The Good Indian Employee's Guide To Surviving A Lala Company

Welcome to Lala Land

Here, Lalaji, the business owner, calls the shots. Here, every day is an event; every commitment may not really be a commitment; every promotion may not be a career ascent and every salary hike may not mean more money in your bank account. Lalaji's strategies are not based on the size of his business, its market share or the competition but often on the whims and guidance of sycophants, advisors and friends. For a 'good' employee, working in a Lala company is akin to swimming in crocodile infested waters-tread cautiously or become the next casualty. Drawing on his intimate study of several large and small family businesses, Rajiv Gupta provides a hilarious, no-holds-barred account of how things work in Indian family businesses. Here's a survival guide to help you navigate the tricky terrain of Lala Land.

Rajiv Gupta was born in a business family and is an alumnus of BITS Pilani, FMS Delhi, and Harvard Business School. In a career spanning thirty years, he has worked with both family-owned businesses and global multinational corporations. In his role as national head of sales, marketing and channel management across diverse industries, he appointed and worked closely with hundreds of dealers, each of which was a family run enterprise. The conversations at home, within his extended family, and with dealer- owners, exposed him to the world of family business intimately. He is passionate about the unfolding of human potential.