![The Biography of a Failed Venture cover art](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51gVSj11ZSL._SL500_.jpg)
The Biography of a Failed Venture
Decoding Success Secrets from the Blackbox of a Dead Start-Up
Failed to add items
Add to cart failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
![Prime logo](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/Homestead/Prime_Logo_RGB.png)
2 credits with free trial
Buy Now for ₹562.00
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Raja Sevak
-
Written by:
-
Prashant Desai
About this listen
The story of a truly Indian sports brand that could go places but failed
Prashant Desai was seven when he lost his father. Growing up in poverty, his single-minded focus was to become wealthy and successful. Ranking fourth on the all-India Cost and Works Accountants exam at the age of 21, joining the corporate world and working with leaders such as Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, Kishore Biyani and Jignesh Shah was a dream run that Prashant enjoyed, one that very few could even imagine and achieve.
In April 2017, Prashant Desai founded a venture to build the first truly Indian sports brand - D:FY. In six months, Rajiv Mehta, who started Puma India and led it for seven years, joined him as a partner. They opened 17 stores in seven cities, riding on great aspirations and confidence. The business lost Rs 30 crore in 30 months, virtually wiping out all that Prashant had earned for nearly 30 years. The venture failed not because Prashant did not possess the necessary vision, determination, and courage; it failed because the number of things Prashant did wrong exceeded the number of things he did right.
One could weep over the fuselage or decode the black box. So, when Prashant decided to decode it, new possibilities emerged, revealing a treasure trove of success secrets. The Biography of a Failed Venture provides a brutally honest account of why D:FY failed and how entrepreneurs can avoid these pitfalls to make their business ventures successful.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2021 Prashant Desai (P)2021 HarperCollins PublishersPeople who bought this also bought...
-
Xiaomi
- How a Startup Disrupted the Market and Created a Cult Following
- Written by: Jayadevan P.k.
- Narrated by: Vikrant Chaturvedi
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There may be no hotter company on the planet than Xiaomi. In less than a decade, the company has gone from being a Chinese start-up to a global player in the smartphone market. How did a small Chinese start-up become so big in a matter of years? How has it managed a cult following in such a short time period when a company like Apple took decades? What's the secret behind Xiaomi's success? Such are the answers this book will provide at length.
-
-
A really awesome narrative of Xiaomi"s Story
- By Yogesh on 18-08-22
-
The Maruti Story
- How a Public Sector Company Put India on Wheels
- Written by: Seetha, R.C. Bhargava
- Narrated by: Anuj Datta
- Length: 13 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The targets were stupendous and considered unachievable by almost everyone. Slightly over two years to find a suitable partner, finalize all legal documentation, get governmental approval to these agreements as well as to the investment proposals, build a factory, develop a supplier base to meet localization regulations, create a sales and service network, and develop and launch a peoples car that would sell 100,000 a year, in a sector where Indian expertise was limited.
-
-
PSU Done Right
- By Larry on 21-12-24
-
Rahul Bajaj Biography
- An Extraordinary Life
- Written by: Gita Piramal
- Narrated by: Mala Mangla
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rahul Bajaj is a billionaire businessman, the chairman emeritus of the Bajaj Group and a former member of Parliament. This book is not just the story of Rahul Bajaj but the story of India. The author takes us through the country's transformation from the time Rahul Bajaj's mother was imprisoned during the freedom struggle to the prism of his eventful life. Based on unrestricted interviews, the book is full of anecdotes, business learnings and political asides. It is, at its core, a moving human story.
-
-
One of the worst audible book
- By Abdulmoiz Khan on 26-12-24
-
The IndiGo Story
- Inside the Upstart that Redefined Indian Aviation
- Written by: Shelley Vishwajeet
- Narrated by: Radhakrishnan Iyer
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The IndiGo Story is a fascinating analysis of the manner in which an unknown entity entered the perilous Indian sky and became its undisputed leader both in terms of market share and profitability. Lucidly written and sharply argued, this book highlights the company’s formative years as a fearless start-up and its evolution into one of India’s most game-changing, profitable brands.
-
-
Looks like a Puff piece from Indigo PR
- By abhijit ranade on 01-06-19
-
Azim Premji
- The Man Beyond the Billions
- Written by: Sundeep Khanna, Varun Sood
- Narrated by: Darrpan Mehta
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Azim Premji: The Man Beyond the Billions, the first authoritative biography of the icon, shows how Premji is a philanthropist at heart and a businessman by choice - a man who wanted to give away his billions, but realized early enough that he would first have to earn them. It peels the layers off Premji's life while chronicling his professional and charitable work in the context of his many strengths and shortcomings.
-
-
wonderful book but more focused on later years
- By Himanshu Sharma on 18-06-21
-
The Ambuja Story
- How a Group of Ordinary Men Created an Extraordinary Company
- Written by: Narotam Sekhsaria
- Narrated by: Adwait Karambelkar
- Length: 13 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The year was 1983. A cotton trader, still in his early thirties, began to dream big. His aspiration was to become an 'industrialist'. The venture he was about to embark on was uncharted territory for him. He knew nothing about cement, limestone or anything remotely associated with it. In the era of Licence Raj, where everything from production to consumption was controlled by the government, Narotam Sekhsaria saw the huge potential in cement and its role in a growing nation.
