‘Our company conducts free football coaching camps all over the world. Our objective is to bring the football lovers community under one social networking platform’s umbrella. We aim to become the Google cum Facebook for football lovers and the single window resource for football needs.’– Debasish Roy, CEO, Royalle Corporation
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| Debasish Roy, CEO, Royalle Corporation |
ST: Please tell us more about your organization.
Debasish Roy: From day
one, we were focused on creating a global business leader on the lines of
Google, Facebook, Wal-Mart, Intel, Coca-Cola, Logitech, Fujitsu, SONY, Toyota,
Lufthansa, SAP, Panasonic etc. Moreover, we want to create a company for our
customers and for our employees and not a hyped bubble for an exit option.
one, we were focused on creating a global business leader on the lines of
Google, Facebook, Wal-Mart, Intel, Coca-Cola, Logitech, Fujitsu, SONY, Toyota,
Lufthansa, SAP, Panasonic etc. Moreover, we want to create a company for our
customers and for our employees and not a hyped bubble for an exit option.
Today, we
are very small and we have a long way to go but we have taken pains to put in
place the systems and processes of a large quality driven company on a very
small scale right from the beginning for our company.
are very small and we have a long way to go but we have taken pains to put in
place the systems and processes of a large quality driven company on a very
small scale right from the beginning for our company.
We are
Royalle Community Networks Private Limited. We operate under the brand name
Royalle Corporation. Our company works on quite a few projects. Our flagship
project is called MAGIC OF FOOTBALL. The online social platform is at www.magicoffootball.com
Royalle Community Networks Private Limited. We operate under the brand name
Royalle Corporation. Our company works on quite a few projects. Our flagship
project is called MAGIC OF FOOTBALL. The online social platform is at www.magicoffootball.com
Our company
conducts free football coaching camps all over the world. Our objective is to
bring the football lovers community under one social networking platform’s
umbrella. We aim to become the Google cum Facebook for football lovers and the
single window resource for football needs.
conducts free football coaching camps all over the world. Our objective is to
bring the football lovers community under one social networking platform’s
umbrella. We aim to become the Google cum Facebook for football lovers and the
single window resource for football needs.
What does
that make us? Maybe the Foogle or the Footbook of the offline cum online world.
We also consciously tried to create an organisation which was not 100 per cent
digital. A purely online organisation is easy to replicate and compete with.
Such an organisation also requires massive amounts for advertising. On the
other hand, a brick and mortar organisation is built upon on ground goodwill
which is impossible to break into.
that make us? Maybe the Foogle or the Footbook of the offline cum online world.
We also consciously tried to create an organisation which was not 100 per cent
digital. A purely online organisation is easy to replicate and compete with.
Such an organisation also requires massive amounts for advertising. On the
other hand, a brick and mortar organisation is built upon on ground goodwill
which is impossible to break into.
As a
result, we are today slowly transferring our offline goodwill all over the
world into an online organisation. This way we cannot have a large competitor
throw a few million and replicate our business model. That is not possible.
result, we are today slowly transferring our offline goodwill all over the
world into an online organisation. This way we cannot have a large competitor
throw a few million and replicate our business model. That is not possible.
Our company
is also into other business models such as www.freesewa.com, Home Stay
Register, Urban Thirst and Jugni which are work in progress.
is also into other business models such as www.freesewa.com, Home Stay
Register, Urban Thirst and Jugni which are work in progress.
ST: What was your idea behind starting
up a new venture?
up a new venture?
Debasish Roy: MAGIC OF
FOOTBALL DOT COM was born out of serendipity. I was sitting under a tree and
apples were falling on my head when an idea struck me.
FOOTBALL DOT COM was born out of serendipity. I was sitting under a tree and
apples were falling on my head when an idea struck me.
It so
happened that being a Bengali I have many friends who are avid football
players. They hail from all parts of India and spend a lot of time on the
football field. I don’t play but I like their company. I usually sit beside the
ground and enjoy the excitement around me. I noticed that there was a lot of
bonhomie on the field and there was no class difference. Everybody mixed with
others as equals.
happened that being a Bengali I have many friends who are avid football
players. They hail from all parts of India and spend a lot of time on the
football field. I don’t play but I like their company. I usually sit beside the
ground and enjoy the excitement around me. I noticed that there was a lot of
bonhomie on the field and there was no class difference. Everybody mixed with
others as equals.
