Happy Birthday !

We celebrate our 5th birthday tomorrow ! it seems like only yesterday that i was wondering whether starting a bookstore was what i should be doing ?

But it has been 5 wonderful years - and what a education it has been ! With a song in my heart (i remember i was playing "Alaipaayuthe" all over in my small red Matiz in the first 2 months of legwork) and a prayer on my lips, i got started ! All i had then in 2002 was 5 lakhs to spare. I told myself that 5 lakhs and 3 years was what i was going to give it - if it worked then fine, if not all i had lost was that - i could always go back to a great HR job on the strength of my CV.

I had no clue how the books business or the industry worked, none in my family had ever done any business, forget being a trader - but one thing that i was confident of - i knew my books inside out. Over time, just out of sheer pleasure, i knew names of publishers, but nothing remotely technical about them.

But the learning in running my own enterprise has been tremendous. Apart from learning to think fast not just on my feet but also while running, in my case driving, rising to a new challenge everyday, negotiating everyday - with vendors, other service providers, balancing home and family (often without maid support as now). Outthinking fast provides you additional space and leveraging ability, when you hold the chips, and when to put all your cards on the table - constantly looking for opportunities to buy better so that you can sell better. Shyam once told me that retailing or trading is all about buying well. often we think that selling is the challenge. It isn't. Selling happens - If you offer good service consistently and stick to good quality, sale happens. The only way then to increase margins is to buy better. Which in the past two years, is happening in a very focussed way.

And do i have people to thank : Starting with shyam who planted the idea in my head and thought nothing of jumping into a rick at 7 pm on 31st Dec to visit Paperback in Thane. Shyam was right. Apart from a corporate job in HR or being an independent HR consultant/ Trainer, books have also been my passion. I did not have the ability to sell anything else. And with books, i do not have to sell. I just have to select right ! which i love to do. If earlier i spent 7 to 8k on books per month, now i spend a lac each month on books. twistntales gives a lovely excuse to do so !

Going back to the Awards ceremony : Yes, Shyam. Then Savi - what a tremendous support she has been in the early years. For tnt, for workshops, for nan to be cared for - she could easily fill in every role ! And most completely my two mothers. For being my wonderful support system whenever mine collapsed because of daycare issues or half day issues !

For Nan - for being completely undemanding and so matured from such a young age. She has lived through every stressful period of mine uncomplaining, never had a routine that kids need to have, never been to bed at 8.30 pm like most other kids - because her mom comes home only at 9.30. Slept in the car, in the shop, in dad's office, in countless daycare beds - with her mom ridden with guilt.

For Sanjay and Dhiraj - for appearing on countless ocassions to help us out - when we have desparately needed someone - without any expectation whatsoever.

And in this scheme of things where do my girls fit in (and the very few boys) starting with Tejal and Mridula .... Yes some of them stand out. Going by chronological order, Shradda - Completely always "committed" heart and soul to tnt. Then Nandana. Fitted in perfectly. A software engineer working in a bookstore ? Yes Jyothi, there have been others too. Fitted in nicely between Wipro and Infy assignments. And then Nisha ... also was faced with the challenge of having to manage home and family and in-laws, but coped admirably to do a cameo innings of 10 months ! Rekha got the warmth and exuberance, while Aarti got her shrewd business brain.

But it was Geetanjali who initially took time to settle but then "owned" the Store. She managed to clone Janaki completely. I just need not be around and she would run the Store expertly including recomending books. She learnt a lot in tnt. The physics and yoga teacher had metamorphised into a "wellness" guru in twistntales! i miss her. i still do !

And now Tia is going. She will finish march end. I have cried everytime i have lost a good team member. But Tia needs to go. But i have also seen her completely committed to tnt (the other day a customer asked her if she owned the Store. When she replied saying that she works part-time, the customer apparently commented that in that case, she was doing a wonderful job!) That's joy for me. Tia may work part-time, but her commitment and thoughts are full time tnt. I have recd smses at all times of day and night - yes i am very fond of her and i will be sorry to see her go from tnt, in a sense.

And there have been others. Samar for one. Inquisitive and extremely researching bent of mind. Deepa once commented that when Samar is in tnt, he has another mother! And Aditya. Both Samar and Aditya have grown up in twistntales, spent hours checking out the books. Aditya is our first customer. He billed "Diary of Anne Frank" on 28th March 5 years ago. And then did the Harry Potter Quiz. When Aditya came to work with us this summer, i thought the circle was complete. Sadly it was not to be.

I will gladly bequeth tnt to any of them and i know it is in good hands. Thanks again to Shradda, Nisha, Geetanjali, Samar, Tia and Aditya.

And ULM ? Another day, another post !

Happy birthday again !