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My Journey with Vada Pav
How did a popular street snack from Mumbai become a marketing phenomenon, gaining national popularity and international repute?
What transformed an on-the-run bite from a snack on a handcart into an award-winning brand?
What made Harvard Business School lean forward and acknowledge the marketing success of the humble vadapav?
‘My Journey with Vadapav’ by Venkatesh S, answers all these questions and more. The book tells the story of a daring and unusual entrepreneurial venture. Inspired by his love for vadapav, one man made it his mission to build, promote, transform and establish a humble street snack into a national brand.
The book encapsulates a journey in which you walk with the author through various pathways from the glimmer of a concept to its creation, development and foundation, while sharing his moments of apprehension, enthusiasm, despair, elation, occasional confusion and humour. In due course, admire his determination to succeed, no matter what.This bold and inspiring real-life narration, questions the set norms of the Indian food industry and takes its myriad challenges head-on. It is a tale of teamwork, a whole load of determination and entrepreneurship at its best, with a little bit of luck to complete the mix.
‘My Journey with Vadapav’ is exciting, compelling and a great read for enthusiasts who have an idea, a dream or a vision and aspire to make it not just a reality, but a success. It is an inspiration for others too.
What transformed an on-the-run bite from a snack on a handcart into an award-winning brand?
What made Harvard Business School lean forward and acknowledge the marketing success of the humble vadapav?
‘My Journey with Vadapav’ by Venkatesh S, answers all these questions and more. The book tells the story of a daring and unusual entrepreneurial venture. Inspired by his love for vadapav, one man made it his mission to build, promote, transform and establish a humble street snack into a national brand.
The book encapsulates a journey in which you walk with the author through various pathways from the glimmer of a concept to its creation, development and foundation, while sharing his moments of apprehension, enthusiasm, despair, elation, occasional confusion and humour. In due course, admire his determination to succeed, no matter what.This bold and inspiring real-life narration, questions the set norms of the Indian food industry and takes its myriad challenges head-on. It is a tale of teamwork, a whole load of determination and entrepreneurship at its best, with a little bit of luck to complete the mix.
‘My Journey with Vadapav’ is exciting, compelling and a great read for enthusiasts who have an idea, a dream or a vision and aspire to make it not just a reality, but a success. It is an inspiration for others too.
- GenresBusiness
155 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 20, 2016
12 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 1, 2017
When I was approached for review I asked for some time and more details. I even considered forwarding the book to another friend of mine who would love reading a book of this genre. But, when I finally received the book and I held it in my hand I thought of giving it a chance. Holding the hardcover book in my hand, seeing the kind of typesetting I prefer to read the book at night; influenced my decision to read the book.
As the title suggests - the book is written in first person and is about the journey of the author (Goli Vadapav) but it is also more than that. The book is divided into ten chapters, aptly titled.
It is after a long time that I read a book with pencil in my hand to mark important/inspiring text. Words that make a difference, words that make you think.
Detailed review on: http://www.artihonrao.net/2017/03/rev...
As the title suggests - the book is written in first person and is about the journey of the author (Goli Vadapav) but it is also more than that. The book is divided into ten chapters, aptly titled.
It is after a long time that I read a book with pencil in my hand to mark important/inspiring text. Words that make a difference, words that make you think.
Detailed review on: http://www.artihonrao.net/2017/03/rev...
April 3, 2017
An engrossing tale of a simple street food called Vadapav and the company which has built an Indian brand in QSR space dominated by global companies.
September 6, 2020
.
Vadapav is something which like a staple for Mumbaikars” This book is all about the detailed notes that Vekatesh ‘a great entrepreneur enthusiast’ kept The book is a biographical tale that makes fascinating reading.
I read the book not as one wanting to go deeper into the management principles of a start-up and neither as one looking for tips for a future venture into business. I was looking for those charming twists and turns that make hard work look like good fortune because, after all, Goli Vadapav started ‘in 2003 with no office, no infrastructure and no inventory!’ And I was not disappointed because the one word that appears often is ‘crazy’ and every time I read the word, I knew something strange and unexpected is about to happen. The story seamlessly connects a small thought of a vadapav and burger being ‘look-alike twins who had been separated in childhood’ to the way ‘Bhupender Singh happened to us when we were weighted down by a pile of failures’, making the book seem like a film script destined to be connected to a box-office hit.
I loved reading the book because it happily adopts phrases like ‘chappan-tikli-banyaan – that is, a vest with multiple holes’ and words like ‘item, pudi, goli, pakya, rapchik’ that are ‘born on the footpaths of Mumbai’ to connects them all to vadapav marketing, making the product ‘resonate with the spirit, ethos, and contours of the city’.
Vadapav is something which like a staple for Mumbaikars” This book is all about the detailed notes that Vekatesh ‘a great entrepreneur enthusiast’ kept The book is a biographical tale that makes fascinating reading.
