SME, the new emerging sector in Indian economy and its contribution to manufacturing, exports, employment and GDP is ever increasing. Government is also taking lots of interest in growth of this sector with industry encouraging policies and schemes for SMEs to get benefited from and setting up of task force.
 

It seems the days are not going to be as tough and difficult for SMEs if they really COME OUT of their traditional thinking. Of course, in majority of cases, starting of a new business to setting up of industry is a challenge to entrepreneurs and that's what entrepreneurs are meant for. Putting their own savings, family funds and borrowing from friends and relatives as capital for business. One day they realise that it is not sufficient to carry out the task and meet the challenges. But, often, their basic attitude towards looking at business is not changed. The typical SME owner still believes that it is not only the technical or manufacturing function out of several business functions, he is good at, but try to boast of his mastery in all functions of business. He still believes that business is for his benefits and not that if business grows he will get benefited from it.. This basic aptitude of his suffocates the growth of business very often. He keeps on narrating his success formula and success stories of past years. It's good to know about it, it's good to know the hardships and difficult time in which the SME owner / promoter has navigated his company, the recession waves he surpassed, strict policies under which he managed, no financing options for his ambitions and always payment crisis. He has socially grown out of this time multi folds than his company's growth in these years. The reason is the attitude. Personal car models keep on changing with new models year by year, but decade old company's delivery van is still in use. House get decorated, home to kitchen gadgets are all modern but, the same old office, may be the same window air conditioners and office furniture.

Still, one has to come out of the old thinking. In fact, nearly 40% of life is spent in workplace. More visitors and business associates come at workplace than the people on social visits at home. Environment to ergonomics are equally important at workplace for owners and other members of business family. Investment in technology, innovation for new products is equally important as the personal investments in stock markets. Managing/ borrowing loans to buy adjacent industrial gala, plot in backward area, constructing additional space is manageable in difficult times too, because they are tangibles, assets creation – may even NPA is willingly done. But, putting required (few %) money from current business profits for marketing, business development and branding of business – true, all non-tangibles, and the approach of SME owner is highly restrictive. When business is good, money goes to other tangible investments, and when business is not well, the big question, where is the liquid money to do marketing?

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