Reality show discovers the unconventional

While traveling in an auto-rickshaw on a hot afternoon four years ago, Irfan Alam felt thirsty and asked the rickshaw driver for water. The rickshaw driver refused. Irfan who was then studying for his graduation in his hometown Begusarai in Bihar, thought of a business idea. No progress was made though. It remained just an idea.

Irfan went on to do his MBA in foreign trade from Pondichery University. Soon after he finished his MBA a chance to participate in a reality show came his way. The show was Business Baazigar, which offered an opportunity to the common man to translate his/her business idea into reality. The show started with 250 participants who were eventually scaled down to 50 and then to 20. They were put through grueling tasks to prove their business acumen.

Finally Irfan Alam became Zee's first Business Baazigar and will get funding to turn his business idea into reality. In fact, Irfan was a surprise wild card entry into the final. During the event the jury comprising Subhash Chandra, Chairman, Zee Telefilms, Mahesh Murthy, CEO, Passionfunds, and Prof. Anil Gupta from IIM-Ahmedabad, had declared three contestants as Mini Baazigars. Irfan was one of them with assured funding of Rs. 20 lakh for his business venture.

But at the pre-final level the three Mini Baazigars were given an opportunity to re-enter the contest for the Business Baazigar title by forfeiting their funding amount. "I accepted the challenge," says Irfan who beat his two co-finalists, Puneet and Ali Ismail, to become Zee's Business Baazigar and his business venture will get funding to the tune of Rs 80 lakhs.

But it wasn't an easy journey. "The tasks assigned at every stage were grueling and required lot of business acumen to make it to the next round. Like the survival task where each of the 14 participants was given a Re 1 coin to earn a living for 24 hours in Mumbai. I sold tea, washed taxis, worked as a salesman in Fashion Street and sold laptops on commission basis," he reveals.

Called SammaaN, the idea behind the venture is to organise the unorganised micro rickshaw-pulling sector into a profitable venture. "It is nothing but venture capital funding done through a reality show. The venture capitalists will hold equity stake in the project," says Irfan who is all set to launch his dream project in eight north Indian cities that include Agra, Meerut, Chandigarh, Varanasi, Patna, Lucknow and Delhi-Noida.  

He has already struck deals with two corporate sponsors for 500 vehicles. Rickshaw ride with SammaaN is more of a joyride that takes care of the comfort of both rickshaw-pullers as well as the passengers. Passengers can read free newspapers, magazines, enjoy music in their comfortable seats. The best part is that both the rickshaw pullers as well as the passengers are insured. The revenue part is taken care of by selling spaces on vehicles for advertising and brand promotion.

"It is the main source of revenue," says Alam. "There are some other value added services such as selling of mineral water and packaged fruit juices. A part of the profit generated through selling of mineral water and juices will go to the rickshaw pullers, which is over and above their regular income."