I read the book not as one wanting to go deeper into the management principles of a start-up and neither as one looking for tips for a future venture into business. I was looking for those charming twists and turns that make hard work look like good fortune because, after all, Goli Vadapav started ‘in 2003 with no office, no infrastructure and no inventory!’ And I was not disappointed because the one word that appears often is ‘crazy’ and every time I read the word, I knew something strange and unexpected is about to happen. The story seamlessly connects a small thought of a vadapav and burger being ‘look-alike twins who had been separated in childhood’ to the way ‘Bhupender Singh happened to us when we were weighted down by a pile of failures’, making the book seem like a film script destined to be connected to a box-office hit.
I loved reading the book because it happily adopts phrases like ‘chappan-tikli-banyaan – that is, a vest with multiple holes’ and words like ‘item, pudi, goli, pakya, rapchik’ that are ‘born on the footpaths of Mumbai’ to connects them all to vadapav marketing, making the product ‘resonate with the spirit, ethos, and contours of the city’.
September 5, 2018
Author is an immensely successful finance professional but is unsatisfied. He has a dream and with his love for vada pav embarks on journey which is not a bed of roses.
Book is thoroughly about the professional achievements and milestones of a startup that became a leader in ethnic fast food in india. Hard work, passion, a will to never give up even in worst crises and at many times destiny is what it takes to be successful and make a difference.
A very inspiring read with splattering of life lessons in form of quotes that definitely motivates. It was an impulse buy even though its non fiction-a genre i don't read much, but it turned out well. Of course some odd 180 pages are very less to describe a lifetime of experiences of an individual.
All in all a very motivational book and quite a guide for all those who want to be entrepreneur. Believe in the beauty of your dreams and achieve.
Book is thoroughly about the professional achievements and milestones of a startup that became a leader in ethnic fast food in india. Hard work, passion, a will to never give up even in worst crises and at many times destiny is what it takes to be successful and make a difference.
A very inspiring read with splattering of life lessons in form of quotes that definitely motivates. It was an impulse buy even though its non fiction-a genre i don't read much, but it turned out well. Of course some odd 180 pages are very less to describe a lifetime of experiences of an individual.
All in all a very motivational book and quite a guide for all those who want to be entrepreneur. Believe in the beauty of your dreams and achieve.
April 13, 2019
"While most people look at big chains from front end, we dediced to see it from backend and that made all the difference!" Modern education encourages us to avoid failures,Entrepreneurship encourages us to try new things and embrace failures. Book is all about chasing that one dream and never give up attitude .
August 16, 2020
Brilliant - The ups & downs of starting a food business
Superb book. Must read for anyone starting a business - any business, small shop or a tech startup. Many many inspirational pieces in the book. Superb to know about food services as a business, specially from an Indian context. Some outright genius marketing ideas also.
Superb book. Must read for anyone starting a business - any business, small shop or a tech startup. Many many inspirational pieces in the book. Superb to know about food services as a business, specially from an Indian context. Some outright genius marketing ideas also.
February 5, 2019
One of the best books to read about the Indian entrepreneurs
One of the best reads about the growth and struggle of an entrepreneur in the local food industry loosely based on a QSR model.
One of the best reads about the growth and struggle of an entrepreneur in the local food industry loosely based on a QSR model.
December 4, 2017
Good read
Good quick read, could have talked more about raw materials and the experience there, and plans to return to Mumbai if at all
Good quick read, could have talked more about raw materials and the experience there, and plans to return to Mumbai if at all
August 24, 2018
Journey with VadaPav is an inspiring story for all the young Entrepreneurs, It lacks in writing. It could have been more beautifully presented.
October 18, 2018
Must read for aspiring entrepreneurs
The manner in which the journey has been captured is wonderful & captivating. A must read for any aspiring entrepreneur.
The manner in which the journey has been captured is wonderful & captivating. A must read for any aspiring entrepreneur.
June 20, 2020
A short, informative, and an interesting story of how the Goli Vadapav franchise came to be. Definitely a fun read.
January 31, 2017
This book was officially released last month and I received a copy of the book as I attended the launch event. The author of the book is the founder of the Goli vadapav chain. During the launch, there was a presentation that the author took us through. At the end of each slide he asked, "Now, can we have a round of applause for this?". I was aghast, imagining the plight of students in the 250 odd institutions, such as Harvard and ISB, where the author has delivered lectures on his entrepreneurial experience. Thankfully, the book was an enjoyable read and was free of self aggrandizement.
October 4, 2017
Read this on Kindle unlimited. Pompous and somewhat facetious, I felt the prose was unnecessarily flowery. A good guts and glory story with substance but coud have been written with less pontification and platitudes. The book would have been much shorter and crisper with a good editor.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews