Why Business Has a Bad Name in Kerala?

I’m a die hard supporter of small businesses. Most of the time I’m bursting with ideas, and I keep advocating this concept to people. Unfortunately, I often get negative response, which usually dampen my spirit. When I tell  people  to start a small business in Kerala, this is what I get….

blank  stares.
Don’t tell me to loose my savings
I  don’t have 50 lakhs to invest
I’m happy with my govt job

Often when I explain or talk to people and tell them to start small business, they often interpret in another way. They say I’m just money minded. Or they give me a look as if I said something horrible or have a nutty idea – keep it off me me mind of body language.

So, question is, why people tend to think of business as some kind of bourgeoisie plot. It’s like playing the villain role as a mothalali as we say in Malayalam ( owner or capitalistic). If you’ve seen old Malayalam movies where estate owner or the owner is the villain, who has all the vices, drinking, prying innocent women, leads a lavish lifestyle and exploits the workers, etc.

Probably, people have this stereotyped role in their mind and that’s why they equate business ideas as evil conspiracy.

So, what can be done? Is there way to tone down the negative  connotation associated with the name business? Can we do something?

Malayalee and Business Culture

I find  this concept too high in Trivandrum, than in places  like Bangalore or Hyderabad.One reason could be this, people are used to Govt for everything – from employment to news, etc.

Well, that’s just changing right in front  of our eyes. As we know, the power of  media is diluted every minute, and it’s people who’s doing the talking, not  just the  TV anchor . Well, it’s too early to say that it’s dead,but definitely, the clout of press has  come  down.

In one of  the  Seth Godin’s blog, I read something  like this – now individual owns T.V station ( YouTube), newspaper ( blog) or a radio station ( podcast). We’re free to be vocal about our opinion, speak directly to others and publish things that matter to us.

Isn’t this wonderful, a great privilege? But, why are we using it?

Despite all the freedom and channels  available, we’re not thinking as a publisher, we prefer to consume rather than produce media.

I hope, people in Kerala realize that business is not a bad work, nor  profit. While making money is essential for the sustenance of business, it’s important to do business b’cos you have a passion towards it and would like to make things better.

I hope you too get the point, or feel free to speak to me.

Regards,

Charles