WZCC: looking outward

"How do we get recognition internationally?” was one of the main issues addressed at the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce (WZCC) annual general meeting (AGM) at the auditorium of Ruby Hall Clinic in Poona on January 13, 2008. The other question was "Who are WZCC members and who are not?” Also on the anvil was the WZCC’s diffused focus as business people seeking to expand their enterprise, looking for funds and solutions to problems differed from professionals with an accent on mentoring and networking. A third group attends for socializing and bonhomie, noted Poona Chapter chair Adi Engineer, former managing director of Tata Power, enunciating the need to pinpoint areas of growth for the organization.

The minutes approved, WZCC International president Bomy Boyce thanked technical director Yazdi Tantra who had used "the magic of the web to make it possible for us to talk to everybody.” But Boyce accepted too the need for restraint so as "not to overwhelm people with communications.” He urged the gathered delegates to aim at increasing membership as "the membership fee is the oil in the engine of the WZCC, to create the kind of organization visualized when it started.” The WZCC sees itself as an organization to promote the economic prosperity and wellbeing of the Zarathushti community.

L to R (alongside): Minoo Shroff, Dr Keki Grant, Homai Engineer, Edil Katrak; (Below left) Phil Madon, Khodayar Attaie, Firdosh Mehta, Shernaz Engineer, Rustom Engineer, Yazdi Tantra; (Below right) Rustom Kevala, Bomi Bhote, Adi Engineer; (Bottom left) Zareen Karani Araoz, Kersi Limathwalla, Bomy Boyce, Zarine Commissariat, Rohinton Rivetna; (Bottom right) The AGM in session

Advocating interrelation with other chambers of commerce, consulates and banks in areas where chapters exist, Boyce noted he was appalled when he tried to do something with the Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce and they turned round and asked him "Who are you?” He suggested the holding of talent events to showcase the talent within the community and invite people from other organizations to review/evaluate the items on offer. "Expose them to what we can do…try and get more acceptable. Indian consulates know about Maharashtrians, south Indians. But we do not contribute to their activities, they are not interested in us. Each member can become an ambassador…and give feedback,” Boyce urged the gathered delegates. Reiterating the wealth of professionals in the community, he also referred to a computer programmer in Boston who has succeeded in eliminating substantial time from the studies required before the launch of new pharmaceutical products.

Taking her cue from Boyce WZCC’s international director for global and external relations Zareen Karani Araoz sought to address the questions "Why WZCC? What can it do for you?” Emphasizing the global networking and support provided by the organization to each one working in his own cubbyhole, she urged all those who had not done so already to send a blank e-mail to zchamber-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and follow it up with a message to zchamber@yahoo groups.com. Once lin­ked in, the member can expect to access other Zara­thushti professional groups connected with the WZCC, she noted, even as she urged the audience, "when in the WZCC spirit, to ask ‘What do you do? What can you do?’ to reach out and help somebody else, like our forefathers did.”

Above: Benediction before discussions inset: Audience concentration

The next AGM is likely to be held in Houston. Member of the international board of the WZCC Rustom Engineer who hails from Houston recommended its salubrious winter season as also the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Zoroastrian Association of Houston’s community center. "It is the perfect opportunity to join the community in Houston. We’ll arrange home stays for every one from overseas.” It was noted that the Dallas chapter would join in the hosting. "If you don’t like Houston you can come to Dallas,” quipped fellow board member Firdosh Mehta mischievously in a bid to ruffle friend Engineer.

UK director Shernaz Engineer, founder and chief executive officer of Verity Recruitment Group who has made waves in London’s commercial circles, spoke of the three to four events per year they have been organizing. Outstanding among them were a workshop on how to attain your goal, a career clinic at Lloyds Bank and how to climb the corporate ladder, the last being held at Cyrus Toddywalla’s Café Spice Namaste. A session on transforming executive performance in the knowledge based industry was another hit. "This year we hope to be a corporate member of the London Chamber of Commerce,” she noted and briefly referred to a plan to host inspirational speakers in the course of the year, recording the events on video for distribution to other chapters. The idea found instant appeal with Boyce who urged all chapters to follow her lead.

