Gambler is an individual who has so much good to be talked about. He believes in luck even when he is running out of money as he rolls out the dice and call numbers at the gambling table. A gambler is the best example for perseverance. In a completely different atmosphere, he might have been an entrepreneur.

What is common in gambler and entrepreneur?

There are many similarities between a gambler and an entrepreneur. Both belong to the same category which understands what the consumer wants even before the consumer knows it. Both of them share the same gene and this is the reason behind the similarity. The gene is known as DRD2 among the researchers. The peculiarity of this gene is a receptor of dopamine, the brain chemical that stimulates a rush of pleasure from taking risks.

The case of K.A. Srinivasan who founded two companies

It seems that K.A. Srinivasan has this gene in abundance. He is the founder of two companies, which are pioneers of the kind. Impulse Soft Pvt, Ltd, which he co-founded in 1999, was among the first firms to establish IP and platforms while the technology was standardized. The story of Srinivasan becoming an entrepreneur is adventurous. It was one of his friend who wanted to start a company and in the end he ended up as an entrepreneur.

He wanted to keep life interesting

Before launching the first company, Srinivasan was working with IDeaS Incorporated in the United States. IDeaS were his second employer. At the time he was single and money was not a concern for him.  All he wanted was to keep life interesting. They had so much to learn and nothing to lose.

The attempts

Srinivasan and his friends tried different products, which includes a blood bank system that would inform the donors via pager if a need come up. But it could not find a sizable market. Following this they tried few other products before they landed on Bluetooth. And they sticked to it as enquiries built up. After 7 years, in January 2006, SiRF Technology Holdings based in San Jose bought Impulsesoft for USD 15 million.

To correct the mistakes they did the first time

Srinivasan and his friends wanted to put to use the learning and the money they have earned from their first venture. A few years after selling their first company, Srinivasan along with his friends started to plan about setting about another company. They were set out to correct all the mistakes they had committed in their first venture. So they actually put forward certain criteria that would describe their firm. They wanted to set up a firm which would be disruptive, that would transform the way industry behave; scalable; with focus on India; and would be fun.

Srinivasan doesn’t believe that entrepreneurs are designed by nature. He says that he never planned to become an entrepreneur, but gradually turned into one.

The role of the gene

The DRD2 gene variant, which is widespread in compulsive gamblers, is more likely to drive individuals with more of it to involve in entrepreneurial activity. This is because of the particular gene code that raises the pleasure that is obtained from taking risk. There are other set of genes that triggers extroversion or create a tendency to look for favorable conditions for entrepreneurship.  Researchers say that gamblers were almost close, but they do not have the complete right combination of the genetic code.

48 per cent influenced by genetic factors

A study conducted in this direction has found that 48 per cent of drive towards entrepreneurship is influenced by genetic factors, or put in straight terms, can be inherited. It observes that genetic factors induce the inclination to become an entrepreneur. However it does not mean that the only basis of entrepreneurship is the genes.

This theory cannot explain the case of Dhirubhai Ambani- the son of school teacher and a housewife orSteve Jobs- the son of an academic who later worked in the hospitality sector and a speech therapist- who turned out to be businessmen as the world knows them today. What made them successful was the passion in them, their determination and the ability to find out opportunities and take risk. Even Srinivasan do not have an entrepreneurial legacy. He was the son of a state government employee and a housewife.

Srinivasan says that he has an illogical sense of optimism, which makes him to count on an idea and make it work and the ability to take risk.  He added that he has started to trust his instincts.

Risk taking cannot be learned

According to Sunil Krishnan, risk taking is very crucial to an entrepreneur and that one has to be born with it. Sunil was a corporate employee until he became a co-founder of Confident Group few years ago. He is of the opinion that you can learn but finally will land up in making alleviating plans, on the other hand the one who is born with it will stick to plan A and make it work. Sunil says that certain abilities are innate and such abilities include quick decision making ability, the ability to take risk, vision and lateral thinking. But it does not mean that the most blessed entrepreneur will have all the above said abilities.

Entrepreneurship can be learned

It is evident that the art of entrepreneurship can be learnt. The leading business schools across the globe that produce considerable number of mangers have been providing entrepreneurial programmes over years. Those might be out of date.

Risk taking cannot be considered as a major concern as the easy pool of knowledge and networks that are available today will help in working out the odds associated. Participants can be taught to manage uncertainties, take decision under pressure and thus make decisions come through.  This is what is provided to second generation entrepreneurs; a nesting at home in the art of business. However the ability to take risk seems to be inherent.