Lockdown has been a great leveler. It has impacted businesses across the globe, industry and scale of business. However, whether you stay affected or recover lost ground depends on What You Do Now.

There is not much one can do about the Covid 19 situation. However, there is a lot that can be done during this period that can impact what happens after this phase of is over. In this article, I am sharing actions that an entrepreneur can take to ensure that once the business start again, he is ready to get rolling.

Let’s compare this situation with that of a car parked in your garage. One can’t drive it and go anywhere. And still, it has to be ensured that the car is started and moved around a bit every one or two days. If this part is ignored for a few days, the battery could get discharged and tyres lose air pressure. It will need a lot of time to get these issues rectified before one can take the car out.

Businesses today are like the car in your garage. If no action is taken in this period, it will take a lot of effort and time to get back on track. This will result in a lot of precious time wasted to recoup later and get rolling.

Here are 6 things, for an entrepreneur to do during lockdown to ensure that the batteries and tyres of our business are ready to roll when we decide to start our journey again.

1) Get used to the change

This phase could mean a complete paradigm change. Existing business models will tumble and new emerge. Accept the change and find out ways of operating in this new normal

2) Network

Identify partners in business. Customers, vendors, employees, banks, investors are some of the stakeholders who form a part of business ecosystem. Utilize this time to reach out to each one. Build relationships. Right now, everyone has the time to spare and interact

Customers: Take feedback from customers. Know what are the things you are doing well and what you need to change.

Talk to customers who have not done business with for some time and find out the reasons. Reach out to potential customers and understand their needs. Check if existing contracts have to be revised.

Vendors: Evaluate existing vendors, explore opportunities for better collaboration. Identify alternative vendors in case existing ones are unable to support in the new scenario. New regulations can impact sourcing.

Employees may be undergoing through a lot of mental stress and feeling insecure. Talk to employees, comfort them and ease their nerves. Do an analysis of job roles and responsibilities of each.

3) Plan your finances

Revisit next year goals. Instead of comparing with the past performance and worrying about reduced revenue, acknowledge the situation and revise to have realistic goals. Consider the required working capital, cash flows, break-even revenue and expenses and plan accordingly.

4) Marketing

Strategies to market your product may have to be changed. Find possibilities of going online (if feasible for your business). At the same time, businesses with local presence can focus on building personal relationship with customers

5) Get skilled

Learn new skills required for being effective. Identify the competencies to be developed for employees and get them trained . For ex. Sales team can work on improving their product knowledge.

6) Improve Processes

Review business processes, identify inefficiencies and re-engineer them.

This is the time to introspect, reflect, review and redesign the way we do business.  All of this needs a change in thinking process. What has worked so far may be redundant in the future. A business coach can help create new options and alternatives, identify areas of improvement and realign business objectives.

Focus on your systems rather than worrying about the end result. Do what needs to be done now and the results will follow. Make the best of available time and prime your engines to roar once you are back on the race-track.

What you do today, determines your future business!

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Quarantine and lockdown is the only common word we are probably listening from everyone’s mouth these days. And seems like being bored has become it’s synonym. But to take away all the blues and induce a healthy spirit in this phase; singer, composer Hardik Tailor who is exclusively managed by Beyond Music has a treat for all. The Surat based artist has collaborated with Dubai’s popular, DJ Shadow for an upcoming music video titled Hamara India.

A combine effort and initiative by Viral Motani and Pakkhi Hegde’s Beyond Music and Nikesh’s Slash Productions, around 19 Indian actors will be featured in this video. The team of the song is totally Indian with a great feeling of joy and happiness. It highlights the merrier future after this dark phase. The artists have shot the video from their home.

Actors Sayantani Ghosh, Barkha Sengupta, Gurdip Punjj, Raqesh Bapat, Shubhangi Atre Poorey, Debina Bonnerjee, Vishal Singh, Lizaa Malik, Karan Veer Mehra, Gulfam Khan Hussain, Rukhsar Rehman, Giaa Manek, Bhumika Gurung, Pakkhi Hegde, Reem Sameer Sheikh, Nikita Rawal, Gizele Thakral, Sonali Raut and Aniruddh Dave will be featured in the song.