-
-
Amazing storytelling!
- By Rajeev Gupta on 10-12-24
-
Xiaomi
- How a Startup Disrupted the Market and Created a Cult Following
- Written by: Jayadevan P.k.
- Narrated by: Vikrant Chaturvedi
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There may be no hotter company on the planet than Xiaomi. In less than a decade, the company has gone from being a Chinese start-up to a global player in the smartphone market. How did a small Chinese start-up become so big in a matter of years? How has it managed a cult following in such a short time period when a company like Apple took decades? What's the secret behind Xiaomi's success? Such are the answers this book will provide at length.
-
-
A really awesome narrative of Xiaomi"s Story
- By Yogesh on 18-08-22
-
The Maruti Story
- How a Public Sector Company Put India on Wheels
- Written by: Seetha, R.C. Bhargava
- Narrated by: Anuj Datta
- Length: 13 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The targets were stupendous and considered unachievable by almost everyone. Slightly over two years to find a suitable partner, finalize all legal documentation, get governmental approval to these agreements as well as to the investment proposals, build a factory, develop a supplier base to meet localization regulations, create a sales and service network, and develop and launch a peoples car that would sell 100,000 a year, in a sector where Indian expertise was limited.
-
-
PSU Done Right
- By Larry on 21-12-24
-
Rahul Bajaj Biography
- An Extraordinary Life
- Written by: Gita Piramal
- Narrated by: Mala Mangla
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rahul Bajaj is a billionaire businessman, the chairman emeritus of the Bajaj Group and a former member of Parliament. This book is not just the story of Rahul Bajaj but the story of India. The author takes us through the country's transformation from the time Rahul Bajaj's mother was imprisoned during the freedom struggle to the prism of his eventful life. Based on unrestricted interviews, the book is full of anecdotes, business learnings and political asides. It is, at its core, a moving human story.
-
-
One of the worst audible book
- By Abdulmoiz Khan on 26-12-24
-
The IndiGo Story
- Inside the Upstart that Redefined Indian Aviation
- Written by: Shelley Vishwajeet
- Narrated by: Radhakrishnan Iyer
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The IndiGo Story is a fascinating analysis of the manner in which an unknown entity entered the perilous Indian sky and became its undisputed leader both in terms of market share and profitability. Lucidly written and sharply argued, this book highlights the company’s formative years as a fearless start-up and its evolution into one of India’s most game-changing, profitable brands.
-
-
Looks like a Puff piece from Indigo PR
- By abhijit ranade on 01-06-19
-
Azim Premji
- The Man Beyond the Billions
- Written by: Sundeep Khanna, Varun Sood
- Narrated by: Darrpan Mehta
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Azim Premji: The Man Beyond the Billions, the first authoritative biography of the icon, shows how Premji is a philanthropist at heart and a businessman by choice - a man who wanted to give away his billions, but realized early enough that he would first have to earn them. It peels the layers off Premji's life while chronicling his professional and charitable work in the context of his many strengths and shortcomings.
-
-
wonderful book but more focused on later years
- By Himanshu Sharma on 18-06-21
-
The Ambuja Story
- How a Group of Ordinary Men Created an Extraordinary Company
- Written by: Narotam Sekhsaria
- Narrated by: Adwait Karambelkar
- Length: 13 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The year was 1983. A cotton trader, still in his early thirties, began to dream big. His aspiration was to become an 'industrialist'. The venture he was about to embark on was uncharted territory for him. He knew nothing about cement, limestone or anything remotely associated with it. In the era of Licence Raj, where everything from production to consumption was controlled by the government, Narotam Sekhsaria saw the huge potential in cement and its role in a growing nation.
-
-
Amazing storytelling!
- By Rajeev Gupta on 10-12-24
-
The Making of Hero
- Four Brothers, Two Wheels & a Revolution That Shaped India
- Written by: Sunil K. Munjal
- Narrated by: Rajiv Dadia
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Driven by family values and Indian ethos, yet wholly contemporary and pioneering in their thinking and best practices, Hero firms today are renowned for putting mutually beneficial relationships at the very core of their business philosophy. The book goes deep inside the 'family spirit' that brought employees, customers, channel partners, suppliers and local communities together to create success, welfare and well-being for millions over the past seven decades. A rare story that proves how a principle-driven organization can create exceptional value for society.
-
-
Offers good insights into how the group started
- By Tarun on 24-12-20
-
Bhujia Barons
- Written by: Pavitra Kumar
- Narrated by: Neha Gargava
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the early 20th century, young Ganga Bhishan Agarwal, aka Haldiram, gained a reputation for making the best bhujia in town. Fast-forward a century and the Haldiram’s empire has a revenue much greater than that of McDonald’s and Domino’s combined. In Bhujia Barons, Pavitra Kumar manages to tell the riveting story of the Agarwal family in its entirety - a feat never managed before. It begins in dusty, benign Bikaner and traces the rise and rise of this homegrown brand which is one of the most recognized Indian brands in the world.