The CEO of
the company (a European airline) was the goal keeper and the store keeper of
the same company was the defender. I saw the store keeper blasting off the goal
keeper for not saving a goal despite the store keeper doing everything to
defend the side. The funny part was that the goal keeper was taking it all in
tamely. He knew he was at fault. I realised on the football field these men are
just friends and not boss and subordinate.
the company (a European airline) was the goal keeper and the store keeper of
the same company was the defender. I saw the store keeper blasting off the goal
keeper for not saving a goal despite the store keeper doing everything to
defend the side. The funny part was that the goal keeper was taking it all in
tamely. He knew he was at fault. I realised on the football field these men are
just friends and not boss and subordinate.
I found
this kind of behaviour repeated every now and then across the world wherever I
came across people playing football for a hobby. I also noticed football lovers
share a trust which runs into each other’s families.
this kind of behaviour repeated every now and then across the world wherever I
came across people playing football for a hobby. I also noticed football lovers
share a trust which runs into each other’s families.
I started
thinking and found football to be played in 208 countries (more than the
membership of the United Nations) while competitor sports such as tennis,
cricket and ice hockey were only good in at best 15 countries.
thinking and found football to be played in 208 countries (more than the
membership of the United Nations) while competitor sports such as tennis,
cricket and ice hockey were only good in at best 15 countries.
It was
clear. Football was way ahead of other sports and was a ready market to be
tapped into if only someone created a common link between football loving
communities across the world.
clear. Football was way ahead of other sports and was a ready market to be
tapped into if only someone created a common link between football loving
communities across the world.
I noticed
FIFA’s knowledge base was equally revered across the world and the love for
hobby football or even professional football was equal across the world. We
kept these two elements common and introduced free coaching camps across the
world of very high quality.
FIFA’s knowledge base was equally revered across the world and the love for
hobby football or even professional football was equal across the world. We
kept these two elements common and introduced free coaching camps across the
world of very high quality.
The participants
could not just walk in but had to register online. After that they would be
coached throughout the day and then receive a free set of jersey and shorts
with running shoes and one football. They would also get a meal from one of the
best caterers in town and then dropped to a central location.
could not just walk in but had to register online. After that they would be
coached throughout the day and then receive a free set of jersey and shorts
with running shoes and one football. They would also get a meal from one of the
best caterers in town and then dropped to a central location.
We also
hire celebrities to come and encourage participants to take up football as a
profession. This becomes an additional feather in the cap for our coaching
camps.
hire celebrities to come and encourage participants to take up football as a
profession. This becomes an additional feather in the cap for our coaching
camps.
We do not
conduct tournaments and matches because there are many people who do so and
earn a living. We do not want to compete against these people who exist in
every small town and metropolis. Rather, we want them to register individually
and host their tournaments through our online portal. That way MAGIC OF
FOOTBALL DOT COM will become the single stop resource for football in the
world.
conduct tournaments and matches because there are many people who do so and
earn a living. We do not want to compete against these people who exist in
every small town and metropolis. Rather, we want them to register individually
and host their tournaments through our online portal. That way MAGIC OF
FOOTBALL DOT COM will become the single stop resource for football in the
world.
We began in
2005. Today we have conducted coaching camps in 36 cities in India and 14
cities abroad.
2005. Today we have conducted coaching camps in 36 cities in India and 14
cities abroad.
ST: What business opportunities do you see in India
particularly in your sector?
particularly in your sector?
Debasish Roy: We believe
we can take over the world with football. Penetration into the lives of people
in small towns is inevitable. Incidentally, we shall start schemes where
participants can come and collect sponsored gifts after they play. They could
come and after playing 11 matches conducted by clubs germinated with the
encouragement of MAGIC OF FOOTBAL DOT COM and take home a music system. They
could play 25 matches and take home a Tata Nano. They could play 125 matches
and own a one bedroom apartment.
we can take over the world with football. Penetration into the lives of people
in small towns is inevitable. Incidentally, we shall start schemes where
participants can come and collect sponsored gifts after they play. They could
come and after playing 11 matches conducted by clubs germinated with the
encouragement of MAGIC OF FOOTBAL DOT COM and take home a music system. They
could play 25 matches and take home a Tata Nano. They could play 125 matches
and own a one bedroom apartment.
