significance. Was prose your initial choice of expression, or do you envision exploring similar themes through other styles of writing?
Saurabh Singh: To write a text like this, prose was my choice as the topics had to be discussed at length.
Akhila Saroha: Delving into the journey of creating “7 Leaps to Freedom: Crack the Code to Create Phenomenal Businesses,” can you share some highlights and challenges encountered during its making?
Saurabh Singh: The main challenge was to keep the prose fluid and engaging. It was all about ensuring that knowledge is effectively conveyed while the reader’s attention did not wane. To achieve this I sprinkled the journey of Suraj, the protagonist of the book, with stories. Stories which not only entertain but inform as well.
Akhila Saroha: With the subject of the book being so specific and practical, how did you navigate writing about it while maintaining objectivity and avoiding influencing readers’ perspectives?
Saurabh Singh: Since the book is in conversational form, it does not instruct readers about anything. It just causes intrigue and forces readers to ponder about the topics. When the readers think that they are done thinking I added another angle. It is more like causing enough intrigue so that the readers extract what suits them.
Akhila Saroha: Ensuring sustained reader involvement in the swiftly developing plot of “7 Leaps to Freedom: Crack the Code to Create Phenomenal Businesses” must have been crucial. How did you manage to achieve this?
Saurabh Singh: Through real stories of real people. We, as human beings, are on a comparison spree all the time. When real examples are thrown at readers, they start relating not only to situations but the characters as well. Real wisdom is sugar coated with stories.
Akhila Saroha: Given that the ideas in “7 Leaps to Freedom: Crack the Code to Create Phenomenal Businesses” are not widely discussed in the present, what, in your view, could be the potential reasons for this?
Saurabh Singh: From what I have seen, most of the budding entrepreneurs get too enamored with their business ideas and the elusive funding. They typically think that with the force of a great idea, a sustainable business can be established. This is so far from the truth. The data shows the fundamental skills, discussed in the book, play a more prominent role in establishing a sustainable business.
Buy Book: https://www.amazon.in/Leaps-Freedom-Create-Phenomenal-Businesses/dp/B0CM2L4RTY/