-
-
Linear, no BS storytelling
- By Oindreela Ghosh on 12-03-22
-
Titan
- Inside India's Most Successful Consumer Brand
- Written by: Vinay Kamath
- Narrated by: Avinash Kumar Singh
- Length: 7 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Titan Company Limited launched its quartz watches some 30 years ago, the founders - a merry bunch of Tata employees who started out simply wanting 'to do something different' - could not have foreseen just how completely they would capture the imagination of Indian consumers in the post-liberalization era of the 1990s. This audiobook takes listeners from boardrooms to back rooms to reveal how a quintessential Indian brand from the house of the Tatas, not known till then for its success in the consumer goods market, reached such remarkable heights.
-
-
Story of a Successful Company
- By RAVI SHANKAR on 14-08-23
-
TCS Story...and Beyond
- Written by: S. Ramadorai
- Narrated by: Shahzad Bhiwandiwala
- Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 2003, Tata Consultancy Services set itself a mission: "Top Ten by 2010". In 2009, a year ahead of schedule, TCS made good on that promise; in 14 years, the company had transformed itself from the $155 million operation that S. Ramadorai inherited as CEO in 1996. Today it is one of the world’s largest IT software and services companies with more than 240,000 people working in 42 countries, and annual revenues of over $10 billion. In this fascinating book, S. Ramadorai, one of the country’s most respected business leaders, recounts the steps to that extraordinary success.
-
-
A Tedious Read That Falls Flat
- By Kindle Customer on 19-07-23
-
Harsh Realities
- The Making of Marico
- Written by: Harsh Mariwala, Ram Charan
- Narrated by: Shernaz Patel
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Breaking away from the shackles of family-run Bombay Oils Industries Ltd, Harsh Mariwala founded Marico in 1987. Today, the homegrown Marico is a leading international FMCG giant which recorded an annual turnover of over Rs 8000 crore last year. Their products, like Parachute, Nihar Naturals, Saffola, Set Wet, Livon and Mediker, are market leaders in their categories.
-
-
Corporate presentation!!!!
- By Mayank Agrawal on 05-08-23
-
I Too Had a Dream
- Written by: Kurien
- Narrated by: Chaturvedi
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Architect of "Operation Flood", the largest dairy development program in the world, Dr. Verghese Kurien has enabled India to become the largest milk producer in the world. A man with a rare vision, Dr. Kurien has devoted a lifetime to realizing his dream - empowering the farmers of India. He has engineered the milk cooperative movement in India. It was a sheer quirk of fate that landed him in Anand, where a small group of farmers were forming a cooperative, Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union Limited (better known as Amul), to sell their milk.
-
-
Milk Man of India
- By Aneesh Sharma on 10-12-23
What listeners say about The Biography of a Failed Venture
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Phani Bhushan
- 07-01-22
Reference book for many startups
Very nicely crafted and an eye-opener for overconfident entrepreneur who fail to see assumptions from wide lenses.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Rajesh Solanki
- 22-02-23
Straight from the heart
I want to thank the author for having the courage to share his journey. We should all talk more about failures. Things fail. You don’t .
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anki
- 09-12-21
A must listen! Kudos to PD for penning this down
Beautiful narrated story with important lessons for people hoping to hop the entrepreneurial journey
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Abhinav Anand
- 07-02-22
Brutally honest yet Insightful
Being myself an ex entrepreneur who shut down shop and found a second inning in professional life I used to think maybe I was alone but this book gave me company. The mistakes Prashant talks about in this book should be looked at as case studies by all budding entrepreneurs. Prashant found a second inning and did well in it just like me. Kudos to the author for coming out and highlighting his journey in this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Deepanshu jindal
- 14-04-22
One of the best book for entrepreneurs.
A phenomenal book, it expose human tendency to get rich quick and realization on what truly it takes to create a successful business.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- dhaval kothawala
- 14-02-25
very honest
a great book straight from the heart. a lot of lessons to learn.. kudos to the honesty of the author..
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- B S Gupta
- 03-01-22
Worth including in curriculum of business schools
A very good book,a must read for would be entrepreneurs.
Nicely written and excellently narrated.
Everyone has something to learn from this real life story of a failed start up!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Puneet Kumar
- 04-07-22
Prashant's Biography - Bollywood Mega Blockbuster
Loved how the story is narrated and got so engrossed with it that finished it in flat one day
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Shruti Sharma
- 18-09-22
little hurried at the end
I loved it. Great insight for budding entrepreneurs. Performance is top notch by Raja Sevak. Story telling is great from the start. It became little hurried by the end. A little bit more explanation needed for why and how at the end.
Recommended!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- goutham
- 19-01-22
Information Goldmine
Honest and ernest. Thank you for sharing invaluable knowledge and wealth of information. Excellent book to read for any budding entrepreneur or a business owner.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!