International vice president Kersi Limathwalla hoped the interactive session that was to follow would help take the organization forward. "The organization belongs to its members. We need new ideas, more participation in chapter management. Try to spread your tentacles, consider setting up chapters where none exist. (There is) also the concept of area representatives. Liaise with a chapter close by or with the India chapter,” Limathwalla’s message was aimed as much to members as to non-members attending the meet.

An industry-wise group discussion in progress

Interactive session

Flagging off the interactive session Adi Engineer recommended self criticism, introspection, a "focus on what’s not so nice.” Noting that the WZCC was meant to be a "growth engine,” Engineer asked, "Are we progressing at all?” Not fast enough, not clear enough, there are insufficient funds for start-ups, he declared, adding, "Are we only a well-meaning social group?” According to him the entrepreneurial mindset generally occurs early in life. People say "‘bau risky chhè (It is very risky)!’ but risk is an essential part of entrepreneurship.” He wished the group to take the initiative to identify start-ups, provide mentoring, enunciate clear criteria for worthwhile ventures, help create bankable plans, monitor the progress of nascent entrepreneurs. For on-going businesses the organization needs to provide networking for expansion, also connection with smaller enterprises for outsourcing purposes and a means of measuring achievements against targets. "Have clear, quantified targets per chapter,” he advised.

"We are not really a chamber of commerce. Our aim is the prosperity of the Zarathushti community through commerce and enterprise. The attitude of commercial success is necessary,” argued Mehta.

Dr Arnavaz Havevala, a dentist by profession, suggested the shooting of a small film to outline WZCC activities to show what people can gain by joining the body. Yasmin Kevala who began her career as a secretary and went on to be a financial planner and a realtor felt the aim should be to mentor so that people can try their hand at business. To Dadi Mistry of Delhi, mentoring meant pointing the fledgling entrepreneur in the direction of available finance.

Author and publisher Marzban Giara turned the attention of the gathering towards the WZCC mouthpiece Synergyz: how many members receive it? he wondered. Bombay chapter chair Edil Katrak said the magazine was made available to members at WZCC meetings but many members have not paid their dues. "We need to streamline the system,” he noted. It was agreed that a copy of each issue of Synergyz should reach every fee paying member though it was left to each chapter to decide the mode of delivery.

Stressing the need for family support to a budding businessman, all-India secretary Farrokh Rustomji suggested the need for dialog with the family so that the worries of parents are addressed. He also recommended a directory of members so that individuals can connect with each other at will.

Rustom Engineer felt that though the concept of franchising was new to India, it was "the easiest way to get into business. You are only building on others’ experience.” Rustom Kevala, president of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) urged the focus to be on the outside world, the aim being to make the small Zarathushti community better known. Prof Faredoon Kapadia of Atassh Consultants felt the need for introspection among the members coupled with the need to catch the youth at an impressionable age. "Parental counseling is very important,” he noted as he had walked into the WZCC as one of the "others” and had only gradually recognized its potential for the growth of the younger generation.

Viraf Deboo of Poona who is into manufacturing and wants to expand beyond India, wanted a mechanism to connect with relevant chapters abroad. His request led to a discussion of the WZCC website (zchamber@yahoogroups.com) and the availability of a directory of members available to all those whose dues are paid up. Maintained by Tantra, it was reported that not enough use was made of the services available: "The tragedy is that everything is underuti­lized.”

But to Ferzin Irani of Sholapur who is into software business "this meeting (was ) like a dream.” With a very small firm which works to optimize product design, Irani was happy to meet so many young professionals and recommended that the WZCC message should percolate to more youths via their anjumans. Into software with 180 employees, Umeed Kothavala toyed with the partnership opportunities available through the WZCC. Manpower, finance and resource limitation were uppermost on their minds. Some anjumans have monthly meets for unmarried youths between the ages of 18 and 35. What about those who are married? was the next query.

