Being the greatest

Last week, I chance watched “The Greatest game ever played”, which chronicled the win of a roadside amateur, 20-year-old Francis Ouimet over the world’s best professionals in the 1913 US Open (assisted by a 10-year-old caddy Eddie). Post that, I developed an infatuation for the word “greatest”: who’s written on it or made movies or shows with the word in it. And then I realized that there are very few who have taken a stab with the “greatest”.

I’d also go to see “The Greatest Story Ever Told”, which happens to be the story of Jesus. And “The Greatest Show on Earth”, which put together the best of travelling circus and trapeze artists, inspired by “The Greatest Showman” PT Barnum. There are 2 “greatest” that I haven’t seen (“The Greatest Showman” – not accessible – and “The Greatest Beer Run Ever”), which I intend to.

Harking back to our journey and learning from the above, there are 4 steps to greatness in our context –

1.    Being noticed – To build a team that works together, a product that sells, a scale that is noticeable, an impact that is societal, etc.

2.    Being good – To fund our own growth from the money we make rather than being too dependent on others.

3.    Being great – To use capital effectively, put it in places that build further value. Not to conserve it, but never to waste it.

4.    Being greatest – To build a team that fuses youth and experience, energy and learning, risk minded and averse. We started with youth and have over time, infused industry talent in (largely technical) areas to learn and grow (Inset: the new leaders of OfBusiness, all a part of the team in the recent months).

We are somewhat in the 2^nd leg of the journey: getting good. With some baby steps in the other 2. Godspeed to us at @OfBusiness and @Oxyzo as we try to build the 2, for stopping at just “good” is not an option.

Once an OFBIan, forever one:

Asish Mohapatra

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