Hardik says, “I had this idea in my head to something interesting in this lock down. DJ Shadow loved the idea and we collaborated. Thanks to Beyond Music, Slash Production and all the actors for supporting us in this initiative. I am sure people would love this song. Wishing everyone safety and goodness.”

The song is sung and composed by Hardik Tailor, music by DJ Shadow Dubai, lyrics Trushang Tailor, creative head Moushumi , violin by Mahendra Patel, Slash team- Rushabh Bavishi and Anmol Panda, mixing and mastering by DJ Shadow Dubai. The video has been edited by Varun Arora in a short span. And the post production is done by Beyond Music studio Dubai.

The video was released on the 1st of May. We wish them success.

 

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कोरोना के खिलाफ जंग लड़ता योद्धा संदीप यादव एव साथी।

जिस वक्त से पूरा विश्व कोरोना नामक महामारी का शिकार हुए है, भारत देश भी इससे अछूता नहीं रह, परंतु इस विषम परिस्थितियों में कोरोना से जंग लड़ने के लिए कई वीर योद्धा मैदान में कूद पड़े।

संदीप यादव (भा ज यू मो, BJYM मुम्बई नार्थ वेस्ट के वाईस प्रेसिडेंट) ऐसे ही एक जबरदस्त योद्धा है, वे शान्तनु अगस्ति (भा ज यू मो BJYM नार्थ वेस्ट मुम्बई के प्रेसिडेंट), के सहयोग से जरूरतमंदों को राशन वितरण कर रहे हैं।

स्वयम संदीप यादव ने लोखंडवाला, वर्सोवा के शास्त्री नगर के कई बिल्डिंगों में एवं सात बंगला म्हाडा के कई सोसाइटी और स्कूलों में अपने सहायको के साथ सेनिटाइजर का छिड़काव कर रहे हैं।

संदीप यादव का कहना है ” हमारे प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी जी, महाराष्ट्र विपक्ष के नेता देवेन्द्र फडणवीस जी, भा ज यू मो (BJYM) प्रेजिडेंट पूनम महाजन जी, भा ज यू मो मुम्बई अध्यक्ष श्री तेजिंदर तिवाना जी, श्री मोहित भारतीय जी, विधायक एव मुम्बई अध्यक्ष मंगल प्रभात लोढा जी, विधायक अमित साटम जी, विधायक भारती लावेकार जी, विधायक विद्या ठाकुर जी, रघुनाथ कुलकर्णी जी, भाजपा युवा मोर्चा जिला अध्यक्ष श्री शान्तनु अगस्ति जी, भाजपा जिला अध्यक्ष, संतोष मेढेकर जी, महाराष्ट्र सचिव संजय पांडे जी, के मार्गदर्शन में हम और हमारे साथी पुरजोर तरीक़े से इस खतरनाक वायरस से जंग लड़ रहे हैं।

मैं, शान्तनु जी और अपने भा ज यू मो की पूरी टीम के संग, ज़रूरतमंदों, वरिष्ठ नागरिकों और बाहर से आये हुए मज़दूरों की हर तरह से चाहे राशन हो, दवा हो, सेनिटाइजर हो, मास्क हो हर चीज का वितरण कर रहे हैं। जो भी रिक्वेस्ट किसी भी ज़रिये खास कर ट्विटर से मिलता है, उसे हर संभव तरीके से पूरी करते हैं। अभी तक तकरीबन १० हज़ार किलो से अधिक खाद्य सामग्री, सीधे ज़रूरतमंद लोगो तक पहुंचाई गई है, कई इमारतों का सेनिटीजेशन रहिवासियो के प्रार्थना पर किया गया है, ये सारे काम अभी भी शिफ्टों में हमारे साथी कर रहे हैं।

    

इस आपदा की घड़ी में, मैं हर हिंदुस्तानी का आवाहन करता हूँ, की वह किसी भी पार्टी का हो, किसी भी धर्म का हो, किसी भी नस्ल का हो, सब भूल कर सिर्फ इंसानियत को ध्यान रखे, विश्वास रखे हम कोरोना से जंग अवश्य जीतेंगे और हमारे प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी जी इस देश को पुनः सफलता की ऊँचाई पर ले जाएंगे।

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Mumbai: 13^th International Festival of Cellphone Cinema has been announced for all those who love short films and ready to shoot stills and movie on their mobile phones, submission of entries to be closed on 15^th May, the date has been extended owing to lock down.

