Today marks the 3rd anniversary of Dignitas, from working in a 8*6 room to having 2 offices in New Delhi, and the recent one at Philadelphia, it has been a sinusoidal journey. While the company gets bullish in different markets and we slowly but surely move away from unorganized to organized chaos, I take a step back and introspect.
For a long time, I had a question troubling me – What kind of a company is Dignitas, really? To be honest, I have still not been able to find the perfect answer, but have been able to form a very crude classification of companies in this space. This serendipitous discovery was heavily influenced by the fish markets in Delhi.
Lets have a look at what I found!
Red Snapper- Sweet, firm and moist in taste. Rarely goes unnoticed because of the bright appearance. In India the real red snapper is not readily available, so we have to deal with other fish in the name of Red Snappers. In short you are a copy of a successful firm minus the originality. Your ideal client is someone who is just starting out and has a moderate budget.
Rohu-White, tender, lacks fishy taste, but yes one has to deal with the spine. You deal with the masses, you are affordable but easily replaceable and struggle for your existence every year. In your case, you are the ones that live by the day and your company’s future depend on factors beyond your control. Stability is always an issue.
Mackerel – Needs to be extremely fresh, and is fit for certain ways of cooking. Fits your pocket very easily. This is the kind of company that deals with the masses and has expertise in a particular service and a loyal clientele. The revenue is based on volume and the extremely economical pricing
Surmai- This is also referred to as the Indo Pacific King Mackerel, extremely strong, expensive, enjoys huge popularity and can be consumed in many ways. You are a flexible company having a few corporates in your portfolio. You have an array of different services and along with it a good price tag.
Singhara: Referred to as the catfish, comes in different sizes from being sold as food to being placed in your aquarium. The variety sold for consumption is sweet, tender, but sometimes can have a fishy smell associated with it. Also best available in Monsoons.
These are signs of a big company that deals in each and every service, but yes being big does cause some inconsistencies in your service. Nevertheless, you have a loyal audience and this audience does have a decent budget.
Silver Pomfret: One of the most sought after fish in India, has a delicate yet non fishy flavor. Holds together pretty well and makes for a good picture on your camera. This is an expensive fish. This is the sign of a boutique shop/firm. You only deal with High Net Individuals who can afford your service, you are pretty good with your PR and are extremely organized and polished.
Now coming back to answering my own question, at this point of time we are a mixture of all of these in varied proportions. The next few years of grilling, baking, steaming or down right curry would define us!
Disclaimer: The above classification is based on whatever was available at that stall, I am not an ichthyologist, but a wannabe entrepreneur. Also canned fish are excluded. These are the most common fish found in most parts of Delhi. Also considering the meat bans in India, I hope not to hurt anyone’s sentiments. My curiosity and the internet have been a knowledge base for this article.