Darayus Kabraji of Penguin Holidays specializes in arranging school picnics, adventure camps, educational tours, field trips and conferences. His two unique heritage coaches which he had acquired in Hyderabad were an added attraction. In fact, they had been deployed to ferry the WZCC delegates from Bombay to Poona and back. Wanting to enter the resort business, Kabraji is finding finance a problem.

His logistics business includes the transportation of sugar as well as boiler machineries but Adil Kotwal was interested in creating apprenticeship opportunities within the WZCC for young teenaged boys who are interested in getting into the nitty-gritties of the business world. The idea stemmed from his own 16-year-old son who cannot get employment in India where stringent new laws prevent the employment of the under-18 on the factory floor and wondered if there was a way to tap the youthful enthusiasm without falling foul of the law.

Cyrus Engineer, a part of the Industrial Boilers family and the new chapter chair for Delhi, recalled his struggle to build a marketing enterprise. What guided him, he said is the underlying philosophy of humata, hukata, huvrashta (good thoughts, words and deeds): "Every spoken word is our commitment; the customer’s development marks our growth, we need to exceed his expectations.” "That underpins all business,” concurred Adi Engineer.

Sam Pollard wanted to capitalize on a recent statement by Ratan Tata seeking five to six enterprises to assemble his one lakh rupee car, the Nano. "Why don’t we pick up the project?” he ventured. But Adi Engineer reminded the gathering that public limited companies cannot be the preserve of any one community. "What are our prequalifications for assembling cars? You must have the ability to deliver what you aspire to deliver.”

Terming the foregoing discussions as "generic — at the macro level,” Limathwalla urged the gathering to "get down to the micro level to be more effective. Chapters feel they are doing a lot but not getting the desired response. Members at large feel they are not getting what they are looking for. What do we need to do?... Each region has specific needs and requirement e.g. the US/UK requirements may be different from what we need in India. Let the discussions be regionwise.”

Mehta said he was looking for a professionally created presentation on how to be a good entrepreneur’s spouse: "Many an entrepreneur has not succeeded for lack of domestic support.” He also referred to the youth leadership program which has been conceived as a legacy project of the Ninth World Zoroastrian Congress scheduled to be held in Dubai in 2009. An award has been instituted at the Congress for the best project in community or business leadership (an essay of 600 words), he noted. Homai Mehta, director of the J. J. College of Commerce who is involved with the project from India, said she wanted to project other Indian towns as Bombay is always in the limelight.

The last day for submission of entries is March 31, 2008, she noted.

The delegates separated to attend group discussions on information technology (IT), manufacturing, finance and services. After the discussions a member from each group provided the feedback.

Top: The Ruby Hall Clinic. Above: Penguin Holidays’ vintage coach

Kothavala presented the report on the six or seven IT participants who discussed their needs in relation to customers in India and abroad, the production and development of software and the impact of international companies coming to India. Sharing a common cultural background and values and trying to provide affordable and cost effective service, they were also looking for growth. The impediments they all shared was the lack of institutionalizing of the small company structure and hence ineffectiveness in getting certain things done. They also felt that they were weakest on the business and financial fronts. "There is an obvious gap between what we can do and what we don’t know how to do,” he noted.

On the manufacturing side Mehta had boiler makers, publishers and food item producers as participants. There were also people involved in paper and textile materials, manufacturers of small items for promotional material and corporate gifts and a chocolatier. They found that marketing in the US and around the world was particularly difficult and a soft drinks distributor referred to "Fortress Europe.” Expansion needs and outsourcing were other preoccupations.

The services represented were education, consultancy, logistics, hospitality and miscellaneous. They sought information and networking to connect with the right person at the right time. Education in business management, counseling and networking were a felt need. As for the financial sector, Kersi Commissariat noted that the booming stock market and real estate in India had propelled many into the sector.

While Mistry held that bankers were still partial towards Parsis and also promised extension websites to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Boyce emphasized the importance of communication and noted that Darius Karani was wanting to hold a youth business conference for which about 20 youths were interested. Kevala spoke of the 20-year-old FEZANA’s newly set up office and the intention to set up a library. Poona’s Rustom Ank­lesaria brought the session to an end with a sing-song vote of thanks to WZCC.