We want a
global footprint. We were never India specific from the beginning. We want
people from Tokyo to register and fly down after booking their tickets online
on our portal for a match in South Korea or the same thing to happen between
London and Dublin.
global footprint. We were never India specific from the beginning. We want
people from Tokyo to register and fly down after booking their tickets online
on our portal for a match in South Korea or the same thing to happen between
London and Dublin.
We have
seven revenue streams and we see them growing as we grow bigger. We broke even
long back. So we are not one of those over hyped start-ups which need $100
million just to advertise.
seven revenue streams and we see them growing as we grow bigger. We broke even
long back. So we are not one of those over hyped start-ups which need $100
million just to advertise.
ST: How has been your entrepreneurship journey so
far?
far?
Debasish Roy: Our
conviction has stood us in good stead. We do a lot of things which are contrary
to popular belief. We do not cater to the assumption that we should create a
hyped up brand, which we shall sell to the highest bidder and exit in three
years. We are trying to create a large and successful corporation, which will
be on top of things even 200 years later.
conviction has stood us in good stead. We do a lot of things which are contrary
to popular belief. We do not cater to the assumption that we should create a
hyped up brand, which we shall sell to the highest bidder and exit in three
years. We are trying to create a large and successful corporation, which will
be on top of things even 200 years later.
Secondly,
the oft repeated phrase in start-ups is that if the idea does not work for a
few years, you should dump it. We do not accept this at all. We feel if you
dump your own idea then either you have not done adequate research or do not
have faith in your own beliefs. We feel this attitude is silly and superficial
towards business.
the oft repeated phrase in start-ups is that if the idea does not work for a
few years, you should dump it. We do not accept this at all. We feel if you
dump your own idea then either you have not done adequate research or do not
have faith in your own beliefs. We feel this attitude is silly and superficial
towards business.
Thirdly, we
do not subscribe to the view that a start-up should be erratic in its work
environment. We feel the satisfaction and security of systems and processes
should be followed whenever possible.
do not subscribe to the view that a start-up should be erratic in its work
environment. We feel the satisfaction and security of systems and processes
should be followed whenever possible.
ST: What challenges do you face in your day to day
professional life, if any?
professional life, if any?
Debasish Roy: We do not
face any challenges from customers or employees or any advertisers. However, we
face this horrible preconceived notion in India about football being a concept
restricted for charity and NGOs. Nobody is willing to take their heads out of
the sand and witness the multi-billion dollar industry all over the world
revolving around football. When we meet anybody in India and say we deal in a
business model on football they immediately get the idea that we are JNU type
jholawalas who finger feed naked street urchins.
face any challenges from customers or employees or any advertisers. However, we
face this horrible preconceived notion in India about football being a concept
restricted for charity and NGOs. Nobody is willing to take their heads out of
the sand and witness the multi-billion dollar industry all over the world
revolving around football. When we meet anybody in India and say we deal in a
business model on football they immediately get the idea that we are JNU type
jholawalas who finger feed naked street urchins.
We find it
difficult to tell the Indian business community that we are a successful
business model. At the same time, people in USA, Israel, UK, Germany and Taiwan
have great respect for our work.
difficult to tell the Indian business community that we are a successful
business model. At the same time, people in USA, Israel, UK, Germany and Taiwan
have great respect for our work.
ST: How big is your team? Are you planning to hire
more?
more?
Debasish Roy: We are two
directors and four consultants. We plan to slowly bring the consultants into
directorship of either the parent or some subsidiary unit. We do not plan to
hire anybody unless we get venture capital funding. Until then, we intend to
remain highly profitable for ourselves without a salary bill and engaging
people per project as consultants.
directors and four consultants. We plan to slowly bring the consultants into
directorship of either the parent or some subsidiary unit. We do not plan to
hire anybody unless we get venture capital funding. Until then, we intend to
remain highly profitable for ourselves without a salary bill and engaging
people per project as consultants.
ST: What are your future plans?
Debasish Roy: We shall
scale up rapidly and install brick and mortar outlets all over the world. We
intend to parallelly start many revenue streams for this business model and
monetize our position as the single umbrella organisation for football
resources in the world.
scale up rapidly and install brick and mortar outlets all over the world. We
intend to parallelly start many revenue streams for this business model and
monetize our position as the single umbrella organisation for football
resources in the world.
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