“We are pleased to announce the 13^th edition of our admired festival International Festival of Cellphone Cinema today. The 15^th May is the last date of        receiving entries of films made from mobile phone,” said Sandeep Marwah President of the festival who has been earlier titled as Father of Cellphone Cinema.

This time, well known actor director Satish Kaushik, film director Raju Parsekar and director of short films Vevek Paul along with Prof. Karl Bardosh and Sandeep Marwah are going to be on the jury to announce and distribute number of gifts received from DETEL.

“It is a very interesting festival and I am looking anxiously for the people especially from film and media students to submit their entries. You never know some time you get a unique idea from these films to actually produce a full length feature film and participant gets his due credit,” said Satish Kaushik appreciating the concept of cellphone cinema.

  

The entries can be in four categories namely Still Photos taken by mobile, Movies made by mobile and can be in three different categories that is- News Gathering, -Music Video and -Fiction. All these movies should not be more than 3 minutes in duration.

These films can be uploaded on filmclub@aaft.com or can be sent via Whatsapp to no +918586978492. You can visit the website www.ifcpc.com for further details.

This is the first Cellphone Cinema festival ever started anywhere in the World. Last year Dr. Marwah had taken this festival to Cannes during Cannes International Film Festival in France, to Budapest in Hungary and New York in USA.

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1 May 2020, Mumbai: Actress Amrita Rao who prides in been born and brought up in Mumbai, took time during the lockdown for her special salutations to the State on the occasion of Maharashtra Day. May 1st is annually marked to commemorate the creation of Maharashtra from the State of Bombay on May 1, in the year 1960.

Amrita said, “Mumbai which happens to be the heart of Maharashtra has been my ‘Janma’ and ‘Karma’ Bhoomi. Even my grandmother was born here so I feel blessed to be a proud citizen of the state. In school, Marathi was a compulsory subject, hence though my mother tongue is Konkani and we are originally from Karnataka, I can speak good Marathi. As a kid, I have witnessed the parade that is held and the address of the governor at Shivaji Park in our summer holidays. I have grown up watching Marathi plays at Shivaji Mandir like Dilip Prabhawalkar’s Haswa Phaswi, Bhakti Bharwe’s last rendition on Tee Phool Raani, and the outstanding play on Shivaji Maharaj – Jaanta Raja at Shivaji Park. I loved listening to Bheemsen Joshi Ji’s ‘Natyasangeet’. Maybe the seeds of being an artist were sown in my sub-conscious then.”

  

Amrita essayed the character of Meenatai Thackeray last year in the biopic of Balasaheb Thackeray which was shot simultaneously in Marathi and Hindi. The film follows the life of the founder of an Indian political party and was released right after his 93rd birthday. Balasaheb’s father Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, was a leading figure in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement which advocated the creation of a separate state. The movement ultimately lead to the creation of the state thus leading to Maharashtra Day celebrations.

The film will be aired today at prime time on a leading channel specially designed for the Maharashtrian audience. The film strives to celebrate the deep-rooted sense of pride in Marathi ethos making it a rare treat and is a perfect movie to watch and celebrate the day of Maharashtra pride feels Amrita. “Strange are the ways of destiny, as a teen, I have taken countless rounds of Shivaji Park and walked past Meenatai’s iconic statue. I could never imagine portraying on the celluloid; a woman who was the strongest pillar of the family who played the most important part in the creation of the very state in which I was born” says the actress.

“I love the street food like Wada Paav, Misal Paav, Kothmir Wade, Zhunka Bhakar. Also in clothing, the Paithani Saree or footwear like the Kolhapuri Chappal has been an integral part of my life. Maharashtra is the land of great Maratha warriors and Sri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who saved not only Maharashtra but India from being invaded by foreigners. I have visited many forts to pay my obeisance to Shivaji Maharaj like the Raigarh fort where Shivaji was coronated, and the Singhagarh fort in Pune. I strongly feel that Balasaheb Thackeray could have been an ansh of Shivaji Maharaj. ‘Thackeray’ also marks my proud debut in Marathi Cinema. The makers are definitely planning a sequel and It would be an extended honor to be a part of it again. Jai Maharashtra!” exclaimed a jovial Amrita as she signed off.

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