Who is Akhil Shahani?

Hi, I’m a serial entrepreneur and I want to help you succeed!

Over the years I’ve had spectacular business success and even more spectacular failures. I’ve learned many business lessons the hard way and I realized that the entrepreneur who works smart is often more successful than the entrepreneur who just works hard.

I've created SmartEntrepreneur.Net to help you become one of the world’s smart and successful business leaders.

I Was Greatly Influenced By This Old Parable as a child:

There was a Saint who had a vision about what it was like in Hell and Heaven.

In Hell he saw a huge table laden with food in the center. Surrounding the table were starving people who all had very long forks attached to the ends of their arms. They could stab the food, but the forks were too long for them to put the food in their mouths. They were all screaming in frustration as they tried to eat the food that they longed for.

In Heaven, the saint saw the exact same table laden with food and people with the long forks at the ends of their arms. However, here the people were all smiling and enjoying the food. What they were doing was stabbing the food and putting it in EACH OTHER’s mouths!

The moral of the story is that our heaven and hell is right here on earth, how much we want to help others and be helped in return is what makes the difference!

Dr. Peter Senge (author of ‘The Fifth Discipline’) once called me a Pragmatic Idealist. I am a serial entrepreneur and love to get involved in enterprises that truly add value to society.

According to my Temprament Profile, I am a Rational-Inventor (ENTP). Supposedly we are quite scarce (less than 2% of the general population). Here’s an intro quote from Advisor Team’s Site about our type:

“There aren’t many Inventors, but your type has a great impact on people’s everyday lives. This is true because of your innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. These traits make certain that you’re always eyeing new projects, enterprises, and processes, and looking for better ways to do things.”

Don’t know about the impact I make, but I AM always looking for new people and projects to get involved with!

I have a huge off line network (both in India and around the world). I would be happy to connect you with anyone I know from:

• Alumni of the Kellogg Graduate School of Management. I was in the class of 1994.
• The American Alumni Association. I am the Past President
• The Rotary Club. I am Past President of The Rotary Club of Bombay Midtown. One of India’s oldest and largest Rotary Clubs
• Confederation of Indian Industry. This is India’s premier industry association. I have served on various committees.
• Indian Merchants Chamber. A 100 year old Chamber of Commerce. I have served on various committees.
• Priyadarshni Academy. This organization gives awards to international luminaries who have contributed to society. I have served on the Global Awards Committee.
• BNI (Business Networking International). I was part of the leadership team of India’s first BNI chapter.
• Am also a member of the Young Entrepreneur’s Organization, FORTUNE Business Leaders Council, Indo-American Chamber of Commerce and Indian Institute of Management Consultants.

Other Stuff About Me:

• I am listed in “Asia’s Whos Who - Men and Women of Achievement”
• Was awarded the “Bharat Shiromani Award” for excellence and contribution to society. This award has also been given to Mother Teresa, The Dalai Lama & Sachin Tendulkar among others.
• Have received the "Bharat Gaurav Award" for contribution to Indian Entrepreneurship
• Was also selected as ‘India’s Man of The Year’ By The American Biographical Institute along with various other awards.
• I am a 'Certified Management Consultant' from the International Institute of Management Consulting.
• I teach a class on Knowledge Management in a local college here in Mumbai
• I have been profiled in various newspapers and magazines in India including ‘Business India’ , ‘The Times of India’, ‘The Economic Times’ & ‘Express Computers’.
• Have appeared in various TV and Radio shows
• I am a regular contributor to XL Magazine (Singapore) and Business Today Magazine (Malaysia)

Would just like to leave you with a thought: Mahatma Gandhi, Bill Gates and Richard Branson had exactly the same 24 hours every day as you do!